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Hey - looking for your training suggestions for the Houston to Austin MS150 besides ride, ride, ride. Also looking for anyone in the Lufkin/Zavalla area (or anywhere near Lake Rayburn) to train with. I'm 50+ and just getting back into cycling after 20 years away, so I need all the help I can get. Look forward to hearing whatever anyone has to say!
Texasroadie
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try a google search for training for a century, and follow that.
you should also do some back to back long rides on the weekends.
the basics - ride 3-4 times a week and each weekend add 5-10 miles to the long ride.
ask bike shops about their weekend rides also, so you can ride with a group.
Also, look for a team to join. Often teams will sponsor training rides each weekend from now until the MS150 which normally will serve as one of your longer rides for each week during your training.
There are many teams that are open to any cyclist -- you do not need to be affiliated with them/work for them to ride (although some teams require this). Check the MS150 website -- I thought they had a listing of teams still looking for members. There is a team fee which typically runs from $50-100, depending on perks such as jersey, training ride support, lunch stops both days of the MS150 as well as team tent in LaGrange in which you can sleep (to save lodging fees) and find dinner -- I think it is a heck of a deal.
Another plus of the weekend training rides with a team is that you can find people of your ability to ride with, gives you some practice riding in a group (albeit a small group), and you will have snacks/SAG support should you need it.
...I'm 50+ and just getting back into cycling after 20 years away, so I need all the help I can get...
Texasroadie - the 2006 MS-150 was my first one - I was 53 at the time. I did sessions of hills, intervals a endurance and group rides to get ready. You might want to take a look in participating in one or more of the MS-150 recommended rides ( http://www.ms150.org/ms150/riding/recommended_rides.cfm ). These rides are fun (IMO), and will put you in a situation where you have to deal with riding in close quarters with lots of folks - pretty good prep for the MS. I'll stick my neck out and recommend the Tri-County Hill Hopper in Feb. I did it last year and had a great time. Beautiful scenery and a challenging course. Good luck with it.
Hey thanks for all the great tips! It's nice to have support and really encouraging to know that at least one of you was my age the first time you did this ride. I'm registered with a good team and my riding/training partner hasn't done the MS since '86 & '87, so as yeamac said, we should both be at about the same ability. Think I'll check into the local bike club and see what weekend rides they have planned, even if they're just informal and unsupported.
It would be nice to know how many folks on the Texas forum are training to do the MS. I'm planning to ride Frost Bike on 1/27 and Tri-County Hill Hopper sounds like fun - maybe I'll see some of you there!
I'll be doing the Frostbike 50 as well. Did it last year, and it lived up to it's name. The course is all wide open spaces and was cold and windy - those that weren't wearing proper gear suffered big-time. I wore under armour leggings and a fleece jacket last year, which proved to be adequate but not great protection from the elements. All in all it was a good day - a well organized ride with a large group of participants. I'm looking forward to this year's ride. Santa was good to me this year and fixed me up with a pair of PE Amphib tights and a pair of neoprene booties (shoe covers) - I'll be ready this time if it turns out to be a cold day.
I can't say exactly what the ride is like, because I have only seen it from the vantage point of volunteering at a break point, but this is not a race, so the ability to ride quickly is not a priority. You just need to be able to cover the distance. If you can ride back-to-back 100 mile training rides, at a decent pace, you will be able to do this. The route should be posted at bolmanski.com , so riding it ahead of time for practice is as simple as researching a bit, then doing it. I might even be able find the time to help someone with this, driving my little Toyota pickup or Jeep as a support shuttle, on some Saturdays. Not this weekend, though, I am committed to a volunteer thing this Saturday evening, and working the Houston Marathon on Sunday.
I'm training for my first MS150 as well, I've been riding since October, but only really started building up this year. I got some good information on some suggested training plans from a google search. The other thing I would recommend is getting a proper, professional fit on your bike. 182 miles is a long way, and you'll want to be comfortable. If you explain to the fitter that you want fit for comfort, they should be able to help you out.
I've just bought a (cheap) trainer to keep in the garage for those bad weather days. A lot of the training is just about getting in a lot of saddle time and building that up consistently. A team will be a big help, particularly if they are setting up camp for you and can carry bags, as it makes the logistics a lot easier.
The MS150 recommended rides are pretty good as well, I did my first last year (the Tour de Donut), which was my first time riding in a group. That's a good thing to learn when you're going to be sharing a route with 15,000 other cyclists.
