Beachgrad05

So am going to post training updates here. Vntgdrms and her shop The Unlikely Cyclist has created a wonderful place to spread the joy of cycling among women of all shapes and sizes. The only requirement is to do your best effort and support your teammates. Last spring we formed a core group that trained for the eventually cancelled La Bella Preme women's ride and tho that was cancelled...we didn't stop riding together as a team. So Vntgdrms set up a training program to train for the Tour de Palm Springs Century 2014.

One Sept. 28 we had orientation and between those who attended and others who filled out training program paperwork there are 37 ladies who want to do this! Our original group was about 17 strong so that is 20 new faces!

Here is Vntgdrms talking at the orientation:


And some of the ladies:


I rode down from my home to the shop to attend orientation and was only ride I was able to get in while my parental units were visiting from Washington state.


We had to cancel our first training ride due to the high winds in the OC and with so many new riders the leaders felt it was safer to not ride than ride in a large group with riders who are 1. unfamiliar with riding in a group and 2. Unknown skill in bike handling in strong wind with debris on road. So last weekend was our first training ride and as we have some fairly beginner level riders we split the groups up into two groups: A (beginner) and B (Intermediate/Advanced). The B group road up to Portola and did the Portola Climb. I led the A group on a shorter less demanding ride (in comparison to the other ride but challenging and confidence building for the A group riders).

So this week I actually created workouts for my Garmin to do the training plan workouts (Interval and Endurance/Tempo rides). Some tweaking to the workout setup is needed but overall it worked really well.

Here is my 60 min interval workout that I set to: 9 min warmup in Zone 2 (HR) then 6 sets of 5/2 intervals (5 min Zone 4 and 2 min Zone 2 recovery) followed by 9 min of Zone 1 cool down.
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/391050379

Today was the 90 min Endurance workout: 10 min warmup zone 2 HR followed by 70 min zone 3 and then 10 min cool down zone 1:
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/391839901

jsigone

sweet to see the group swell like that and even at the END of summer!!! Hope to see you at TdPS again

Beachgrad05

Will see you at the start anyway! My goal is to finish before it gets dark! Last year I finished about 15 min after they took down the finish photo thing...and it was dark. I figure I will do much better this time as will be better prepared and have a few centuries under my belt now *PS 2013 *Tour de Cure LB (or Tour de Stop Signs) and *Cool Breeze 2013

jsigone

More centuries always help, you get a good sense what the body needs vs what the mind wants.

eja_ bottecchia

Beachgrad, you are risking becoming a "serious" rider. It was great riding with you, TrojanHorse and PJ in the Tour de Stop Signs aka TdC. See you all there next year.

TrojanHorse

Ha! Lisa tried talking my wife into joining your training group when we stopped in to pick up some stuff a few weeks ago. Actually, that would be fantastic, but we're a little geography challenged with respect to Costa Mesa...

We've blocked out TdPS again too - no soccer that weekend, thank goodness. I think the family will just do 25 though. I can't imagine trying to keep up with jsigone if all 20 gears are working that's all I can say about that.

Beachgrad05

We have a rider who LIVES in Whittier....just sayin.....I too am geographically challenged....

TrojanHorse

IZZAT SO!

Well, when we get her back on her outdoor bike I'll have to start muttering about you guys again. She suffers from the identical midweek busy-ness that I do and weekends in the fall are a mess but... that will end soon enough.

jsigone

You can draft off me for the 105 miles

TrojanHorse

I tried that last year!

I guess I should train harder over the winter this year.

PhotoJoe 

Ahem....

Pamestique 

Boy I am glad you guys are doing this... I have a friend who wanted me to help her prepare for a 50 mile ride on 11/2. Let's just say its takes alot... I mean ALOT of patience to get someone out and riding. We started with getting a road bike and equipment, learning the art of shifting, cadence (which I gave up on - someday she will figure it out), nutrition etc. She thankfully found her way down to Unlikely Cyclist and has now learned how to change flat although I caution her its something you have to practice. She was talked into buying CO2 however and not carrying a pump... I tried to explain why that's not such a good thing, but gave up.

I get through this ride on the 2nd and I am done with training anyone ever again... it's too hard and I am too old and don't have the patience... time's short, I just want to ride my bike and enjoy myself! But training rides like those offered by UC are great... thank you for that...

