Unsuccesful Century Attempt Lessons learned, ride report, questions
10-09-11, 09:31 AM
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Beanz - question. Since I am starting to train for my first triathlon in July, I signed up for some shorter races to get me ready. One of the races is climbing 82 flights of stairs to raise money for the American Lung Association. I think of this race in February as a mental challenge. In your opinion, will stair climbing improve my fitness for hills? Of course, there is nothing like actual hill climbing, I know.
10-10-11, 02:15 PM
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Heck yeah, as far as overall fitness and cardio. Like you say, mix it in with some climbing on the bike, you're good.
But IME, I've tried these types of approach to cycling fitness but once I start doing big climbs as training, I lose the stairs just because I'm concentrating on the bike and applying all energy there.
But IME, I've tried these types of approach to cycling fitness but once I start doing big climbs as training, I lose the stairs just because I'm concentrating on the bike and applying all energy there.
10-10-11, 02:17 PM
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In the spirit of this thread I did a harder than usual ride for me yesterday. I thought it was moderately hilly, though you hill guys probably wouldn't. Roughly 1200 feet in 32 miles. The hills would have been OK though first gear definitely was required . The killer was the wind. It was the windiest ride of my life, riding either cross wind to be tossed around or into the wind to slog along. My ears hurt from the wind. I had to pedal down many of the hills to keep going, it was so windy. The uphill stretches were a relief from the wind because they were sheltered a bit. Some flat and open areas were so windy that my cadence in first gear was less than 60. Got chased by a pit bull. Smelled manure on the fields. Then it turned out that the one decent restaurant in Keosauqua where I was meeting the spouse for lunch was closed permanently. It was the hardest ride of my life. Yet I had a great time!
10-10-11, 02:18 PM
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Yes stairl climbing will help but I have a friend that lives in a 47 story bldg with the gym on the 46th floor. We decided to run the stairs one day. if you try to run them the whole way, your legs will really start to go after about 10 flights and then at 15 they just won't respond. You will be breathing heavy but probably not as heavy as you would think. running stairs would probably be more beneficial for building sprint power because you are powering your full body weight up on one leg at a time. Being a good climber isn't so much about maximum leg strength as it is about controlled endurance and proper gearing for the job.
oooohhhh...excellent point. I might try to build up to a sprint. Thanks!
10-10-11, 08:26 PM
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Hit the 19 mile hill route again today (2nd time this route but I did put the same climbs in my long ride this weekend) and shaved 14 minutes off the last time 
https://ridewithgps.com/trips/416967
Test Seat 1 (fizik gamma versus) definitely has to go though, the boys do not like it!
https://ridewithgps.com/trips/416967
Test Seat 1 (fizik gamma versus) definitely has to go though, the boys do not like it!
10-10-11, 10:05 PM
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Hit the 19 mile hill route again today (2nd time this route but I did put the same climbs in my long ride this weekend) and shaved 14 minutes off the last time
https://ridewithgps.com/trips/416967
Test Seat 1 (fizik gamma versus) definitely has to go though, the boys do not like it!
https://ridewithgps.com/trips/416967
Test Seat 1 (fizik gamma versus) definitely has to go though, the boys do not like it!
Making the climbs a part of your regular routine will make them easier and easier. Won't be long before you find 30 miles with 4,000 aint too tough. You'll go back and do a somewhat flat century without ever breaking a sweat!
11-11-11, 10:00 PM
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Knocked out 27 miles today of hell. @3000 ft of elevation with several sections of 14+% grade.
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/128008426#
Plan on routing and riding an unsupported century in the next couple weekends is weather and family permits.
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/128008426#
Plan on routing and riding an unsupported century in the next couple weekends is weather and family permits.
11-11-11, 10:41 PM
#108
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Knocked out 27 miles today of hell. @3000 ft of elevation with several sections of 14+% grade.
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/128008426#
Plan on routing and riding an unsupported century in the next couple weekends is weather and family permits.
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/128008426#
Plan on routing and riding an unsupported century in the next couple weekends is weather and family permits.
11-12-11, 05:04 PM
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If you go for it next year try the Oceanside Taste of the town ride... 750 ft climb for the 50 mile loop, the 100 mile route is 2.
It goes from Oceanisde to Del Mar and back. The hill section is around Del Mar.
Sorry I did not see this before, the ride is the first weekend in November.. I did the 50 miler.
