Start Training Now (And Help Me Out) for the 2nd Annual FatCyclist.com 100 Miles of Nowhere

03.30.2009 | 11:36 pm

Last year, all by my sad little self, I rode the inaugural FatCyclist.com 100 Miles of Nowhere. As a recap, this is what the route looked like:

200903302215.jpg

And here was what my GPS reported my turn-by-turn as:

200903302216.jpg

In short, by making good on a bet that I could ride my rollers for 100 miles in one stretch, I raised more than $1000 for the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

The weird thing is, afterward a bunch of you said that if I made it an annual event, you’d want to do it, too. So, foolishly taking you at your word, I am happy to announce that soon I’ll be announcing (in other words, I haven’t finalized the date yet) the 2nd Annual FatCyclist.com 100 Miles of Nowhere.

But this time it’s going to be much more awesome.

How It’s Going to Work

Well, first off, there’s going to be official registration and everything, with racer schwag approximately 300% better than most racer schwag bags. More on that in a second.

And of course, most of the money for registration will go to Team Fatty’s LiveStrong Challenge.

When you register, you will specify your category (choose from one of my pre-made categories or create your own), your race location, and the distance you will ride your rollers or trainer: 25, 50, or 100 miles.

Of course, if you cheat and decide to ride outside, I will give you a stern warning, but will not treat it as cheating outright.

Then, On a certain day in the not-too-distant future, we will all — wherever we happen to be — ride nowhere at all, in a race that is both incredibly local and impossibly far-flung. Racers who normally drop everyone else will note that they are somehow going the same speed as recreational riders.

Above all, as you ride you will have conflicting senses of pointlessness (why am I riding my bike and not going anywhere?) and pointfulness (because I’m fighting cancer, that’s why).

And it will be awesome in a whole new way.

What You’re Going to Get

I’m currently planning on having a $75.00 entry fee. $25 of that will cover shipping costs and labor, and the other $50 goes to Fatty’s LiveStrong Challenge.

And what will you get, besides a sense of satisfaction that you participated in an incredibly strange race and also fought cancer? Well, you get a schwag box of awesomeness, that’s what. Here’s what’s in it so far:

  • A suitable-for-framing certificate, declaring you the winner in your category and location. Yes, that’s right. I am guaranteeing you a win, regardless of who else is in the race. What other race gives you that? Oh, and by “suitable for framing” I mean that I’ll use high-quality paper in my color laser printer. Oh, and I’ll sign it, too. With a blue Bic pen.
  • An event t-shirt, designed and produced by Twin Six . Twin Six designs all my jerseys and t-shirts, and they’ve never ever ever disappointed. This will be one shirt that definitely does not become a rag used to wipe the grease off your chain. Not for several years, anyway. Value: $22.00
  • A tube of DZ-Nuts. Yes, really. If you use chamois cream, it’s high time you try DZ-Nuts. If you have never tried chamois cream, I cannot think of a more perfect time to begin. As I have noted in my review, this is good stuff. Value: $22.00
  • A Banjo Brothers Seat Bag: These bags open wide and perfectly hold exactly what you need for a roadside tube change: tube, tire levers, mini tool, CO2 can and adapter. And a couple of rolled-up bills in case you need to buy a Slurpie. Every road bike should have one of these. Value: $10.99
  • A Garmin / Slipstream Camelbak Podium Bottle: I recently got one of these bottles for myself…and I liked it so much that I ordered a six-pack of them. They’re the only bottle I use now. Somehow, CamelBak has made the bike water bottle better. A lot better. And the Garmin / Slipstream graphics look great. And how cool is Team Garmin / Slipstream for helping raise money for the Lance Armstrong Foundation? Value: $10.00
  • CarboRocket Single-Serve packs: How weird is it that one of my very best friends invented what I consider to be the very best sports drink in existence? You’ll get three single-serve packs (perfect for making one bottle’s-worth), letting you try each of the flavors. And, I daresay this is a good opportunity for you to try them out. Value: $6.00
  • Clif Shot Bloks: The fact that I will, if left to my own devices, eat Shot Bloks recreationally, tells you everything you need to know about them. They taste like jam, and look terrifying when microwaved. Value: $2.00
  • ProBar : These things taste far too delicious to be organic, and yet they are. And they’re far too delicious, I might add, to be an energy bar. And yet they are. Value: $3.29

That is not a bad amount of stuff. In fact, if my calculations are correct (and they may not be, because I am far too lazy to double-check my work), the retail value of the FatCyclist.com 100 Miles of Nowhere schwag box is $76.28.