Beachgrad05

Pam - I helped her and did not say NOT to carry pump. Just that CO2 was easier option to have as first option to pump up tires to 110psi. Having both is excellent as than if you have issues you have the other option. But using hand pump to air up tire to 110-120 is exhausting and frustratingly time consuming hence recommendation of having CO2 to use. She uses a camelback and easily can carry the pump. I have one but the mount doesn't work on my bike so currently am not carrying one hence why I carry about 5 CO2 cartridges along with my two tubes.

Beachgrad05

If I gave her the wrong impression I'm sorry. Was not my intent to have her ditch carrying pump.

TrojanHorse

I said "should" train harder this winter.

Besides, I only accept criticism from people who have ridden more recently than I have. Go on, get out there... you can be that guy.

Pamestique 

Sorry Beach... so this is one frustration with my friend... say something and she goes off in another direction. I'm sure in her mind she thought "I have CO2 I don't need a pump***" (I should not have assumed you or anyone else told her not to carry a pump). I explained that's all fine and good until the CO2 doesn't work (which she didn't understand but it wasn't worth going there)... and her response is "that's why I won't ride by myself..." Thanks for teaching her how to change a flat... I kept offering but she always didn't have the time... I'm sure her thinking was "as long as I am with you I don't need to know.."

BTW have you ever used a Topeak Road Morph pump? It's not exactly a mini-pimp but it will, without much effort, inflate tires to whatever psi needed...


***did she tell you about buying a bike at REI? She walked in with a 20% off coupon, found a bike in a nice color and bought it. In and out in 20 minutes. Bike was a comfort not road bike and was a XS when she needed a medium or something around 52cm. She looked at a bear on a trike... she's bright but has tons to learn and when she is coming from a place where she knows nothing so assumptions can't be made that she understands... I am still mad at REI for letting her buy the bike but then again I don't know what she told them when she bought it and she won't tell me.

TrojanHorse

Sometimes you just have to sit back and let people learn from their own mistakes... don't get emotionally involved.

And the Road Morph G is the best portable pump ever made, but it's a little bulky. I keep a lezyne road drive on my bike but the Topeak is significantly easier to use (and more effective).

jsigone

trade your roubaix for one of these might help? But damn porky compared to a RED equipp'd rig
https://www.electricbike.com/specialized_turbo/

Beachgrad05

I have the topeak road morph with the gauge but the fitting to put it on bike was not workable unless I gave up one cage. Odd for it to be that way. My other pump had a deal that went under cage and was held by same bolts that held cage in place. The road morph was different.

Beachgrad05

So last week was first team training and I led the A group on their training ride. 20 miles and pretty much flat.

https://www.strava.com/activities/88703750

This week there were many folks out for various reasons including all ride leaders except me. So created a combined Group A/B training ride. I led and one of regular team was nice and rode sweep as we are always NO DROP. Some of our new ladies are unnerved on regular roads with traffic, some are new to climbing and distances are a challenge for a few. I created route that meant more on road (with traffic) riding on roads with a bike lane, more climbing and for the more advanced riders who are faster there was option to do more loops on Turtle Rock as myself on the sweep rider mentored those who are new to climbing and this ride was 8 miles longer than previous weeks ride.

Loved the the will and attitude of those who rode. Especially so of the ladies who have challenges with confidence in climbing and on roads. They didn't say "I can't" instead they said "I will try" and they DID! Love being part of helping others gain confidence on the bike. And the climbing was not significant for those experienced with it but Turtle Rock is a challenge for those new to it. Knowing how and when to change gears...using the small ring and the large gears on cassette and spin rather than mash...we had option for those new riders to wait at the regroup point after initial climb rather than continue around the loop and repeat the climb they just completed. Every rider chose to continue on and do the repeat! The more experienced riders did an extra loop as was designed to keep them engaged in ride and not standing waiting while slower riders finished their climbing. Was so awesome when the new climbers said "I want to do it" rather than saying "I'm done...I'll wait" tho they had that option and there would no be no shame as they did the climb for first time and that is an accomplishment too...but the DESIRE to try for more is so exciting to witness.

Here is my Strava of the ride.

https://www.strava.com/activities/90118637

TrojanHorse

I zip tied mine to my seat tube... the mount has little slots for zip ties. No need to give up a bottle cage.

However... it's a large pump and unless it was perfect it hit my thigh, crank, leg, whatever.

Beachgrad05

initially I tried that too but didn't like it that way and the zip ties left impression in paint (was on the bike I had to replace, not the current one)

TrojanHorse

I didn't like it that way either, which is why I have a lezyne road drive now.

Beachgrad05

do you carry a pressure gauge too? I have one

TrojanHorse

No, I don't. I probably have everything BUT that.