We now have three full seasons of cycling under our belts. It is time to make plans for the fourth season.
Showing posts with label planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label planning. Show all posts
Friday, January 20, 2012
Thursday, September 1, 2011
The Tandem Experiment
Okay, so we've seriously considered riding a tandem. Before actually riding one there were a few things we figured would be nice on a tandem.
- We liked the idea of going at the same pace. We actually already ride very similar paces on separate bikes, but of course on one bike the pace is... exactly equal.
- We also figured that already having a similar overall pace we wouldn't have too much trouble acclimating to the world of riding a tandem.
- And finally, we hoped that perfect drafting on a tandem would significantly boost our overall speed since we don't draft at all (for various reasons) when riding together on separate bikes.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
2011 Riding Goals
It is hard to believe it is almost 2011. Time sure flies. Although I must admit I'd like it to fly a little faster as I'm getting quite chubby and need some consistently warmer/dryer weather so I can get on my bike!
Yes, I do have an indoor trainer for my bike, but I have to tell you, it's just not the same. It is extremely hard for this boy to be motivated enough to get on that thing. It reminds me of when I was a kid and had to tell my dog to "kennel" for the night. He would hang his head down, put on his most pathetic 'sad puppy' face, and look back at me as if to say "please don't make me go in there!" That's how I feel about getting on my trainer. Well, that has been the case so far this off season, but it is going to change. I've been on it twice in the last week, and it wasn't so bad. I plan to ride it at least twice a week up until outdoor riding begins.
Yes, I do have an indoor trainer for my bike, but I have to tell you, it's just not the same. It is extremely hard for this boy to be motivated enough to get on that thing. It reminds me of when I was a kid and had to tell my dog to "kennel" for the night. He would hang his head down, put on his most pathetic 'sad puppy' face, and look back at me as if to say "please don't make me go in there!" That's how I feel about getting on my trainer. Well, that has been the case so far this off season, but it is going to change. I've been on it twice in the last week, and it wasn't so bad. I plan to ride it at least twice a week up until outdoor riding begins.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Ring of Fire, Weather and Goals
The weather forecast for my race this Saturday looks ideal for cycling:
Weatherbug
The high temperature for the day is quite cool, basically the complete opposite from last year, which for me, is very, very good news. Of course it is good news for all the racers, but I'm sure some deal with the heat much better than I do, so all the better for me.
No real forecast yet as far as how windy it will be. I figure I can deal with wind as well as anyone else so I'm not concerned about it from a tactical standpoint.
Goalsfrom last year edited for this year:
Weatherbug
Maupin: Partly cloudy. Highs 64 to 74. Lows 44 to 51.The Weather Channel
Government Camp: Partly sunny. High 55. Low 45.
Maupin: Partly cloudy. Highs in the upper 60s and lows in the upper 40s.AccuWeather
Government Camp: Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the mid 50s and lows in the mid 40s.
Maupin: Partly sunny. High 76. Low 46.So it looks like it will be a chilly morning, which means warming up will be important. Last year I hardly warmed up at all as I was concerned about being on the bike for 12 hours and didn't want to add more time-on-the-bike before the clock even started. This year is different. I want to be able to hit the first hill (which is right out of Maupin at the very beginning of the race) while fully warmed up so I can climb at full speed. Warming up on a climb is a bad idea. It is hard on the body (joints, muscles, everything) and overdoing it too early can throw you off for the rest of the ride. So I will definitely get in a solid 20 or 30 minutes of riding before I start racing.
Government Camp: Partly sunny. High 63. Low 44.
The high temperature for the day is quite cool, basically the complete opposite from last year, which for me, is very, very good news. Of course it is good news for all the racers, but I'm sure some deal with the heat much better than I do, so all the better for me.
No real forecast yet as far as how windy it will be. I figure I can deal with wind as well as anyone else so I'm not concerned about it from a tactical standpoint.
Goals
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Back to Plan... A?
Ok, my wife is one of those people that can pretty much accomplish anything she wants to accomplish. She thought she had turned the corner on the idea of racing, but on our first ride simulating a relay team race she discovered rather quickly it was not for her.
