Miles for Matt Metric Century Race Recap
What a ride! I can’t believe I just rode my first Metric Century! 60 miles on a bike is a long, long way… but it sure was FUN! AND I beat my goal time!
Our morning started really early.
My alarm went off at 4:00 AM and the first thing I did was put the magical eye drops in my sore eye. If you haven’t read it already, I actually got diagnosed with an cornea ulcer on Saturday morning. Thank goodness the doctor prescribed me some miracle eye drops because I didn’t have to wear an eye patch on the bike!
Breakfast was super fueling:
It might look look a LOT of French Toast, but these are mini-toasts (50 calories each). Plus nectarine and maple syrup. AND a big coffee!
We drove to Melbourne, which is on the East Coast of Florida and about 1 hour from my house.
We immediately checked in and picked up our packets.
There was about 250 riders at the event. The distance options were 30 miles, a Metric Century (60 miles), or a Century (100 miles). The group was pretty evenly split!
I grabbed a 1/2 a bagel with cream cheese….
And then we headed back to the car to gear up! I put on my sweet clip-on sunglasses over my regular glasses…. super lame, but it worked.
And Dad got out his tricycle. 
This thing is FAST!
Dad and I together, all ready to go:
I must admit that I was really, really nervous when we lined up at the starting line. My stomach was in knots, and I felt lightheaded! The furthest I’d ever biked was 40 miles and I’ve certainly never biked in a ‘group race’ before!
The proverbial gun went off and for the first 30 miles, I made a total rookie mistake — I went too fast! I was just so excited to be on the road. I got caught up in the ‘group ride’ aspect and totally pushed my leggies to the limit. If it had been a short ride, I would’ve been fine, but I just didn’t think about the fact that I had 30 more miles to go! I would say we were averaging about 17.0 mph (I was doing a LOT of drafting).
Then, we arrived at the first aid station! It was a very well-stocked station and the volunteers were so supportive!
I grabbed an oreo and a watermelon:
After 5.0 more miles, I took a goo packet. I stashed my goo under my bike shorts so I could grab them while I was riding:
All in all, I think I took in about 700 calories during the ride. I never felt under-fueled, which is good! I also took electrolyte tablets and never felt dehydrated.
I hit a wall around Mile 30. My legs got so heavy, it was really hot out (91 degrees!), and the wind was blowing in my face.
Mile 30 – 45 was pretty slow and torturous. I dropped down to about 12.0 mph and people kept passing me and my Dad. I started to mentally psych myself out by thinking, "I still have 20 miles left! How am I going to make it?"
I asked Dad to stop so I could stretch out and eat something. I had a Kashi Roll bar and drank some water. And I took another goo soon after — it definitely improved my mood! So did the pretty scenery!
By Mile 45, we were back at the aid station. Again, I grabbed an oreo and a watermelon. Mmmm!
I totally got my second wind after Mile 45 — just knowing I was soooo close to the finish line and close to my goal time made me really push it.
My dad and I got into a little "pack" with two other (male) riders and I began to draft them. They were going about 17.0 mph and I stuck with them for the entire last hour of the ride. I’m not going to lie — it was HARD, HARD, HARD! Almost as hard as running a half-marathon! My legs were SCREAMING, I was panting, it was hot….
My mantra became, "Lay the hammer down, lay the hammer down, lay the hammer down," which I heard a volunteer call out at the beginning of the race. I repeated that mantra over and over again for at least an hour!
When it got really bad, I thought to myself, "You’ve had worse runs then this bike ride!" And then I tried to recall all the harder races I’d run before. But you know what’s funny? The only hard race I could remember was the Crooms 15.4 Mile Trail Race, which happens to be the last race I’d run. Now, I KNOW I’ve had hard races — races when I totally wanted to die at the end, when I left it all out there on the road, when I puked at the finish line — but I couldn’t remember a SINGLE other bad moment! It’s funny how the mind wipes away all the bad memories and only remembers the happy finishes — that realization made me go even FASTER!
I was SO relieved to see the finish line! 60 miles is a LONG, LONG WAY!
- Duration: 4 hours, 24 minutes
- Distance: 60 miles
- Calories Burned: 2,400 (WOWZA)
Hot sweaty messes! And sweet clip-on sunglasses!
My Dad and I drove immediately to Subway. I ordered a 6-inch veggie sub with cheese. Plus, Sun Chips!
I also bought some ice so I could ice down my knees on the long ride home. My IT band was really acting up during the race, so I want to play it safe!