Yes, that’s right. You pay $75.00, get $76.28 worth of stuff, and you’re still donating $50 to Team Fatty’s LiveStrong Challenge.

How is that even possible? I do not know, but it is.

How I Need Your Help

Want to help out? Great. There are a couple things I need.

  • If you’ve got pull with a company and think they might want to be a sponsor: I would love to make you a sponsor. You can be a sponsor by either donating something very cool to go in the schwag bag, donating a very cool random-drawing prize (like a bike or a car or a lifetime supply of Diet Coke), or donating a good amount of cash to Team Fatty’s LiveStrong Challenge. E-mail me and we’ll talk about details.
  • If you’re thinking about participating: Just start talking to your friends and family about how insane it would be to ride your trainer for 100 miles (or 50, or 25). Once they agree, tell them you’re going to do it as part of this race, so you can do something completely ridiculous and noble at the same time, and you’d like them to donate to your LiveStrong Challenge page in support of your effort.

We’ll be starting registration soon. As soon as I pick a date. Which I believe will be around the end of April. Yeah, I know I should have done this when it was too cold to go do anything outside. But as it turns out I sometimes have other things I have to take care of in my life. So feel free to not give me any grief about waiting ’til now to get to this. Or I will bite your head clean off.

Don’t test me.

FAQ
A few people have asked questions in the comments section, and a couple of questions have occurred to me that I expect some people might want to ask but are simply too shy.. I will try to answer them here:

  • Can I use my spin bike / stationary trainer? Sure. Why not?
  • I’m more of a runner? Can I do a running version? Of course. It seems that the runner’s equivalent of this would be to do a marathon on your treadmill. Your T-shirt will still say you did the 100 Miles of Nowhere, but you can edit it with a Sharpie.
  • What about riding a really small course outside? Yes, please do that. The smaller, the better. And please have a GPS with tracking on and send me the an image of your ride. I will post it.
  • My computer is mounted to my front wheel. What do I do? Mount a computer to your rear wheel, or, alternatively, just guess how fast you’re going. Guess low.
  • What if I’m not available on the day you pick? Do it on the day before. Or the day after. Or something like that. With all the time zones and date lines involved, it’s not like we’re all going to be riding at the same time anyway.

If you’ve got more questions, ask in the comments and if they seem general enough, I’ll answer them here.

PS: A bunch of you should be getting the bracelets you had Susan make for you (and I’ve gotten really nice emails from several of you saying how much you like them already; thanks!) over the next couple of days. She’s only got about 20 more to make, and she’s hoping to get them done between this week and next. Susan wanted me to let you know that each of the women’s bracelets has one squarish pink bead, which you should think of as her signature and a reminder of what this is all about. Susan also says that once she’s done with the remaining bracelets on order, she’s going to put jewelry making aside for a bit, so she can concentrate on finishing writing her novel.

PPS: Yes, that’s right. My cancer-fighting wife, having just raised north of $8K for the LAF by meticulously hand-crafting more than 80 bracelets, is now hard at work completing her first novel. How awesome is she? (Answer: very)

104 Comments

  1. Comment by Quixote | 03.30.2009 | 11:47 pm

    In.

  2. Comment by Rocket | 03.31.2009 | 12:43 am

    Hi Fatman, your down under fans are amazed by the sheer lunacy of your trhought process. i’m off to tell my mates (buddies) all about this i reckon we could do our bit for you in Sunny Syney. Keep it up your a legend. By the way love handles are in this year.

  3. Comment by Beast Mom | 03.31.2009 | 1:03 am

    Um, so are you going to roll-bash into your TV cabinet again? That story is in my top 10 favorite Fatty posts of all time. :)

    -bm

  4. Comment by Russ | 03.31.2009 | 3:12 am

    Been a subscriber to your site for about 2 weeks now. This is, by far, the most ludicrous idea I’ve ever heard. I can’t wait to ride. I’m inviting my friends over so we can ‘race’ towards the TV.

    Please let me know who gets there first. – FC

  5. Comment by Vito | 03.31.2009 | 3:58 am

    Can we do it on spin bikes?????

    Yes!!!!! – FC

  6. Comment by Big Mike In Oz | 03.31.2009 | 4:17 am

    Clearly your GPS was on your wrist not your bike.

    I can tell from the mapping of last year’s challenge that you made quite a few visits to the fridge, bathroom and vanity mirror as well as one each to the end of the driveway and the garden shed.

    Way to break up the boredom dude.

  7. Comment by Mike Roadie | 03.31.2009 | 4:38 am

    This is the dumbest thing I have ever heard of….when do we start!!!!

    I can put my trainer out in the driveway, and at least suffer from heat and dehydration!