It goes from Oceanisde to Del Mar and back. The hill section is around Del Mar.
Sorry I did not see this before, the ride is the first weekend in November.. I did the 50 miler.
11-12-11, 05:27 PM
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Congratulations on an excellent effort. You did well, and it's good to be challenged in some way, whether a smidge out of your zone or a lot.
Lots of suggestions:
Make sure your bibs are small enough - loose bibs will chafe bad!
Try other brands of "personal lube" - we love the Assos brand, though we miss the old-style Assos "with zing", and the Butt Butt'r Euro-style isn't the same.
Get the HRM - it'll help you train smarter. See below for commentary on the Garmin.
Get a metabolic assessment test at your local gym. It'll tell you YOUR HR zones, so you train you, not the textbook.
Get the Garmin 500. It'll help you track and assess your progress. Use the lap button to break a ride into smaller chunks, such as at key intersections. Compare your progress at the lap level.
Get the cadence sensor for the Garmin. For smart training, you want to maintain "your" cadence, and shift to change the load so you can maintain target HR.
Find at least one cycling buddy who's "one click" faster than you, so you can chase someone.
Find at least one cycling buddy who's "one click" slower than you, so you can be "in the pack" not behind it.
Do at least one ride per month "for fun", where you don't have performance targets and can enjoy it.
Lots of suggestions:
Make sure your bibs are small enough - loose bibs will chafe bad!
Try other brands of "personal lube" - we love the Assos brand, though we miss the old-style Assos "with zing", and the Butt Butt'r Euro-style isn't the same.
Get the HRM - it'll help you train smarter. See below for commentary on the Garmin.
Get a metabolic assessment test at your local gym. It'll tell you YOUR HR zones, so you train you, not the textbook.
Get the Garmin 500. It'll help you track and assess your progress. Use the lap button to break a ride into smaller chunks, such as at key intersections. Compare your progress at the lap level.
Get the cadence sensor for the Garmin. For smart training, you want to maintain "your" cadence, and shift to change the load so you can maintain target HR.
Find at least one cycling buddy who's "one click" faster than you, so you can chase someone.
Find at least one cycling buddy who's "one click" slower than you, so you can be "in the pack" not behind it.
Do at least one ride per month "for fun", where you don't have performance targets and can enjoy it.
11-19-11, 10:18 PM
#112
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Knocked out my first century today. Didn't plan the ride as my century but it just felt right so i kept going. Still had the cramping around 60 miles but rode thru it. Gonna have to figure that out. New saddle worked out well and got only minor chafing.
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/129723949
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/129723949
11-20-11, 12:26 AM
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Nobody's mentioned benefit of using a triple crank set up. I am 6 months into biking (as adult in my 40's) and dropped from 221 to 180 so far, and do group rides with hills with elevations of about 850ft, and i use a steel framed old road bike with a triple crankshaft setup (it's a 1982 Specialized Sequoia and came stock that way.) I have other bikes with a triple too- 2 steel framed hybrids (Trek Multitrack 720 and Univega Via Carisma) and a 1998 Jamis Aurora (road bike with touring frame.) I discovered trial and error and talking to other group riders that its a lot easier to do rides with steep hills when you have a triple crank setup than if you have an old bike with a non-compact double crank setup (such as my Trek 311 and Trek 760 that have double crank (non compact) setups with 52-42 up front.) Without having a triple crank, or at least a COMPACt crank double, you are handicapping yourself in terms of ability to go up steep hills in easy gears. Im not riding to win races I am riding just to ride for fitness and to drop weight, so using easy gears to go up steep hills is a big help to me. I havent done centuries yet, longest ride is about 55 miles.
11-20-11, 12:34 AM
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Knocked out my first century today. Didn't plan the ride as my century but it just felt right so i kept going. Still had the cramping around 60 miles but rode thru it. Gonna have to figure that out. New saddle worked out well and got only minor chafing.
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/129723949
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/129723949
11-20-11, 12:35 AM
#115
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Knocked out my first century today. Didn't plan the ride as my century but it just felt right so i kept going. Still had the cramping around 60 miles but rode thru it. Gonna have to figure that out. New saddle worked out well and got only minor chafing.
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/129723949
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/129723949
Congratulations!
11-20-11, 03:38 AM
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I knew you were ready, congrats! Let me know the next century you enter, I'm ready for another.
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