"Terrific 200k" ride report

[Toshi Takeuchi]

I have quite a love-hate relationship with the Terrible Two double century. I've completed it twice in 2007 and 2011, and failed it three times!

It's really hard because there is a ton of very steep climbing maybe ~15-20 miles over 10% grade, with one highly memorable section of 0.9 miles averaging 15% (the Rancheria wall).

Coupled with the steep climbs was a very strict lunch cutoff that required (at least for me) 20 mph+ pacelines along the Silverado Trail to make the time. Throw in some 100+ degree heat, and you are in for a wonderful day.

I'm not yet willing to wave the white flag and say I can't do the 200 miler (because of the aging clientele, they have removed one hill and eased the lunch cutoff restriction, and are allowing earlier starts for slower riders, giving more time to finish). However, this year, I thankfully did not make another 200-mile attempt and joined some buddies on the "Terrific 200k".

--Being my usual lazy self, I hoped to minimize both training effort and riding suffering. At the beginning of May, I was fit from riding the 600k, and I decided to simply commute on my bike to and from work as my training for the month and half prior to the ride (15 miles round trip, 1200 ft of climbing with an extra hill on the way home).

For the ride, I made sure to start off slowly and not burn my matches at the beginning of the ride. One of my DNFs on the 200-miler was when I sorely underestimated my fitness and stayed with the lead group for the first 40 miles and blew up by mile 100. I had a blast and wouldn't give up that experience, but if I want to finish the ride, then I need to pace myself!

The weather was really in our favor, since the temperature was several degrees below normal in the high 70s. Typical might be in the high 80s/low 90s, and for one of my DNF years, the pavement was reading 115. I've had two rides with the "car heater" effect. One was descending the "Geysers" on the first half of the 200 miler and the other was on the descent of "Cardiac" hill on the Davis double (I managed to finish the Davis ride, unlike the other DNF). 

The "car heater" effect is when you are driving in your car during a heat wave and you need to turn the heater on and have it blow full blast to keep the car from overheating. Yeah, fun right? I've done that on a cross-country heat wave as I was driving through California in the Mojave desert. I can assure it is just as fun when you experience this on a bike ride and get the same feeling as the hot wind blows on you on a big descent after a hill climb.

Well, sorry to say, there were no funky shenanigans this ride as it was unusually cool. So, I don't have much to report except that the Rancheria wall (15%, 0.9 mi) seems to be getting steeper. I've done it several times and I don't remember it being so steep. Give me another week or two and I'll probably forget about it (randonesia). I do want to thank my buddies on the ride for making it a fun day!

I rode my Roadeo, which is basically my fair weather summer bike, and my gearing is good with a triple 48-38-24 and a 11-28 cassette in the back. Maybe I just have to give in to old age and get a 11-34 cassette. I would have loved two more gears on those hills. 

I don't recall seeing a single steel bike other than my own. Three years prior, there was a really strong rider near the front of the 200-mile ride (passing us 200k riders) on an Independent Fabrications bike, but I thought I saw him again on a carbon fiber bike this time. However, this time, nobody asked me. incredulously if I was really riding "that bike" on the ride. One person suggested I get rid of the cork tape and replace it with leather tape to match my Rivet saddle. I don't have a picture of the bike from this ride, but I am attaching a picture from the same ride 3 years ago (I can assure you I am older and fatter now). We were fueling up for the Rancheria wall. I didn't do that this time--maybe that's why it felt so much harder.

I think this will be my last major ride this year. I may do a 200k or two, but if all goes well, I will ramp up again next year as I try to do another ride series and add on the 3CR 1000k in advance of PBP 2027. 

Until next time,

Toshi in Oakland, CA

[Jason Fuller]

Awesome!  My last 200k was almost exactly two years ago; I was averaging 2-3 200k brevets a year for a few years there, every one has been aboard my Hillborne which is kind of ironic as the Hillborne replaced a Soma Grand Randonneur that I had for four years but only rode up to 140km on.  This last 200k I felt quite good upon finishing for the first time, which everyone said meant that it's time I try a 300k.... 

[Toshi Takeuchi]

Hi Jason,

Apparently ridership and interest is way down on endurance events. The Terrible Two used to be sold out with 285 riders, but now can get maybe 150 after reducing the difficulty and time limits/challenges to appeal to the older riding population like me. The Santa Rosa Wine Country century was previously always sold out far in advance, but now is having trouble getting enough people to ride.

For me, there is something therapeutic/meditative to riding for hours and hours. Of course, there's the aspect of taking up a new challenge to test your limits, which I also find appealing. 

If you can do a 200k, then you can do a 300k, and then a 400k, and then a 600k etc. I suppose much of the fun (especially while figuring things out) is of the type 2 sort--meaning, "Boy that sucked while I did it, but now that I finished it, it feels great!"

If you decide to try a 300k, then the SFR Healdsburg 300k is a good one to ride. Let me know, as it would be fun to get a couple of Rivs to ride together there.

Toshi