    WIN
    MIM

  8. Comment by Robert Frapples | 03.31.2009 | 5:45 am

    I assume this will be on a Saturday. When cell phone minutes are free. One huge conference call?

    That is an AWESOME idea. I will look into setting up a toll-free conference line. – FC

  9. Comment by Koz | 03.31.2009 | 5:53 am

    How about a division for those that can ride a short loop, like two tenths of a mile? It would still be mind-numbing. I have a spinning bike, but not a trainer. If the spinner will count, I’ll use it.

    I like both ideas. The spinner counts, or if you want to do your short loop (500 times around a .2-mile course?!), that’s even more awesome. If you do that, please please please send the GPS track of the ride and I will post it. – FC

  10. Comment by Jeff | 03.31.2009 | 6:04 am

    This might be a stupid question but how do you know how far you’ve gone on your trainer when your bike computer is attached to the front wheel?

    Ummm. Radar? No, that won’t work. Motorpacing? Nah, bad idea again. I’m afraid you’re going to have to either mount a computer on your rear wheel or guess. Both methods are acceptable. – FC

  11. Comment by Mikeonhisbike | 03.31.2009 | 6:26 am

    Count me in. I have a love hate relationship with my trainer so this will be the perfect opportunity to give it some punishment.

    Mike

  12. Comment by James | 03.31.2009 | 6:36 am

    Well, this would be a really good way to improve the $/mile on those InsideRide rollers I bought last year…I’ve only managed to fall off of them once, and I swear that was because a squirrel ran right in front of me.

    JLS

    You’re lucky you weren’t killed! – FC

  13. Comment by MOCougFan | 03.31.2009 | 7:07 am

    Last year after your post I rode my spin bike for 100 miles. I watched all 3 Bourne movies. It was one of the most pointless things I have ever done. I can’t wait to do it again. Maybe I’ll do the Mission Impossible trilogy, or Lord of the Rings trilogy. Gonna have to give this some thought.

    Let me know when. I’m in.

    That makes me think. We should make a video exchange be part of this. I could contribute several seasons’-worth of 24. I’ll have to consider the logistics and decide whether it’s worth it. Meanwhile, I’m glad you’re in! – FC

  14. Comment by Sara | 03.31.2009 | 7:11 am

    I am in.

    Since my fiancee will kill me if I bring rollers into our 700 sq foot apartment (my bike already lives in the kitchen so I don’t think I can get away with much more), I’ll have to head to the gym or ride around the block 200 times.

    Please please please ride around the block 200 times, and then send in your story. I’m especially interested if you can get the neighbors’ perspective. – FC

  15. Comment by Kala | 03.31.2009 | 7:38 am

    You know, you should get local indoor cycling studios to get in on this too! They already ride to nowhere!!!

    That’s a terrific idea and if anyone wants to get their cycling studio involved, they certainly can do this as a group. But I’m already spending as much time on this as I can. I’ve got to keep this low-effort, or I can’t do it. – FC

  16. Comment by jwbikes | 03.31.2009 | 8:03 am

    I am in for the ride and the book (first edition?, signed?). No GPS though…..I can hand draw it into a google map capture, that should be interesting.

    WIN

  17. Comment by Hilslug | 03.31.2009 | 8:14 am

    A bunch of us could bring our bikes, trainers and food and ride to nowhere together! We could ride to nowhere in a park, backyard, in front of a TV, etc.

    I have contacted a Utah County spin studio to see if they would host a Ride to Nowhere.

  18. Comment by Pete | 03.31.2009 | 8:23 am

    I’m up for this; I’m not sure how I will cope with the heat though and that’s in London. The longest I’ve ever used the turbo for is 45 minutes and I felt like I was going to melt.

  19. Comment by Katie | 03.31.2009 | 8:29 am

    I’m signing up me AND My kids! We’ll have to find a short loop but it’ll almost be like a real race, the three of us around the block 10 billion times. Woo hoo!

  20. Comment by cheapie | 03.31.2009 | 8:38 am

    i am SO in! i also bought an e-motion trainer and need to drop the miles-to-$ ratio on it.

    if you’re taking votes on the day, i have a race on 19-apr so the 18th would be hard to do but other than that…let’s do it!

  21. Comment by Non Cyclist | 03.31.2009 | 8:53 am

    In for sure.

  22. Comment by Non Cyclist | 03.31.2009 | 8:55 am

    Gotta buy a trainer first, but in for sure.

  23. Comment by Julie | 03.31.2009 | 9:04 am

    I am so in for this. I can’t wait!

