196.6lbs
This is the week I officially begin “training” for the Solvang Century.
I’ve been riding pretty consistently, but it’s mainly been mountain bikes and my single speed and it’s always been about fun and never had any plan or structure behind it.
Saturday I did a great 16 or so mile ride on the SS mt bike with the nitedawgs….(yeah, they can actually go out in the sunlight with out burning up like vampires – who knew?) The weather was gorgeous, the group was fun and the route was spectacular
The really concerning part is that I was tired. More tired than I should have been after 16 miles.
I’ve been riding pretty consistently, but it’s mainly been mountain bikes and my single speed and it’s always been about fun and never had any plan or structure behind it.
Saturday I did a great 16 or so mile ride on the SS mt bike with the nitedawgs….(yeah, they can actually go out in the sunlight with out burning up like vampires – who knew?) The weather was gorgeous, the group was fun and the route was spectacular
The really concerning part is that I was tired. More tired than I should have been after 16 miles.
The problem facing me in preparing for the Solvang Century can really be broken down into two parts...
The first is that I can be kind of a slacker. (although I’m also very determined) If you give me all day to do something, it will take me all day. But if I have several things I need to get done during the day, I will work to make sure I get them finished.
When it comes to riding, I’m the same way. If I don’t have a goal in front of me, I’ll just ride for fun and stop whenever I get tired. But, if I have a goal then I will fixate on it and work my butt off to make sure I achieve that goal.
The other part of the problem is that I’ve done several centuries now and have come to the point that I know I can ride my bike 100 miles. It’s not really a matter of whether I can or I can’t do it like it was when I did my first ones.
It really boils down to how much I want to suffer doing it.
I would bet that I could not ride between now and March and still finish the century. And while it wouldn’t be pretty and I’d be totally miserable the entire time (except on the downhills of course) I could do it out of pure stubbornness and unwillingness to quit.(some may call this bull headedness but I prefer determined)
So, this week, I will move from riding for fun to training which, as everyone knows, is completely different. I’m going to have to get a new battery for the odometer on my road bike so I can keep track of things like mileage and elevation. I’m going to have to plan rides that actually increase my mileage and climbing every week and I’m going to have to make sure that even if I’m tired, I don’t stop my rides before I’ve hit my goal.
The good news is that this should also tie in nicely with my other goal which is to be at 185 by the time Solvang rolls around on the 14th of March.
Well see how this all works out…..
The first is that I can be kind of a slacker. (although I’m also very determined) If you give me all day to do something, it will take me all day. But if I have several things I need to get done during the day, I will work to make sure I get them finished.
When it comes to riding, I’m the same way. If I don’t have a goal in front of me, I’ll just ride for fun and stop whenever I get tired. But, if I have a goal then I will fixate on it and work my butt off to make sure I achieve that goal.
The other part of the problem is that I’ve done several centuries now and have come to the point that I know I can ride my bike 100 miles. It’s not really a matter of whether I can or I can’t do it like it was when I did my first ones.
It really boils down to how much I want to suffer doing it.
I would bet that I could not ride between now and March and still finish the century. And while it wouldn’t be pretty and I’d be totally miserable the entire time (except on the downhills of course) I could do it out of pure stubbornness and unwillingness to quit.(some may call this bull headedness but I prefer determined)
So, this week, I will move from riding for fun to training which, as everyone knows, is completely different. I’m going to have to get a new battery for the odometer on my road bike so I can keep track of things like mileage and elevation. I’m going to have to plan rides that actually increase my mileage and climbing every week and I’m going to have to make sure that even if I’m tired, I don’t stop my rides before I’ve hit my goal.
The good news is that this should also tie in nicely with my other goal which is to be at 185 by the time Solvang rolls around on the 14th of March.
Well see how this all works out…..
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