Ahhhh… the feeling is back. Climbing… sure it can hurt… but I love it. I’m training for a century in the mountains at the end of June. It’s called Blood, Sweat & Gears. This was my first ever mountain century last year and I loved it. So, I’m back for more this year and my training in the mountains got a good jump start this weekend. I’ve been on mostly rolling roads around my home so I needed to get in some true ascents. My mountain ride was 56 miles with 5,600 feet of climbing. The gradient ranged from 8% to 16%. The Blood, Sweat & Gears climbing total is 13,000+ feet, with one climb up Snake Mountain reaching an 18-20% grade near the top. This picture on the right is one of the climbs I pedaled this weekend. Shull’s Mill Road is 10 miles long and takes you up to the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s a good road to get the climbing legs going. Once up to the Blue Ridge Parkway the gradient average is 8%. One of my favorite points is crossing the Lynn Cove Viaduct. It’s beautiful and you can look across the mountains on a clear day. You can see by the picture on the left where the road climbs up to the viaduct. Look closely and you’ll see where the road winds around the mountain in the top left of the picture. This particular picture was taken in the fall. Here’s another one with a closer view of the viaduct. It’s an awesome ride. To finish, I had to climb back up a mountain to our condo.
Truly satisfying!
Calories Burned: 2,700 Feeling: Pretty Good Reward: An ice cold IPA
So, I’m thinking about a new saddle. The one I have is sufficient. But I’m wondering… “Is there something better out there?” I think I get a little uncomfortable in the saddle a little too frequently. Sure, I know it’s recommended to shift around a lot but I’m wondering if there’s something better for me. Right now I sit on a Terry Fly. I do like the cutaway and it weighs in at 240g with Titanium rails. Is it bad that I have to be too shifty? There are so many seats to choose from… it’s hard to know where to start. I clicked on a banner for Selle Italia while reading Cycling News and saw this.
It’s the Selle Italia Optima… I’m not interested in this seat. I just thought it’s on eof the very interesting options out there. It’s expensive and I wonder how comfy could it be? I also wonder what Ron at Cozy Beehive would think of the engineering on this particular design. Yes, that’s an integrated bottle holder on the back of the seat. Would your bottle stay in on a very bumpy road? How about when you take off on a hard sprint?
Anyway, staying on the subject of Selle Italia… a fellow cyclist swears by them and that’s all he’s ever ridden. I know that it comes down to personal preference and your bum’s particular fit. But… each brand has several models to choose from. What company and model do you saddle up with and why?
I guess they do. This past weekend, I was invited to a grape “stomp-off’ against other media representatives from around town. It was a huge wine festival, “Great Grapes,” showcasing North Carolina’s growing wine industry. So, for our efforts, we were told the person who stomped out the most grape juice after 5 minutes straight of stomping would win $100 for their charity of choice. My charity, 24 Hours of Booty, the official 24 hour cycling event of the Lance Armstrong Foundation. You may have read one of my earlier posts about both of my parents being diagnosed with cancer last year. Well, I was determined to stomp my ass off and add the prize money to my fundraising effort. I guess I used the right technique because I filled the pitcher. Even better, the event organizers gave everyone’s charity $100 and since I won… I got $200! I was so excited I picked up the pitcher and took a gulp… two gulps. Yes, my feet were clean. Check out the short video below and if you have time, please visit Donald’s24 Hours of Booty fundraising page. Cheers!
I’m determined to get to the bottom of this. OK… no wise cracks about how many buns… I mean puns… I can fit into this post.
But really… I have never used a chamois cream (creme) and I’m not sure I’ve ever really had a true saddle sore. Don’t get me wrong… my bottom side has felt pretty cheeky after those long rides. Last year, I trained and rode in three century events in the North Carolina mountains. They all had a lot of altitude, one as much as 13,000 plus feet of combined climbing. I’ve been thinking… as I increase my training for the same rides again this year… Would it help to lube up before the long mileage?
Some things I’ve read on the internet suggest chamois cream (creme) is only needed on real chamois… but other articles, including product descriptions suggest using it on synthetic chamois as well.
Like Assos… I believe this was Lance’s preferred product. Assos is described like this:
Specifically formulated for all natural and synthetic chamois
Cream reduces friction, increases coolness, and prevents bacterial and fungal infections
For best results apply a thin layer on your chamois after washing and before riding
Then there’s Chamois Butt’r described like this: This non-greasy skin lubricant is the number one choice for riders challenged with chafing in sensitive areas–great for extended riding.