  24. Comment by Mark | 03.31.2009 | 9:27 am

    I’m in!! Now which bike to ride….hmmm, I might fall asleep on the recumbent….Sounds like the recumbent for sure :)

  25. Comment by KanyonKris | 03.31.2009 | 9:30 am

    TO ALL PARTICIPANTS:

    Consider a live video broadcast of your ride to nowhere.

    Jeff Kerkove did live video of himself doing a long roller session. It worked pretty good. All you need is a computer, webcam and a broadband internet connection. Jeff used USTREAM.TV to do the streaming. I tested it out last year and it’s pretty easy – auto-detects most webcams, gives you a web address so people can see your broadcast, it has optional features like chat and polls and it can be embedded in web pages so you can put on your web site or blog.

    I imagine Fatty could publish a list of planned video streams with the time they plan to go live.

    If you want to try video, I suggest you test it out well in advance to work out the bugs.

  26. Comment by MOCougFan | 03.31.2009 | 9:42 am

    FC… 24 is the best thing to ride to by far.

    Are you planning to do RAWROD this year. Hopefully the dates won’t conflict. I’m coming out to Utah to do that with Kenny and company.

  27. Comment by Hilslug | 03.31.2009 | 9:43 am

    Forgot to mention I looked at my bracelet and tried to guess which bead “represented” Susan. Now I know for sure. Thanks!

  28. Comment by Jenny-Jenny | 03.31.2009 | 9:54 am

    The way our springtime has been attacked by rain. This is perfect. I wonder if Food Network could schedule all of my favorites during that time.

  29. Comment by Kathleen | 03.31.2009 | 10:00 am

    Oh man, I’m just recovering from surgery so I don’t think I can do this but I’ll be cheering everyone on!

  30. Comment by Kathleen | 03.31.2009 | 10:01 am

    Susan IS amazing.

    (that thought needed it’s own comment space)

  31. Comment by charlie | 03.31.2009 | 10:04 am

    Just got the bracelets – can’t wait to give them to my Leadville support team – they’re going to love them!

    I’m having trouble sitting right now – just thinking about the 100 miles to no where…

  32. Comment by Cory | 03.31.2009 | 10:07 am

    This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of. CAN’T WAIT!!!! I think riding a super short course with GPS tracking would be awesome! Sign me up.

  33. Comment by Di | 03.31.2009 | 10:08 am

    If I can get a trainer, I am sooo IN.

  34. Comment by Mateo Ortega | 03.31.2009 | 10:09 am

    Def. in, great idea/fun

  35. Comment by Anonymous | 03.31.2009 | 10:10 am

    In! and cheating!

    Having given away two trainers and one set of rollers because of the joy they suck out of riding, I’m “stuck” riding outside. You may start crying for me now if you’d like.

    I’ll be mountain biking myself silly in Fruita at the end of April, but since I’m already cheating once, what’s a little date fudging?

    Great idea!

  36. Comment by traildiva | 03.31.2009 | 10:11 am

    Edit: I am not anonymous; I am traildiva.

    I am also severely technologically inept.

  37. Comment by theveganvagabond | 03.31.2009 | 10:11 am

    Both you and Susan are absolutely amazing. wow.

  38. Comment by Jamie | 03.31.2009 | 10:22 am

    How awesome is she? (Answer: very)

    You’re far too modest and completely understate the level of awesomeness. It’s probably because you’re around her and your base-level of awesomeness has been reset to something exceptionally high.

    Lucky you.

  39. Comment by Clericeric | 03.31.2009 | 10:23 am

    Fatty,

    You’ve got to have music! I’m suggesting two theme songs for the event. Dylan wrote “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere,” that fits the event pretty well. Also, it would be hard not to pick the Talking Heads song Road to Nowhere, since that’s the name of the event. Links to listen or see the lyrics below…

    Win Susan!

    Listen to Dylan/MCCarpenter here: http://www.clericeric.com/clericeric/2009/03/YouAin%27tGoin%27Nowhere.mp3

    The Talking Heads here: http://www.clericeric.com/clericeric/2009/03/RoadToNowhere.mp3

    Lyrics to both songs here: http://www.clericeric.com/clericeric/2009/03/a-ride-to-nowhere.html

  40. Comment by Dan K | 03.31.2009 | 10:35 am

    Sounds like a plan. I have rollers, and my computer is mounted to my rear wheel. That said, hundreds of laps around my block sounds like more fun. When is this? My block is only 1/5th of a mile, and includes 6 90 degree turns. All my time would be spent accelerating. Perhaps a lap of the main downtown loop of my city (which is a pretty big and populated city, as far as NH goes, with lots of people always out and about) would make for a better story? It’s at least a half mile loop, although the stop lights and decent hill involved would make it just as much work. Shame I don’t have a GPS with logging, that’d make for some entertainment.

