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I usually like to train on my road bike for mtb rides. I find it makes me faster on the climbs and strengthens my legs.
Here is how my day went:
Sat. morning 9am was the start time. I rode with a local road riding club called "ACTC".
Total miles was to be 50 miles and 6000ft of climbing. I told my self that this would be a good ride for me since i haven't been on any bike in 6 weeks. Big mistake. At first we started on about 5 miles of flats to warm up. It was supposed to be up to 60degrees. It would never reach that temperature where we were going. Even after about 30 min of warming up my body was still cold. Then we started to climb our first hill. This hill would be about 4miles. Not very steep, but very long. When I crested i was tired, but felt ok. We regrouped at the top and took a drink a snack break. I drank few gulps of my drink mix and had a gel pack for the next section. Thankfully it was a down hill. Narrow and scarly as it was i was able to reach speeds of 40mph. This made me cold again. I couldn't feel my fingers or my toes. We stopped at a local store to fill up on our water. Then on another section of climbing. Before this climb i ate a power bar and another gel pack. I was looking forward to this climb to warm me up. I didn't measure,but it felt like another 3-4 miles of strenuous climbing. During this climb i would consume half of my liquids and the rest of my gel packs. I was in my granny gear the whole climb. When we came to the top i was exhausted. I had one bottle of water left and one power bar. I looked down on my computer and we had only gone 33 miles. Another 17 more to go. AT this point a few riders bailed out. This last climb was to be the hardest for me at least. I had no legs and no lungs left. I decided i was going to continue. As i started to climb the last hill i felt the excruciating pain of the lactic acid building in my legs that would not go away. My breathing was poor. I had lost my rhythem due to fatigue. Before i reached the 25% of the climb i dismounted and walked. I began to feel a cramp coming on in both of my legs. I had no more water or power bar left. I was dehydrated. I began to walk the last hill. I would walk about 2miles. I felt disoriented and lost. When i reached the top there was no group waiting for me. I took too long. At this point this was the least of my worries. When i looked down at my computer it read 38miles. I wasn't sure i could ride another 12. Thankfully the ride leader who was bringing up the rear due to a rider crash earlier had caught up with me. I was to follow him back. I said to myself thank God because i didn't know how to get back even though I had a route sheet. As i followed in which was mostly down hill i would find cramping in my neck, shoulders and my legs. I could barely lift my arm to signal for a turn. When i got back down to my car I thanked Don for leading me back. It took me about 15 min. to get my bearings back before i could drive home. After all the pain, misery and torture i put my self through it is still good to be back on my bike. THis reminds me to ride more regularly. Maybe next time i am off a while I will do a 30mile training ride instead.
Here is how my day went:
Sat. morning 9am was the start time. I rode with a local road riding club called "ACTC".
Total miles was to be 50 miles and 6000ft of climbing. I told my self that this would be a good ride for me since i haven't been on any bike in 6 weeks. Big mistake. At first we started on about 5 miles of flats to warm up. It was supposed to be up to 60degrees. It would never reach that temperature where we were going. Even after about 30 min of warming up my body was still cold. Then we started to climb our first hill. This hill would be about 4miles. Not very steep, but very long. When I crested i was tired, but felt ok. We regrouped at the top and took a drink a snack break. I drank few gulps of my drink mix and had a gel pack for the next section. Thankfully it was a down hill. Narrow and scarly as it was i was able to reach speeds of 40mph. This made me cold again. I couldn't feel my fingers or my toes. We stopped at a local store to fill up on our water. Then on another section of climbing. Before this climb i ate a power bar and another gel pack. I was looking forward to this climb to warm me up. I didn't measure,but it felt like another 3-4 miles of strenuous climbing. During this climb i would consume half of my liquids and the rest of my gel packs. I was in my granny gear the whole climb. When we came to the top i was exhausted. I had one bottle of water left and one power bar. I looked down on my computer and we had only gone 33 miles. Another 17 more to go. AT this point a few riders bailed out. This last climb was to be the hardest for me at least. I had no legs and no lungs left. I decided i was going to continue. As i started to climb the last hill i felt the excruciating pain of the lactic acid building in my legs that would not go away. My breathing was poor. I had lost my rhythem due to fatigue. Before i reached the 25% of the climb i dismounted and walked. I began to feel a cramp coming on in both of my legs. I had no more water or power bar left. I was dehydrated. I began to walk the last hill. I would walk about 2miles. I felt disoriented and lost. When i reached the top there was no group waiting for me. I took too long. At this point this was the least of my worries. When i looked down at my computer it read 38miles. I wasn't sure i could ride another 12. Thankfully the ride leader who was bringing up the rear due to a rider crash earlier had caught up with me. I was to follow him back. I said to myself thank God because i didn't know how to get back even though I had a route sheet. As i followed in which was mostly down hill i would find cramping in my neck, shoulders and my legs. I could barely lift my arm to signal for a turn. When i got back down to my car I thanked Don for leading me back. It took me about 15 min. to get my bearings back before i could drive home. After all the pain, misery and torture i put my self through it is still good to be back on my bike. THis reminds me to ride more regularly. Maybe next time i am off a while I will do a 30mile training ride instead.
