John's story: Six Pillars Century

BaseCamp athlete John Sener shared his experience at the 2025 Six Pillars Century bike race in Maryland.

This past weekend I did the Six Pillars Century on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. I’d done the 56-miler on several occasions in the past, but this was my first time doing the full century (102 mi. to be more exact), and it was my first century in over 10 years.

No rain and great temps on a reliably flat and often scenic course, but the wind was a persistent companion for the entire ride. On a roughly circular course with lots of turns, a couple of spokes, and lots of open areas, this meant moments of gratifying speed, challenging slog, and tricky crosswinds, sometimes predictable, sometimes not.

The first two-thirds of the ride were encouraging and manageable; while the last third or so was tiring and less enjoyable, it was good prep for my half Ironman target race coming up in a couple of months. Despite the distance, I felt confident and prepared thanks to my BaseCamp winter foundation. After all, I’d done a 63-mile Gran Fondo challenge indoors in December — how much more difficult could this be? So, here’s a salute to the 6PC course, the BC program, and a respectful nod to the wind…