  41. Comment by kiwi | 03.31.2009 | 10:39 am

    Only for you faty would I sit on my bike on a trainer
    for 100 miles….I’m In !

    Kiwi

  42. Comment by Blagels | 03.31.2009 | 10:41 am

    Fatty – I’ve read your blog for a really long time, but never commented. I’m totally psyched about this event though. I can’t wait!

  43. Comment by WheelDancer | 03.31.2009 | 11:19 am

    This is one large step goofier than the Salem Trails Utterly Pointless Insane Day 100 mile off-road bike ride a few years back so I am definitely in. The STUPID ride was at a park with a 4.6 mile single track with one single technical feature, a rock wall that was nearly impossible in the middle of a nearly flat, meandering track. After 22 mind-numbing loops you had suffered through an off-road century.

    The STUPID ride was quite a challenge for me as I had proved several days earlier that while I can fly over the handlebars with the greatest of ease, my landing still needs work. I didn’t make the distance that day but this one I think I can do.

  44. Comment by Banger | 03.31.2009 | 11:22 am

    I am in. I have been reading your blog for a bit and trying to find an event with just the right lunacy factor to participate in and this is it. On a side note I would have helped you with the Jello thing, but I only eat red Jello, because the dye does something magical to me.

  45. Comment by Charisa | 03.31.2009 | 11:27 am

    FUN – I’m in! :)

  46. Comment by mnbiker | 03.31.2009 | 11:46 am

    I have a century ride on April 26th, but I could use this as a good training ride. I would have to do a small endless loop though since I do not have a trainer.

  47. Comment by bikemike | 03.31.2009 | 11:54 am

    you guys are much better cyclist than i am…i can’t even ride the sofa that long…i get tired and have to get up and get in the bed.

  48. Comment by Erik | 03.31.2009 | 12:20 pm

    Firstly,
    In

    Secondly,
    Since we have two trainers, am I still guaranteed a winners t-shirt if I manage to convince my wife to join me in this awesome insanity?

    Thirdly,
    Can there be a category for a trainer 1/2 marathon and a 50 miler on the bike? (My wifes goes both ways, whereas I’m too fat to run)

    Fourthly, and most importantly

    WIN

  49. Comment by ktown | 03.31.2009 | 12:36 pm

    Beware all schwag bag holders of DZ Nutz … i was recently in a bike store where a sweet guy had to gingerly explain that DZ’s product is best used by men. Men only. He was slightly humiliated to make this explanation … but it seems that the stuff is just not right for women. My friend cut him off explaining that she was buying it for her husband. Sweet bike guy was relieved to stop stammering.
    just a weird FYI

  50. Comment by Powerful Pete | 03.31.2009 | 12:47 pm

    This is absolutely idiotic. Completely ridiculous. Lunacy. Who on earth would agree to participate?

    Consider me in.

    After all, you need someone to join in from this side of the pond. And I will look into the live streaming video thing Kanyon Kris suggested – so you can all see an Italian living room…

  51. Comment by kit | 03.31.2009 | 1:05 pm

    You have to do this after I had fit of The Stupid, where I decided that I was never going to ride on my trainer and gave it to my mom! Poopies. I do have a treadmill, though, either I can try to ride my bike on that or I could take the 25 mile option and run it.

    Sniffle. The pain of youthful indiscretions. Maybe Mommy would ship it to me.

  52. Comment by graisseux | 03.31.2009 | 1:21 pm

    “What about riding a really small course outside? Yes, please do that. The smaller, the better…”

    Too bad I don’t live on a cul-de-sac. Then again, I guess I could pick any random cul-de-sac around. I wonder how long it would take folks to call the cops on the lycra-clad stranger doing laps in front of their house.

  53. Comment by Robert | 03.31.2009 | 1:36 pm

    Yea, I’m in. I’ll ride the 4mi loop through the neighborhood some 25 times unless I can get a trainer. Either way, I’m in.

    The web video deal is pretty cool…I just may need to set that up.

    So, do we need to setup our own LiveStrong Page or just donate the the general Fatty page? Or does it matter?

  54. Comment by cooltudor | 03.31.2009 | 1:59 pm

    yeaa baby burn that ass!

  55. Comment by Weiland | 03.31.2009 | 2:01 pm

    I’ll do it, but I’m going to probably cheat on a mile loop near my house: http://www.roadbikerides.com/ride/view/twin_creeks_circuit/5366

    I do like KanyonKris’s idea of setting up a web cam, that would almost entice me to ride indoors when it’s 80 degrees. Almost…

  56. Comment by Onan the Barbarian | 03.31.2009 | 2:40 pm

    Maybe I’ll do the Mission Impossible trilogy, or Lord of the Rings trilogy.