At the moment it seems like a long way off, and I'm riding about 100 miles a week at the moment, but I know that very soon it's going to be just around the corner. The major fund raising drive kicks off next week and that's when it's going to start to feel a bit more real. I'm trying to remind myself that it's not a race, and it's about raising money, but I'd like to set myself a realistic, but challenging target to try and keep my training on course. I want to be able to enjoy it!
Good luck!
Yeah, the enjoyment is multiplied by the amount of training you've had. I've done the ride well trained, and literally not been tired AT ALL either night or into the next week... awesome. I've also done it with ZERO training from the previous year... I completed it... but it wasn't as pleasant by any means.
Chevy makes a great point - I'd be willing to bet that with even the most minimal amount of training, one can finish the ride, but the level of enjoyment would be reduced. On the other hand, you could kill yourself training for the ride and it would end up being a breeze. I think both options have their advantages/disadvantages.
Myself, I want to finish, and do it in a REASONABLE amount of time. I agree most with GavCB and probably identify most with him/her. I too am training for my first MS 150. I began working out regularly and riding again in October of last year, and I have a long way to go. But, I think I can finish the ride. I plan to make as many of the training rides as I can (2/3'rds of them, at least) and I joined Team Sun and Ski for the perks of the team. As has been said already, it's important to remember it's NOT A RACE, but at the same time, I think we need to be in a certain level of shape and conditioning before the ride.
I watched my brother in law do his first MS 150 last year. He's an athlete at heart, and a quick, small guy. He absolutely killed himself training for the ride like it was a 2 day RACE. He was miserable, because he trained so hard for the ride, and over the 2 days he pushed himself so hard to finish in as little time as possible, I don't think he had much fun at all. I distinctly remember him wanting to throw his bike in the trash after it was all over. I certainly don't want my experience to be that way. I want to train and get the miles in, but I also want to enjoy my experience too. I expect a certain amount of pain and effort to make it to the end....
Just my 2 cents, which I've found is worth FAR less than I thought it was.
I'll be at the Frost Bike 50 too. Hope to see you guys there...
-Tim Banks
Pearland, TX
Cannondale CAAD9 5
O.o
Some people just won't have fun no matter what. Riding should be enjoyable.
Good point, riding should be enjoyable, and, as I'm in the Saint Arnold team, I plan on having too many frosty ones on the Saturday night to consider treating it as a race!
Yeah, the enjoyment is multiplied by the amount of training you've had. I've done the ride well trained, and literally not been tired AT ALL either night or into the next week... awesome. I've also done it with ZERO training from the previous year... I completed it... but it wasn't as pleasant by any means.
I'll second that. Last year was my first MS150, and I followed a century training schedule very closely, and I couldn't believe how good I felt during the ride and following each day of the MS150. (100 miles day 1, 75 miles day 2).
...The other thing I would recommend is getting a proper, professional fit on your bike. 182 miles is a long way, and you'll want to be comfortable.
If you are new to riding and don't feel comfortable on your bike, then get a fitting. Me, I read a lot of article on the web and fit things myself through trial and error and over a period of about 2 months got everything just perfect for distance riding.
^ I'd agree with that. I had a rough fitting on my bike when I bought it, and since then, I've been changing things a few mm here and there. There's still plenty of time before the event to get some more fine tuning in.
What with the Galveston sea breeze (and the fact that my back isn't complaining too much) I've got a fairly aggressive setup, with quite a big drop from the seat to the bars. I've done 50 miles with it no problem, but I might get one of those adjustable stems for the longer rides and really get those bars high and get upright!
Good point, riding should be enjoyable, and, as I'm in the Saint Arnold team, I plan on having too many frosty ones on the Saturday night to consider treating it as a race!
Good for you, Gav. I'm a ride marshal for the second year this time around (my sixth MS150, overall), and there are way too many Lance wanna-bes on this ride. Just remember, it's a ride, not a race, and make safety your first priority.
I'm skipping out this year. :( My daughter will only be about a month old when the ride comes.:D
IMHO. The first year you ride should be written off. "Sit back" and enjoy the ride. Take mental notes. Once your done, start training more. Start buying those upgrades to the bike. That way when next year comes around your ready and more likely to enjoy it.
