MSers In Training 2011

[AMFADVENTURES]

More on planning

Marina, here’s a real life example. This is the Triple Bypass ride I’ll be attempting:
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/34161844

Below the route map you should see an elevation scale. This is a detail of the elevation scale:
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/34161844#climbs

Because of the length of this ride, I will need to be careful not to exceed 92% of my max heart rate on the first climb and in fact, I’ll need to try to keep the average heart rate between about 88% and 90%. If I hit that first climb too hard, it’s almost a sure thing that I won’t be able to finish the ride. At the moment I’m thinking I’ll need to take it even easier on the second and third climbs (they’re almost one long climb), something like 86% to 88% average. That might be my best shot at finishing. The Pro’s use very sophisticated methods of determining what level of effort they need to expend on which parts of the course. But since I don’t have access to that type of analysis, well, right or wrong, at least it’s a plan, and I’ll try to refine it as my training progresses. It’s all about spreading out the effort all along the course in order to be able to complete the whole thing.

Glad you got me thinking about this, it's something I needed to do.

[Marinadca]

Thank you for the thoughts Larry! I am driving my husband insane with my flip flopping on this. He is with me either way...But I am definitely in partial to full freak out mode.

I honestly have no idea what my heart rate should be. I wear a HRM but don't really know exactly what to do with the figured. I know that while I am riding/stopped my heart rate goes from the 130s to low 160s... the higher in the 160s it goes the more I feel like I am hitting a physical wall.

Compared to your route the climb in mine is nothing...but since we just started riding the road bikes 3 months ago I have nothing to really compare this to.

This is my ride map: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/5281262

[pawpaw]

Marina, Relax and enjoy this ride. You are doing great on your training. The morning of the ride be sure to identify yourself to several staff members and get phone numbers for the SAG vehicles. You can get help if you need it, but I doubt that you will.
If you set your personal data in your HRM, it will tell you at what percent of your max HR you are exercising. It is best to stay below the 90% level for distance exercise. If you are hitting the 90% of above level often, slow down. You can go 60 miles with a little adrenaline if you don't go fast and you stop frequently.
I was very anxious about the MS 150 last year and I had energy to spare.
Two years ago we bought our road bikes in mid-May and rode our first group ride on Memorial Day weekend- the Horsey Hundred. We planned to do the 27 mile route as our longest ride up until then was 20 miles. Somehow we were caught up in the excitement of the group and we did the 53 mile route. It took us all day because we stopped for a long time, but we did it.
So, try to push your distance a bit, but if you can get to 45 before the ride, you will do 60 without a big stretch.
Not sure if we will do it, but we are still hoping to do the 102 mile distance this Saturday. Our longest ride this year was last Sunday- 42 miles. An uncomfortable saddle is my biggest worry.

Pell

[AMFADVENTURES]

Marina, I think you should finish your training before you decide one way or the other. But my first thought is that you did a great job picking the ride you wanted to do. The first 27 miles shouldn’t be too bad if you take it slow and keep your heart rate well below 160, say 135 to 150 maybe try to average around 140, you want to achieve a sustainable pace here.

From mile 27 to mile 35 will obviously be the toughest. You will undoubtedly see a heart rate of 160 in there but shift down, slow down, walk or just stop and catch your breath if that happens. You don’t need to get there fast and you don’t want to spend much time at all at a heart rate of 160 or more. You’ve already done a 35-mile training ride so you probably can do it again especially if you don’t push your self too hard.

The last 25 miles are mostly downhill. If you have anything left after the climb, you might even be able to push a little and make up some time. I based all this on things you’ve said here like riding your trainer at a heart rate of 135 and that a heart rate above 160 is very difficult.

You’re going to be out there 6 to 8 hours so be sure to stay hydrated and, even though you might not feel like it, eat a couple of mouth fulls of something at each rest stop. Both of these things are important.

I know the first few rides can be pretty high anxiety events but trust me on this one, you’ve got a lot of great volunteers who are there solely to support you so relax and let them do it. I’ll wager, you’ll meet some really super people and that the experience will mean so much to you that you'll be back year after year. It's a really cool thing you're doing!

[Marinadca]

Marina, I think you should finish your training before you decide one way or the other. But my first thought is that you did a great job picking the ride you wanted to do. The first 27 miles shouldn’t be too bad if you take it slow and keep your heart rate well below 160, say 135 to 150 maybe try to average around 140, you want to achieve a sustainable pace here.

From mile 27 to mile 35 will obviously be the toughest. You will undoubtedly see a heart rate of 160 in there but shift down, slow down, walk or just stop and catch your breath if that happens. You don’t need to get there fast and you don’t want to spend much time at all at a heart rate of 160 or more. You’ve already done a 35-mile training ride so you probably can do it again especially if you don’t push your self too hard.

The last 25 miles are mostly downhill. If you have anything left after the climb, you might even be able to push a little and make up some time. I based all this on things you’ve said here like riding your trainer at a heart rate of 135 and that a heart rate above 160 is very difficult.

You’re going to be out there 6 to 8 hours so be sure to stay hydrated and, even though you might not feel like it, eat a couple of mouth fulls of something at each rest stop. Both of these things are important.

I know the first few rides can be pretty high anxiety events but trust me on this one, you’ve got a lot of great volunteers who are there solely to support you so relax and let them do it. I’ll wager, you’ll meet some really super people and that the experience will mean so much to you that you'll be back year after year. It's a really cool thing you're doing!

