Endurance sports are generally numbers driven. At the highest-level, performance at races is judged by the most honest broker of all -- time. To me, that’s a large part of the growing draw to endurance sports; in a world filled with so much subjectivity (just ask any management position at big company what it means for them to do a good job, and odds are, it won’t be a simple explanation), endurance athletics provide us with an increasingly rare ability to set a goal and measure it against an objective criteria. If the goal was a 3-hour marathon, there is no wondering if you did a good job or not. You either ran sub-3, or you didn’t. For better or worse, there just aren’t that many other areas in life where you can test yourself in such a pure way. So, against that backdrop, I would say racing with time as a gauge is a good thing.
Then there is training. Whether it is pace zones, distance, heart-rate, or wattage, workouts tend to be both driven by and measured by a proliferating amount of numbers on a screen. This provides an enormous benefit, using bio-feedback to ensure that our hard days are hard (not a problem for most endurance athletes) and that our easy days are easy (usually a much tougher challenge for endurance athletes). Numbers based training also lets us to measure progress and can highlight problems as they arise, allowing athletes [and their coaches] to make adjustments to training in real time. Personally, I train using pace and heart-rate, and if I could afford a power-meter, I would train using wattage too. I’m a big believer in making informed decisions in all things, and my training is no different. Data is great.
Next comes nutrition and recovery. Not that long ago, “calories in, calories out” was a fine guiding principle; now it is no longer good enough. Not only do we measure nutrients; carbs, proteins, and fats; but also sub-types of nutrients (energy gels are now branding themselves as having the right mix of glucose, fructose, and maltodextrin) and the timing of when we eat them (simple carbs right before and after workouts, good fats and proteins throughout the rest of the day). This type of nutritional information arose out of a lot of hard-science and an entire fleet of PhDs, and on balance, it’s pretty accurate, and it’s hard to argue that it can’t help improve performance and health. Same goes with recovery; new IPhone apps can tell you how many hours you spent in REM, and for under $70 at Costco, you can take home a scale that reads your weight, BMI, body-fat percentage, and hydration levels.
I could go on forever, but by now the point should be pretty clear. As endurance athletes (especially those of us that are more serious) we don’t just engage in a sport, but an entire lifestyle, and one that can gravitate toward being pretty numbers driven. Personally, I think all of this science is a good thing, but we cannot forget about the critical importance of art in the endurance athlete’s lifestyle. The rationale is pretty simple:
1. Population-based data (e.g., the ideal weight and body-comp for a male marathon runner) is based on a bell-curve. The smallest minority of people comprise the median/average, and the great majority (of us) fall somewhere along the tails. As a matter of fact, it is our individual scatteredness around the center that creates such a recommended number. To that end, becoming hell-bent on achieving such recommendations is a bad idea, since odds are, that recommendation isn’t fit for you as an individual. Use it as a guide or starting point, but know yourself, listen to your body, and figure out where along the curve you [as an individual] lie. Then zero-in on your “ideal point.” This is true for all population based science; it certainly defines a neighborhood you want to be in, but that’s it.
2. Individual data (e.g., heart-rate zones) is also somewhat based on averages. You may know your training zones like the back of your hand, but how does your last night’s sleep impact your heart-rate, or the argument you had with your boyfriend, or the stressful project at work, or the cup of coffee you had with lunch…Over time, these metrics (whether it’s heart-rate, pace, or power) paint a great picture of where we should be for each workout; but, on any given day, they can actually be detrimental to the success of a workout. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great that we have this personalized bio-feedback, but even it can be deceiving at times.
For these reasons, I suggest relying on art (or feel, touch, Zen…whatever you want to call it) to support and work in unison with science. Neglecting science can lead us down an extremely unstructured and dangerous path to poor training, racing, and health….but neglecting art can too.
I’ve noticed amongst peers in the sport(s) that a lot of people are becoming more and more comfortable with science, but a much rarer few is even aware of, let alone focused on the importance of art. And it’s not easy. When the Garmin says 7:10 or 149bpm, you know exactly where you’re at. But, what about when the body starts to feel lethargic all the time? Or you realize that little things throughout the rest of the day are bothering you more than they should? Being in touch with that side of the lifestyle, and then being able to make tweaks based on that feedback, can be a much greater challenge, but one that I believe separates good from great training and racing (and also good from great coaching, for those of you that work with or are considering a coach).
For further insight on this topic, check out the articles of the week. Most notably, the Slowtwitch interview with Matt Dixon, the Ryan Hall series, and conversation on the pros and cons of training with metrics.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Introducing Greater > Than Endurance
Over the past year, the balance of postings on my old blog was split pretty evenly between topical (e.g., approaches to training) and personal (e.g., race reports). I’ve realized that there is much more interest in the former than the latter. I’m still convinced most of my races are legendary...in my own mind anyways...