I think it was mostly that she didn't like riding alone, particularly if there is traffic. Up to this point we have basically always ridden together. But on a relay race we would be taking turns riding, essentially riding solo the entire time. So it is completely different from our normal routine of actually riding together. I think she also felt much more unsafe as a solo rider. When there are no shoulders or bike lanes I usually ride a little closer to the center of the lane (where the passenger side wheel wears the road smooth) specifically so that any approaching cars will definitely see us and be forced to move over to pass. She has never liked doing that, which is fine when we're together, but doesn't work as well when riding solo. In case you think I am being rude by not riding on the edge of the road, I am not. When you ride on the very edge of the road cars from behind tend to try to squeeze by you even when they shouldn't (e.g. when there are oncoming cars or when there is limited sight distance of the road ahead). Or worse, they don't see you at all.
The other thing she didn't like was the added stress of racing. It made it, well, not fun. Who in their right mind wants to morph something they love doing into something that is not at all fun?
So, I may or may not enter the May 29 ultra race as a solo rider. It will depend on my conditioning and the weather. If either is not up to par it would be not fun for me too.
I think it was mostly that she didn't like riding alone, particularly if there is traffic. Up to this point we have basically always ridden together. But on a relay race we would be taking turns riding, essentially riding solo the entire time. So it is completely different from our normal routine of actually riding together. I think she also felt much more unsafe as a solo rider. When there are no shoulders or bike lanes I usually ride a little closer to the center of the lane (where the passenger side wheel wears the road smooth) specifically so that any approaching cars will definitely see us and be forced to move over to pass. She has never liked doing that, which is fine when we're together, but doesn't work as well when riding solo. In case you think I am being rude by not riding on the edge of the road, I am not. When you ride on the very edge of the road cars from behind tend to try to squeeze by you even when they shouldn't (e.g. when there are oncoming cars or when there is limited sight distance of the road ahead). Or worse, they don't see you at all.
The other thing she didn't like was the added stress of racing. It made it, well, not fun. Who in their right mind wants to morph something they love doing into something that is not at all fun?
So, I may or may not enter the May 29 ultra race as a solo rider. It will depend on my conditioning and the weather. If either is not up to par it would be not fun for me too.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Team Pugh Rides
First, a note about the new ride map on the right side of the blog. I archived the 2009 map here since it is a bit overkill to include it on every page. And since the right-side 2010 map isn't that big I also provided a post for a larger 2010 map here.
The only downside to the new version is that it requires a plug-in for your browser. But the upside for you is that the map is now interactive: zoom in/out, move around, click on a ride for details, etc. The upside for me is that updating the map after one of our rides is now extremely easy.
Now back to my original intent for this post.
Amy and I had both been thinking she wasn't particularly interested in endurance racing for various reasons. The plan was that I would dabble in solo racing and she would drive the support vehicle.
Then this last weekend happened, which you can read about here. Basically she was still feeling extremely strong at the end of 100 miles, and while she was sitting there on the side of the road waiting for me to come back and pick her up (because of her 3rd flat) she had a little time to reflect. I guess. Or maybe it was all the riders that passed by her and looked on her with pity, quite wrongly assuming she couldn't hack it.
Or maybe she is concerned about me trying to ride 12 hours solo after struggling so much late on Sunday's ride.
We were talking at dinner the other night and she says how we need another challenge because centuries are no longer difficult. I nodded in agreement absent-mindedly, and then a couple microseconds later, after a few neurons actually fired, my head tilted and a confused expression appeared on my face - standard double take response.
Whatever the case, all I know is that we are now tentatively planning on doing the Lewis and Clark Ultra as a relay team, riding 12 hours straight, essentially taking turns so that one of us is always riding.
We are excited about the prospect of racing together as a team. We plan to do at least one training ride on the race route in order to work out some of the kinks of racing as a relay team. It will be interesting to see what it is like to switch back and forth. We're not sure how often we should switch, so we'll be learning some new things.
Should be fun. Especially now that centuries are easy. ;-)
The only downside to the new version is that it requires a plug-in for your browser. But the upside for you is that the map is now interactive: zoom in/out, move around, click on a ride for details, etc. The upside for me is that updating the map after one of our rides is now extremely easy.
