Went riding today, with some ultra cyclists, guys

[Archaea]

who enter some insane ride called, Race Across America.

These guys, especially one, are good. I experienced four flats, oh joy, and falls because we biked across silty dry lake beds. I don't even own a mountain bike.

130miles. A short ride for them but a very long ride for me. After 100, I start feeling it. Next week, when I'm not around they're doing their usual 200. Sickos.

They also do this 508 mile race in Death Valley. With a name like Death Valley, wouldn't that be somewhat ominous.

In Race Across America, apparently, the record is eight days, averaging less than two hours per day of sleep. Unimaginable. Well perhaps for our resident CycleGods, bluegoose and creekster.

During the ride, which involved most low grade climbing I remembered that I really didn't enjoy my Ironman experience and yet I schedule another one of those torture tests again. My mother raised a stupid boy.

[bluegoose]

130 miles for a training ride??? Wow.

I had heard that they amended the rules for RAAM to encourage more sleep, somthing like 3-4 hours mandatory sleep time per day. Even still, I would need like 2 weeks in between rides to recover from what they do in a day.

I went out this weekend for about 35 miles with a couple of guys, one of which is a hard core rider. He took us on a couple of "roads" that I would hesitate taking my mountain bike on, let alone the skinny-tire piece of crap I happened to be riding.

I think that with the right equipment, like Hippie has, that cyclocross would actually be a pretty fun sport. The crappy roads were actually a nice change of pace.

[DirtyHippieUTE]

Originally Posted by bluegoose

I think that with the right equipment, like Hippie has.

Hippie had...

I traded the hard tail commuter +$800 for my wife's Santa Cruz Superlite and a mid 90's Trek aluminum road bike.

It was a pretty screamin' deal. My roommate hated the SC and wanted the hard tail back (I bought it from him).

I miss it... I'm trying to talk Mrs. Hippie into letting me buy another light hard tail.

[Archaea]

started doing intervals, including 30 second hill bursts and lightpoles. Wow, it brings a whole different definition to work. I can see why you guys are strong.

Very strange. Last week only got 200 miles, but most of these other whackos got 300 to 500 miles. Where do people find the time to bang it out like that?

If I get 100 on Saturday, 50 Sunday and 50 Friday, I can get another 40 mid week, but with running and swimming, I don't know how these real cyclists find the time. I still have three months of hard training before taper.

Every time I'm out there, I wish I were as fast as the goose, creekster or hippie. It sucks to be old and slow.

[bluegoose]

One of my friends was describing his interval workouts to me the other day.

He does 5 minutes at 5 bpm above lactate threshold, then recovers at 5 bpm below lactate threshold. He repeats this for 20 minutes, then spins for 5 minutes and repeats 3 sessions per workout. Did that make sense?

Makes my workouts look like kids stuff. I can't imagine my "rest" period taking place at 5 bpm below lactate threshold. I prefer the lazy boy and a lemonade for my rest after doing just a single 3 minute interval.

[Archaea]

you just gave me a new standard to hit, thanks, but boy it makes me feel slower than slow.

It may explain why I have no power. During the last 30 miles, my legs were literally shaking, barely holding 19 to 20 mph. I was toast. I couldn't stand after wards. The stud leading the ride went for another couple of hours afterwards.

I'm not even in the same shape I was in last September and have another tir in several weeks. Yikes. I hope I can gather some strength before then.