Imperial Century

Since completing a metric century earlier this year, I have really done a lot of biking. In fact, I’ve put almost 1,200 miles on my bike this summer. In contrast, I’ve only put 2,500 miles on my car since January. The pinnacle, thus far, was finishing the 100 miles of the Apple Cider Century on Sunday. I did it with a friend who is a triathlete, and we finished in just over 6.5 hours, averaging over 15 miles per hour. Considering the hills and the wind, this is an awesome pace for me. My typical biking workout is a 17 mile stretch from museum campus down to 71st, along the lake shore bike path. I usually sustain a 17 to 18 mph average for those, and that’s on a very flat path. If there is a next time, I’d like to train on some hills, but for now it’s time to give my legs some much deserved rest. At least for a few days. Oh yeah, according to my favorite calorie calculator, I burned 4,800 calories!