One of my favorite century rides is the CRW Fall Century ride. The Charles River Wheelmen designed a difficult, but beautiful route for this ride, which takes place each September. This year’s ride is on Sunday, September 19th.
This route was the basis for one of the chapters in my book, the Souhegan River Classic. Here’s an excerpt which describes the ride:
Based on the popular Fall Century Ride of the Charles River Wheelmen, the Souhegan River Classic is a challenging century — virtually all of the route’s 5,500 feet of climbing are crammed into the first 62 miles. Painful, but beautiful, the Souhegan River Classic takes you through the best cycling roads of North-Central Massachusetts to the best cycling roads of South Central New Hampshire. Be sure that you are in good shape and pack well, as food and water stops are few and far between.
It is a tough ride, but so worth it. The ride starts in Central Massachusetts, in Acton, and follows a super scenic route through Groton and Lunenburge and up into New Hampshire. Here are some more photos from along the route.
Note that pre-registration is required this year and the ride is limited to 500 riders. All the details are on the CRW web site.
Pre-Ride Meeting
Pausing on a country road
If you’ve not yet done your first century ride, or one this hard, check out James Wannop’s eBook on how to train for a century ride (affiliate link). It’s perhaps the most comprehensive guide dedicated exclusively to tackling a century ride. All the details about his book can be found on his website bicyclecenturytraining.com.
A Massachusetts institution, the Pan Mass Challenge rolls off this weekend. Now with 9 routes and both U.S. Senators participating, the event is in its 31st year. The goal this year: to raise $31 million for cancer research at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. 5,200 riders will hit the roads this Saturday and Sunday, chances are you know one of them. Read more at 
Usually a great workout is rewarded with a small treat. Maybe a scoop of ice cream, a slice of pizza, or a beer. Ok, maybe a bowl of ice cream, a few slices of pizza or a few beers.
Back in March, there were 
The Nashoba Valley Pedalers are hosting a “
Massachusetts is promoting cycling through a series of events taking place across the state during “Bay State Bike Week.” The effort is being spearheaded by the 
The “century” ride. 100 miles on-bike in a single day. Quite alluring.
You’re barreling down the road at 25MPH, pedaling hard. You’re putting out a good effort, trying to keep smooth, steady pedal strokes. Efficiency is key. You focus on it, and your breathing.