leakysieve
12-11-08, 02:37 AM
Anybody have a good training plan for RAMROD? I'm planing on doing it this summer, or at the very least registering for the lottery to get a spot.
Pacific Northwest - RAMROD training
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moleman76
12-11-08, 09:59 AM
Cascade Bicycle Club has some training groups which aim to prepare for RAMROD. From the route descriptions, they know where most of the hill are
CliftonGK1
12-11-08, 12:31 PM
Redmond Cycling Club (http://www.redmondcyclingclub.org/index.html) would be a good start, since it is one of their big 3.
mattm
12-11-08, 05:31 PM
cougar mountain is your friend. (it may not feel like it as you climb it!)
you can get to it from the city (~20 miles from cap hill), and also there is Tiger Mtn nearby (and squawk too).
but if you want group training then yeah Cascade has a ramrod training series, and of course RCC.
my training for Ramrod was doing lots of brevets (200k+), some of them over mtn passes (snoqualmie, cayuse, stevens, etc). (actually i wasn't really training "for" ramrod, actually the 'rod was just another training ride for bigger n' better things! which is why i rode to ramrod from seattle this year)
it's a great ride, well worth doing. if you don't make the lottery, it's a doable trip unsupported.
you can get to it from the city (~20 miles from cap hill), and also there is Tiger Mtn nearby (and squawk too).
but if you want group training then yeah Cascade has a ramrod training series, and of course RCC.
my training for Ramrod was doing lots of brevets (200k+), some of them over mtn passes (snoqualmie, cayuse, stevens, etc). (actually i wasn't really training "for" ramrod, actually the 'rod was just another training ride for bigger n' better things! which is why i rode to ramrod from seattle this year)
it's a great ride, well worth doing. if you don't make the lottery, it's a doable trip unsupported.
sharkey00
12-12-08, 01:52 PM
There are weekly sunday rides that leave from redhook. A number of the people there are training for RAMROD, 1 day STP, ect. It would be a good group to check out.
Mattm - I am working on a climbing hill repeat using the sammamish plateau. It would not be sustained like cougar mountain but could make for an interesting ride. My main reason for making it is for chilly hilly training of short steep frequent climbs.
Mattm - I am working on a climbing hill repeat using the sammamish plateau. It would not be sustained like cougar mountain but could make for an interesting ride. My main reason for making it is for chilly hilly training of short steep frequent climbs.
leakysieve
12-13-08, 03:11 AM
alright, thanks guys. I'm looking forward to this, hopefully ill get there with my training.
CliftonGK1
12-13-08, 07:00 PM
There are weekly sunday rides that leave from redhook. A number of the people there are training for RAMROD, 1 day STP, ect. It would be a good group to check out.
Mattm - I am working on a climbing hill repeat using the sammamish plateau. It would not be sustained like cougar mountain but could make for an interesting ride. My main reason for making it is for chilly hilly training of short steep frequent climbs.
If you want a good repeat loop with some good, steep, shorter (1mi and under, mostly) climbs:
Coming north up Avondale, turn right on 104th and crest Education Hill up the steep side.
Hang a right on 202, and another right on 116th. Go back over the hill to Avondale.
Left on Avondale at 128th and go over the hill back to 202, or head north for 1 more light to 132nd and make a right. Then follow 133rd up the hill through Trilogy (about a 2.5 mile climb) up to Novelty Hill road where you make a right and take it back down to Avondale.
Mattm - I am working on a climbing hill repeat using the sammamish plateau. It would not be sustained like cougar mountain but could make for an interesting ride. My main reason for making it is for chilly hilly training of short steep frequent climbs.
If you want a good repeat loop with some good, steep, shorter (1mi and under, mostly) climbs:
Coming north up Avondale, turn right on 104th and crest Education Hill up the steep side.
Hang a right on 202, and another right on 116th. Go back over the hill to Avondale.
Left on Avondale at 128th and go over the hill back to 202, or head north for 1 more light to 132nd and make a right. Then follow 133rd up the hill through Trilogy (about a 2.5 mile climb) up to Novelty Hill road where you make a right and take it back down to Avondale.
mattm
12-14-08, 02:14 PM
another possible training route: http://veloroutes.org/bikemaps/?route=7888
a 92-mile ride i did solo this summer, as general training for 200+ mile rides in the mountains.
starting in seattle, hits up: renton (plateau climb), mirrormont (tiger mtn), issaquah (cgr mtn), carnation (tolt hill climb), bellevue (sammamish plateau), and then back to seattle via i-90.
i don't think the total elevation is actually 7k feet (as my site estimates), but is probably more like 6k.
it took me about 6.5 hours overall that time, i'd like to do it faster eventually.
a 92-mile ride i did solo this summer, as general training for 200+ mile rides in the mountains.
starting in seattle, hits up: renton (plateau climb), mirrormont (tiger mtn), issaquah (cgr mtn), carnation (tolt hill climb), bellevue (sammamish plateau), and then back to seattle via i-90.
i don't think the total elevation is actually 7k feet (as my site estimates), but is probably more like 6k.
it took me about 6.5 hours overall that time, i'd like to do it faster eventually.
ericgu
12-14-08, 10:01 PM
Anybody have a good training plan for RAMROD? I'm planing on doing it this summer, or at the very least registering for the lottery to get a spot.
The ramrod training series is a pretty good thing to do, and will get you the miles and distance. I also suggest hilly rides during the week - there are some good ones led by cascade and others.
You also need to find time to do at least one real mountain climb before ramrod. The long mountain climbs aren't very steep (say, 6-7%), but they are much much longer than most of the climbs around seattle. Sunrise is a nice climb to do, at a little over 3000 feet, and has a nice view at the top. It takes me about 90 minutes to climb. You can drive up to the entrance, or, if you want more mileage, park at the fairgrounds in enumclaw, and ride all the way up and back. That gives you about 5400' of elevation total, and the ride down is the same as the last part of ramrod.
The ramrod training series is a pretty good thing to do, and will get you the miles and distance. I also suggest hilly rides during the week - there are some good ones led by cascade and others.
You also need to find time to do at least one real mountain climb before ramrod. The long mountain climbs aren't very steep (say, 6-7%), but they are much much longer than most of the climbs around seattle. Sunrise is a nice climb to do, at a little over 3000 feet, and has a nice view at the top. It takes me about 90 minutes to climb. You can drive up to the entrance, or, if you want more mileage, park at the fairgrounds in enumclaw, and ride all the way up and back. That gives you about 5400' of elevation total, and the ride down is the same as the last part of ramrod.