Gonna do my first Hotter N Hell 100 this year. also my first 100 since the Ms150 got cancelled. I'm not generally worried about working my mileage up to the point where I can do 100 but I am wondering about the importance of training for the heat. I'm self employed and work at home so when I train is pretty flexible. From about November 1 to late May I ride at lunch, usually between about 1130 and 1. Then as it heats up around late May I switch to 6 pm or so to avoid the hottest part of the day. Now I'm wondering if I should keep that lunch time ride to get acclimated to the heat. On the weekends I usually do earlier rides, like 8 am. Just wondering if there's benefit to riding in the hottest part of the day.

I did it in 2011 during that ridiculous drought and hot spell. It was well over 100 at the finish line.

My recommendation is to get a camelback. It holds lots of water and keeps it cool. That made a huge difference.

Born and raised in Wichita Falls. Ridden every distance 25miles or over. The heat is certainly something to deal with and I'd second the recommendation on lots of water capacity. To me, the wind around Burk and past it can be the real make or break depending on the year.

wcb said:

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Get 1-2 long Saturday morning rides each month through the summer and you'll be fine. Stay on top of your nutrition / hydration.

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So the morning humidity is more important than the midday heat to you? Good to know. I HATE that morning humidity so that's a good tip. Might as well get used to it now.

I did it in either '07 or '08, and just remember around mile 60, there was a right turn, and it immediately felt like someone had a hair dryer blowing in my face for the next 20 miles.

It starts at dawn. A billion years ago it started much later so dfw people could make it from their beds.

They close the gate when it gets hot. So you are either too fast to worry about the heat or slow and take the gate. The wind is a much bigger issue. They don't have a gate for the wind.

culdeus said:

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It starts at dawn. A billion years ago it started much later so dfw people could make it from their beds.

They close the gate when it gets hot. So you are either too fast to worry about the heat or slow and take the gate. The wind is a much bigger issue. They don't have a gate for the wind.

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That's good stuff. I wasn't aware of the gate. Their site says it starts at 0705 and the gate closes at 1230 which is 5:25 to make the gate. That's pretty easy as long as you don't let any breaks drag on. I usually skip first break then take all the rest on event rides so that would be the plan here. Guessing I'd make the gate about 1130 so plenty of time. Looks like the course closes 6 hours after the gate closes so you can slow your pace after that. Think I'll get on Wheel Brothers and find a couple of events a month for May, June and July and use those for the longer morning training rides.

Thanks, everyone!

LOYAL AG said:

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culdeus said:

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It starts at dawn. A billion years ago it started much later so dfw people could make it from their beds.

They close the gate when it gets hot. So you are either too fast to worry about the heat or slow and take the gate. The wind is a much bigger issue. They don't have a gate for the wind.

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That's good stuff. I wasn't aware of the gate. Their site says it starts at 0705 and the gate closes at 1230 which is 5:25 to make the gate. That's pretty easy as long as you don't let any breaks drag on. I usually skip first break then take all the rest on event rides so that would be the plan here. Guessing I'd make the gate about 1130 so plenty of time. Looks like the course closes 6 hours after the gate closes so you can slow your pace after that. Think I'll get on Wheel Brothers and find a couple of events a month for May, June and July and use those for the longer morning training rides.

Thanks, everyone!

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The gate closes AT LEAST by 12:30. They can close it earlier if weather is hot or otherwise bad (rain)

It has for sure closed by 11:30 in previous years. Somebody surely has a list of times it closed.

The start is very slow and gets congested at the slightest incline. You should more than anything do larger group rides that are happening to get used to how crowds behave. I would absolutely not want this to be my first large scale organized group ride, if that was your plan.

culdeus said:

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LOYAL AG said:

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culdeus said:

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It starts at dawn. A billion years ago it started much later so dfw people could make it from their beds.

They close the gate when it gets hot. So you are either too fast to worry about the heat or slow and take the gate. The wind is a much bigger issue. They don't have a gate for the wind.

