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Rider Information

You're in the right place for tips and information on how to prepare for the 2022 Wit You Ride.

We are excited to ride WIT YOU on Oct. 1, 2022. Here are some items to make sure it’s a phenomenal day for everyone!

 

Rally with us after you pick up your packet!

  • All riders receive free admission (a $50 value) to the Wit You Rally, a family friendly event taking place at Smith Memorial Playground the night before the ride, on Sept. 30, from 5 - 9 PM. The packet pick up for the ride takes place at the Rally, so you’re more than welcome to hang around. If you’d like to purchase a ticket for a friend, spouse, or partner, you may do so here. 

 

Rider guide

 

Roll times

  • You can check in and start rolling starting at 6:00 am.

  • If you’d like to make some friends, we have two group starts.

    • The B/C ride will depart at 6:45 am, maintain a 15 mph average (or so), and arrive at the finish before the 4:30 bus home.

    • The Social ride will depart at 7:00 am, make stops at all aid stations, and arrive at the finish sometime in the evening before dark with plenty of time to spare before the 8:30 pm bus home.

    • We recommend you start by 8:30 am to make use of all aid stations and finish before dark.

 

Transportation times

  • Remember that we are offering FREE transportation for both bikes and humans from the finish to the start.

  • The first wave of transportation will depart the finish at 4:30 pm

  • The second wave of transportation will depart at 8:30 pm

  • Plan to begin loading your bikes into the shuttle 30 minutes before departure.

  • Plan to load yourself onto the bus 15 minutes before departure.

  • In all cases, please plan accordingly.

  • Please join us in thanking our generous transportation sponsors: Gentle Giant Moving and Metz Busing.

 

Foul weather communication plan

  • The ride is a rain or shine event.

  • The ride will be pushed to Sunday, Oct. 2, in the event of conditions that pose significant harm to riders. 

  • It’s very unlikely, but if the event is pushed to Sunday, Oct. 2, it will be communicated by 5:00 pm on Friday, Sept. 30, via email.

 

Common Wheel at the Rally

  • Common Wheel, a Lancaster based community organization focused on bike advocacy and education, will be offering mechanical support for the ride.

Getting ready to ride

PHL to LNC

We are honored to introduce Deborah Leedale-Brown as our coaching partner for the Wit You Ride. A former CAT-1/Pro road racer and CAT-1/Elite mountain bike racer, Deborah holds multiple Pennsylvania road and criterion state championship titles. Now semi-retired, Deborah is a full-time coach with her company dlb2-Full Potential. She works with cyclists, triathletes, and endurance athletes, with a special focus as a professional mountain biking coach. She is also a yoga teacher. We invite you to learn more about Deborah and her company, dlb2-Full Potential, on Facebook and Instagram (@bikegirldlb).


In this update, Deborah offers some food for thought when training for a century ride.


Building your foundation

  • Towards the end of July and beginning of August, aim to complete a 65-mile ride with about 3000 feet of elevation. If you are not quite there yet, do your best to increase your weekly long ride by about 10% week over week.

  • In your build up to the century, consider incorporating a couple of back-to-back days of riding. Ride about 3-5 hours on both days, depending on your current fitness level.  This tactic will help build resilience, mental toughness, and muscular endurance. It will also give you feedback regarding your recovery process.

 
Incorporate a mix of rides into your training

  • Medium distance hard efforts (1.5 – 2 hours) 

  • Longer, steadier rides with more climbing as a focus.

  • Rides with interval training. For example, ride hard for 4 minutes and then ride easy for 2 minutes to recover. Repeat 6 – 10 times.

  • A mix of the previous two points: Attack the hills and recover on the downhills and flats.

  • If you do group rides, try riding with the faster group

  • Recovery is essential. Plan rest days and easy recovery rides. Stop for coffee. Smell the flowers.

 

What is a hard effort, by the way? Here is a scale of rate of perceived effort (RPE).

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Rules of thumb for nutrition and hydration

  • Test and implement your nutrition strategies during longer training rides. The day of the century is not the ideal time to test out new fueling methods.

  • Experiment with different foods and fluids to find out what works best for you.  It’s wise to balance real food (i.e. PB+J) with ready-made products (i.e. energy bars, shot blocks, gels, etc). The key is finding a mix that makes you want to eat, as your appetite becomes suppressed as the intensity of an event increases.

  • Pack a treat that you will look forward to eating. Plan to eat it when the going gets tough and you need a boost.

  • Consume about one bottle of fluid an hour on average. Electrolyte mixes from our sponsor, Hammer Nutrition, will help replace vital nutrients lost when sweating, especially in hot conditions. 

  • Be mindful about fueling with real food before your effort. There are many great breakfast options. A few examples could include…

    • Overnight oats with chopped banana and a drizzle of honey           

    • Whole grain bagel with an egg

    • Avocado toast with an egg

 

Don’t forget about comfort

  • Cycling specific shorts or bib shorts are essential for long days in the saddle.

  • Some amount of strain to your rear, neck, and shoulders is likely to occur on a century ride. If you notice discomfort on your longer rides, consider visiting your local bike shop to check your fitting to ensure you are as comfortable as possible on your bike.

 

Stay tuned for more training insight from Deborah. The next update will include information regarding off-bike activities that will help you feel great while on the bike.

RPE-scale.jpeg
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