RAM Bicycle Classic 100 Mile Ride
So, the last three weekends (or over the last 15 days)
Collegiate Peaks 50 mile trail run
Ice Age 50 mile trail run
3 hrs, 5,000 ft climb run
100 mile, 7,000 ft climb road ride
I work more on the weekends than I do at my job (my boss will concur with this).
Saturday I got out with Donnie (Hardrock 100 and Leadville 100 finisher) for a couple trips to the top of Green Mtn.
Yesterday I headed up to Ft. Collins for the RAM Bicycle Classic Century (100 mile ride). I can tell you from personal experience that riding 100 miles, even with a massive climb in the first 20 miles and around 7,000 ft of climb total, is much easier than running 100 miles (footfeathers' obvious statement of the week). I had 10 miles total of road riding over the last 3 years, so why not just do a 100?
On the giant 3,500 ft climb starting at mile 11 I came up on Mike then Paul shortly thereafter. Funny enough, they're brothers. We just sort of fell into riding together. To say it was windy is like saying the sun's surface is warm. I was crazy windy, and almost exclusively a cross wind.
Now, to be honest, I had to baby Mike and Paul along with miles of fast riding with them drafting off the wake created by my powerful force. Well, fine, actually I was typically following one of them so closely that it would've just been more efficient to crawl up on their backs like a cape. Mike was taking long, I mean long, like 3 mile pulls at the front hitting 28 up to 31 mph. It was all I could do to hang on. We joked and laughed, ate some good food at aid stops, and road like champs, finishing in 5:35, an average pace of around 18 mph. They're solid cyclists and a ton of fun to hang with.
Afterward, there was food (lots-of-food), including salad, yes, my favorite post endurance race food and (queue the angels) New Belgium Brewery out of Ft. Collins, complete with their trailer with taps on the side of 1554, Fat Tire, and Ranger IPA. I had a long way to swerve home, so I kept my intake to three pints [with a sunburn and near 6 hours in the saddle on low caloric intake, three good beers is like someone throwing a blanket over your head and beating you with an axe handle - but I loved it].
They've nearly got me talked into another 100 miler in two weeks. I'll have to consider that it's just six days before the San Diego 100 miler (run) but, overall, I feel fine after this ride; certainly doesn't leave the body beat up like a big run.
Collegiate Peaks 50 mile trail run
Ice Age 50 mile trail run
3 hrs, 5,000 ft climb run
100 mile, 7,000 ft climb road ride
I work more on the weekends than I do at my job (my boss will concur with this).
Saturday I got out with Donnie (Hardrock 100 and Leadville 100 finisher) for a couple trips to the top of Green Mtn.
Yesterday I headed up to Ft. Collins for the RAM Bicycle Classic Century (100 mile ride). I can tell you from personal experience that riding 100 miles, even with a massive climb in the first 20 miles and around 7,000 ft of climb total, is much easier than running 100 miles (footfeathers' obvious statement of the week). I had 10 miles total of road riding over the last 3 years, so why not just do a 100?
On the giant 3,500 ft climb starting at mile 11 I came up on Mike then Paul shortly thereafter. Funny enough, they're brothers. We just sort of fell into riding together. To say it was windy is like saying the sun's surface is warm. I was crazy windy, and almost exclusively a cross wind.
Now, to be honest, I had to baby Mike and Paul along with miles of fast riding with them drafting off the wake created by my powerful force. Well, fine, actually I was typically following one of them so closely that it would've just been more efficient to crawl up on their backs like a cape. Mike was taking long, I mean long, like 3 mile pulls at the front hitting 28 up to 31 mph. It was all I could do to hang on. We joked and laughed, ate some good food at aid stops, and road like champs, finishing in 5:35, an average pace of around 18 mph. They're solid cyclists and a ton of fun to hang with.
Afterward, there was food (lots-of-food), including salad, yes, my favorite post endurance race food and (queue the angels) New Belgium Brewery out of Ft. Collins, complete with their trailer with taps on the side of 1554, Fat Tire, and Ranger IPA. I had a long way to swerve home, so I kept my intake to three pints [with a sunburn and near 6 hours in the saddle on low caloric intake, three good beers is like someone throwing a blanket over your head and beating you with an axe handle - but I loved it].
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| Left to right: Mike, Nate (giant calf guy), and Mike's bro, Paul. Awesome guys! |
Thanks for the ride, guys. Look forward to getting out on the bikes (mountain too) soon!
