400k post-ride strategy?

[Greg Merritt]

I managed to get through my first flèche and my first 600k this year,
but I've never done a 400k.

Now, when I completed the flèche and the 600k, I took myself home in
broad daylight. I have some silly questions about getting home from a
400k.

It looks like the majority of folks finished the SFR 400k this year
roughly in the midnight - 2am time frame. Given that everyone
probably started their day earlier than 5am, riders either got a short
night of sleep Friday night, or have an early-to-bed / early-to-rise
schedule and finished their 400k way way way past bedtime.

So, you're tired from the ride, of course, you were either
sleep-deprived going into the event or your bio clock says you're
smack-dab in the middle of sleepytime, and it's pitch dark out.

How do you all get home from your 400k? Have a coffee and hop in the
car, not unlike most any other ride? Carpool, take turns, and pinch
each other to stay alert? Have someone pick you up? Stay in a hotel
at the finish and take yourself home after some sleep?

Thanks for your thoughts!

-Greg

[alex plumb]

I slept in the car with the motor running and the heater on for about an hour before attempting to drive home. That seemed to work but was still "doing something stupid" as Rob would say. My driving skills were noticeably impaired and, if not for the nearly empty roads, I probably would have pulled over and slept even more.   Alex --- On Wed, 12/23/09, Greg Merritt <greg.m...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[Rob Hawks]

The last time I rode the Terrible Two, in 2007 I believe, I took a sleeping bag with me in the car. I knew after the ride I'd be pretty trashed so I planned to nap before driving home. I don't recall exactly how long I slept but it made a HUGE difference and I was completely alert for the drive home, where I was able to sleep again for several more hours. I took a 90 minute nap the next afternoon and was pretty much recalibrated sleepwise. If the ride starts at 6am, almost everyone will be home after the rest of their household is asleep so there is little rush really to get home. Don't set a time limit on how long you nap before driving home. If you don't feel ready, don't go.

rob

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[Sterling Hada]

Greg,

If you want a cautionary tale about what NOT to do, read on. When I did the Santa Rosa 300 km in 2005, I decided to drive home right after I'd finished. I think I was the second to last finisher, and it was about 10:00 pm. I started yawning almost immediately when I drove. Part of me said that I needed to look for a place to pull over and take a power nap. Another part said, Ah it's only a few more miles to home. Fast forward a few miles. On the Richmond San Rafael Bridge I nodded off for a split second. But that split second was just enough for my truck to drift to the right. I hit one of those sand-filled yellow plastic barrels that was set up for construction on the bridge. The jolt of hitting it and the subsequent explosion of sand woke me up instantly. Fortunately there was no one to the side of me, or behind me, but needless to say, I was wide awake for the rest of the drive.

Moral of the story: Take Rob's and Alex's advice and take a nap before you drive. Even a 15 minute nap would have made a difference, in my case.

Sterling

[Greg Merritt]

Thanks for all the responses! The common theme is clearly "rest
before you drive," and that a nap in the car will likely make all the
difference.

Thanks!!

-Greg

[jim g]

There are several hotels along Lombard Street just east of the
Presidio -- a very short ride away from the usual start/finish at the
Golden Gate Bridge:

http://maps.google.com/maps?geocode=CfQtK4swLLqKFQvsQAId7yWz-CkljwCL7IaFgDHGpxiYGF6KEA&q=hotel&f=l&gl=us&sll=37.794389,-122.451124&sspn=0.028079,0.043602&ie=UTF8&radius=1.19&rq=1&ev=zi&hq=hotel&hnear=&ll=37.798086,-122.441769&spn=0.028078,0.043602&z=15

Might be worth sharing the cost of a room with someone!

-Jim G
--
jimg at yojimg dot net

[phil morris]

I think that Rob has nailed it ... if you don't feel ready, don't go. Also, if you think that you feel OK and then get on the road but find yourself struggling to stay clearly focused, pull off and rest ... usually 1/2 hr is all you need to feel reasonably clear.

[Paul Duren]

This was an interesting subject of discussion on the randon group a couple of years ago.  I remember there was some paper out by a long distance rider who also happened to be a long distance trucker.  The description of what happens to you I think equated us to being drunk drivers on the road.  If Bill Byrant is reading this, I think he contributed to the thread at that time.

 

I know one of the explanation for what is going on stuck with me.  Basically you have done this aerobic activity over a long period of time.  Your heart has been pumping away at a higher rate and keeping your oxygen levels in the blood higher because of the demands on your system.  When the event ends and you get ready to drive home, the oxygen levels drop because you aren't placing the load on your body anymore.  Makes sense to me.  Well when your oxygen level drops, you get tired.  This is why after riding a long brevet that you become sleepy after the ride is over.  One of the points of this discussion was a concern about rider safety and getting home in one piece. 

 

I have stayed in Burlingame by the airport.  I know I can make it about there and I am toast. Hotels can be cheaper around there and it is about an hour home in the morning.  In Davis, I just slept in the car after the 600k for several hours.  When I did the 400k in 2007, there was a noon start so we finished early in the morning.  A friend and I had someone pick us up at the end.  We didn't try to drive home.  At the time, his girlfriend drove my wife up so she took him home and my wife drove my car home.  I can't remember much because I was out.

 

Paul Duren

[brekstone]

I got in so late on my first 400 -- about 3 a.m., as I remember it,
after a *very* slow second half -- that I never even considered the
hour-plus freeway drive home. I got a motel room in Davis and was
really glad I did. Did the same after finishing a 600 up there.

A couple years ago, when some eedjit had the bright idea to start a
400 at noon, I finished in wonderful morning-after daylight. I was
still in no shape to drive, probably; my wife came and picked up
several of us at the bridge for the ride back to Berkeley.

As others have suggested here, you can find plenty of anecdotes about
scary after-ride driving incidents if you look around.

db