Now back to my original intent for this post.
Amy and I had both been thinking she wasn't particularly interested in endurance racing for various reasons. The plan was that I would dabble in solo racing and she would drive the support vehicle.
Then this last weekend happened, which you can read about here. Basically she was still feeling extremely strong at the end of 100 miles, and while she was sitting there on the side of the road waiting for me to come back and pick her up (because of her 3rd flat) she had a little time to reflect. I guess. Or maybe it was all the riders that passed by her and looked on her with pity, quite wrongly assuming she couldn't hack it.
Or maybe she is concerned about me trying to ride 12 hours solo after struggling so much late on Sunday's ride.
We were talking at dinner the other night and she says how we need another challenge because centuries are no longer difficult. I nodded in agreement absent-mindedly, and then a couple microseconds later, after a few neurons actually fired, my head tilted and a confused expression appeared on my face - standard double take response.
Whatever the case, all I know is that we are now tentatively planning on doing the Lewis and Clark Ultra as a relay team, riding 12 hours straight, essentially taking turns so that one of us is always riding.
We are excited about the prospect of racing together as a team. We plan to do at least one training ride on the race route in order to work out some of the kinks of racing as a relay team. It will be interesting to see what it is like to switch back and forth. We're not sure how often we should switch, so we'll be learning some new things.
Should be fun. Especially now that centuries are easy. ;-)
Friday, September 25, 2009
Racing for Ultra Fitness
I know myself, and if I don't have some kind of goals for next year then much of the fitness progress I've made this summer will be squandered away over the winter. Gotta have that carrot dangling out there. And that is a particularly fine analogy with my eating habits lately! Putting some goals in a public post just means I'll be more motivated to achieve them... hopefully.
I thoroughly enjoyed competing in the Ring of Fire, in spite of the heat, nausea, and early finish. So I would like to race more. And if I am going to race more, I would like to actually be competitive. Call me crazy.
The 12-hour Time Trial format seems like it will be just about right for next year. It was a stretch in the Ring of Fire this year, but I think I would have been okay without the heat and/or food intake issues. I should improve considerably next year with more training and experience under my belt. And I think Amy will enjoy this length of race as well.
If we can both do 12-hour solo rides then I think it is within reason for us to be able to complete a 500 mile ride as a relay team. Taking turns as often as we'd like (or need) will be much easier on the system than riding the whole thing by yourself. Not to say that 500 miles for 2 people will be easy, but it should be doable. So I would like to do the Race Across Oregon as a 2-person team.
What follows is our preliminary list of races for 2010. Those actually scheduled by the organizers have the complete date, the others only show the months based on when they occurred this year. As soon as I know the actual dates I will try to update them. EDIT: All dates are now confirmed.
Davis 12/24 Hour Challenge
April 3-4, 2010
This is quite a ways to the south of us in Davis, California, so it is doubtful that we will do this race. But since it is possible I decided to list it, particularly since it is part of the Western 12/24 Triple Challenge. The main loop is 162.5 miles and 8,000 feet of climbing. The small loop is apparently flat.
Deschutes River Valley Time Trial Festival
April 24-25, 2010
Put on by the Race Across Oregon folks, this event consists of three separate time trials over two days. Stage 1 is a morning race of a 25 mile loop with 2,200 feet of climbing. Stage 2 is that same day in the afternoon, completing a one-way 8-mile ride of 1,880 feet of constant grade climbing up Hwy 197. Stage 3 is the next day and is an "out and back" ride on Bakeoven Road of 50 miles and 3,800 feet of climbing. This kind of relatively short distance racing isn't really up our alley, but it might be good for training purposes. Not sure. Will try to do some rides on comparable local routes (similar distance and elevation profile) and see what our average speed looks like compared to the actual racing results.
