Comments on: No Blood, Too Much Sweat And All My Gears! http://djones.myncblogs.com/2008/07/01/no-blood-too-much-sweat-and-all-my-gears/ The Daily Draft is all about Cycling: training, nutrition, rides, mechanics... Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:13:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Donald http://djones.myncblogs.com/2008/07/01/no-blood-too-much-sweat-and-all-my-gears/#comment-768 Donald Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:53:36 +0000 http://djones.myncblogs.com/2008/07/01/no-blood-too-much-sweat-and-all-my-gears/#comment-768 GROOVER-- Thanks! The crowd definitely made it that much more fun. GROOVER– Thanks! The crowd definitely made it that much more fun.

]]> By: Groover http://djones.myncblogs.com/2008/07/01/no-blood-too-much-sweat-and-all-my-gears/#comment-767 Groover Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:31:03 +0000 http://djones.myncblogs.com/2008/07/01/no-blood-too-much-sweat-and-all-my-gears/#comment-767 Wow, what an awesome ride. And so many people. Awesome. Well done. Wow, what an awesome ride. And so many people. Awesome. Well done.

]]> By: Donald http://djones.myncblogs.com/2008/07/01/no-blood-too-much-sweat-and-all-my-gears/#comment-766 Donald Mon, 07 Jul 2008 07:51:57 +0000 http://djones.myncblogs.com/2008/07/01/no-blood-too-much-sweat-and-all-my-gears/#comment-766 RON... Thanks! Althought tough with the cramping... it was still a lot of fun. I trained like that and did keep a higher cadence in a smaller gear on a good part of the ride. It baffles me becasue I have never had hamstring lock-up like I did. Maybe a little calf crampping but never hamstrings. As for the gear on Snake Mountain, I was climbing in 42/12... and wishing I had that "magical 11th gear." IAN... Thanks so much! I forgot about the jersey. That's very cool and I'm excited to see it. Did I ever send you an address? As far as hill repeats... I have some decent ones near my home but they're no mountain ascents. In addition to my training ride... I'll hit a big hill three to four times and push it a little harder each time. That's about it. I did read about a hill exercise from Chris Carmichael just recently in the latest Bicycling magazine. I may try that too. I also try to get over to the mountains every now and then for training. Hope all is well with you! RON… Thanks! Althought tough with the cramping… it was still a lot of fun. I trained like that and did keep a higher cadence in a smaller gear on a good part of the ride. It baffles me becasue I have never had hamstring lock-up like I did. Maybe a little calf crampping but never hamstrings. As for the gear on Snake Mountain, I was climbing in 42/12… and wishing I had that “magical 11th gear.”

IAN… Thanks so much! I forgot about the jersey. That’s very cool and I’m excited to see it. Did I ever send you an address?
As far as hill repeats… I have some decent ones near my home but they’re no mountain ascents. In addition to my training ride… I’ll hit a big hill three to four times and push it a little harder each time. That’s about it. I did read about a hill exercise from Chris Carmichael just recently in the latest Bicycling magazine. I may try that too.
I also try to get over to the mountains every now and then for training. Hope all is well with you!

]]> By: Ian http://djones.myncblogs.com/2008/07/01/no-blood-too-much-sweat-and-all-my-gears/#comment-765 Ian Sat, 05 Jul 2008 18:46:15 +0000 http://djones.myncblogs.com/2008/07/01/no-blood-too-much-sweat-and-all-my-gears/#comment-765 Fantastic accomplishment! 20% grade would make me tremble, weave and I'm sure crash. I agree with the dehydration theory but feel it might have been complimented with some muscle fatigue. It sounds like the wind stepped the difficulty up a notch, and as we are all riders the wind is that unseen enemy we tend to forget until it's in our face or side. I'll send some stuff I use when I send out the jersey, which should be here on Monday. What style and format of hill repeats have you been doing? Fantastic accomplishment! 20% grade would make me tremble, weave and I’m sure crash.
I agree with the dehydration theory but feel it might have been complimented with some muscle fatigue. It sounds like the wind stepped the difficulty up a notch, and as we are all riders the wind is that unseen enemy we tend to forget until it’s in our face or side.
I’ll send some stuff I use when I send out the jersey, which should be here on Monday.
What style and format of hill repeats have you been doing?

]]> By: Ron http://djones.myncblogs.com/2008/07/01/no-blood-too-much-sweat-and-all-my-gears/#comment-751 Ron Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:53:15 +0000 http://djones.myncblogs.com/2008/07/01/no-blood-too-much-sweat-and-all-my-gears/#comment-751 What gear did you push up Snake Mountain, just curious? What gear did you push up Snake Mountain, just curious?

