Reckless Abandon: Last minute training for El Tour
Posted November 4th, 2007 by birch
I'm learning that I'm a little bit reckless when it comes to athleticism and pushing my limits. I've been wating to do El Tour since last year, and I started out thinking about the 66-miler. Then the 80. Then I lost all sensibility (after only a 62-mile ride-- to Biosphere and back) and registered for the full 109. What. Am I. Doing.
This morning, cerca 8:30am, started riding. Long day ahead. Two bottles of accelerade, one Gu (unused), bike stuff, cell phone, map, and my trusty biking partner. We decided to do the first 40 or so miles of El Tour before deviating from the route-- the wind was just unfavorable. We wound around via Haughton then Sabino Canyon and ultimately ended up on River. I found myself on Broadway at 76 miles trying to just hammer out the last 3. Every red light I hit during those last painful miles was absolute torture. My quads were shaking and my knees--oh man-- some serious griding under the patella (seat too high???) But finally, finally made it back to my car. 81 miles in 5:22:00. My longest ride, ever. Now I just have to push through 29 more.
I need SERIOUS ADVICE ON WHAT NUTRITION I SHOULD HAVE DURING EL TOUR. I don't know what there'll be at an aid station, but I bet it's bike related, not food. The accelerade worked ok, but I feel like I need something that will sustain me longer, not just sugar peaks (e.g. Gu's).
Also, I'm going to ask some riders about the Saturday Morning shoot-outs I've heard about. Next weekend might be a good time to try one, especially since I want to have decent enough pack-riding skills so I don't freak out when I'm elbow-to-elbow with 10,000 other riders who are doing this 25th Anniversary of El Tour.
So stoked! So sore!!
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Hey Glen, I was going
Hey Glen,
I was going to do the camelback thing, but like you say, the weight kind of concerns me (I need all my energy to go to my forward momentum!)... how would the have-Glen's-fam-and-friends-give-a-fellow-Tricat-water Plan work??
And I'll totally be up for pasta at yer 'rents house. What can I bring??
Is it too late to sign up?
NAU Trijack president
Also: PRE-EL TOUR DINNER
OK this is exciting: my mom has agreed to have a pre El Tour dinner for anyone on the team who wants to carbo-load the night before the race. More on this at tonights meeting.
I am going to have two
I am going to have two water bottle cages in the normal places on the front, and down tubes, a dual water bottle cage on the back of my seat, an Aero drink, and two water bottles in my jersey pockets. Plus I think I need to add some weight to my body so I am not taking it too easy...
I like camelbacks, and don't get why "true cyclist scoff at them" another reason why I think cyclists are elitists.
Hydration
OK, as far as water goes, holding a lot of water with you the whole way adds a LOT of weight. I'm not even going to be using my aquarack which holds 2 extra bottles. The best way, in my opinion is to have people (friends, family, other TRICATS!) waiting at a designated place to give you water so you don't even have to get off the bike (and so you don't have to carry it all). If anyone needs help w/ this my parents are doing it, we have some friends who have already volunteered to do it for the team, and I'm sure we can get some of our fellow Tricats to help out.
What do you all think about
What do you all think about a Camelbak?
oh.. so that's how you spell
oh.. so that's how you spell it? haha. very funny guys :)
So what are you going to rig
So what are you going to rig up to carry that many bottles? I was thinking Id just go for a camelback, but would be very open to ideas so I dont have to have anything obnoxious on my back...
Hey Christina... I totally
Hey Christina... I totally feel ya on the knee pain.... and feel ya and feel ya... but totally agree... need more nutrition next time.. accelerade just doesnt really do it for me. Sorry I only did the 74 with you but I had to be to work ya know... and with only 30 minutes before I had to be at work that was one fast shower, and I downed a bottle of endurox and called it lunch... until I realized I was starving at work and ordered in pita pit. congrats on the last 6, Im jealous. Im thinking saturday next weekend? because the bike swap is on the sunday.. so Id like to help out there for a bit... and then some much needed bike cleaning?? What do you think?
Just spell it out with Gwen:
Just spell it out with Gwen: B-A-N-A-N-A-S
hey makko, i am only trying
hey makko, i am only trying to be funny so don't take this the wrong way, but I hope that they have dictionaries so i can check my spelling at the aid stations before I pick up a bannanna, or a craker.
If i run out of food in my household because cameron ate it all, or chocolate because I ate it all, I eat gu or whatever other type of energy gel is lying around for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and the between meal snacks. I think it is a great way to get my body used to taking gel shots. Whaddya think?
From my own experiances
From my own experiences doing the tour... it hurts.. but not as bad as riding 80 by yourself! The tour is a perfect oppurtunity to learn what a HUGE advantage drafting is, and im willing to bet that an 80 miler by yourself is substantially harder than 109 with a group. Just so you know :), also as far as nutrition goes. plan on one bottle per hour and one extra (just in case you drop one, or it's really hot). I only eat gu's on long rides. That's usually one per 30-45 minutes, which on the last tour equated to 8 power gels in 5 hours... I felt awesome energy wise, and intestinally all throughout the tour last year and missed platinum by 8 minutes! (5:08). I have to warn you though. The consequences of eating 8 gu's, although not apparent on the ride... it take the GI track a while to recover from that. haha. You all are going to do awesome!
Also, the bike stations have banannas, apples, oranges, cookies, power bars, some gu's, water, gatorade, i think one had hot chocolate last year, bagels, crakers, peanut butter, etc. (That's what I saw anyways... i've never actually stopped at one.)
whoa
way to go!...that's a long ride. i did 50 miles yesterday (which felt like more than enough by the end) and I'm hoping that I can somehow manage to knock out more than twice that for the tour. i think its just going to be very painful, but if i'm lucky everything will just go numb after a while. don't know much about all the nutrition stuff but I have heard of something called "Perpetuem" by Hammer Nutrition. Its supposed to be for long (even multi-day) endurance events. I'm considering getting some for the tour.
You are crazy dude, my 50
You are crazy dude, my 50 mile ride yesterday was enough to make me think about reconsider doing the tour. I am going to pick up some more hydration systems to bring my total water carrying capacity to 7 bottles. I hope that is enough.