Monday, May 12, 2014

Not a training ride

I am in complete agreement with my friend Teesie about "training". I really don't go on training rides. I just like riding. If I have an event scheduled I am aware that I need to get some extra rides and miles in before the event mainly so I can enjoy the event instead of it turning into a suffer-fest. But training??? Not even sure what that term involves. Guys ask me when talking bikes and rides what my split times are and my fastest miles when maxing out, and my cadence and gear revolutions per foot and all sorts of bike-speak that I have no idea what the hell they are talking about. All good!! It is what motivates them to be out on their bike and that is a good thing!!
I bring this up because last weekend I was out riding my usual Horsetooth ride and when I stopped at the top of one of the climbs I got to talking with a guy who was a "real cyclist". Super lean and fit, retired from working and was asking if I rode out there much. Al did not ride on the weekends usually because that is when all the novices cluttered up the roads. (Hey! I resemble that remark!) We got to talking about rides and he asked if I was training for a ride. I told him that I really was not training but I did have the Santa Fe century coming up. Wow! That got old Al going with all sorts of questions about my bodily functions and training programs that I really could not answer. He left me with a "good Luck" wave and pedaled off into his bike world.
Anyway this was last weekend because I had a golf event on this last Saturday and Sunday's ride was wiped out by the snow event we had, so, I'm rolling with the "training" that is already in place for Santa Fe.
Here is some pictures from that last ride.

Ranch scene on the way up into Masonville. Some fat and happy horse stock working the new spring green grass.

There is a collection of old farm equipment displayed in Masonville.
There are five climbs to work yourself from the south end of Horsetooth until you pop out on the north end and drop down into LaPorte. They are short but steep climbs that are a good workout. I have always liked this ride because of the pretty scenery that the Hogback can give you.
First climb
Horsetooth is very pretty this spring because it is already full and the run-off is just starting. I think most of this water goes for irrigation in eastern Colorado, so it should be a good year for the farmers. Also a good year for the boaters and recreation out on the water at Horsetooth.
The climbs are caused by either going up and over the hogback or the drops down to cross the little side dams of the reservoir ans climbing back up the other side. Here I go down to a side dam and you can see the climb up the other side in the picture.
After the drop down to Laporte it was the ride back south through Ft. Collins and back to Loveland. Nice ride today because those 18 miles heading south I had a nice tailwind pushing me along.
After up and down roller riding out in the foothills, I had a nice ride through the farm country that is between Ft. Collins and Loveland.
And, back to my truck for a visit to Big Beaver!!
All in all, a pretty good ride for a non-training ride!!
Next report from beautiful Santa Fe!!
Everybody have a great week!!
Jim

7 comments:

  1. 100% of my rides are non-training rides. Suffer? Never! I try to enjoy my ride, and I don't try to turn it into a competitive thing. Like you, I just get out and ride. If I had to suffer, I probably wouldn't ride for long. Pretty area to ride in and it doesn't look crowded, and getting a decent workout makes it worthwhile. You should have told Al, that you had so much fun doing the Santa Fe Century, the first time that you keep going back. We've got people like that around here, and as soon as they start in with all the techno stuff, I give them a blank look and say "I ride a touring bike" ..... and they usually just ride on after that ....

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    1. By the way .....my max top speed for the day usually coincides with the steepest downhill that I had found that day, and whether or not the wind was at my back when I went down.

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  2. I've got a draft for a post I've started about "real cyclists". I don't know that I'll ever take the time to finish it though. Many other people's idea of cycling sounds too much like a chore to me. Nice photos Jim.

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  3. Jim doing all the climbs in your "neighborhood" is all the training you will ever need. The man himself, Greg LeMond USA's only LeTour winner, said "if you want to get in shape on the bike climb hills".

    If it makes you smile and gets you on your bike then do it, for me "training" started to make riding not fun so I gave up the training and kept on riding, seems like I noticed my environment a lot more when I wasn't fussing over speed/cadence/heart rate zones etc. .... squirrel!

    Keep on doing (not training) rides

    Ryan

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  4. I want to train, really I do. But I am cursed with this dang dream-headed head of mine and no matter how hard I try to go fast next thing I know I'm pedaling in Tibet or curing cancer or wait, wait...FLYING through the clouds and then I suddenly realize that I am going really slow...so I put the hammer down and take off like a blue streak (whatever that is) and my legs are burning the good burn and my breathing is deep and training-like and everything hurts like it is supposed to and then...I'm working out the fine details of how to divide the lottery winnings, and what kind of carbontanium helium bicycle I will buy and maybe I'll go to France...

    One of these days, with enough training, all of our dreams will come true. Until then, I am happy to be a fat pony groovin' on some fresh Spring pasture.

    Good one, Coach.

    tj

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  5. Jim,

    I'm blessed with a lack of competitive spirit, which makes training rides a purely hypothetical concept. I'm sure that bike racing is a lot of fun for some folks, but for me it's not even on the horizon.
    My motivation to ride is threefold - fun, fresh air, and fitness.
    Your part of the country sure is beautiful. Me and the family are actually taking a real vacation this year, and our destinations include Rocky Mountain National Park, so I'll be getting at least a small taste of the mountains. And yes, we are bringing bicycles.

    Steve Z

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    1. You will enjoy the Park. So much to see. Especially if you venture off on a few hikes and away from the people on the roads. Enjoy!! If you have time poke your head into the lumberyard and say Hi!

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