Editor M’s first-time participation, what to do? #1
“Inexperienced rider at the Honolulu Century Ride 2023”

I’m Mayumi, the editor in charge. Although I’ve never ridden a typical bike before, I ended up cycling in Honolulu due to the nature of my assignment.

 I have zero riding experience and haven’t been on a bicycle since my commute 20 years ago. I used to pedal my mama-chari (Japanese utility bicycle) vigorously for about 5 km. The Honolulu Century Ride, a major cycling event, covers 160 km, which is considered a century (100 miles). As a complete novice, I thought it would be too much to handle and opted for half the distance.

80 km… Isn’t that quite long???

In this ongoing series, I will provide firsthand reports on my experiences participating in the event as someone who has never ridden before. I hope to convey how even newcomers like me can have so much fun at their first event (although I have a feeling it might be quite tough).

The Honolulu Century Ride is not a competition for speed. It’s what you might call a “fun ride,” with the goal of enjoying the ride. There are four different distances to choose from: 40km, 80km, 120km, and 160km.

While 40km might have been a safer choice for someone with no experience, the desire to see Hawaii’s stunning landscapes got the best of me, and I chose the 80km route.

It’s funny how, in my everyday life, I try not to have the mindset of “since I’m already doing it, might as well go all the way” (it feels mentally exhausting), but when it comes to traveling abroad, I easily slip into the “since I’m already here, might as well” mentality. It’s a bit scary how that happens.

When I told my colleagues and friends that I would be riding 80km, they all seemed to say, “Oh, you’ll be fine, that’s not too bad.” I couldn’t help but wonder,

“Do you really believe that?” 😅

With a vague sense of unease, I found myself just one month away from the event. As August came to a close, it felt like the end of the year was approaching (though that’s unrelated).
 I began to feel a bit anxious and decided to start talking to experienced riders to get some insights.

I received some pretty specific advice from a friend who has experience participating in domestic triathlons and bike events:

They recommended training the hamstrings because they get tired from pedaling with the calves.
They suggested practicing on a machine with light resistance.
It was encouraging to hear that it’s better to start now than not at all. I started to feel a bit motivated. During our conversation, my friend also proudly showed off their uniform, saying it looks cool.

<To be continued…>
*The photos are unrelated to the text.

Text_ Mayumi Kamura

The bottlebrush tree belongs to the Myrtaceae family

🚴‍♂️Editor M’s first-time participation, what to do? series🚴‍♂️

#01 Road to Nowhere
#02 Under Pressure
#03 One Fine Day
#04 No women , No cry
#05 Here Comes the Sun
#06 Kaimana Hila
#07 ANOTHER WORLD
#08 Bonus episode : An Accident as Expected

Profile

Mayumi Kamura
I’m a Global Ride editor. My expertise lies in visual expressions like design, art, fashion, and more. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted me to focus on my physical and mental health. I started playing tennis and resumed taking contemporary dance lessons. Considering that bicycle-related accessories often boast high design quality, I have a feeling I might become a fan during this experience.

EVENT
Honolulu Century Ride 2024 Rider Interview Series
The Breeze of Hawaii, and Beyond…
Why Ride in Hawaii? Intermediate Participants (Second-Time Riders and Beyond)

The Honolulu Century Ride (HCR) is Hawaii’s largest cycling event. It’s also a milestone that draws participants from various disciplines—cycling, marathons, triathlons—with its allure of being a “must-do at least once in a lifetime” experience.In the third installment of our HCR rider series, we interviewed participants who are riding in their second or subsequent HCRs. “Once isn’t enough,” “I want to share this with the people I love”… What keeps bringing them back to HCR? Why do you choose to cycle in Hawaii? Table of Contents 1. The Volunteer Staff’s Incredible Energy: Yoshi & Junko2. Riding Through Honolulu with Cycling Club Friends: Osamu Kosaka, Eriko Takas […]

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