    The LoTR trilogy takes about 11 hours to watch – don’t ask me how I know this.

    Fatty: Got my bracelet yesterday and I’m sporting it next to my LiveStrong bracelet.

    Ride to nowhere?? I’ll give it a shot. I don’t think I can ride that far this early in the season and will have to get a bike computer. I just might have to ride “somewhere” though, if you don’t mind so much.

  57. Comment by Whitney! | 03.31.2009 | 3:18 pm

    this is so awesome, i’m almost speechless.

    but i’m not.

    this seems like a good opportunity to rent a couple of movies, power on the tube and zone out while on the trainer (racing like a demon, of course) …. but if it’s good weather, i may opt to do 100 laps in my parents’ suburban neighborhood. each lap is exactly one mile, and it’s in a very hoity-toity suburb, so i’m sure lots of people will stare/think i/we are crazy.

  58. Comment by aussie kev | 03.31.2009 | 3:28 pm

    in with bells on

    k

  59. Comment by Jose | 03.31.2009 | 3:44 pm

    My gf and I are in to WIN. We only have one trainer though, so I think we’ll role around the office park near our place. I think I’ll get us a support car……….. yeah. How long does a hybrid go without switching to gas?

  60. Comment by Big Boned | 03.31.2009 | 3:53 pm

    “Jenny, Jenny, you’re the girl for me, you don’t know me but you make me so happy.”
    YOU got a problem! That’s right, a PROBLEM Jenny Jenny! You want to spin 100 miles to the Food Network???
    Someone get this girl some help!
    “I tried to call you before but I lost my nerve. I tried my imagination, but I was disturbed…”
    BB

  61. Comment by Powerful Pete | 03.31.2009 | 4:52 pm

    Fatty, a question. In a wave of severely idiotic enthusiasm I agreed to participate. Even got thinking about the streaming video thing.

    Then I wondered. If I am going to do this, it is also about the stuff Fatty is promising (especially the DZ Nuts cream, which will be necessary for several days following this folly, but I digress).

    But… will you ship schwag to Rome? Or will I have to ask you to send it to my mother in law in the US (begins thinking…).

    VINCERE!

  62. Comment by Dobovedo | 03.31.2009 | 6:48 pm

    At first I thought this was an April Fool’s joke, then I checked the date and it’s still March.

    An indoor century? After spring has sprung? That’s ridiculous!

    I’m in. For 100 of course. I highly recommend Spinervals 26.0 Hardcore 100 as a method of accomplishing this.

    What the heck… I’ve already done one this year but that was nearly 4 months ago, and I need a silly stunt to make my friends laugh at me.

    To Erik, who asked about the 1/2 marathon and 50 miler for his wife… I think she needs to swim a mile in the bathtub too. Make it a triathlon.

  63. Comment by April | 03.31.2009 | 7:23 pm

    Count me in.

  64. Comment by Debamundo | 03.31.2009 | 8:17 pm

    If a .8 mile loop isn’t too big, then I’m actually thinking about doing this ridiculous thing. I’ve never been able to sit on my bike on rollers for more than two hours (I don’t have fancy schmancy rollers like yours), so that is my only option.

    I’m inclined to think Robert above with the 4 mile loop might need to shorten it a bit to achieve the proper level of absurdity in accordance with the spirit of this challenge, but hey, it’s not my website.

  65. Comment by Debamundo | 03.31.2009 | 8:21 pm

    Is DZ Nuts a unisex product? Or, as the name would imply, is it for, uh, men only. Just curious.

  66. Comment by Debamundo | 03.31.2009 | 8:24 pm

    Oh, sorry ktown, you already answered this.

  67. Comment by BamaJim | 03.31.2009 | 8:50 pm

    That is just about the craziest idea ever. I like it a lot :-) . Trainer or 1 mile loop around the block I live on….hmmmm

  68. Comment by LuckyLab | 03.31.2009 | 8:56 pm

    This is so incredibly stupid. I’m so in. I think we’re going to make it a event. Donate to my page and I’ll ride more miles and you can come laugh at me and enjoy some food while I do it. Donate more and you can have a say in how it’s completed: .165 mile loop, trainer or spin cycle at the gym. I’m hoping I can pull down $500. We’ll see.

    I have to say I’m all giddy about this and my wife thinks I’ve completely lost my ever-loving mind.

  69. Comment by Jennifer | 03.31.2009 | 9:08 pm

    I’m in!

