Recommendations fo CC/VQ training rides

[BrewMaster]

This post from TrojanInsomniac got me thinking about doing more longer rides to get ready for next year's CC.

Here are the rides I plan to use to train:

Coal Canyon to Blackstar and back
Coal to Eagle
My Own CHSP Mega Loop (about 33 miles and 5500' or so)

Can anyone suggest some good CC training rides to keep things fresh?

I suppose once the Santa Anas are fully open in November there could be more rides on this list. Anyone want to set up and lead some of these rides?

[Chewyeti]

mega loop is 6500 dude! who knew chino had that in it!

Blackstar to skyline and back
coal to eagle to skyline to coal (we need to try this one)

[Jordansrealm]

I plan on doing one or the other next year too so I would love to hear what people think! Aside from actually riding the actual routes which I think would be the best but unsure how much of them you can ride now?

[BrewMaster]

Originally Posted by Jordansrealm

I plan on doing one or the other next year too so I would love to hear what people think! Aside from actually riding the actual routes which I think would be the best but unsure how much of them you can ride now?

I would totally want to ride the actual route if/when it ever opens up. There are parts of the CC route that I have never ridden.

Originally Posted by Chewyeti

mega loop is 6500 dude! who knew chino had that in it!

Blackstar to skyline and back
coal to eagle to skyline to coal (we need to try this one)

I did 2/3 of the mega loop (from my house in CH to Brea via Southridge and back on Northridge) and it ended up being 25 miles and 5000 feet of climbing. That's WITHOUT Skully to Corona and back to my house.

The last part of Northridge was killing me. Sandy loose climbing on a hot day by myself. I definitely appreciate having people to ride with when I am suffering. At least we can laugh at ourselves.

[dubjay]

Besides the usual training rides, be sure to ride Upper Holy Jim at least once to get a feel for it. It's not something you want to experience for the first time on race day.

And when they do open up the forest again...

Blackstar to Motorway loop
Maple Springs to Santiago Peak

[Chewyeti]

Originally Posted by BrewMaster

I did 2/3 of the mega loop (from my house in CH to Brea via Southridge and back on Northridge) and it ended up being 25 miles and 5000 feet of climbing. That's WITHOUT Skully to Corona and back to my house.

The last part of Northridge was killing me. Sandy loose climbing on a hot day by myself. I definitely appreciate having people to ride with when I am suffering. At least we can laugh at ourselves.

Im in.

[ericfoltz]

A couple of my favorites:

Up Trabuco, down San Juan then return through Caspers and Coto. There are three water points for resupply.

http://www.geoladders.com/show_route.php?route=3145

The Oso Loop at Caspers is pretty good also:

http://www.geoladders.com/show_route.php?route=5350

Blackstar-Skyline and Blackstar-Coal Canyon are both good. Coal Canyon is tough in the summer. No shade and nowhere to refill water.

[donkey]

Blackstar/Eagle/Skyline/Blackstar is a good one.

If the forest opens up anytime soon......I really like Maple/Joplin/Harding/Maple. That was always a good one.

There's really no shortage of long rides when the forest is open!

Don't forget the road miles.....that should be a major component of any training plan.

B

[Zippy]

Now that it's been mentioned, the road loop that goes through Santiago Canyon and back through El Toro and Irvine would be great training. It's a 33 mile loop so you can stop at your car or the gas station and do 1,2 or 3.

Either that or Lake Puddingstone to HB via SART, PCH to LA River Trail and back. That'd be a pretty phat road century to approximate saddle time.

I like Blackstar-Motorway-Maple Springs-Motorway for an approximare CC loop. Too bad it's closed.

Any of the San Juan Super Loops on GeoLadders would be great training too.

Post 'em and I'll see if I can make it.

[lukewiens]

vq/cc has such sustained climbs with long descents for recovery. outside of your normal mountain biking....i would train on sustained climbs on the road bike, or long graded fire road like indian truck trail.

it wont be too much fun, but it will pay off on race day. i would aim for super long climbing efforts of 2+ hours...pace it out, and try to spend a mix of time in and out of the saddle.

[BFloFoxRider.]

Originally Posted by lukewiens

vq/cc has such sustained climbs with long descents for recovery. outside of your normal mountain biking....i would train on sustained climbs on the road bike, or long graded fire road like indian truck trail.

it wont be too much fun, but it will pay off on race day. i would aim for super long climbing efforts of 2+ hours...pace it out, and try to spend a mix of time in and out of the saddle.

Mt Baldy to GMR or vice versa would be perfect for that

Oh and also, when does registration start/stop?
And do you have to Be 18?

[Blue Rat]

If you're looking for a long sustained climb you could try the High Point Truck Trail to the Palomar Divide Rd. It's about 11 miles of nothing but climbing.

[osmarandsara]

To the top of Box Springs then down and then one loop around Sycamore Canyon....I think its about 30 miles....not sure about the elevation gain......but its such a killer my buds and I only do it once a year.....

[davidB]

Originally Posted by BFloFoxRider.

And do you have to Be 18?

I'm reading the write up for the 2007 pow wow (both the CC & VQ) here

a 10 year old finished the CC this year, and he did so as a 9 year old last year.

[BFloFoxRider.]

Originally Posted by davidB

I'm reading the write up for the 2007 pow wow (both the CC & VQ) here

a 10 year old finished the CC this year, and he did so as a 9 year old last year.

So the next question, should i do it?
It sounds fun
Its alot of suffeing. so the CC is a smaller scale VQ?

[genusmtbkr5]

Originally Posted by davidB

I'm reading the write up for the 2007 pow wow (both the CC & VQ) here

a 10 year old finished the CC this year, and he did so as a 9 year old last year.

That would be WS member Troy Sladeck. He did it this year on a SS.

Originally Posted by BFloFoxRider.

So the next question, should i do it?
It sounds fun
Its alot of suffeing. so the CC is a smaller scale VQ?

The CC is alot easier than the VQ with more generous cutoffs. Keep in mind there is only 1 cutoff that matters to VQ riders and that is the 1 at West Horse Thief @ 12:30. Other cutoffs are 9:30 at bottom of Motorway and 11:30 at 4 corners. So you see, if you are at 4 corners at say 11:00, there is NO WAY you can make it to the base of WHT by 12:30. You won't even be allowed to continue to Trabuco if you don't make it to HJ lot by 11:30. That's why VQ riders shouldn't even consider those other cutoffs.

[BFloFoxRider.]

Originally Posted by genusmtbkr5

The CC is alot easier than the VQ with more generous cutoffs. Keep in mind there is only 1 cutoff that matters to VQ riders and that is the 1 at West Horse Thief @ 12:30. Other cutoffs are 9:30 at bottom of Motorway and 11:30 at 4 corners. So you see, if you are at 4 corners at say 11:00, there is NO WAY you can make it to the base of WHT by 12:30. You won't even be allowed to continue to Trabuco if you don't make it to HJ lot by 11:30. That's why VQ riders shouldn't even consider those other cutoffs.

so its the same, except you have to be faster in order to complete the VQ cutoffs?

its basically a race against the clock? if you make it you proceed if not your done?

[Chewyeti]

Originally Posted by BFloFoxRider.

so its the same, except you have to be faster in order to complete the VQ cutoffs?

its basically a race against the clock? if you make it you proceed if not your done?

and vq is alot more distance and climbing