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That's good stuff. I wasn't aware of the gate. Their site says it starts at 0705 and the gate closes at 1230 which is 5:25 to make the gate. That's pretty easy as long as you don't let any breaks drag on. I usually skip first break then take all the rest on event rides so that would be the plan here. Guessing I'd make the gate about 1130 so plenty of time. Looks like the course closes 6 hours after the gate closes so you can slow your pace after that. Think I'll get on Wheel Brothers and find a couple of events a month for May, June and July and use those for the longer morning training rides.

Thanks, everyone!

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The gate closes AT LEAST by 12:30. They can close it earlier if weather is hot or otherwise bad (rain)

It has for sure closed by 11:30 in previous years. Somebody surely has a list of times it closed.

The start is very slow and gets congested at the slightest incline. You should more than anything do larger group rides that are happening to get used to how crowds behave. I would absolutely not want this to be my first large scale organized group ride, if that was your plan.

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I've done a couple of MS150's before so I'm ASSUMING that's a comparable ride as far as size of groups and the congestion issues you encounter. If it's not let me know and I'll find a couple of other things to chase in July when I get serious about this.

Really appreciate all the feedback. I'm hard headed enough to hurt myself on something like this so all the info I can get will help me make sure I'm as prepared as I can be.

How many typically do the 100 vs the other distances?

LOYAL AG said:

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culdeus said:

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LOYAL AG said:

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culdeus said:

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It starts at dawn. A billion years ago it started much later so dfw people could make it from their beds.

They close the gate when it gets hot. So you are either too fast to worry about the heat or slow and take the gate. The wind is a much bigger issue. They don't have a gate for the wind.

---

That's good stuff. I wasn't aware of the gate. Their site says it starts at 0705 and the gate closes at 1230 which is 5:25 to make the gate. That's pretty easy as long as you don't let any breaks drag on. I usually skip first break then take all the rest on event rides so that would be the plan here. Guessing I'd make the gate about 1130 so plenty of time. Looks like the course closes 6 hours after the gate closes so you can slow your pace after that. Think I'll get on Wheel Brothers and find a couple of events a month for May, June and July and use those for the longer morning training rides.

Thanks, everyone!

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The gate closes AT LEAST by 12:30. They can close it earlier if weather is hot or otherwise bad (rain)

It has for sure closed by 11:30 in previous years. Somebody surely has a list of times it closed.

The start is very slow and gets congested at the slightest incline. You should more than anything do larger group rides that are happening to get used to how crowds behave. I would absolutely not want this to be my first large scale organized group ride, if that was your plan.

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I've done a couple of MS150's before so I'm ASSUMING that's a comparable ride as far as size of groups and the congestion issues you encounter. If it's not let me know and I'll find a couple of other things to chase in July when I get serious about this.

Really appreciate all the feedback. I'm hard headed enough to hurt myself on something like this so all the info I can get will help me make sure I'm as prepared as I can be.

How many typically do the 100 vs the other distances?

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Hard to say. Maybe half. Hard to say because a lot line up for the 100 and then don't do it.

Only done hh100 once, but its nowhere near the congestion of ms150.

Bumping thread with another question. I've read that riders will start arriving at the start as early as 4 am. Is early congestion really that bad? I'm not racing and not worried about time beyond making the gate. I'd figured on arriving at 6 am. Do I need to be earlier?

No. If you're not worried about racing it and just making the gate there's no reason. Legit got there at 7 one year. It takes a while getting the waves going so if you're not at the front you may not really pedal until at least 7:15. No harm in 6am though.

My family participated in this year's Hotter N Hell 100.

Wife and 7-year old daughter completed the 25 mile challenge.
My 10-year old son and I did the 100 mile race (I had to stop at mile 70 due to a chronic knee problem but my son was able to complete it).


Question:
For someone who is relatively new to cycling, what are some forums, blogs, etc. that you recommend?