Lewis & Clark Ultra 12/24
May 29-30, 2010
This one is right in our proverbial back yard (Hockinson) so it is a must. It is also part of the Western 12/24 Triple Challenge. Plus, even though it is right here in our county we haven't ridden the race route, which looks to be a great ride! The initial big loop consists of 140 miles and 5,700 feet of climbing that starts by heading out to Carson, then north to Swift Reservoir and Yale Lake, and back to Hockinson through Amboy and Yacolt. Should be some incredible views on the way (Columbia Gorge, Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams and Mt. St. Helens off the top of my head). The small loop is 9.6 miles and 420 feet of elevation gain.
Race Across Oregon
July 24-25, 2010
As already mentioned I think we can do this as a 2-person relay team. It is over 500 miles and 40,000 feet of climbing. In order to qualify as official finishers we'll have to complete the entire race within 46 hours. We will definitely need a support crew on this one (I think it is required!). We've never ridden at night so we'll need to set our bikes up with lights and extra reflectors, not to mention all the stuff for a support vehicle (amber lights, caution triangle, signs, music PA system, etc). Would probably makes sense to get the rig set up and do a really long trial ride or two beforehand, both for training purposes but also to learn more about how to equip the rig and what to have on hand.
Ring of Fire 12/24 Hour Time Trial
September 11, 2010
The final component of the Western 12/24 Triple Challenge, I definitely want to do this race again, and I want to CRUSH my previous result! The main loop is 112 miles and 9,600 feet of climbing (based on trimbleoutdoors.com since I can't read the number on the RAO website). The small loop (same as Stage 1 of the Deschutes Time Trial Festival) is 25 miles and 2,200 feet of climbing.
So what should be our primary race(s)? From what I've read we should organize our training so that we're peaking for our major event. Should we focus on the Race Across Oregon or the three races of the Western 12/24 Triple Challenge? I think the races on our list are spaced enough that we may be able to train so that we peak for each one as it comes, with the following possible exceptions. The Deschutes Valley TT may be too close to the Davis race, assuming we elect to even do the Davis race. And the Davis and Lewis & Clark races could end up being a bit too close to each other as well. If we need to drop a race it looks like Davis is a good candidate, which is nice since it is quite a long drive down there! We will have to reexamine the spacing of these events when the official dates are published.
I've already learned that a support crew would be invaluable on a 12-hour race, and of course it is a necessity for a 500-mile race. So we will be needing some help! On the other hand, it would be fairly simple for Amy and I to act as our own support crew on a 12-hour race if we competed as a relay team instead of solo. As a team we could then even decide to switch to the 24-hour format instead. The only problem with competing as a team is that the Western 12/24 Triple Challenge is for solo competitors, not teams. That really is the only problem though. Competing as a team has all kinds of advantages (lots of rest time, half the distance, competing together, able to provide our own support for all but 500-mile RAO), and only the one negative. Well, I suppose "half the distance" could be considered a negative!
If we end up doing 12-hour solo races it would be pretty easy for a support vehicle to provide support for both of us as we probably wouldn't be too far away from each other on the initial big loop of each race. Then for the repeating small loops they usually don't allow support vehicles anyway, requiring the team to make their swap at the beginning of a lap.
I guess I haven't really listed goals so much as a bunch of races. The races will act as motivators to improve my overall fitness, particularly as it pertains to ultracycling. My generalized bicycling/fitness goals for next year are threefold:
I thoroughly enjoyed competing in the Ring of Fire, in spite of the heat, nausea, and early finish. So I would like to race more. And if I am going to race more, I would like to actually be competitive. Call me crazy.
The 12-hour Time Trial format seems like it will be just about right for next year. It was a stretch in the Ring of Fire this year, but I think I would have been okay without the heat and/or food intake issues. I should improve considerably next year with more training and experience under my belt. And I think Amy will enjoy this length of race as well.
If we can both do 12-hour solo rides then I think it is within reason for us to be able to complete a 500 mile ride as a relay team. Taking turns as often as we'd like (or need) will be much easier on the system than riding the whole thing by yourself. Not to say that 500 miles for 2 people will be easy, but it should be doable. So I would like to do the Race Across Oregon as a 2-person team.
What follows is our preliminary list of races for 2010. Those actually scheduled by the organizers have the complete date, the others only show the months based on when they occurred this year. As soon as I know the actual dates I will try to update them. EDIT: All dates are now confirmed.
