Blood, Sweat and Gears Training Update: Week 1

I signed myself up to ride the 2009 Blood, Sweat, and Gears 100-mile ride/race in Boone, North Carolina. Boone is known to have some of the most challenging cycling terrain in the country. Lance made it famous by training there post-cancer, saying,

"It's a great area for riding, very hilly, but I'd say it's the best area for training in the whole of the United States." –– Lance Armstrong on Boone, NC Cycle Sport (June 1998)

The ride goes on portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and I cycled this road when I moved by car from PA to FL. In describing the route, the BSG website says, "The route roughly circles Boone through the outskirts of Watauga County, the heart of North Carolina's High Country. The terrain is constantly changing with hills of all lengths and curves too numerous to count. The cumulative climbing elevation is 13,000+ feet, with the climb up to the gap at Snake Mountain, milepoint 63, reaching an 18-20% grade near the top."

Basically, it's hilly. How hilly? Well check out this picture of the terrain. That looks to me like it could be more challenging than my daily surmount of the 50ft. Linton bridge.

So am I intimidated?

But what most amatuer multisport compoetitors don't realize is that I an UNINTIMIDATEABLE, I teach one of the worst classes in the school, but I teach them hard, because I am unintimidatable. I once traveled to detroit with 11 black kids from chester and a coach known only by "rasheed" to play in a basketball tournament. I once dunked right on the head of a 6'8" guy in the middle of a packed, downtown philly gym, playing a Sonny Hill League basketball game. I once was ejected from a college basketball game for punting a ball off the court. I once biked 120miles on a friday after work.

I am unintimidateable. Throw me on Snake Mountain (The biggest climb at BSG) right now and I will kill it and eat snake sandwiches for dinner.

In regards to the training:

Key Sessions:

1. Key Bike - This was a 3-hour power crank ride on Sunday. I felt great. I have been having trouble with the speedplays recently (if your interested in more information about why, post a comment and I'll answer), so I got myself a pair of Keo Carbons off ebay for $144. These feel great, good float, but a nice, wide, stable pedal platform. The ride went well! Could have ridden three more hours.

2. Key Swims - I swam 5 times this past week, and each was a key swim, coming in at around 4000km. While I clearly won't be swimming up snake mountain (but I could), I am getting back to the pool for 1) some cross-training aerobic training 2) Some exercise induced psychotherapy. For the training, I am trying to rebuild the Florida 70.3 solid aerobic base, so I figure any addition distance training will help build a stronger engine to climb mt. snake. Second, as a therapist, the pool often helps me work out all those axieties and stresses that tend to build up over the course of the day. I get to the pool tired and stressed and I get out of the pool energized and relaxed. Petty good deal.


In summary:
1. I am signed up for Blood, Sweat and Gears
2. I am unintimidateable
3. I am back into structured training - long rides on the weekends, moderate rides during the week, and aerobic swims.


Quote of the Week

"Turn to your neighbor, shake his hand, and say, 'Penis!'"

-Me, trying to break the ice with the 6th grade boys to whom I am teaching sex-ed.