    No trainer or rollers, so I’ll be riding around and around my block… (sorry, no GPS either so I can’t post the track)

    This will be great cross training for the Susan Komen run in June!

  70. Comment by Mike P | 03.31.2009 | 9:17 pm

    Pending the date, I’m in. Not sure for how long, I’ve never been able to go more than an hour to hour-and-a-half without my brain melting from boredom. If I know others are suffering, that will help. Need to get a laptop mount for my handlebars, ha.

  71. Comment by Myrnie | 03.31.2009 | 9:56 pm

    This is awesome, and I am SO glad it is after tax season!

  72. Comment by Joel | 03.31.2009 | 11:25 pm

    Hmmm, should be good @$$ training for the LiveStong ride – IN

  73. Comment by HillBill | 04.1.2009 | 1:06 am

    Oooh oooh! Let’s do early May! I have to move at the end of the month but if it’s early May I can recruit my poor roommates. One to ride, one to change DVDs from Breaking Away, to American Flyers, to Rad, Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure. We’ll battle for the winner’s certificate, it will rock!

  74. Comment by Julia | 04.1.2009 | 8:15 am

    As someone who already RUNS around their blocks (laps we like to call them)a few times a week, I am tempted by the idea of riding around my block – 75 times would be 25 miles and I’d surely be dizzy – or I could just ride up and down my block (no corners!)100 times. The only question is can I put a playing card near the tire so it makes that neat sound. What about about streamers?

  75. Comment by Lana | 04.1.2009 | 11:55 am

    IN

    Although I am doing a half marathon on May 2nd, so that might have to be my alternate – that said I am trying to suck in people from my tri club…. they already spend insane amounts of time indoors on the trainer in the winter (we are in Michigan), might as well be for a good cause…

  76. Comment by Ellen | 04.1.2009 | 11:56 am

    I am in, but I will likely run.

    WIN.

    ps is it too late to sign up for the Livestrong Challenge?

  77. Comment by RB | 04.1.2009 | 1:12 pm

    I am in. Sounds like fun, though I might ride around the circle of my court (approximately 1/20 a km). This will be good because I think I need to back out of my livestrong ride as I should be eight months pregnant then and will need stay off the road, especially if there are other people around. Four months pregnant and riding on the trainer or around the circle is perfect.

    I am another one with the computer on the front wheel, however and if I am the trainer I will need to estimate by time.

  78. Comment by Anonymous | 04.1.2009 | 1:42 pm

    You should provide a link to the story about where you “roll-bash” into your TV cabinet. I must have missed that story.

  79. Comment by Clydesteve | 04.1.2009 | 3:51 pm

    Ellen – not too late to sign up! Just click my ‘Clydesteve’ link, above, which takes you to my fundraising site, click the ‘Join My Team’ link from there, and follow the instructions. Unless you want to join a team in some city other than Seattle.

  80. Comment by michelle | 04.1.2009 | 4:05 pm

    I’m in too! wondering how many turns to the left before switching to the right before i get dizzy though…

  81. Comment by duane | 04.1.2009 | 6:00 pm

    I’m in. I tried to do it last year after you did it. I played 1/2 a season of Madden on my PS2.

  82. Comment by Rox | 04.1.2009 | 7:26 pm

    I’m in. Can’t wait to let the dog up the street chase me 50 times in a row. Wonder who will get tired first? (I always think of going by her house as interval training anyway!)

  83. Comment by Julie | 04.1.2009 | 7:58 pm

    I am so excited!!!! This will be weird and I like weird.

  84. Comment by Jot | 04.1.2009 | 8:45 pm

    We need a tentative date so I can start breaking it to the family. I’m thinking of:

    40 miles on trainer
    20 miles in a circle in the cul-de-sac at a crazy hour of the night
    40 miles on the trainer

    I’ll even GPS it, since I don’t have to worry about running out of juice.

    I need some advance notice so I can keep the wife from calling the boys in white coats.

    -Jot

  85. Comment by JC | 04.1.2009 | 9:52 pm

    I’m voting for the beginning of May. We close on a new house end of April – I can have all the Michigan people over to spin in the huge yard and introduce the new neighbors to crazy really early on. Or if it rains, we can’t possibly make the carpet any grosser – it’s a foreclosure and they must have had a big party before leaving.

  86. Comment by Hamish | 04.2.2009 | 12:43 am

    Wow, 107 laps of the block around my house. Sure why not?! I’ll get 3200 feet of climbing in too… 30 feet per lap.

