Once again all the training is done, Leadville is a week away and no matter how much I want to go out a put in a bunch of last chance miles, it wont help. Since my training changed from focusing on the State TT to putting in long miles for Leadville, eight weeks ago, I've racked up 59+ hrs and 900+ miles. Admittedly, that's not as much as I would have liked, but probably more than enough to do the job.
Last week I finished off my training with the Tour de Park City. It's a 175mi ride from Park City, Utah to Evenston, Wyoming and back via Bald Mountain. The total climb is +/- 8000ft with the peak being 10,759 at the 125 mile point. It's no Leadville, but it's an epic ride in it's own right. I was interested to see how my body reacted to the long hours in the saddle and what kind of power I was able to hold for a 10+ hour ride. Unfortunately, I neglected my food intake and only took in about 300 calories in the first 4 hours (it was cold and I didn't drink my bottles, yeah I know...). By the time I started getting calories in it was too late, I was doomed to a very long day of suffering through a bonk. During the 50 mile climb from Evenston to the top of Bald Mtn. I thought of every possible rational for getting in the sag-wagon and in fact questioned why on earth I had paid someone to let me suffer this way! But in the end, I'm a cyclist and I just kept turning the pedals over till I got to the summit. And what a glorious descent down mirror lake Hwy!
In the end I did get some good information. I know, no matter what happens at Leadville, I can do the distance (I do plan on eating though). I did find that for the first 4 hours of the ride, pre-bonk, I was averaging right around 175w and even when I was suffering my worst I could put out 140-150w. My “norm” power ended up being 157w for 11:17 which I'm really quite happy with. Over the next couple of days I'll take the data I got from this ride and put together a pacing, and eating, strategy for next weekend.
That's it for now.
Train Hard and Smart (and don't forget to eat!)
Pat
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