PMC Tips #7: During the Ride

[ornoth_cycling]

It's June, so it's time to start getting serious about the Pan-Mass Challenge. So we get down to business in this week's posting in my series of hints, tips, pointers, and advice for other charity riders. These are the things I've learned during more than a decade of participating in the PMC.

The full list of posts will be compiled and permanently available online at http://www.ornoth.com/bicycling/hints.php

Whether you're a first-timer or a longtime veteran, may you find these ideas useful, and I hope you have a wonderful PMC experience!

Now it's time for the nitty-gritty, as I share some of the secrets I consider absolutely essential for a happy ride, and let you know what I do: During the Ride!

• Consider involving your sponsors during the ride by posting text, photos, video, or audio to sites like Twitter, a blog, Facebook, or location-based services like FourSquare and Gowalla.
• Getting ahead of the main pack of riders makes the ride a lot less crowded and stressful. Skipping the first water stop or taking only a short time, particularly at the lunch stop, are the best ways to make ground on other riders.
• Start eating and drinking immediately, to stay ahead of your body's needs. Drink at least one bottle of Gatorade between each water stop.
• Don't ride so hard that you are panting. Your stamina will last much longer if you stick to a strictly moderate pace. The less energy you expend at the start, the more you'll have left at the end.
• If you have practiced it, draft other riders. This can save you 25 percent of your energy. Just be very careful, and let them know you're there.
• Be businesslike at the water stops, and keep those stops brief. Finishing quickly means shorter lines for showers, massages, and food then you get to Bourne.
• There are often volunteers giving basic massages near the medical tent at many of the water stops.
• Enjoy the cheers of the spectators. How often do you get cheered on by crowds like that, after all?
• Take notes about things that go especially well or poorly, so that you can mention them to the event planners when they ask for post-ride feedback. If your phone or camera has a voice recorder function, that's a great way to note things as they happen, so you don't forget.

Next week I look at everything you need to know to get from Sturbridge to Bourne!