chasm54

I gave up trying to train on group rides, except when on a training camp when everyone was sharing the objective. On group rides you end up riding someone else's ride - dog-eat-dog hammerfests while the young guns are feeling their testosterone, then 20 slow miles nursing someone home.

I'm overstating the case, but not by much. If people want to get together to train, fine. Just going out in a bunch? Not really. Of course, one has to remember that the word misanthrope was coined with me in mind. Hell is other people.

revchuck 

I understand your point, but for me, the training objective was practicing riding at close quarters and responding to surges. I ride solo most of the time so these are important.

chasm54

I'm becoming accident-prone. About a mile from home after a very pleasant 1'20" in light rain, a squirrel decided to end it all by throwing itself into my front wheel. It failed in its secondary objective, though, because I stayed upright.

Cleave

Santiago Canyon is the 10th race on the SoCal TT Series calendar. The date is shown as 04/__/16. I hope it happens too.

Training is kind of falling apart since my big block over Christmas. However, my fitness numbers are still better than they were a year ago. Intervals at the track on Tuesday and Thursday with most of my time at the front or solo versus drafting. Legs were still tired today and embarrassingly, I didn't have any "normal" road bikes in riding condition this morning so I did the club ride on my single-speed rain bike. Will probably try out Zwift tomorrow.

Regarding climbs (and probably most any course), I think difficulty has a lot to do with whether or not you're racing, training, or just riding and the weather conditions. I think I've only ridden up Mt. Baldy from the bottom once (with Racer Ex during the ToC) but I've raced up it about a dozen times. Getting to the village is easier than the last stretch to the lifts but when I think about getting to the village, I only think about a lot of pain. I usually ride to Baldy Village via Glendora Mountain Road and Glendora Ridge Road.

I rode up Mt. Lemmon once. It was one of the mentally hardest and stupidest things I ever did on a bike. It was also physically difficult but for reasons noted in my blog post, not necessarily because of the grade.

Most of my climbing in the Santa Monica mountains has been for training rather than racing and none of the climbs, like Latigo, are that difficult in training mode. However, I vividly remember how hard it was to race up Stunt Road and how hard it was to get up it as the last big climb of the Mulholland Challenge. Racing and riding up the back side of Stunt Road just about killed me.

I have ridden up Highway 39 from Azusa to the Crystal Lake snack shop numerous times and I raced up once. This climb is a bit of an enigma for me. Sometimes it's an enjoyable climb and sometimes it's a death march. Weather has a lot to do with it since there was no water on the climb for years -- except for a dubious natural spring that ran intermittently. (I never got water from it.) You used to have to make it to the Crystal Lake campgrounds or snack shack to get water. I remember one time getting to the top and there was no water we ended up stopping at someone's house (there are just a few houses on this road) on the way down and begging some water. They were actually quite nice and offered us more than water. Now there is water at one of the campgrounds about halfway up.

For me, great climbs are all about the circumstances.

Hermes

@Cleave Is there a link to the SoCal TT Series Calendar?

Cleave

Southern California Time Trial Series

valygrl

Training camp is over, not sick yet! If I can just make it home tonight I'll be happy, sick on the plane would be the worst.

Anyway 1200* TSS for the week, learned & practiced a bunch of skills, met some really nice people. Rode in short sleeves a whole bunch. Really good week. Next up, the dreaded rest week.

* inflated TSS due to low altitidue

Heathpack 

Schedule is on the right side of this page: Southern California Time Trial Series

I've contacted Gary Tingley (of SCTTS) in the past with schedule questions, however. His response is "ask the promoter". The series is just an overlay onto races put on by someone else. And Santiago Cyn being listed as April without a specific date has been how the schedule has looked from the beginning.

The race being on the SoCal TT Series website does not really tell us much about the likelihood the race will happen, I'm afraid. Although I think Tingley is possibly a member of the cycling club that puts on Santiago Cyn. Maybe he has a little bit of influence.

I don't really get the vibe that Tingley's that into the SoCal Series anyway. Results are rarely updated. I knew about Fiesta dates before he did and was the first to tell him about them. So although one might hope he'd advocate for the continuation of Santiago Cyn for the sake of his TT series, I'm not even sure you could assume that. Just my vibe, though, I really have no insider info.

Cleave

The SoCal TT Series has always been low key and a bit haphazard which suites me just fine. I participate in the races more for a bit of off season intensity than anything else. I did try to score at least one point per season so that my name would be on the standings for online posterity. That went out the window after they changed points to top 3 only.

BTW, a lot of the races in the series are not USAC races. Not sure about Fiesta Island this year but a few years ago they were only ABR. Piru is under the CBR banner but I don't think that Tren's alignment with Chris is actually official these days.

