Thought maybe everyone could use a little check-in on their road to their next event. What did everyone do today? What is planned for tomorrow? I will go first: Last Base Phase, training for XC racing (actually that isn't correct, I am really just training so that my wife doesn't have to wait too long at the top of the climbs) Today we rode from home on the road bikes. Down through Fallbrook, west to Oceanside, then back via Bonsall and 395. 96 miles, 5.5 hrs, 6500ft of climbing. Tomorrow a big day in the Santa Anas. Should be well over 4hrs and 6kft. Let's hear what you guys are up to! Maybe include what event you are shooting for? What is your progress?
VQ - 42 miles, 6400' climbing, 4.5 hrs, in the Santa Monicas today... then straight to all you can eat korean bbq. Tomorrow? Riding. Phases? I don't need no stinkin phases!
LMAO, I can see Allison at the top of the hill with her hands on her hips, saying "Where the hell you been, did you have a flat?" :lol: I'll be doing all the one arm chores around the house I can do.
Training for the Coup. I've done VQ 3 times, no desire to push my bike up WHT again. Today did 36 miles 6284 elevation gain. Up Blackstar,down Skyline, up Skyline, Across the Main Divide, down the Motorway. I did most of the ride at around 160 HR, so I'm tired right now...
Not training fro anything but getting back on the bike from Knee issues. about 18 miles and 2600 ft SS belt drive equivalent to 32/18... Paying the price tonight but riding tomorrow.
We're not sure what we're training for but Greg and I have been gravitating towards longer rides...Harding-Joplin and Maple Springs-Motorway recently. These are probably light weight rides for some but challenging for us.The funny thing is that the shorter easier rides have lost their appeal. :-k Just trying to build up our endurance and learn more of the trails and how they link up.
The long climbs with the long descents start getting addicting after the first few rides! I've got some long rides coming up, but I hate to use the word "training", as it sounds like too much work. Ultra Quest, Whiskey 50, and my dirt 100 miler at some point this year. I've been riding the road more on my single speed commuter (48x16) and I'm starting to lean on getting a "real" road bike. And now that things are drying out, my long dirt rides will kick back in next weekend.
88 miles on the road, 5,500 vertical ft. From home, out HWY 67 to Ramona, back to the coast via Hwy 78, took PCH home. Got a little lost in Escondido, but the Girl Scouts pointed me in the right direction. :clap: 5 hours in the saddle. Sorry I missed the ride with you guys; money's tight right now and I didn't have any gas. See you at Sage Brush? Today: Running 12-14 miles on hilly trails with an easy 1500 in the pool later. Gotta love multisport!
Death Valley Double (1st) & VQ (4th time) Saturday: MTB 54 miles, 5800'-7100' depending on which software looks at it.
race schedule for me right now is: sagebrush/bonelli/counting coup/fontana, and then think about the doing the rest of the US cup races (cat2). What I'm up to....I'll start with Friday when I headed out to just past nowhere to preride the Sagebrush Safari course. That was a bit of an eye opener -I had underestimated the course (and this is cat2!). It was a little rough but at least I know what I am in for. Saturday I did a quick spin in Aliso with one hard effort up Mathis, (one good ~11 minute interval). I am supporting Valentines day today, so just chocolates and coffee for me so far Tomorrow I need to do something fairly big, but still figuring out a route I can get motivated on. Maybe this.. Motorway*2, ~40 miles/8K... and shoot for > 9MPH pace http://www.geoladders.com/show_route.php?route=392 As far as progress, still feeling a bit sluggy and hoping to peak up for Counting Coup.
