I was asked by first year rider Keary Lambrecht what he should be doing now to get ready for the MS 150. This was such a good question that I decided to come up with a list for the whole team.
- Get your bike inspected - click here to see shops that will do this for you . While at the bike shop, pick up any supplies you might need (extra tubes, C02 cartridges, GU, etc.).
- Review the MS 150 Participant Guide.
- Review the MS 150 Packing List. If you need to go to the store to pick up any supplies, this weekend is a good time to do it. In fact, you can even start packing your bags this weekend - don't wait until the last moment!
- This is no time to diet - eat three good meals a day between now and next weekend! I guarantee you you'll burn every calorie you consume on the ride.
- Start hydrating! We don't know what the tempuratures will be next weekend, but plan for the worst. Preston Tyree mentioned at the Lunch and Learn that you should be consuming at least one glass of water every waking hour between now and the ride.
- If you haven't filled out the Rider Services profile yet, please do so now. This is how you indicate your sleeping, massage, and transportation preferences for the event. I only have a limited number of sleeping tent and transportation slots, and they are filling up quickly!
- Start thinking about your strategy for the ride, for example: How fast do you plan on riding? What distances do you plan on doing each day? How frequently do you plan on stopping? Finally, who do you plan on riding with? In Scouts, we use the "buddy system", where we always pair the boys up during our activities. Cycling works best when you have at least one other rider of comparable ability that you ride with it.