The century ride is a rite of passage for cyclists. And there’s something particularly magical about conquering those miles alongside a community of extraordinary women.
In this episode, I sit down with three inspiring women from the Goldilocks cycling community: Summer, Daniela, and Aria. For those who have never heard of Goldilocks, it is a popular non-competitive women’s cycling event in Provo, Utah that offers various distance options, including the coveted century ride.
We chat about everything you need to know before tackling a century: from training approaches and essential gear, to pre-ride rituals that set you up for success, and yes—even the practical reality of porta-potty strategies!
Whether you’re contemplating your first century and need that final push to register, or you’re a seasoned distance rider looking for fresh perspectives, this conversation highlights how different women approach and overcome the same challenge in their own unique ways.
🔥 50% off Femme Cyclist training plans with coupon code PODCAST50
Listen To The Interview
Learn More About Goldilocks
👉 Website: https://www.goldilockscycling.com/
👉 Instagram: @goldilocksevents
Why Choose an Organized Ride?
For many cyclists, the idea of riding 100 miles solo can be overwhelming. Summer shared that while she had always wanted to complete a century ride, “the reality of doing that alone is so daunting. The food, the rest, the bathroom breaks, the training… it’s so daunting.”
Organized rides solve many of these logistical challenges. As Summer explained, “The idea of an organized ride where rest stops are planned, where there’s bathrooms there, where the route’s planned… and the benefit of having backup, like if my bike gets a flat, there’s a SAG wagon on the way—that was huge for me.”
Daniela emphasized the safety aspect: “It’s also the safety. When you’re riding on that road, you have police officers taking care of you. And it’s very nice because I wouldn’t do 100 miles by myself without that.”
The Special Energy of Women’s Events
While both Summer and Daniela have participated in co-ed cycling events, they agreed that women-specific events like Goldilocks offer a unique atmosphere.
“The energy at Goldilocks is just not comparable to any of the rides,” Daniela enthused. She described a moment with a colleague during a challenging climb: “She was just screaming from the top of her lungs, ‘Daniela, look at this ride, look at this climb!’ And I was like, ‘Oh my god, this is how I want to feel all the time.'”
Summer noted that because Goldilocks is a ride and not a race, “there’s no competition. So you can really cheer on other people and be so happy for their successes.” She added that while men are supportive too, “men aren’t as vocal cheerleaders. I feel like women are natural cheerleaders for each other.”
Training for Your First Century
If you’re considering your first century ride, you might wonder how much training is necessary. Summer shared that for her first Goldilocks century, she followed the training plans available on their website: “I signed up in July for my first Goldilocks. So it was kind of a rough, like a strict 10-week plan.” She emphasized that even now, as an experienced rider, she still follows training plans because “they work.”
Daniela had a different approach for her first century. Her colleague assured her, “Daniela, if you can do 40, you can do 100.” They focused on completing 40-mile rides in preparation.
The key takeaway? Training is important—not just to complete the distance, but to enjoy the experience and avoid injuries. As I shared from my own experience, going into a century unprepared can result in issues like knee pain and other overuse injuries.
Pre-Ride Preparation
The Night Before
Rest and hydration were the top priorities mentioned by both Summer and Daniela for the evening before a big event.
“I like to rest, get hydrated, and just morally prepare for the ride,” said Daniela.
Summer has developed a more specific routine: “I have started doing an IV drip hydration the day before the big ones, and I feel like it makes a huge difference in my recovery. But a lot of rest, if I can do the IV drip with the massage chairs even better.”
Morning Of
When it comes to morning preparation, our guests had different approaches:
Summer prepares everything the night before: “I usually have everything packed in my car the night before because I am not an early riser. I wake up, grab my like overnight oats that I have pre-made, and make sure I have my water bottles full.”
Daniela, like me, prefers to arrive early, taking care of preparations the morning of the event.
What to Bring
Even with well-stocked aid stations, our riders still carry essentials:
Daniela keeps it minimal: “I just carry my water bottles, honestly, and I have these gummy bears that I eat to keep hydrated. I don’t like to have powder in my drinks.”
Summer, who typically trains alone, brings more supplies: “I still bring with full kit… I bring big bars, Swedish fish. I actually get the baby food pouches if they have grain in it, because that’s a great source of carbs—something different to eat.”
Dealing with Layers and Weather
Early morning starts often mean chilly temperatures that warm up later. Goldilocks offers a helpful solution through their drop bag policy.
“Goldilocks is awesome because they have a drop bag policy,” Summer explained. “You layer up in the beginning so that you’re warm. And then at the rest stop, if you want to drop your shoe cover, your jacket or whatever, you put it in a bag, write your name on it. And it’s at the end of the ride when you’re done.”
Daniela keeps it simple with “a light jacket or my sleeves,” noting that even on chilly mornings, “it’s getting warm really quick because it’s September and it’s still sunny outside.”
The Porta-Potty Question
One surprisingly common concern for women cyclists? How to manage bathroom breaks while wearing cycling bibs.
Summer’s solution is straightforward: “I always just take my jersey all the way off, hang it up, and then go about my business.”
Daniela suggested: “One advice I would give—just get in shorts, not the pull-overs, you know, because it’s just easier to use.”
Summer added that women’s events make this less awkward: “In all-women [events] it’s more comfortable because everybody’s in that uncomfortable kind of state. So, like the level of modesty, if you take your jersey off with your sports bra on, like nobody’s going to freak out.”
I also noted that cycling apparel has evolved, with many brands now offering bibs designed for women with features like drop tails that make bathroom breaks less complicated.
Why They Keep Coming Back
When asked about their favorite aspects of cycling, both women highlighted the emotional and mental benefits:
“It’s besides the fact that I ride with my friends… it’s, I just like this wind in my face and how free I feel on the bike ride. And the accomplishment after I climbed a hill,” said Daniela. “I’m addicted to it.”
Summer agreed: “Biking is totally my therapy. My husband, like if I get grumpy, he’s like, ‘Can you maybe go out on a ride?’… And I do always come back happier. It clears my head, makes me feel good.”
She summed it up beautifully: “I feel like cycling really makes me happier than any other thing that I do in life because you get all of the benefits and you get friends along the way.”
Starting Your Own Women’s Event
For those in areas without women-specific cycling events, Aria offered encouragement: “Usually these municipality officers have a lot of great advice. They’re happy to help you out. And so if there’s interest in creating a race, it’s really not too difficult to get one going.”
She added, “Every race starts small and then it just grows over time. And then as your numbers grow, so do your logistics. But by that point, you also have more experience under your belt.”
More Advice For Your Century Ride
- 7 Tips To Help You Train For Your First Century Ride
- Fueling for a Century Ride: 7 Tips to Keep You Riding Strong
- Century (100 mile) Training Plan
About The Host
Kristen Bonkoski is a USA cycling and NICA coach, bike educator, and founder of Femme Cyclist.
She’s also the host of the Femme Cyclist podcast and runs Rascal Rides, a website about biking with kids.
She’s been riding bikes for more than two decades and is passionate about empowering women on the bike.
IG: @femme_cyclist