It is what I did. 2007 was my second ride. I shaved over 3 hours off the first year time. I had fun. Only regret, eating too much bbq and drink too much beer Saturday night. I ended up falling asleep before Buffett got on stage. *Had the Houston concert playing on my laptop.*
Either way, y'all enjoy the ride this year. I'll see y'all on it in 2009.
Do any of you plan to use aerobars for MS150? I really don't know much about them or how to decide which ones would be right for me/my size, etc. Any ideas??
I don't think that there is anything that specifically says you can't use aerobars, although the MS150 site asks that you don't use them in a group. When you're sharing the road with that many people, you really need to be in complete control of your bike and be able to get out of trouble quickly!
Having said that, I think aerobars are a good idea for long rides, and I was thinking about getting a set of clip-ons myself, purely for the reason that they give you another position to sit in. That way, every vertabra in your spine can hurt a bit, rather than just one or two hurting a lot!
Machka, who posts a lot on the road bike forum, has a great website about long distance riding and she mentions aerobars in her century tips section there:
http://www.machka.net/century.htm
Aero bars will really only help if you've trained on them a lot... otherwise, it may simply be too low a position... too much of a stretch. When I first start using them after a long break, my back feels stretched, and my legs and stomach feel cramped. I use them gradually more and more, and eventually get used to them again.
Don't use them in a group (mass, or a fast moving line), and be aware when passing others, I'd also say stay out of them for fast decents. Remember you are far from your brakes, and can't swerve NEARLY as well.
With that said, I've used them, and they could be a lifesaver for some of the wide open windy feilds. I never used them for the additional position.... I rode drops, hoods, shoulders, and flats on my bars, and most of the movement was to move the sunburn out of the sun :D Oh yeah, and no handed. I used the aeros when the wind was killing me... and even then, probably partially placebo effect ;)
I sure do love reading this post each time I come back to it. This is my first MS150 also, and I'm really nervous about it. I've never ridden in huge groups aside from the Houston Moonlight Bicycle Ramble, and that's totally different. I'm definitely no Lance wanna be, and all I want to do is finish and finish before the sun goes down on both days. I'm planning to be at the Frost Bike 50 this weekend - I'll be riding alone since my riding buddy has the flu. Just look for the big guy with the Cannondale fidgeting a lot because he's nervous as heck.... :)
I sure do love reading this post each time I come back to it. This is my first MS150 also, and I'm really nervous about it. I've never ridden in huge groups aside from the Houston Moonlight Bicycle Ramble, and that's totally different. I'm definitely no Lance wanna be, and all I want to do is finish and finish before the sun goes down on both days. I'm planning to be at the Frost Bike 50 this weekend - I'll be riding alone since my riding buddy has the flu. Just look for the big guy with the Cannondale fidgeting a lot because he's nervous as heck.... :)
Good luck with it! I wasn't planning on going (it makes it a very early start from Galveston!), but then I got an email from my MS150 team that said that there might be beer there afterwards, now I'm thinking about it! I've not done a group ride since the Tour de Donut (and I was nervous as heck before that!), so if I don't make this one, then definitely the West U Warm Up!
Regarding aero bars, unless a late "norther" has just arrived, the prevailing wind will be at your back. I think I would install them, and practice with them, just in case a late norther presented itself, but then would consider removing them if the forecast indicated prevailing Gulf breezes. I guess it depends on whether you want to spend the money on something you probably will not need.
If this is your first Hou-Austin ride I wouldn't worry about aero bars. Just make sure you are comfortable on your bike and train, train, train. Like Spider said, use your first ride as a learning experience, then gear up accordingly if you decide to do it again. IMHO aero bars are not necessary on this ride, now the San Antonio to Corpus ride is another story.
Oh yeah.... I completely forgot to mention.... don't get any bars that will block the tops of the bars.... you'll miss them on a long ride ;) Some fold up out of the way... DEFINATLY a plus. Oh yeah, the bike may not actually handle differently, but mine felt much more "front heavy" and wobbly at low speeds (when not in the aeros)... the added weight changes the feel.... and mine were carbon aero bars.