You gotta come up and ride with me soon. We can do my 45 mile/ 11,000ft vertical route (MTB). I can virtually guarantee that biking will enhance your ultra running. Strength balance, fresher legs, and increased aerobic endurance. You just got 6 hours of aerobic work in and you didn't beat the crap out of your body. Good stuff. And it's damn fun.
ReplyDeleteWould love to ride there with you. I'll need to get some mountain gearing on the bike. I about popped my quads grinding up the climbs with the tight cluster of big gears I currently have. I can definitely see how solid riding would build ultrarunning performance on many levels.
ReplyDeleteI do most of my riding on my mountain bike. Much more comfortable up here on the dirt roads. Plus 20 miles takes a hell of a lot longer which is a good thing.
ReplyDeleteHow appropriate. Back in the saddle as Lance gets skewered on national tv. I thought the 60 minute bit would be same ole, no biggie. But the news show is actually just a glimpse at what the Feds are doing. Hamilton is talking only because he already had to come clean with them. As did George hincapie. Hincapie is Lance's boy. Bummer for lance. I think he's in trouble. With all of this testimony, the Feds are probably going to indict Lance and then it's lance vs the US gov.
ReplyDeleteSounds like US Postal was had a very sophisticated program.
Ironic that the gov sponsored his team and is now going to steer his demise. I'm not going to get into my feelings on lance because I'm not in the mood to be ridiculed by lance-lovers just because I think it's unfair to have those results/titles if he was cheating.
ReplyDeleteLet her rip dude. I think intelligent people can compartmentalize the two faces of lance. His foundation has been amazing, etc. But his cycling career a much darker life. An intelligent person can also see that Lance was not some kind of drug lord that ruined the sport. He's a notable footnote in the history of PEDs in professional sports. It was part of the culture.
ReplyDeleteFrankie andreiu's testimony was brutal.
I don't have anything relevant or interesting to say about armstrong. Like deconstruction in literary theory, you can take the work lance did with cancer and give credit to it solely. He gained a lot personally, though, from the cycling and if he did it immorally, then I think he should pay the price.
ReplyDeleteI honestly think Lance did everything he could possibly do to push the envelope. But I must admit I find it funny they could never catch him...and I'm not just talking about 12 years ago, I'm talking about even in the last couple of years. He had a great chance of winning the Tour at age 38. Think of all the technology at our fingertips right now and they still couldn't catch him just recently either. One part of me thinks the entire testing apparatus should just be embarrased and ashamed of themselves and move on.
ReplyDeleteI personally wouldn't mind never hearing about him again.
ReplyDeleteIt seems nearly impossible to police doping. I don't have any answers but I bet there's a correlation between how much money an individual or team has and how easy or difficult it is to catch him/them.
He's going to deny it until there is irrefutable proof. Then he'll come clen and beg forgiveness hiding behind the "work" in cancer attached to his name.
Tim I agree with your last comment. Just sad pure and simple. Another Tour on the horizon and another doping story, sucks!
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking me up my first climb on Green.
Donnie
Hey Donnie.
ReplyDeleteI told Karl I ran with you and he had nothing but good things to say about you. Said you could probably run 32 hrs at hardrock and that you're a strong runner. Pretty nice compliment coming from the best. Any time you want to hook up for a run, let me know. I told you my plans for green!
I'd stick with the story about them drafting the wake from the FF Steam Engine up all the climbs - sounds much better!!!
ReplyDeleteYes! That does sound good. No one reads this blog, so I'm going with that story. Men, likely cat 1 or pros even would attack desperately pumping the highest gear they could muster but I covered every attack until finally, on what I deemed the perfect opportunity, which it was, of course, attacked myself (not, like, beat myself up or anything) and no one could cover it. I rode solo at 30 mph over the last 40 miles racing across the finish of the biggest century charity ride in the country or state or Ft Collins, whatever. Two models kissing each side of my face whilst I shake and launch champagne into the adoring crowd.
ReplyDeleteIt all vanished when I tested positive for pretzels and I was stripped of my title and banned from all family rides for 20 years.
Hey Tim, haha - great riding with you this weekend. Definitely sign up for e-rock. Would be fun to get the band back together. I don't know what Lance would do, but I'll be throwing back stem-cell smoothies all week. ;-0
ReplyDeleteFootfeathers - A strong couple of weeks for sure; sounds awesome.
ReplyDeleteReally wanted attempt the run on Saturday, but couldn't schedule it. Nearly snagged a bike in Dillon though.
I'm just finally feeling like my ex-lame foot won't give out on me, so it's looking up.