]]> By: Ron http://djones.myncblogs.com/2008/07/01/no-blood-too-much-sweat-and-all-my-gears/#comment-750 Ron Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:52:17 +0000 http://djones.myncblogs.com/2008/07/01/no-blood-too-much-sweat-and-all-my-gears/#comment-750 You made it! I read some of the comments here , and yes I have to agree that cramps are a dehydration problem but when you look at a ride like this, muscle fatigue is not out of the question. This isn't a normal exercise, its pretty insane for the human body and you must have taxed it pretty good to cut that time. Here's a tip, and you can try this on the next longest training ride you do. Try keeping your cadence a notch higher with a slightly smaller gear than usual. And ofcourse, eat and drink. High cadence has worked for me on many long rides, the key is not to letting your body push a heavy gear and cross the red line at some point. But congrats anyway. Solid ride! You made it! I read some of the comments here , and yes I have to agree that cramps are a dehydration problem but when you look at a ride like this, muscle fatigue is not out of the question. This isn’t a normal exercise, its pretty insane for the human body and you must have taxed it pretty good to cut that time.

Here’s a tip, and you can try this on the next longest training ride you do.

Try keeping your cadence a notch higher with a slightly smaller gear than usual. And ofcourse, eat and drink. High cadence has worked for me on many long rides, the key is not to letting your body push a heavy gear and cross the red line at some point.

But congrats anyway. Solid ride!

]]> By: Donald http://djones.myncblogs.com/2008/07/01/no-blood-too-much-sweat-and-all-my-gears/#comment-759 Donald Fri, 04 Jul 2008 07:27:48 +0000 http://djones.myncblogs.com/2008/07/01/no-blood-too-much-sweat-and-all-my-gears/#comment-759 ARLYN-- Thanks... and yes a true adventure... rides like this can be painful yet addictive. As far as the cramps... I've covered everything. My diet was good that day... the same as what I always eat prior to my ride and during. I'm going to try the electrolytes during training over the next couple of weeks because I have another big ride in the mountains in August. http://www.wvcf.org/cmc/ It's the Cheat Mountain Challenge. HI JUDI... Killer ride and a blast. On the food thing... as I was saying to Arlyn above: I can't figure why it would have been food because I kept my diet the same. All nutrition I've used on past rides just like this one. Maybe I could have used more? ARLYN– Thanks… and yes a true adventure… rides like this can be painful yet addictive. As far as the cramps… I’ve covered everything. My diet was good that day… the same as what I always eat prior to my ride and during. I’m going to try the electrolytes during training over the next couple of weeks because I have another big ride in the mountains in August.
http://www.wvcf.org/cmc/ It’s the Cheat Mountain Challenge.

HI JUDI… Killer ride and a blast. On the food thing… as I was saying to Arlyn above: I can’t figure why it would have been food because I kept my diet the same. All nutrition I’ve used on past rides just like this one. Maybe I could have used more?

]]> By: judi http://djones.myncblogs.com/2008/07/01/no-blood-too-much-sweat-and-all-my-gears/#comment-760 judi Fri, 04 Jul 2008 01:42:06 +0000 http://djones.myncblogs.com/2008/07/01/no-blood-too-much-sweat-and-all-my-gears/#comment-760 It sounds like a killer ride. Cramps are a sign of bad nutrition though. It sounds like a killer ride. Cramps are a sign of bad nutrition though.

]]> By: Arlyn http://djones.myncblogs.com/2008/07/01/no-blood-too-much-sweat-and-all-my-gears/#comment-763 Arlyn Thu, 03 Jul 2008 23:59:33 +0000 http://djones.myncblogs.com/2008/07/01/no-blood-too-much-sweat-and-all-my-gears/#comment-763 Congrats Donald! What an adventure - I'm really jealous :) I wish I could have been there too. I run a mix of pure maltodextrin in my bottles - no electrolytes. I've never cramped up on a ride so I guess GU is all my body needs. Some friends swear by the electrolyte pills though. Congrats Donald! What an adventure - I’m really jealous :) I wish I could have been there too.

I run a mix of pure maltodextrin in my bottles - no electrolytes. I’ve never cramped up on a ride so I guess GU is all my body needs. Some friends swear by the electrolyte pills though.

]]> By: Donald http://djones.myncblogs.com/2008/07/01/no-blood-too-much-sweat-and-all-my-gears/#comment-764 Donald Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:12:30 +0000 http://djones.myncblogs.com/2008/07/01/no-blood-too-much-sweat-and-all-my-gears/#comment-764 LESLIE-- Thanks so much! Yeah... I think I'm headed for the store today to get the Hammer E-Caps! I'm not going through that again. The frustrating part was I had some samples in my bag but I didn't put them in my jersey because I hadn't trained recently with them and didn't want to risk an upset stomach or something. I look forward to next year... come on down... and I'm ready to aim for that 6:15! I think I'm kind of glad to hear there isn't a climb like Snake in the Cheat Challenge. LESLIE– Thanks so much! Yeah… I think I’m headed for the store today to get the Hammer E-Caps! I’m not going through that again. The frustrating part was I had some samples in my bag but I didn’t put them in my jersey because I hadn’t trained recently with them and didn’t want to risk an upset stomach or something. I look forward to next year… come on down… and I’m ready to aim for that 6:15! I think I’m kind of glad to hear there isn’t a climb like Snake in the Cheat Challenge.

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