Recommendations fo CC/VQ training rides

[BFloFoxRider.]

Originally Posted by Zippy

All the way to the ski lifts?

Yep
I started from my house and rode to the very top.. funny thing was it was my first attempt at Baldy, and i expected to not even make it to the tunnels since i was so out of shape. (getting there was tough for me)
Before i knew it i found myself at the lodge, then i just kept going and made it to the lifts.
mind you i couldnt ride a bike the next 2 days cuz my legs took a few days to recover, but it was fun

Originally Posted by Pickettt

I've been looking for some company to ride GMR to Baldy on a regular basis. 'Round about 12mph? I do it about twice a month now by myself, and I get bored. Any takers?

I would but i cant average that fast.. im slow maybe 6 MPH now..
and sometimes i would have to stop for a few seconds to catch my breath..
maybe if i start riding m ore and get in 12MPH average shape ill start riding it with you

[Impy]

Originally Posted by genusmtbkr5

I'm sure it will be moved to the HJ lot, but right now the website still says WHT @ 12:30 as the cutoff for the VQ. The noon cutoff was brought up by WS Club member Andy aka Rut and pretty much makes sense to move it to HJ @ 12:00. I only mentioned the 11:30 at HJ cause if your not there at that aid station by then, it would be difficult to make it to WHT with riders coming down, but if you were there by 11:45 I believe you were allowed to try and get to WHT and that's pushing the pace cause it takes a fresh rider leaving the HJ lot to get to that junction and that's without the pressure of making a cutoff and riders barreling down on you.

So i'm totally confused now. Will the cutoff at aid 2 and is it at 1130 or 12? I really hope they do change the cutoff location from the bottom of WHT to aid 2, makes a lot more sense, and less dangerous for the 2 way traffic.

[allison]

Originally Posted by Impy

So i'm totally confused now. Will the cutoff at aid 2 and is it at 1130 or 12? I really hope they do change the cutoff location from the bottom of WHT to aid 2, makes a lot more sense, and less dangerous for the 2 way traffic.

I think moving it is a good idea as well. No reason to send people through the little bit of extra torture just to be turned around.

The site currently says, and what has been in place (correct me if wrong) in the past is cut off at WHT at 12:30.

They assumed if you got to the bottom of Holy Jim/AS #2 by, what, 11:45 that you had a decent shot at making the cut-off, right?

Usually they say it takes a fresh rider nearly 30 mins to get to WHT from the bottom of HJ? Or is it more? It usually takes me around 50-60 minutes I think (or it did twice last year).

I'd hope they wouldn't shorten the cut off by TOO much, but they also don't want to wind up giving everyone an extra 30 mins, right?

Guessing it is not all finalized, but will be interesting for next year!

[Impy]

Originally Posted by allison

I think moving it is a good idea as well. No reason to send people through the little bit of extra torture just to be turned around.

Yea. That was me last year. I would have rather been stopped at aid 2.

I should have tried this a few years ago when they had the early start, dangit - I could have checked it off my list and still had braggin rights

[allison]

Originally Posted by Impy

Yea. That was me last year. I would have rather been stopped at aid 2.

I should have tried this a few years ago when they had the early start, dangit - I could have checked it off my list and still had braggin rights

Are you gonna "go big" for 09??

[Impy]

Originally Posted by allison

Are you gonna "go big" for 09??

I was considering it - although if the cutoff is moved up considerably I may not. Paying hundreds of dollars to keep failing is kind of a bummer

[Pickettt]

Originally Posted by ubermensch

I would be glad just to have someone show me around CHSP (never ridden there before), and if it happens to be a nice long route, even better.



I would but I average 8.8 mph on GMR from the base to GRR. And that's with 34/25.

On Baldy I average about 6 mph, and 4 mph during the last 3 miles to the lifts. I didn't even know you can ride that slow and not fall over.

Yeah, the village to the lifts is a whole other endeavor. I don't do that one too often anymore. But...if you're looking for someone to suffer with, I'm your guy.

[Pho'dUp]

Originally Posted by BrewMaster

I made a mistake above. The route I did on Sunday was 4000' of climbing, so the CH Mega Loop is probably around 5500' or 6000'. Still a worthy training ride though. I'll post it next time I try that route. I need people to ride with up the last part of Northridge. It seriously sucks.

Hey Brewmaster.

If you can already do 4000-5000 ft. of climbing rides I would be too concerned about finishing the CC. I think my training rides for CC this year were usually in the 4hr range around 4000-5000 ft of climbing.

Just the important thing to remember is on event day you have to keep moving. Training rides got a lot harder for me when you cut those breaks down to just a few minutes to stretch and grab something to eat out of your pack.

I guess the good thing about starting now, there's plenty of time to try out food and nutrition for long rides. That's a huge part of these long events nutrition, hydration etc.

[BrewMaster]

Originally Posted by Pho'dUp

Hey Brewmaster.

If you can already do 4000-5000 ft. of climbing rides I would be too concerned about finishing the CC. I think my training rides for CC this year were usually in the 4hr range around 4000-5000 ft of climbing.

Just the important thing to remember is on event day you have to keep moving. Training rides got a lot harder for me when you cut those breaks down to just a few minutes to stretch and grab something to eat out of your pack.

Yeah, but all my rides thus far have been just me and my bike. I have to be able to tote a trailer full of beer on the CC. What else am I going to drink at the top of each descent?

Time to start the real training!!!

[Bergsteiger]

If you are interested in mixing it up and train on the road, 7 Sisters in Aliso/Laguna is a great training ride.
We did it last weekend, its 6000 feet in 40 miles.
Some hills are over 20% grade, and 15% in ALOT of places.

[genusmtbkr5]

Originally Posted by Impy

So i'm totally confused now. Will the cutoff at aid 2 and is it at 1130 or 12? I really hope they do change the cutoff location from the bottom of WHT to aid 2, makes a lot more sense, and less dangerous for the 2 way traffic.

If they keep it at WHT, then the cutoff will be 12:30 as it was this year. If the cutoff is moved to aid 2 at HJ lot, it will be at 12:00. This new cutoff makes it a bit easier cause if you got to aid station 2 at 12 this year, it would've been tough to make it to WHT in 30 min after riding over 40 miles at that point with riders coming down at you.

All this will be discussed in one of the club meetings and the change will be made on the website.

[Impy]

Originally Posted by genusmtbkr5

If they keep it at WHT, then the cutoff will be 12:30 as it was this year. If the cutoff is moved to aid 2 at HJ lot, it will be at 12:00. This new cutoff makes it a bit easier cause if you got to aid station 2 at 12 this year, it would've been tough to make it to WHT in 30 min after riding over 40 miles at that point with riders coming down at you.

All this will be discussed in one of the club meetings and the change will be made on the website.

Thanks gene, that's much clearer!

I guess I'm in for more pain this year. Barring any injury this year maybe I will make it!