  87. Comment by Pat | 04.2.2009 | 8:40 am

    I’m not so experienced on the rollers, mostly because I live in an apartment with a neighbor below. I purchased rollers last fall and used them twice. The second time, while I was riding, the downstairs neighbor came up and said sitting in his den sounded like a freight train was going through it.

    So, since I am not so sure of whether I will live beyond 25 miles on rollers, will there be an opportunity during the race to shift to the 50 or 100 mile courses if I feel up to it? Are the courses completely separate?

  88. Comment by Bull | 04.2.2009 | 2:30 pm

    Ooohhh, oooohhh, I live on a cul-de-sac. And I have GPS ride tracking on my phone. Suh-weet! Count me in.

  89. Comment by Stacie | 04.3.2009 | 10:38 am

    Oh, I am so in! Don’t know if I’ll do this on my trainer or outside in the neighborhood, but I’ll definitely sign up for this extreme level of awesomeness!!! Maybe I’ll do half inside and half outside just so my neighbor’s can freak out seeing me ride by 50 times!

    WIN!!!

  90. Comment by recently moved from Auburn | 04.3.2009 | 2:26 pm

    I needed this to motivate myself…

  91. Comment by Hamish | 04.4.2009 | 7:02 am

    How about the velodrome? There’s a 500 metre one near my folks place. Only 320 laps required!

  92. Comment by Sarah | 04.4.2009 | 10:08 am

    I’m so in! Great idea!!!

  93. Comment by Trikester | 04.5.2009 | 10:52 am

    Are e-trikes allowed? I could ride around a parking lot…

    electrictrike.htm

  94. Comment by Jerry in So IL | 04.5.2009 | 8:23 pm

    This has got to be fate! Just got back from a 5 mile bike ride with the Young Prince and his too damn heavy tag a long. I’m cheating and doing this 5 mile loop 20 times. Don’t own rollers and I swimm when its too bad to ride. And I don’t think I could stand to go tot eh gym and ride the Life Cylce that long!

    Jerry

  95. Comment by Kt | 04.6.2009 | 4:35 pm

    Hmmmm….

    I have a half-mile loop that I suppose I could do 200 times. I’m sure the neighbors won’t think I’m weird or anything (more weird than usual, that is).

    No DZ Nuts for me, though, since ktown says the product is for males only. Although I suppose I could give it to my boyfriend.

    Hey, Fatty, if some of us do it early (i.e. the 18th of April) or later (i.e. sometime in May), does it still count? I mean, we’d sign up now of course, just do it at the time of our choosing. The end of April/beginning of May doesn’t work for me.

    WIN!!!

  96. Comment by Ron | 04.7.2009 | 8:00 am

    IN – this idea is great.

  97. Comment by Karen Whitlocok | 04.12.2009 | 6:34 pm

    I’m in! Can’t wait :)

  98. Comment by kentucky joe | 04.16.2009 | 8:57 pm

    in…this is just the sort of wackiness we all need…I have a 5k loop in my neighborhood and have gps and also neighbors who already think I’m crazy what with running when it’s snowing, riding when it 95 in the shade….should confirm their diagnosis of my lunacy

  99. Comment by Brigitte | 04.19.2009 | 10:57 am

    I don’t have rollers but I have a 4 km course that I can ride 40 times. It includes about 250 feet of climbing so that would make for 10,000 feet of climbing. I’ll try to get my husband to do it with me.

    Can’t wait to sign up!

  100. Comment by treknott | 04.19.2009 | 11:04 am

    We’re in, posting to our various discussion boards and I’m going to ask my LBS who hosts spin/trainer classes at the shop if they’d care to host an event.

  101. Comment by fattyfan | 04.21.2009 | 12:02 pm

    We’re working on getting a team to do this around a racetrack – 2.2 miles. Just let us know when registration is up and the date.

  102. Comment by jwm | 04.28.2009 | 10:24 am

    In. I’m going to make up some bunk formula for how many miles I can ride on rollers.. I don’t have a bike computer that works on them. Plus there’s a wems race that weekend. http://www.wemseries.com/

    rest assured, I’ll lay down some hurt in the name of those we miss and those we are fighting for.

  103. Comment by Tanya | 05.5.2009 | 9:16 pm

    This sounds INSANE and AWESOME!!
    How do I sign up to do this (where is the registration link- or do I just click on a city and donate the $75 and then whatever else I get from friends)?

    Wow- that was a horrible run-on sentence.

  104. Comment by Tanya | 05.6.2009 | 7:05 pm

    Oh, I found out I missed the registration deadline. Boo! I’m still going to do it, swag or not. I’ll just send my registration fee directly to Livestrong and feel extra good about doing something worthwhile with my Saturday. :)

 

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