So, with that said, it became evident that a rebranding was in order: the content will now be centered around discussions on issues important to all of us: the latest in training, nutrition, recovery, and the lifestyle of an endurance athlete. I’m still reserving the right to share a race report every now and then, but I’ll only do so if I feel that there are take-aways highly applicable to a wide audience. I will try to get my own new posts up at least every two weeks. But another new and exciting feature of the blog will always be updated regularly: see the upper right panel for links to the top five endurance training/racing articles of the week. I’m a total nerd about this stuff, and read it frequently, and while a lot of what I read is great, a lot isn’t…so I’ll do my best to act as a “filter” for the good reads. Even if my writing doesn’t excite you, hopefully some of these articles will…and the blog will still carry some value for you
What’s up with the new name and site address: Greater > Than is a philosophy that characterizes us as endurance athletes. It is about creating and “opting-in” to just manageable challenges that yield physical, mental, and spiritual growth. We push ourselves to uncomfortable places and challenge our respective limits so that we can be Greater > Than we were the day before. While the medals, Facebook status updates, and Twitter feeds are cool, you don’t last in endurance sports if that is what drives you. Rather, we live this stuff for the complexity it creates in our lives, the character and confidence it builds, and the deep-rooted community we get to share it all with. My aim is for this blog (even if in the smallest way) is to contribute to your personal pursuit of becoming Greater > Than.
The first post on the newly branded blog is all about integrating this stuff with other aspects of our lives. It’s crowd sourced, so 99% of it is in your own words, and I think the result is pretty damn insightful. Check it out below!
***Got to give credit where credit is due: I didn’t come up with Greater > Than, but my good friends Mark and Jon Sider did, when they launched an electrolyte replacement sports drink that has partnered with the best local running store (RunningFit) to sponsor an Endurance Racing team out of Ann Arbor, Michigan. I'm a big fan of the drink, and an even bigger fan of the philosophy.
So, with that said, it became evident that a rebranding was in order: the content will now be centered around discussions on issues important to all of us: the latest in training, nutrition, recovery, and the lifestyle of an endurance athlete. I’m still reserving the right to share a race report every now and then, but I’ll only do so if I feel that there are take-aways highly applicable to a wide audience. I will try to get my own new posts up at least every two weeks. But another new and exciting feature of the blog will always be updated regularly: see the upper right panel for links to the top five endurance training/racing articles of the week. I’m a total nerd about this stuff, and read it frequently, and while a lot of what I read is great, a lot isn’t…so I’ll do my best to act as a “filter” for the good reads. Even if my writing doesn’t excite you, hopefully some of these articles will…and the blog will still carry some value for you
What’s up with the new name and site address: Greater > Than is a philosophy that characterizes us as endurance athletes. It is about creating and “opting-in” to just manageable challenges that yield physical, mental, and spiritual growth. We push ourselves to uncomfortable places and challenge our respective limits so that we can be Greater > Than we were the day before. While the medals, Facebook status updates, and Twitter feeds are cool, you don’t last in endurance sports if that is what drives you. Rather, we live this stuff for the complexity it creates in our lives, the character and confidence it builds, and the deep-rooted community we get to share it all with. My aim is for this blog (even if in the smallest way) is to contribute to your personal pursuit of becoming Greater > Than.
The first post on the newly branded blog is all about integrating this stuff with other aspects of our lives. It’s crowd sourced, so 99% of it is in your own words, and I think the result is pretty damn insightful. Check it out below!
***Got to give credit where credit is due: I didn’t come up with Greater > Than, but my good friends Mark and Jon Sider did, when they launched an electrolyte replacement sports drink that has partnered with the best local running store (RunningFit) to sponsor an Endurance Racing team out of Ann Arbor, Michigan. I'm a big fan of the drink, and an even bigger fan of the philosophy.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Making Training Work: Thoughts from Near-Elites that are "Pro" at Something Other than Multisport
It’s fitting that I’m pulling this post together on a flight back to Detroit for a wedding in my girlfriend’s family…after a half-day of work…after a 4-hour brick workout that started around 4:30AM. I won’t have my bike in Michigan, nor the time for such a long training session, but it was a critical workout that had to get done, and it got done. I’ll still train this weekend, but nothing nearly that long, and the focus will be on family and friends, not my cadence while climbing.
While I’ve written about finding “balance” before [http://bradstrainingupdate.blogspot.com/2011/02/balancing-training-with-other-things-in.html], the broader topic of making multisport training [and more generally, the lifestyle] work with other commitments is one that seems never to go away; constantly brought up on long group rides, in magazines, and recently, even in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Given the significance of and interest in this topic in our community, rather than giving additional thoughts of my own, I decided to take a “crowed source” approach. I asked over 30 near-elite [we aren’t talking weekend warriors, but athletes that constantly win their age-group and often find themselves on overall podiums] individuals that are “pro” at something other than multisport* how they make training at such a high level [often between 15-20 hours a week] work. The results, in their own words, are below. This is a long one, but probably the most insightful and useful stuff that has ever been up on this page. Go figure, it’s the one thing I didn’t write!