All in all, it was a fabulous ride! It was a fun experience to have with my dad, and it was very cool to do something new and challenging. I’m glad I discovered cycling — it’s almost as fun as running.
Have a wonderful afternoon!
Time to foam roll, eat, shower, and NAP!
Posted by: Caitlin 76 comments
Posted in: All Posts
on Jun 14th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Wahoo, congratulations!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Yay! Congrats! You did awesome! I am totally down for some bike races! You must have kicked some ass because we did 40 miles in 3.5 hours and you did 60 miles in 4.5. That's pretty impressive. Me you and Meghann need to go for a long bike ride soon.
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Amazing job Caitlin!!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Wow, 60 miles is AMAZING! Congrats!
I don't think I could ever do something like that, my dad is an avid cyclist though. He biked the Continental Divide a few years ago but ran out of body fat a couple weeks in so my mom had to take an emergency flight out to get him somewhere in New Mexico. He looked like a skeleton….scary.
It takes a lot of courage and strength to do what you just did, especially with all the medical issues you've faced – congrats again!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Great recap! Sounds like you had an awesome time! Plus, your dad seems like such a cool guy!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
You are a super champ Caitlin.
What a great thing to do with your pops.
Well done buddy.
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
great race caitlin!!!!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Way to go Caitlin, I knew you would do awesome!!!!
I give you major props for completing that, especially with the heat and the wind. You are one tough chica!!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Aww great job Caitlin! That is seriously so impressive…60 freakin' miles! I'm glad you are enjoying biking. I really want to start biking as well, for something easier on my knees. You are totally my inspiration!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Very cool! Congrats to you and your dad!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Great ride! Make sure you fuel up today!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Wow!!!! That is awesome! When I was riding 20 miles this morning, I thought of you!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
YOU DID AWESOME!!!! YAY!!! I was so excited when I got your text on the boat! I love you and I am so proud of you!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
congrats on a great first bike race! 60 miles is so so so impressive!
have fun eating today
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Congrats on your race!!! I love that you and your dad do things together. It's so cute. It reminds me of me and my dad. When I was in 6th grade we did a bike race on a tandem (I rode in the back, obviously) – but it was only 30 miles! I couldn't walk at the end my legs were so jello-y! hahaa…
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
What an awesome accomplishment! I'm so glad that your eye was feeling well enough to just have to wear the clip on sunglasses and not your eye patch – or even worse if you couldn't have done the ride at all. What a neat experience for you to have with your dad, too!
Congrats!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
CONGRATS!!! Awesome finish!! Four hours is a long time to spend in a saddle, you did great!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Well done you! I love the glasses-clip on solution. And your dad is the cutest!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Great job on the race! And what a fun thing to do with your dad! Congrats on your first bike race!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Well done girl! Will you be signing up for the 100 mile cycle next time?!!! I love how you just keep going despite your knee injury – you are so inspiring!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Yay, Caitlin! Way to go!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Congratulations Caitlin, awesome job!!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
Congratulations Caitlin! That's so cool that you and your Dad were able to do this together!
I'm having a 100th Post Giveaway,
http://joggingmymemory.com/blog/julia/?p=985
hope you can check it out!
Great job today!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
WOW, caitlin, that's seriously amazing — you should be so proud! you faced the challenge of not being able to run head on and definitely came out on top! so cool that your dad was right there too =)
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Awesome!!
Way to totally embrace cycling! You are so inspiring. Think you could do a mini recap of how you got into cycling and how long you've been doing it for? It feels like you just picked it up and now you're already doing big races! Amazing, honestly.
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Wow, you guys are awesome! Great job
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
congrats on the new challenge! Reading your recent posts has really made me want to get into biking
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
woohoooo!! Congratulations!!
You did GREATTTT!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
wow congrats!!!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Congratulations Caitlin! I have never been interested in biking, but I you have really inspired me to look into it further. What a workout!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Congrats!! That was an awesome recap to read, so impressive
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
very inspiring! great job
and love you did it with dad!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
wow. this is amazing.
i am HIGHLY impresses, but didn't
think for a second that you couldn't
do it.
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Congratulations! That's amazing
So happy for you and your daddy!
You rock Caitlin!
<3 jess
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Wow, that's seems like such a long race! I could never imagine biking that long. Good job =D
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Congrats, Caitlin!!! I am so proud of you!!! What an awesome experience!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
CONGRATS!! What an accomplishment!
I love that first picture- you definitely look the part (and now you can say you played the part) of a cyclist!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Congrats to the both of you!! That's fantastic!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
adi – sure i will do it for dinner
thanks everyone you are sweet!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Awesome job! What an amazing accomplishment and a very good cause.