I sure do love reading this post each time I come back to it. This is my first MS150 also, and I'm really nervous about it. I've never ridden in huge groups aside from the Houston Moonlight Bicycle Ramble, and that's totally different. I'm definitely no Lance wanna be, and all I want to do is finish and finish before the sun goes down on both days. I'm planning to be at the Frost Bike 50 this weekend - I'll be riding alone since my riding buddy has the flu. Just look for the big guy with the Cannondale fidgeting a lot because he's nervous as heck.... :)
LOL...Everything you just said could also have been said about me as well. I rode the Moonlight Ramble in October and this past weekend, the Frost Bike 50 was my first "real" ride. I went out with my brother-in-law and his team , where we just did the 17-mile route. The nice thing is that, considering it was the first time I'd ridden in a really large group, and the first time I'd been on the bike since early December, it was an easy ride. Now, I need to start building up to the longer rides pretty quick. I'm not looking to finish first, but I sure do not want to finish last either.:)
How'd you guys like the Barker-Cypress overpass? :D If you're a strictly houston-area rider, hills might be a little alien to you. Make sure you do some of the recommended rides outside of the Houston area to get some experience in the hills.
Teeleton
Yeah, that overpass was great! I actually passed 2 people on the way up, so that felt great. I did the 45 mile route, which I clocked at only 42 miles when I got back. Still, it was the longest ride I'd done on my road bike to date.
I'd heard from several people at the Frost 50 that the MS 150 recommended ride wasn't that well supported, so I think I'll be riding around home this weekend, but next weekend we've got 2 rides to look forward to. My plan is to do the 25-30 mile route at the Puddle for the Ducks and then the 45 mile route at the West U Warm Up. I don't know if that's a good plan or not, so we'll see...
J2773, what team does your brother in law ride with? Did you join a ride team? If not, it's a great idea.
Hope to see you around!
-Tim
It's been a couple years for me... but the MS support would put the Frostbike to shame. Yeah, there was larger crowds... but there were teams of people at each tent to help.
Frostbike also had banana bread.. and nothing else. (which isn't a problem for me). The MS always had a variety of stuff. Candy, granola bars, bagels, oranges, bananas, and the list goes on. Not all of these were at every stop... but there was always a variety.
I've never sagged a ride... but I only heard one mention of it on the Frostbike, and the MS seemed to have a steady supply of support vans. Dunno how "available" they were... never cared.
Maybe it's changed. :dunno:
Registered for the metric century ride on the West U Warm Up ride; then realised that it was a week Sunday and 62 miles is a bit longer than I'd ridden before...
Went out and did 37 miles yesterday afternoon with the cruel Galveston breeze, which brings me to my question: The chances of me being able to get into the Hill Country before the MS150 are non-existent, how good a substitute for hill training is riding into a headwind?
Make sure you do the Gator Ride (http://www.gatorride.org/). It's near Galveston, and the 43 and 62 mile routes cross the Fred Hartman bridge.
Teeleton
Yeah, that overpass was great! I actually passed 2 people on the way up, so that felt great. I did the 45 mile route, which I clocked at only 42 miles when I got back. Still, it was the longest ride I'd done on my road bike to date.
I'd heard from several people at the Frost 50 that the MS 150 recommended ride wasn't that well supported, so I think I'll be riding around home this weekend, but next weekend we've got 2 rides to look forward to. My plan is to do the 25-30 mile route at the Puddle for the Ducks and then the 45 mile route at the West U Warm Up. I don't know if that's a good plan or not, so we'll see...
J2773, what team does your brother in law ride with? Did you join a ride team? If not, it's a great idea.
Hope to see you around!
-Tim
Hi Tim,
My brother-in-law is riding with Republic Waste and I'm riding with Bayou City Outdoors. I have another friend who's riding with St. Arnold's, one with Team West End, and yet another who's riding with Urban Bicycle Gallery. Many more of us, and I guess we're going to have to start our own team.
3 of us are newbies, and the other three have done an average of 5 MS 150 rides each. It really makes a big difference when you can ride with people who have ridden before and know what to expect. I think a lot of times for us newbies, many of the rides sound scarier than they really are, and having someone there who's been there/done that really helps to alleviate the nerves.
Unfortunately, being on different teams means you don't get to do many large, team training rides together. However, in the other non-team events, like the Frost Bike 50, we have a chance to ride together, which is always fun.
See you out on the road!
Joe
Registered for the metric century ride on the West U Warm Up ride; then realised that it was a week Sunday and 62 miles is a bit longer than I'd ridden before...
Went out and did 37 miles yesterday afternoon with the cruel Galveston breeze, which brings me to my question: The chances of me being able to get into the Hill Country before the MS150 are non-existent, how good a substitute for hill training is riding into a headwind?
