MORE ON TRAINING

First off a bit of a preview of coming attractions. Below is a profile of the 65 mile Tune Up Ride we will do on Sunday, September 21, 2008. That’s a 65 mile ride with 3,278 feet of gain.

This next profile is of the actual Audax Ride, the one we will do on October 4, 2008. Notice that, in 125 miles it gains 4,483 feet. That big hump in the middle is Pine Mountain.

From these two profiles a couple of things should be evident. First, the routes are not flat. Second, the 65 mile Tune Up, while it does not have quite as much climbing as the actual Audax Ride, does have more gain per mile. In fact, if we did the 65 Mile Tune Up twice, for a total of 200K, then we would have climbed 6,556 feet, or 2,073 feet more than the actual ride.

I’ve stated before, the Tune Ups are to prepare riders for the ride. They are not as long, but they actually cover more difficult terrain than we will face on the day. So the question becomes, how does one prepare for all this?

The answer would be, in the words of Eddie Merkx, “Ride. Lots.” But there is more. Here’s one way to get more ready for the Tune Up, and by extension, for the actual ride.

It’s five weeks until the 65 mile Tune Up. More, here in North Georgia we are blessed with plenty of hills. It’s not too hard to lay out a route that includes at least one good climb every mile. So combine those facts along with this program.

For the next four weeks, include the following routine twice a week. Select a nice hilly route. Spend 15 to 20 minutes warming up gently as you approach your “workout route.”

Then do a six hill routine as follows:

• Climb two hills while staying completely aerobic. Keep gearing and cadence low enough that you are not even breathing hard at the top.
  Climb the third hill hard. Hit it! Go up it as fast and hard as you can, right from the bottom.
• For the next two hills (four and five) repeat what you did on the first two. Take it easy, and do not let your hear rate rise.
• On the sixth hill, begin the climb just as on the first two, staying fully aerobic, but when you reach the point approximately 2/3 of the way up, upshift at least two gears, get out of the saddle and go hard until you are over the top. (Don’t ease up until after the crest.)

You should be able to do about two repeats of that in a one hour workout. Then spend 15 to 20 minutes warming down as you ride back home.

This routine should help you increase your climbing capacity, and it will prepare you mentally for the much easier climbing we will do on the rides.