Ramping It Up

Well, with this silly little ride that I am planning on doing in June being a mere 138 days away (as I type this) it is time to get some structure to my riding/training. While I enjoy riding and just "ride lots" normally, this is to hopefully make the most of the limited time I have on my bike. 

I must be scared because I have re-read the excellent "Base Training for Cyclists" by Thomas Chapple and am trying to set up an appropriate training plan. I have also dragged the wind trainer out for the times I can't leave the house for a ride!

To self coach from my own limited structured training experience is a little tricky. By that I mean sure, I can set out a plan, I can follow it but the real art is knowing what is working and what isn't. I don't have a lot of time to waste on going down the wrong path through not noticing that I am training inappropriately.

The obvious answer is to engage a real live, personal coach. They have the experience to not only set an appropriate plan for you but to see if it is working as intended. If not they can make rapid changes that will benefit one's fitness. The down side to this coaching is that even a low-level plan is very expensive. 

Yes, I know I need to weigh up the total cost of this venture versus the few hundreds of dollars that a personal coach will cost. It is sort of like the analogy of a multi million dollar racing car team being brought to a standstill when a $2 part breaks. Yes, if you like, I am the $2 part and the coach is the multi million dollar team.....but I digress. I am looking at an online plan from the very reputable Training Peaks organisation in the US and that may prove to be a cost effective method to receive a level of personalised coaching. It is cost effective because they have coached tens of thousands of athletes and I am simply another 40 something that can use a 40 somethings plan for ultra endurance racing. I will keep you updated with regard to how I go here.

The main problem is that I don't have an open ended budget. This ride is requiring a new bike build, quite a bit of specific gear, flights, accommodation and food on the other side of the world and I am sure many other as yet unseen costs. I have to watch my pennies somewhere but I am burning time while I make up my mind.

Well, not totally burning time, more like burning calories over time. I have been on a solid regime of base building rides over the last few weeks. These have been solo efforts as well as group rides and I have to thank my riding buddies for accommodating my slower pace. 

Yep, I am keeping my effort level low and off the bike working on strengthening my core. My legs can't pump the pedals all day if they are held in place by a limp-noodle midsection. Can I just say though, I 'effing HATE core work! It hurts, it isn't glamorous in the least and there is no hiding the fact if you don't do it. I hate it!!

But the riding has been fun. We have had a LOT of rain this past week and it put paid to a bikepacking trip that was planned this weekend. So, a few of us went for a wet weather MTB ride along bike paths to breakfast, then return. 

88km(48mi) wasn't a bad effort for a day that was looking like a total write off. I managed to back it up with a 105km(65mi) road bike ride today. All riding was done at a gentle pace so took forever but both were with good company so it certainly was time well spent.

I am off to work tomorrow for the week but hope to get a few decent rides in while in Perth. I should have nutted out a fix to my coaching dilemma by then and have a solid idea of the way forward.

For now, cheers.

Borrowed without permission from the excellent blog of Val and Josh Kato. I hope they don't mind but happy to take it down if they do. ;)

Letting The Inner Child Free

My newfound enthusiasm for getting on my mountain bike has transcended the crappy weather we have had for the last few weeks here in Brisbane.

On Sunday I got out for a soggy road ride around the Redlands area, kicking a few steep hill demons in the process. Yesterday I jumped on the mountain bike for a wet fire road ride. The Bayview MTBing area is a very weather proof set of trails, being quite rocky for the most part, so quite immune to rainy weather.

Heading out into steady rain isn't something I have done in quite a while. It can be unpleasant if cold and is quite hard on the equipment when mixed with mud. But, to hell with it. I need to get some miles in my legs and it would be interesting to see how the Bayview trails handled the moderate rainfall we have been getting.

The way down was a bitumen road run, sticking to the quiet roads to avoid idiots in cars. It can be very challenging for them to actually drive while you are texting and those pesky cyclists just jump out at you! Still, I was warm and having fun and they didn't get me.

Hitting the dirt it was easy going despite the rain as the fire roads down here are quite well formed with a recent re sheet with crushed rock. This makes for zero mud off road riding. Good for both the drive train and the conscience. It also makes for some bloody good fun flying down hills and tearing through huge puddles like an eight year old.

WOO HOO! 

The area is so green with all of the rain at the moment. You might think I have pumped up the saturation in some of these Go Pro pics, but they are straight off the camera. The Go Pro isn't really known for it's colour or low light qualities but it is the only waterproof camera I have.

YEE....

HAA!

Moving up and over the hill into a bit of single track the heavens opened and the rain really pelted down. I was amazed at the water running along the trail. There was absolutely no drainage with sections 60-70-80 metres long funnelling the water along the trail until it finally found a low point to exit. If it wasn't for the rocky terrain these trails would have been erosion nightmares years ago.

As it is, some simple drainage would help futureproof the trail for years to come. I had planned on wearing my new shoes but as it turned out I was glad I didn't. Using my heel I dug several drainage points on some of the worst sections of the "Vegemite" and "Chicken Run" trails.

It is very simply done and the trail will benefit from it massively. I am not trying to be some type of "trail care hero" but I find it hard to ride a trail these days without a critical eye on it's condition. Some of the fixes required are so easy and take no time at all. If only more people would just have a go. These are "our" trails, despite what the powers that be would have us think. Government is there to serve the people, not the other way around after all...........end rant.

Heading out onto the road again it was a quick pedal to the Mount Cotton shops where a meat pie had my name on it.

Burning my lip on the filling I contemplated my next move. My plan was to chug up over the Eastern Escarpment then on toward home. The access to the EE was in doubt as the Rainforest Gardens was for sale last time I rode through. I wasn't sure if the way would be open (I sound like a Hobbit there...) and it is a large back track if it was closed.

So, the easy way home it would be. At least I managed another 30km and reminded myself of some of the good AND bad things about riding in the rain. All good training for a potential ride in changeable Victoria.

Cheers and thanks for reading.