Maybe see you on the West U. I'm scheduled to ride marshal that one, and I plan to do the metric century.
Headwind training is good, but I wouldn't really say it substitutes for hill riding. If you can get out of town as far as Sealy, you can get into some decent hills. Go as far as Columbus and you're in some really good ones. I strongly recommend you try to make a bit of time for it.
GavCB, I too was in your position last year. No hills to train on. Intervals were my evil friend. I hated them at first. I finally saw a payoff when I went to do the Gator Ride. I broke my personal record going up the Fred Hartman Bridge.
:D I also broke my personal land speed record going down the bridge too. It was on the MS150 in the hills just before Bastrop that I broke my land speed record again. :D
That
Urban Bicycle Gallery Joe?
I bought my Gary Fisher from Tom Wurth years ago when they still sold GF. They're a great group of people. Judy (his wife) is the sole reason I was able to get signed up for the MS150 this year. I owe them a lot.
The Fred Hartmann bridge - that's that bridge over on the east side of town (suspension) that's freaking HUGE, right!?!?! Oh man - that's got to be a BEAST to get up it, but one heck of a ride going down....
Urban Bicycle Gallery Joe?
I bought my Gary Fisher from Tom Wurth years ago when they still sold GF. They're a great group of people. Judy (his wife) is the sole reason I was able to get signed up for the MS150 this year. I owe them a lot.
The Fred Hartmann bridge - that's that bridge over on the east side of town (suspension) that's freaking HUGE, right!?!?! Oh man - that's got to be a BEAST to get up it, but one heck of a ride going down....
Almost a quarter of a mile long, and just shy of an 18 story climb (178 feet).
http://www.texasexplorer.com/hartmanbridge.htm
Teeleton
Hey - looking for your training suggestions for the Houston to Austin MS150 besides ride, ride, ride. Also looking for anyone in the Lufkin/Zavalla area (or anywhere near Lake Rayburn) to train with. I'm 50+ and just getting back into cycling after 20 years away, so I need all the help I can get. Look forward to hearing whatever anyone has to say!
Texasroadie
Based on experience from daughter, son-in-law, my son, and my own, I highly recommend spinning classes as an adjunct to training for MS-150. I am a traveling consultant and weekend riding was about all I could dependably do on a bicycle. I tried to consistently do 40-50 mile rides every Saturday and Sunday. In addition, I went to spinning classes on Tuesday and Thursday while traveling. I could not believe how difficult the classes were when they first had us stand up and pedal for more than 10 seconds. By the time the MS150 came around I felt my abs were like iron and I had all kinds of endurance and hill climbing ability. In my opinion, spinning gives the most bang for the buck in terms of time and it works no matter what the weather is like.
On the other hand, I continued riding heavily after the MS150 and got more weekday time during the summer. The thing I gained by putting in lots of miles on an actual bicycle (5000 miles total last year) was bike riding skills, balance, and confidence.
Bob
Hey, thanks for the tips! I don't have access to spinning classes, but I do have hills near home to ride on every day that the weather is good. The folks I will be riding MS with are regulars at spinning classes and I only wish I had that option too!
I'm excited about the MS ride and trying hard not to get anxious about it. Since this is my first one I'm a little apprehensive about what it will be like, but I will be riding with some who are experienced and that's comforting. Bob, are you riding it this year, or have you ridden it before? I've gotten so many greaat tips and suggestions from members of the forum, I just have to say thanks to all of you for your help! I am riding with the Direct Energy team, so if any of you out there in the forum are DE team members, please let me know. I hope to do the team ride on 3/29 so I can get to know some of the other members.
Loretta
I'm excited about the MS ride and trying hard not to get anxious about it. Since this is my first one I'm a little apprehensive about what it will be like, but I will be riding with some who are experienced and that's comforting. Bob, are you riding it this year, or have you ridden it before?
Loretta
My first MS150 was last year. I trained well and rode with a group of 25-35 year olds that included my son and daughter. It was the experience of a lifetime. I remember being so hyper and excited the week before I could hardly think of anything else. The night before I slept about 4 hours.
Things I did right:
- train well, including back to back 50+ mile rides every weekend for four weeks before
- hydrate well for several days before the ride
- Bike in pristine mechanical condition
- determined what sunscreen works well for me (Bullfrog 45) and re-applied on the ride (I am a melanoma survivor)
Things that did not get worked out:
- saddle and bike fit. I was struggling with finding saddle comfort from the time I began doing longer rides the previous December. I found a saddle that was ok. After the MS150, I had a professional bike fit done and continued trying saddles until I achieved the good combo during the summer. I am in much better situation this year!
