Reston Metric Century 2009

After doing the Reston Metric Century (100 kilometers) last year, I decided that I'd up my goal and do a full century (100 mile) ride this year. Some friends who have done multiple century rides recommended the Seagull Century — a supposedly beautiful ride along Maryland's Eastern Shore and Assateague Island.

Since the Seagull isn't until October, I decided to do the Reston Metric again as part of my training. I'm glad I did because not only was it a lot of fun, but I completed in much better time than I did last year and with much less pain! I'm now confident I'll be in shape for the full hundred miles in October.

The ride was slightly changed from last year, but not much. The main difference I noticed is that it stayed on the W&OD Trail all the way out to Leesburg. Last year's ride left the trail in Ashburn and took suburban and rural streets out through downtown Leesburg. But this year still had the 10% grade up Woodburn Road which was almost as painful as I remembered it!

The weather was gorgeous and the event was very well organized. I had a great time. Now to finish getting in shape for the Seagull!

100 Kilometers From Reston To Purcellville And Back

I finished the Reston Metric Century yesterday. I had been training solely on the W&OD trail itself which, with a few exceptions, is relatively flat. The actual course, though, went mostly along roads parallel to the trail. Those roads were not so flat! One hill in particular, on Woodburn Road just west of Leesburg, was a quarter mile at a 10% grade. I realize that for a pro cyclist, that's just getting started. For me, it was 3 or 4 minutes of torture.

Below is a map of the course that someone posted to Map My Ride. On the way out the course goes along the W&D trail from Herndon to Ashburn. It then turns north in Ashburn to Rt 15 in Leesburg. And then southwest from Leesburg before turning back north and hitting the rest stop in Hamilton — the "W" on the map. (The rest stop had yummy Gatorade snowcones!)

Leaving the rest stop, it heads west on a loop out to Purcellville and back. It then goes east on an access road next to Rt 7, drops south on Paeonian Springs, and then picks the trail back up in Leesburg. The relatively straight line from Leesburg to Reston is the W&OD trail which we took the whole way back.

If you click the "View Full Screen" button and from there select "Show Elevation" you can see the hill I was talking about around mile 22 (kilometer 36.5). If you want a good work out, I recommend trying it! ;-)