Davis 12/24 Hour Challenge
April 3-4, 2010
This is quite a ways to the south of us in Davis, California, so it is doubtful that we will do this race. But since it is possible I decided to list it, particularly since it is part of the Western 12/24 Triple Challenge. The main loop is 162.5 miles and 8,000 feet of climbing. The small loop is apparently flat.
Deschutes River Valley Time Trial Festival
April 24-25, 2010
Put on by the Race Across Oregon folks, this event consists of three separate time trials over two days. Stage 1 is a morning race of a 25 mile loop with 2,200 feet of climbing. Stage 2 is that same day in the afternoon, completing a one-way 8-mile ride of 1,880 feet of constant grade climbing up Hwy 197. Stage 3 is the next day and is an "out and back" ride on Bakeoven Road of 50 miles and 3,800 feet of climbing. This kind of relatively short distance racing isn't really up our alley, but it might be good for training purposes. Not sure. Will try to do some rides on comparable local routes (similar distance and elevation profile) and see what our average speed looks like compared to the actual racing results.
Lewis & Clark Ultra 12/24
May 29-30, 2010
This one is right in our proverbial back yard (Hockinson) so it is a must. It is also part of the Western 12/24 Triple Challenge. Plus, even though it is right here in our county we haven't ridden the race route, which looks to be a great ride! The initial big loop consists of 140 miles and 5,700 feet of climbing that starts by heading out to Carson, then north to Swift Reservoir and Yale Lake, and back to Hockinson through Amboy and Yacolt. Should be some incredible views on the way (Columbia Gorge, Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams and Mt. St. Helens off the top of my head). The small loop is 9.6 miles and 420 feet of elevation gain.
Race Across Oregon
July 24-25, 2010
As already mentioned I think we can do this as a 2-person relay team. It is over 500 miles and 40,000 feet of climbing. In order to qualify as official finishers we'll have to complete the entire race within 46 hours. We will definitely need a support crew on this one (I think it is required!). We've never ridden at night so we'll need to set our bikes up with lights and extra reflectors, not to mention all the stuff for a support vehicle (amber lights, caution triangle, signs, music PA system, etc). Would probably makes sense to get the rig set up and do a really long trial ride or two beforehand, both for training purposes but also to learn more about how to equip the rig and what to have on hand.
Ring of Fire 12/24 Hour Time Trial
September 11, 2010
The final component of the Western 12/24 Triple Challenge, I definitely want to do this race again, and I want to CRUSH my previous result! The main loop is 112 miles and 9,600 feet of climbing (based on trimbleoutdoors.com since I can't read the number on the RAO website). The small loop (same as Stage 1 of the Deschutes Time Trial Festival) is 25 miles and 2,200 feet of climbing.
So what should be our primary race(s)? From what I've read we should organize our training so that we're peaking for our major event. Should we focus on the Race Across Oregon or the three races of the Western 12/24 Triple Challenge? I think the races on our list are spaced enough that we may be able to train so that we peak for each one as it comes, with the following possible exceptions. The Deschutes Valley TT may be too close to the Davis race, assuming we elect to even do the Davis race. And the Davis and Lewis & Clark races could end up being a bit too close to each other as well. If we need to drop a race it looks like Davis is a good candidate, which is nice since it is quite a long drive down there! We will have to reexamine the spacing of these events when the official dates are published.
I've already learned that a support crew would be invaluable on a 12-hour race, and of course it is a necessity for a 500-mile race. So we will be needing some help! On the other hand, it would be fairly simple for Amy and I to act as our own support crew on a 12-hour race if we competed as a relay team instead of solo. As a team we could then even decide to switch to the 24-hour format instead. The only problem with competing as a team is that the Western 12/24 Triple Challenge is for solo competitors, not teams. That really is the only problem though. Competing as a team has all kinds of advantages (lots of rest time, half the distance, competing together, able to provide our own support for all but 500-mile RAO), and only the one negative. Well, I suppose "half the distance" could be considered a negative!
