You mean like this?

I was thinking more like a wood router to the fleshy part of the palm. Very effective.

The ability to absorb massive amounts of pain negates the lack of interval training. Besides...I have better things to do.

I'm mediocre at best on a road bike but I doubt I would have much trouble staying up with you.

I only get faster the longer the ride is.

So, let me get this straight. You have better things to do like ride 200k over 7 hours than to do intervals for 45 minutes?

Rutnik is a master of proclaiming he's faster than others, but never strapping a number on.

you can never have enough miles.

I had a car with too many miles....

Incorrect.

Too many junk miles do slow you the F down. No doubt.

Correct

Races this year:

12 hour 4 man MTB race: 2nd
Sport Class: Race to the Canal: 1st in age group.

Now...that's probably two more races than you have done in the last 15 years unless you are still counting how fast you are on charity rides, first timer races or anything else oh master of the charity ride.

My GF and I live 60 miles away and please forgive me if I'd rather go spend time with her than go strap on a silly number. I've done two MTB races this year. Podiumed both and none were the newbie class you like to brag about with your MTB podium 15 years ago. Cash payout on the Sports Class race. Nice swag on the 12 hour.

Highlight of the 12 hour was passing a pro on my 2nd lap.

yes. MTB riding and racing (less racing this year).

Why do an interval when I can just ride balls out for 30 miles?

If you are riding a MTB balls out for 30 miles you must still be on the street. Get off the road.

what are "junk" miles?

all of my miles are great fun. or at least great challenge.

My claim to fame: I was in several races with both Steve Bauer and the Stetina's. I was even in a race where Steve finished first, but they took him down with a protest. The Stetina's dad was in the pace vehicle and claimed some foul on the uphill sprint to the finish. Now, I wasn't that close to the finish so it's not like I was up with the action, but that's what happened. My biggest claim to fame is a really cute babe mistook me for Bauer after that race (I think we had the same color jerseys) and told me how sorry she was about what happened to me (uh...Steve) and how she thought I (well, Steve) got ripped off. That was cool - mistaken identity for a real world class cyclist !

There. I call ya out. One up that !

I agree. But if you want to race and get faster it's more important to do fewer miles with more intensity, particularly during the race season. 'Junk' miles are excess miles that are unfocused, that don't particularly make you faster, and that just tend to leave you too fatigued for racing. Racing requires more strength, leg speed, and fresh legs that are properly rested. I can tell you that I was faster this year riding fewer miles, and I may well ride less in 2009 in an effort to ramp up the racing a bit. That does get in the way of how I love to ride, which does involve lots of high mileage. But something has to give if you want to race. Now that it's Fall and racing season is over, I feel less constrained about loading up the miles again. I'll ride 350 miles or so this week for example.

Our sports class races are 24 miles....what's an additional 6 in the dirt? Expert and Pro distances at our races are around 33-40.

Then there is race pace riding with lights on and in the dark. Night ops are the best.

admit it...it was playing in the dirt that made life fun this year.

Correct.

It also made life more dangerous, but fortunately the only thing that snapped in the woods was my rear derailleur hanger, since replaced.

Rutnick MTB wisdom....I always carry a spare.

Incorrect. Only 7 races this year. Mostly because I skipped a lot of local cirts to put in miles with my wife to get ready for Everest Challenge.

Heck, I'm the 632nd ranked Cat4 road racer in the country.

I'll be you the cost of your trip to New York, which I'll front, that Pcad would take you in the Prospect Park races.

You carry a spare derailleur hanger?

I've been using a single speed mountain bike with no suspension and I am pretty well done after 20 miles. Self-imposed intervals.

Better Fred than dead.



^No spare deraileur hanger.....

A chain tool suffices. just take off the derailleur and the excess links.