Am I still an ultracyclist? As the days started to get longer, these questions. chase me.

2003 was a truncated season. I got sick and didn't start PBP, the event I'd focused on all year. Then my Dad's death really sapped my energy for riding. Now I need to reconnect with why I enjoy cycling and to reestablish myself as an ultra cyclist.

I've said that anyone without a health problem, who paces him or herself and eats and drinks adequately, can ride a fairly flat century any day of the year (weather permitting). Time to test that assertion! In the first six weeks of 2004, I'd ridden 231 miles. I'd gone XC skiing 2-3 days a week, but my cycling base was thin. President's Day I pumped up the tires on the Merlin, stuffed my pockets with granola bars, and headed northeast onto the plains.

We can debate whether a century is really an ultra ride. But for almost all of us, it was our first endurance ride, and for most of us riding centuries remains the staple of our season. Although we like to bite off some juicy doubles each year and perhaps chew through a 1200K, centuries are our bread and butter.

As I headed into the wind, my mind was racing . . . gotta finish the budget! . . . will the race directors buy into the new policy on sanctioning RAAM qualifiers? . . . do I have anything new to say about training? . . .

Soon I could smell that I was entering Weld county and then I saw farmers shoveling manure. Overhead ragged flights of geese honked. Slowly I started to feel the spinning circles my feet were making, instead of the ones in my mind.

I realized I didn't have a destination - I just wanted to spend the day on my bike, enjoying the physical act of cycling, exploring the countryside and my own interior landscape.

I knew that to feel good about the ride and about myself as a cyclist, I needed to ride 100 miles. Over breakfast, I'd edited the article about the Mileage Challenge Who's Who. I remembered Kevin Kaiser's words: "There were many days when it would have been easy to quit at 40-60 miles, but the Mileage Challenge motivated me to push for at least 100 miles. Nothing else would count on this list."

In Johnstown I stopped for a Gatorade and burrito and got out my map. "If I go on east to Milliken, and then down to Platteville and west through Niwot, it ought to be about 100 miles by the time I get home."

I start thinking "I could do better in the Mileage Challenge this year. Last year I only had 2,890 miles - just short of the 3,000 I needed for a Gold certificate. Hmm, I'm starting early - if I ride consistently this year, I should be able to log 5,000 miles in the MC and earn a Platinum medallion."

I rode past frozen farm ponds. I could hear meadowlarks singing from the fence posts: "You can do it; you can do it."

I continued to think: "Where I live on the Front Range there are only four organized centuries complete with T-shirts and entry fees. However, my club's 2004 ride schedule has a bunch of training rides of 90 miles or more - those'll all count! I'll do the full brevet series. And, although the company is kinda boring, these open centuries like I'm doing today beat sitting in the office! All I need to do is get a receipt every 30 miles or so - I gotta buy burritos anyhow."

As I turned west and crossed the South Platte River, I picked up the tailwind for the gentle climb back to Boulder. The wind lifted my thoughts: "Why, I'm sure John Lee Ellis would love some company this summer on Open Standard rides. Yep, I ought to be able to ride at least 5,000 miles in the MC!"

After 7.5 hours I got back to my road - only 97 miles. Remembering Kevin's words, I headed up Left Hand for the necessary mileage - even though what I really wanted was dinner!

UMCA Year-Rounder Century Challenge

Preparing for and riding centuries