Thinking about doing the 40 Km TT at Piru next Saturday and the pop up CBR crit at Dominguez Hills the next day. Later in the week I head out to Phoenix for VOS.

Heathpack 

Well thats a relief, to know it's always been haphazard. At least it's not dying too. It's organized enough for my purposes.

What is CBR?

Yes, I know that most of the races are not USAC sanctioned. I actually don't have a license, despite racing in the licensed categories. So far, no need for one. And so far, I've not gotten anything out of USAC, so I don't feel too badly about it.

Racer Ex 

You really have no idea just how lucky you were. That was no ordinary squirrel.



@Cleave, have fun at VOS. Should see if you can hook up with AZT while you're there. I have a BD party that weekend.

Racer Ex 

Big snow dump. Though about taking the XC skis out after I plowed the driveway but it's still coming down pretty good. Cold is ok. Damp and cold, not so much.

Might as well finish the Stelvio.

Had planned on hitting a race yesterday but the water heater interval took care of that. Not too sure I'm sad about missing it. Teammate broke his forks off. He's OK but sheesh.

IBOHUNT

2 1 /2 hours outside today. Looks like the last time outside rides will happen for a week.

TSS 142


I'd give you a run for your money my good man.


Glad you're good.

Hermes

Word. Riding up the GMR is fun, amazing, wonderful...Racing is another very hard effort for a long time. I did 5 Low Key Hill Climbs races last year and they were all hard but I liked doing them from a racing and training perspective.

Thanks, I have that one. I thought there may have been another top secret one.

I did the previous Santiago TT before the one last fall. The promoters stated that they were losing money with each race and needed better attendance. So where is the promotion for the next race? And, if we criticize the promoters in social media, we are mean and not grateful for them putting on the race. Likewise, I would like to assist them by suggesting to friends to do the race and I would like to do it if it can be coordinated with a trip to SoCal. Of course, I need a date.

revchuck 

It warmed up to the base-layer-and-arm-warmers level this morning. 2:45 at endurance pace, TSS 162, IF .77, 1830 kj. TSS for the week is 660, the highest since last February when I did one at 975. No wonder my legs are feeling it.

IBOHUNT

Not sure how I missed this.
ROFLMAO

I saw your last post to Strava. You had some climby bits getting to Edgerty Rd from S Grand Ave

chasm54

LOL. I missed it too. Easy to forget how different are the circumstances in which we all ride. You and the Ca/Co/Nv folks barely have to cross the threshold to engage with proper mountains. Chuck thinks an overpass is a hill. I have nothing much longer than a mile that you'd call a climb but probably average 30-40 rolling feet per mile ridden because virtually nowhere here is quite flat.

revchuck 

Aw, c'mon now! I wrote that using passive rather than active voice for a reason. I've ridden in (at least relatively) hilly country. Many folks around here have never ridden anywhere else and really do think an Interstate overpass is a challenge.

IBOHUNT

And I appreciate the ability to go out and ride a flat, for me, ride or do 5 mile loops around the house that get me 750'; 400' of that in one mile which I use for repeats I'd go nuts if I lived at the beach.

I had to go look up what I averaged last year trying to make most of my rides flat. Only 52'/mi

sarals 

I've been busy at work, and also out late at work, so posting has been minimal.

Today was an off day, I ran up my TSS writing my summary and getting it and my data to Coach.

Yesterday was a lackluster (but still useful) strength workout prior to going to work. I didn't have a lot of "vim and vinegar", as my mom used to say. Being at work until 2330 the night before didn't help! But, I did it, and I feel sore today, so it was well worth it.

I decided against the too long Cat 3 road race at the end of this month. I'm going to race a circuit race this coming Sunday instead. So far, the only entries are young Cat 4 riders. Whatever, I'm looking at this as "intensity, race pace training, and fun".

I have an FTP test on the schedule this week. That ought to get the juices flowing....

Racer Ex 

8 powder runs in 90 minutes this morning, then 25 minutes to the top of the Stelvio. Did 1:45 up that yesterday, 3 runs with the plow and some shoveling of the entry. Kinda tired and sore.

revchuck 

Time for an appropriate warming recovery drink!

IBOHUNT

About 50 min on the trainer tonight.

TSS 18

revchuck 

Easier ride this morning, went out early and was done well before sunrise, channeling my inner Heathpack. One hour at endurance pace, TSS 45, IF .66, 566 kj. Average HR was 111.

sarals 

I really am a badass after all, Rule #9 . I rode for 40 minutes of an hour in some fairly hefty rain. In 48 degree temps. My HR was through the roof. I guess my little ticker was trying to keep me warm! I kept thinking of last year's La Course while I was riding along, but no way was I going to test how well I'd slide on the cobles after falling off. This was an openers ride for tomorrow's FTP test. TSS 54.