Set out his afternoon on what I hopes would be a mapping of a Bikebacking route I'm doing in mid march (I'll get to this later). Parked at Woodchuck rd. and rode into Vail. No sooner did I get rolling that I realized I left my tool pack on the curb at home. I needed it ASAP as I left my caliper loose after I changed pads about a 2 weeks ago. So I did what I could with a stick and then found someother riders with a tool set. lost too much time to do any mapping and just farted around trying to get my drive train working. I hate geared bikes!! I left my SS at work on accident. After about 20 miles and much frustration I headed for the car. The bike all of a sudden decided it was time to work. So I headed up WoodChuck for some exploration into the Auga Tiba wilderness. Climbed about 6 miles on some very wilderness type single track/no track. Great views of the lake, much more to be explored, and it was time to get home. 35 miles and 3 broken spokes. I plan on the same sort of road route to O-side tomorrow. leaving early getting home early. The bikepacking Route I'm doing: Leave from Vail lake, camp on top Of Thomas Mtn, day 2: drop Romana trail, climb to Santa Rosa mtn, finish down Palm Cyn any variation at the end. Change to road slicks for day 3 and ride back thru Beaumont/Hemet. The ultimate ride I'm training for is to complete the Coconino 250 in late spring in less than days.
Yesterday was 85 miles on the road with a SS mountain bike. Is that training for something? Maybe I'm in the build phase of my 'inappropriate bike choice.' I rode to the snow on Hwy 39 just past Crystal Lake. On the way home, I wimped out and took the shortcut over GMR. It was either that or fight the headwind and I hate a headwind. Next event? Southridge Winter Series #4. My 'inappropriate bike choice' should be peaking by then.
Currently trying to learn intervals. I can ride forever on dirt or road, but the short 8-15 mile sprints kill me. the long rides are still great and I dont feel the need to be training for those anymore, but doing things at speed is something I need to work on. Trying to replicate xc races by yourself is a bit difficult when there's no one around, and the temptation of stopping is always there. My times are getting better, but i need to learn how to race if that makes sense at all. How to recover on the descents, when to drink/eat on the flats, how not to go too hard at the start, etc
Moved from base to long sustained climbs, but illness has screwed me over a bit. Getting back on track next week--intervals on Newport Coast Tues with Harding on Saturday, Sunday should be a longer sustained ride, but it's currently a VBall tourney for Ash (usually 0700 to 1430)--still working on how to get a ride in on those days. I should get a few rides in between, too. I may try to switch it up with Harding on Friday--I need to get 2hrs of climbing in.
I've been doing intervals on the stationary bike, climbing mathis and park avenue. 2 minutes on, 2 minutes off. At the gym I'll get my heart rate around the 163 mark. I don't start counting my 2 minutes there, I take the two minuets to get there than hold it. Some sprints later in my 20 minutes I'll push and peak around 169. Out on Park Avenue or mathis I'll peak around 172. Same 2 minuet routine. Unlike the stationary bike, I'll come to a complete stop for the 2 minutes off, while on the trail. Did this every other day for the last 3 weeks. I can't believe how great my recovery time is. Did trabuco today, Peaked at 182 on one section (easy to get to on a SS) and Dropped to 154 within 12 seconds, while climbing. Core training and intervals have really made me feel good about the CC next month. I'm newer to riding and was worried about trying my best and not making a cut off time. Not anymore.
Great to read about so many people pushing themselves and facing challenges head-on. Intervals are tough, but they are supposed to be. Duration, intensity, rest, quantity, and recovery are all very important. Selecting the right intervals depends in large part on where your training and fitness are at and where you want to go. 2min intervals of the appropriate intensity are used late in build and in race and peak phases. Today we got 4.5hrs on the dirt. Maple Springs, Joplin, Luge, Harding, Maple Springs. Planned to hit Motorway at the end but got voted down by the group.
Coming to the end of an "endurance phase" - so to speak. Since I have a limited schedule this year, I have adapted a normal training schedule into a 9 week crash course leading to the Whiskey 50. Saturday - 88 miles 4,400' climbing. UCR to Lake Matthews and Lake Perris Rec Area and basically exploring in and around MoVal to Redlands and back. EM HR 150/164. Sunday - 61 miles 5,100' climbing - Highland to Casino Morongo in Cabazon and back. Out to Beaumont via Oak Glen Rd and back along San Timoteo Cyn Rd. EM HR 150/164 This week is a rest/recovery week since I start the 9 week crash run next week. Basically, it's 9 weeks of LT and VO2 max goodness. Steady States, Tempo Intervals, Over/Unders and a bunch of Hill Repeats - yipee! Ain't cycling fun!