Things I did wrong:
- pack for the overnight campout the night before the ride. Don't do that!!
- tried a new electolyte drink (NUNN) the first day of the ride. Don't ever do that!!!!
- ate too much at the rest stops - you are not burning infinite calories on this ride so don't get the idea you can eat as much as you want whenever you want.
My daughter made a photo album of the whole experience and gave one to me and one to my son for Christmas. What a treasure. I especially like the final page that shows my son, my daughter, and I crossing the finish line together.
The crowning experience and reminder of why we do this ride occurred when we stopped at a convenience store on the way home. We were in my mini-van loaded with bikes and wearing MS150 T-shirts. It was very obvious we had just completed the MS150. A woman stopped my son to talk to him. She said she had had MS for a few years and she was to begin an experimental treatment the next month that might provide some substantial improvement in her quality of life. With tears in her eyes, she said that programs like the MS150 helped fund such programs to help people like her and she wanted to thank us all for our efforts.
Bob
Well Bob, thanks again for all the great input!! I can imagine what a great experience it was for you to ride MS with your kids! I'll be riding with my nephew and his wife. She rode last year and has said much the same about her experience being life changing. She said entire small towns would come out in support, not to mention all the MS victims who were showing their support. Also said the weather was great last year - I'm hoping it's great again this year but I'd be happy with at least decent weather.
I'm assuming by your statement about packing the night before you mean don't wait until then? Until we see what the weather will be doing, it's hard to know exactly what to pack.
I plan to have my ride in pristine condition, that's pretty much a given. Hope to have an inspection done by one of the approved bike shops, only there aren't any in my "neck of the woods" literally. Guess I'll have to take it to Beaumont or Houston for that.
So what team are you riding with and are your kids riding again this year? My family didn't get registered in time to get spots and just found out this week that they will be able to ride (in cancelled registrant's spots), so I'm totally thrilled that I won't be riding with just acquaintances, but with family. I'm really excited about sharing this experience with them!
Please pass along any other words of wisdom you might think of - I'm all ears and open to any suggestions!
Loretta
I'm assuming by your statement about packing the night before you mean don't wait until then? Until we see what the weather will be doing, it's hard to know exactly what to pack.
Sorry I was not clear. I meant do not wait until the last minute to pack. What you pack will be pretty constant, regardless of the weather, unless you want to throw in a poncho or something like that. I do not wear rain gear when I ride. If its wet, I just ride through it or pull off on the side of the road. I guess a poncho for the campsite might be useful. It will be late enough in the year that you should not need any kind of cold weather gear.
I plan to have my ride in pristine condition, that's pretty much a given. Hope to have an inspection done by one of the approved bike shops, only there aren't any in my "neck of the woods" literally. Guess I'll have to take it to Beaumont or Houston for that.
The inspection sticker is important. As I understand it, you cannot get SAG mechanical support if you do not have the sticker.
So what team are you riding with and are your kids riding again this year? My family didn't get registered in time to get spots and just found out this week that they will be able to ride (in cancelled registrant's spots), so I'm totally thrilled that I won't be riding with just acquaintances, but with family. I'm really excited about sharing this experience with them!
Last year I rode with Anadarko Petroleum (great team!). I understand they were one of the original corporate sponsors for the MS150. This year I am riding with Schlumberger team. I won't have family with me this year, but will see a few friends. My daughter-in-law said her family will be viewing the MS150 (her aunt has MS) and will cheer for me. That will be cool. My wife is not ready for the MS150, but should be able to do it next year.
I took a look back at my checklist for last year. Probably the most important things to remember are the chemicals - sun screen, chamois butter, artificle tears, chapstick. Medications include your favorite analgesic. Don't forget money. Hopefully you will have access to a massage therapist at the LaGrange campsite. You'll want to tip them. Getting an excellent night's sleep on Saturday night is important to the quality of your ride on Sunday. I took a Tylenol PM and woke up refreshed and rested. I suffer from Sleep Apnea and I was really worried about sleeping well. I managed to put together a battery powered CPAP machine for the overnight stay and slept like a baby. Pack some kind of small bag. This will hold your clothes and toiletries while you stand in line for a shower at LaGrange.