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Congrats hun!!!
Good job- to BOTH of you!!
Whoa 60 miles?? That is crazy!!! That is so awesome you and your dad could share it together.
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
Congrats on your first bike race!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
Unbelievable – CONGRATULATIONS!! What an accomplishment! I absolutely cannot imagine biking for over 4 hours. You should be really proud of yourself!!
:D:D:D
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Congrats – 60 miles, what an awesome achievement!!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Congrats!!!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Congratulations! You are awesome!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
Congratulations on your race! That is such an awesome accomplishment…you should be so proud
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
congrats, you did so awesome!!!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Looking good on your bike!
I also did a bike ride this weekend! I did 69 miles on Saturday and then 47 miles today! All along the many rolling hills of Northwestern Illinois & Iowa, along the Mississippi River. I wore a new brace on my knees and only once did I feel pain in my knees and that was on the first day around mile 50.
Thighs were burning though!!
Yay for biking!!
Go us!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
lindsay – way to go!!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
Congrats! What an accomplishment!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
YAY!! Awesome job! You ROCKED it!! And it's really cool that you got to share this memory with your dad!
And what's even cooler is that despite the knees and the eye (!) you killed it. You rock!!!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 6:27 pm
Congrats! Looks like it was a beautiful day for a ride…
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 6:38 pm
Caitlin!!!! Congrats! You are truly an inspiration and suchhh a determined, hard-working athlete!! I'm glad that you felt properly fueled and made it through!! You should be SO proud of yourself!! I know you are though!
Congrats again, i'm sure you'll have an amazing nights sleep tonight!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Congrats!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Congrats Caitlin!!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Congratulations! How great that you could do the race with your dad!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Soooo Exciting! Congrats! How awesome that you got to share this with your dad!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Way to go, Caitlin!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Yay!! Great job girl!!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
congrats on the race caitlin, way to go! i really want to get into biking, and the post about how you got into biking inspired me! i hurt my foot a few months ago, so i think it will be a good way for me to cross train. first, i have to figure out how i'm gonna fit a bike in my tiny apartment
congrats again, you rock!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Awesome job! You're really making me want to get a bike!
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on Jun 14th, 2009 at 9:18 pm
Congratulations on your first bike race! You did great, and it looks like you had so much fun!!
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on Jun 15th, 2009 at 4:44 am
Congrats Caitlin! You rocked it!
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on Jun 15th, 2009 at 6:25 am
Congrats! That's so awesome. And how cool that you raced it with your dad
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on Jun 15th, 2009 at 7:56 am
Congratulations, Caitlin!! I have to say, biking has always seemed kind of meh to me. But you definitely make it seem more exciting, and a challenge – which I LOVE! I need to get out on mine more.
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on Jun 15th, 2009 at 9:41 am
De-lurking to say Congrats! Amazing job and I'm glad you enjoyed yourself!
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on Jun 15th, 2009 at 11:41 am
Caitlin,
You are such a rockstar to do that after your eye injury, too! Yay you!
Just catching up on my blog reading and I was so happy to see that you rocked that race! Of course I am not surprised
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on Jun 15th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Hooray! Congrats on accomplishing that race! Wow what a distance, awesome job!
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on Jun 15th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Great job! So cool that you could do that with your dad. Love the video and the clip ons, hehe.
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on Jun 15th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
sweet! nice race report. those group rides are a blast. and that is so cool that you got to experience your first one with your dad! I hope I get to do something like that with my girls one day. I"m sure you made him very proud and happy.
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on Jun 15th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
WTG Caitlin!!! How impressive!
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on Jun 16th, 2009 at 7:46 am
Congrats on the great ride. I remember my first 10K and the feelings of pride and accomplishment when I walked under the finish line banner. I felt like I could do anything.
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on Jun 16th, 2009 at 7:53 am
What a sweet race! You rock, miss thang- sexy shades and all!
I love your dad's trike, that is crazy. I don't understand the "put the hammer down" bit though? Is that a biking trick?
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on Jun 16th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Rock on! I'm glad you enjoyed the ride! It sounds like you had the ride of your life!
Watch our website for more of our rides. We are already gearing up for "Ride 4 A Breast" Cancer Benefit 18 Oct 09. See you there!
Bill Patterson
Miles For Matt Event Coodinator
Space Coast Velo Sport
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on Jun 16th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Dang. I registered you and ur Dad that morning…AND NO PIC OF ME! Very dissapointing!
Pedal on m'dear. Come back in Oct.
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