If we end up doing 12-hour solo races it would be pretty easy for a support vehicle to provide support for both of us as we probably wouldn't be too far away from each other on the initial big loop of each race. Then for the repeating small loops they usually don't allow support vehicles anyway, requiring the team to make their swap at the beginning of a lap.
I guess I haven't really listed goals so much as a bunch of races. The races will act as motivators to improve my overall fitness, particularly as it pertains to ultracycling. My generalized bicycling/fitness goals for next year are threefold:
Lots of things to think about, and do, over the winter...
- Improve both my overall strength/power as it relates to maintaining a higher average speed. This will require some work in the weight room.
- Continue to improve my overall cardio fitness so that I can go faster on sustained climbs. This will require either winter riding or indoor spinning, and for some reason I loathe the latter. Perhaps one of those indoor trainers with the ride simulator on a PC would do the trick? Could also do other sports (e.g. skiing) but whatever I do needs to be often. Skiing is expensive (in terms of both $$ and effort to get up to the mountain). I already have a gym membership, and the gym is very close!
- Continue to add endurance to pedal strong on longer rides. Ride simulator would be nice here too. Can't let the bum get out of bike-seat-shape...
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Ring of Fire, Weather and Goals
The weather looks to be quite nice, maybe even a little too nice. Most of the climbing will happen in the cool of the morning. The afternoon/evening heat just means I will need to stay ahead of my water needs. Thankfully the wind doesn't look too bad.
Hourly Forecast
By Approximate Location During Race
(source: weather.com)
By Approximate Location During Race
(source: weather.com)
Time
Condition
Feels Like
Chance Precip
Humidity
Wind
Saturday, September 12
7 am (Maupin)
53°F
Sunny
Sunny
53°F
0%
66%
From NNW
3 mph
3 mph
8 am
(Tygh Valley)
(Tygh Valley)
55°F
Sunny
Sunny
55°F
0%
64%
From NNW
2 mph
2 mph
9 am
(Tygh Valley)
(Tygh Valley)
59°F
Sunny
Sunny
59°F
0%
57%
From N
3 mph
3 mph
10 am
(Govt. Camp)
(Govt. Camp)
60°F
Sunny
Sunny
60°F
0%
55%
From NW
2 mph
2 mph
11 am
(Govt. Camp)
(Govt. Camp)
64°F
Sunny
Sunny
64°F
0%
48%
From NW
3 mph
3 mph
12 pm
(Govt. Camp)
(Govt. Camp)
67°F
Sunny
Sunny
67°F
0%
48%
From NW
3 mph
3 mph
1 pm
(Dufur)
(Dufur)
82°F
Sunny
Sunny
79°F
0%
25%
From N
5 mph
5 mph
2 pm
(Dufur)
(Dufur)
86°F
Sunny
Sunny
82°F
0%
21%
From N
6 mph
6 mph
3 pm
(Tygh Valley)
(Tygh Valley)
89°F
Sunny
Sunny
85°F
0%
19%
From N
7 mph
7 mph
4 pm
(Tygh Valley)
(Tygh Valley)
90°F
Sunny
Sunny
86°F
0%
18%
From N
8 mph
8 mph
5 pm
(Maupin)
(Maupin)
89°F
Sunny
Sunny
85°F
0%
19%
From NNW
9 mph
9 mph
6 pm
(Maupin)
(Maupin)
85°F
Sunny
Sunny
82°F
0%
23%
From NNW
9 mph
9 mph
7 pm
(Maupin)
(Maupin)
80°F
Sunny
Sunny
78°F
0%
29%
From NNW
8 mph
8 mph
The Ring of Fire Results page has start times, and possibly updated data during the race, and of course post-race results.
Goals
1. Have Fun!
2. Finish the big loop of 114 miles and over 9,500 feet of elevation gain.
3. Ride as many of the 12 hours as possible, including up until the clock stops.
4. Finish as many small loops (26 miles, 2000 feet elevation gain) as possible. One lap is reasonable. Two laps is possible. More than two? That would be awesome!
5. Don't be last!!!
Friday, August 21, 2009
RAPSody Forecast still looks great!
Looks like a slight tail wind first half of the day and a bit of a headwind on the home stretch.
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