Bob
Here's a packing list;
http://www.ms150.org/ms150/riding/packing_list.cfm
Just to clearify. If your bike is not inspected, you can still get SAG support and repairs, you will just have to pay for the labor and parts. Once your bike is inspected, is insures you will only have to pay for parts only.
OK, I have some questions now :-)
I am taking the bus to Houston from Austin. I have my sticker already. I suggest getting it checked anyway. My bike was working really well and the mechanic noticed my shifting cable was unraveling at the shifter. A small charge to get it replaced but would have really sucked to have it fail on the road.
When I get to Houston in the morning, is there a bag transport to the La Grange rider village? And then a bag transport to Austin in the morning?
OK, I have some questions now :-)
I am taking the bus to Houston from Austin. I have my sticker already. I suggest getting it checked anyway. My bike was working really well and the mechanic noticed my shifting cable was unraveling at the shifter. A small charge to get it replaced but would have really sucked to have it fail on the road.
When I get to Houston in the morning, is there a bag transport to the La Grange rider village? And then a bag transport to Austin in the morning?
Roger on the broken shifter cable. On one bad luck ride this year, I had a flat, fixed it and stepped over the top tube to ride off and discovered the cable controlling my rear derailleur was broken off at the front lever. It was a bummer riding with a two speed to the next SAG stop. After that I put on a new tire, new tube, and all new cables. The bike had 6500 miles on it, so new cables seemed appropriate - no problems or flats since then.
Yes, bag pickup is at Houston. Look for several 18 wheelers and load yours on. They will haul it to LaGrange and offload the bags in a big tent, organized in groups by rider number. The next day, get up early, pack, take your bag back to the tent. You will pick it up in Austin on a big parking lot. I don't know the logistics about getting back to Houston on the bus.
Bob
First, let me say to all of you, THANKS for riding! I have ridden the San Antonio to Corpus MS150 3 times (2005, 2006, and 2007). I was diagnosed with MS on the day I turned in my donation money from the 2006 ride. I just went to a MS research symposium weekend before last, and every one of the researchers presenting their results listed the National MS Society as one of the groups paying for their research. That money came from the donations we all collect for riding in the MS150s and it is being put to very good use by the doctors researching MS.
As for training for hills in Houston, Gav, if you can make it as far as Chappell Hill, there are some really great hills around Chappell Hill and Washington on the Brazos state park. They aren't huge, but they at least give you a chance to work your gears and get the heart rate up. If you can't do that, I would recommend doing lots of intervals...2-5 mins at 90-95% max heart rate, 5-10 mins at 60-70%...repeat as needed. For those on a trainer at home or in a gym, I like to do what I have seen called Tmax intervals. Basically, they involve a typical warmup, then max effort (100% max HR) for 2-4 mins followed by double the interval time at very easy pace (ie 2 min interval, 4 min rest...or 3 min interval 6 min rest). They are brutal and most people can't do more than about 4-6 reps in a given workout, but they are one of the very best ways to improve your aerobic capacity and your lactate threshold in a short period of time. Give yourself at least 2 days rest or gentle spinning/riding between sessions, and try to work up to 8 reps per workout. Warning...I haven't personally hurled doing these, but I have read of many people losing lunch due to the intensity of the last few intervals. They aren't for everybody, but if you don't have a lot of time to ride or many hills to practice on, they can be a great way to play catch up.
I won't be riding in the Houston to Austin MS150, but I will be volunteering for Mustang/Wood group. I will be riding for them in the San Antonio-Corpus ride in October. Thanks again to all of you for riding, and have a safe and enjoyable ride!
Bill
Hey Bill, thanks for participating in this thread!! Your story makes the ride that much more worthwhile! Wish we all had a way of identifying ourselves on the MS so we would know who "we" are.
Any of you who wish you had hills to ride should've done the "Loblolly Liberator" in Nacogdoches Saturday - it was nothin' but hills!!
Loretta
Well, I will be working as a volunteer at the Mustang Wood Group camp site in LaGrange (which unfortunately is not at the fairgrounds this year) and will probably be hanging around their tent at the finish line in Austin, so look for the big guy (6' 250ish) with dark hair, a gray goatee, and a red wristband that isn't in riding gear. My name is Bill in case you think you see me. If you ride the San Antonio to Corpus ride later this year, I will be riding in that one.
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