Lotion can be applied directly to the skin, or can be slathered on the pad of your shorts to prevent uncomfortable friction
Restores the softness and suppleness of natural and synthetic chamois padding in your bike shorts
I’m sure we all prefer soft and supple… but I’m left wondering do I need this?
Will it make my ride more comfortable?
If so… what kind do you think I should try first?
Stretching… How much should cyclists stretch and when?
I wonder about this every time I ride… I come home from a ride and relax. Sometimes I stretch… sometimes I don’t. I have found I feel better with some basic Yoga… but I struggle with the time management.
So, I decided to ask Dr. Chris Eschbach, Director of The Human Performance Lab at Meredith College.
Dr. Eschbach:
This is a bit of a hard question. The research on stretching is a stretch at best! There is little to no research that shows stretching prevents chronic injuries (or acute injuries for that matter). On a practical level, it is good to keep at least a functional level of flexibility. For that to happen the old school techniques of stretching should suffice: Stretch after a workout, not before; work all the major muscle groups/joints; perform the stretch 2-4 times through holding the stretch 30-60 sec; perform this 3-5 times per week initially and once you gain a little flexibility maintenance sessions of 2-3 times per week is plenty. Sadly, even if you accomplish this it may not help prevent any injuries.
Desserts are my weakness! It seems as I get older… I’m craving that little something sweet after each meal… lunch or dinner. I’m not a candy kind of person… but rather ice cream, cookies or cake. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll enjoy a Snickers every now and then. Either way… this can’t be good for my training… right?
What would you recommend eating if you’re craving something sweet?
Dr. Chris Eschbach:“I would suggest eating sweets!!! They are great and I don’t know how any endurance athlete would ever live without them (I actually have a giant bag of jelly beans sitting beside me right now, it was a giant bag…it is getting smaller). The primary fuel source for athletes of all types is carbohydrates and we need to replenish them. If you really want to be a “Goody Two-Shoes” on nutrition the BEST time to eat sweets is in the few hours after your workout. Simple carbohydrates are quick to be absorbed and in turn replenished at that time. Of course, you don’t necessarily want a high fat sugary food but sugar is GOOD. Back to the jelly beans…I love Easter!”
Mountain reaching an 18-20% grade near the top. This picture on the right is one of the climbs I pedaled this weekend. Shull’s Mill Road is 10 miles long and takes you up to the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s a good road to 
get the climbing legs going. Once up to the Blue Ridge Parkway the gradient average is 8%. One of my favorite points is crossing the Lynn Cove Viaduct. It’s beautiful and you can look across the mountains on a clear day. You can see by the picture on the left where the road climbs up to the viaduct. Look closely and you’ll see where the road winds around the mountain in the top left of the picture. This particular picture was taken in the fall.
Here’s another one with a closer view of the viaduct. It’s an awesome ride. To finish, I had to climb back up a mountain to our condo. 
So, I’m thinking about a new saddle. The one I have is sufficient. But I’m wondering… “Is there something better out there?” I think I get a little uncomfortable in the saddle a little too frequently.
Sure, I know it’s recommended to shift around a lot but I’m wondering if there’s something better for me. Right now I sit on a Terry Fly. I do like the cutaway and it weighs in at 240g with Titanium rails. Is it bad that I have to be too shifty? There are so many seats to choose from… it’s hard to know where to start. I clicked on a banner for Selle Italia while reading Cycling News and saw this.
I’m determined to get to the bottom of this. OK… no wise cracks about how many buns… I mean puns… I can fit into this post.
This non-greasy skin lubricant is the number one choice for riders challenged with chafing in sensitive areas–great for extended riding.
least a functional level of flexibility. For that to happen the old school techniques of stretching should suffice: Stretch after a workout, not before; work all the major muscle groups/joints; perform the stretch 2-4 times through holding the stretch 30-60 sec; perform this 3-5 times per week initially and once you gain a little flexibility maintenance sessions of 2-3 times per week is plenty. Sadly, even if you accomplish this it may not help prevent any injuries.
I’m not a candy kind of person… but rather ice cream, cookies or cake. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll enjoy a Snickers every now and then. Either way… this can’t be good for my training… right?
Dr. Chris Eschbach: 