Thank you guys for the encouragement - this ride has been much more high anxiety and surprisingly emotional for me.

I appreciate your breakdown Larry...its goiung to help me formulate a plan of attack.

I guess so now I will keep hoping for the 60 mile route...but I keep telling myself I can drop day of.

You all are the best, glad to have some folks to talk to that have been there and done that.

The plan is for 40 miles this weekend and 45 the weekend before the ride. We will see how it goes.

Its amazing how long having that cold knocked me down for. I was actively sick for a week...but I am still feeling the after affects. I am at about 90% now....hopefully in 17 days I will be all better!

[AMFADVENTURES]

Pell, good luck on the Horsey 100, hope you get past the saddle problems. I'm on my 3rd saddle and have still got a little of that myself, but it is getting better. The last teeny tiny tweek I made to the latest saddle helped a bunch.

[pawpaw]

Horsey Hundred- 102 miles

Eating my oatmeal and pre-hydrating for our ride today. My DH has a cold, so we don't know how this is going to work out. We can cut the route at several points. We did the 72 mile route last year and that may be what we end up with this year. Our biggest challenge is controlling our speed for the first 50 miles. If we can do that, we may be okay. We ordered new saddles last week but they haven't come in yet.
Larry- my VO2 results are still sitting on the scanner. Soon- promise. I have been writing a chapter for a book that is due Wednesday and that has taken all of my time for the past few weeks.
Time to go- will report later.
Pell

[pawpaw]

In the record books

Well, we did it but we are dead meat. We had a total time of nearly 8 hours, pedaling time of 6:06 and speed of 16.9, max speed of 43.36.
My average HR was 118 but that includes rest stops, so not very helpful. The last 20 miles were painful but we finished.

[AMFADVENTURES]

Congratulations Pell! I bet you guys are dead! What do you suppose your heart rate was while you were riding? I'd be interested to know how you feel tomorrow. I understand that a 20-minute recovery ride (zone 1) does wonders for aching muscles, even better than a cold water bath, AND it will help restore your immune system which you probably probably just smashed.

I'm heading to Tahoe late next week for the AMBBR. Haven't decided whether or not I'll do the century yet. I suppose if DW's cousin does it, I'll have to, and I guess it’d be good training for the Triple. It’s just hard to get excited about that much pain even in the face of such beautiful scenery.

Well done Pell,

Larry

[pawpaw]

Larry- We didn't push very hard. My max HR was 150 and I was rarely in the 140s- just on hills. Much of the time my HRM was beeping the low warning- under 125. The century has a section of fairly nasty hills. Only once we ran out of gears and just had to gut it out. Unfortunately, that was after our legs were gone.
It was a beautiful ride and the temperature was perfect- cool in the shade and a light breeze. The scenery was amazing- baby horses, perfectly manicured horse farms, goat farms, llamas, great roads with few potholes, some sweet rollers, police at most major intersections so we didn't have to stop, great rest stops with shade and good food, really a super ride. Just about 20 miles too much of it for my level of conditioning.

[Stella]

Congratulations Pell, well done! Sounded like lots of fun too!

[pawpaw]

Back on the bike

We went for a recovery ride today and I felt amazingly good. Twenty miles was plenty, but I enjoyed it. It was the first time on my single bike for weeks and it was great.
Keep riding everyone.

[AMFADVENTURES]

That does sound gorgeous Pell, I've definitely got to get there one of these days. Your training program must have really paid off if you were able to keep your heart rate in check that well.

DW's cousin IS doing the century at Tahoe so guess I'll have to give it a shot. The century really wasn't part of my training plan so guess I just won't push too hard. If I finish in under 9 hours I'll be happy.

Did a team ride yesterday. The ride was billed as a "how to" for sprint and interval drills but it turned out to be just group riding practice. It was nice to see some old acquaintances again but kind of disappointing as far as the ride.

Anyway, good luck on the MS 150. Will it be on the single bikes?

Talk to you when I'm back from Tahoe,
Stay safe everyone,

[AMFADVENTURES]

6/2/2011

Well, I blew off Tahoe. The weather forecast is calling for temps in the 32 to 48 deg. range and 40% chance of rain. Event organizers are scrambling to up the SAG fleet, shorten the course or even provide an indoor venue. Cold is OK, rain is OK but, call me a puss, cold rain on a bike is miserable. Guess I should have opted for the Horsey 100 this year.

So, back to the schedule, I've already got 8.5 hrs in this week and am looking for another 3.5 tomorrow. Not sure there is any amount of training that will get me through the Triple Bypass, but cycling with MS really is all about the training more than the event anyway.

Stay safe,

[pawpaw]

Sorry the Tahoe weather didn't cooperate. I am a bigger wimp- don't like rain at all for riding. I can do cooler weather but anything below 40 isn't pleasant. You are correct- the training is really the deal.
We aren't riding the MS150 this year- son is graduating from college and moving out of his apartment. I also had a book chapter I was writing so I wasn't sure I would have time to train. They changed our MS150 this year and it is much improved. I will do it again in the future.
Maybe not next year due to vacation conflicts.
I haven't been on a bike since Monday. I hope to ride in the morning on the single bike. It will be interesting to see how the fitness level has suffered. Somehow the big push to train is gone for me. I need to get it back. I haven't been doing the upper body stuff either. I will be sorry.
Pell