“I think it can be a very destructive sport and I’ve been aware of that from day one. I’ve always had my wife’s support. I’ve watched friends and training partners go from training, to sitting around, watching TV to jumping on Facebook, to having a stretch, then back to Facebook. That’s not how I spend my time. I think when you have other commitments, you need to be regimented, get things in order and get things done….I also always try to include my family in some way.”
“The balance is a lot of planning and communicating. But overall it comes down to the family understanding what I do. But also me understanding what I need to do…which is get up early a lot and get it done. Sleeping in and rolling out for a mid-morning bike ride on a weekend is unacceptable.”“I don’t golf, I don’t play poker, and I probably make $20K less than my full earnings potential. But I’m a hell of a lot healthier, wiser, happier, and a better example to my children for it.”
“It’s deciding how you want to spend your time. I am content with a mediocre social life and very few activities that don’t involve working out. The more you put into something the more you will get out, it works for training, relationships, and life. To put more in somewhere one usually has to take some out somewhere else.”
“I teach 6th grade, am getting my masters at night, have certain Teach for America obligations, a relationship, and train a lot. Everything is scheduled, and I try my best to stick to it. I also have a plan where I know what races to prioritize…I sync those up when the timing with everything else is right.”
“Quality over quantity. Use the trainer.”
“I have a very supportive and understanding husband, and I am constantly re-evaluating the balance of more training time to get faster and more competitive-and the importance of that. I would rather be an elite wife and mother than an elite athlete”
“I like to combine family outings with a workout. I will ride to my in-laws, meet the family in town.”
“It helps to have family that is supportive of the individual who is pursuing a multisport lifestyle, so they can operate in a more functional and progressive manner. Trying to balance graduate studies and doctoral internships, military training and deployments, and family life is a never-ending balancing act. I try to give the proper attention to each aspect of my life. It’s not easy, but as the time goes on you begin to realize how to fine-tune what aspects in your life need more attention, just like in multisport, when after a certain amount of time you begin to realize what aspects/disciplines of the sport you need to give more attention and fine-tuning to. We choose multisport because it pushes the mind and the body and allows us to feel the gift of life, in its most honest and natural state.”
“I have been EXTREMELY fortunate to be dating a girl that understands the dynamics of a competitive athlete, such as me. I have also been extremely successful in surrounding myself with people who both understand and admire what I do- and that's half the battle of making it work.”
“I do jeopardize other aspects of my life. My friends in the department constantly ask me if I want to go out for a pitcher or something on the weekends, but I always have to turn them down because I'm getting up early to roll on the Blue Ridge Mountains. It's just the kind of sacrifice that you have to make. You have to surround yourself with people who "get it", and the rest will take care of itself.”
“Planning and communication is key. At the start of every week, my wife knows when my workouts are, and if they don’t “work out,” then they are adjusted. Getting 15 hours in a week actually isn’t that tough at all, so long as you find the right 15 hours. That is a joint effort.”
“This sport is my Soma. You can get me at 70% 100% of the time, or 100% 95% of the time.”
“Yeah, it’s an addiction, but I see those that end their nights with 1-2 hours of TV on the couch just as addicted. And while mine may cost more now, when I hit 65, 70, it will cost a lot less”
“I’m not really sure how it works, to be honest. It would probably be easier to be a pro, but that’s just not realistic for me. It’s tough to be too good to do this casually, but not good enough to do it full time. But at the end of the day, even in monster weeks, finding 25 hours is feasible. Whether or not it will always be (I don’t yet have kids) I can’t say.”
I hope that you found this as thought-provoking and insightful as I did.
Until next time, Train hard, live hard!
*I include just one quote from a pro, which is the first one; I found it quite good.
While I’ve written about finding “balance” before [http://bradstrainingupdate.blogspot.com/2011/02/balancing-training-with-other-things-in.html], the broader topic of making multisport training [and more generally, the lifestyle] work with other commitments is one that seems never to go away; constantly brought up on long group rides, in magazines, and recently, even in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Given the significance of and interest in this topic in our community, rather than giving additional thoughts of my own, I decided to take a “crowed source” approach. I asked over 30 near-elite [we aren’t talking weekend warriors, but athletes that constantly win their age-group and often find themselves on overall podiums] individuals that are “pro” at something other than multisport* how they make training at such a high level [often between 15-20 hours a week] work. The results, in their own words, are below. This is a long one, but probably the most insightful and useful stuff that has ever been up on this page. Go figure, it’s the one thing I didn’t write!
“I think it can be a very destructive sport and I’ve been aware of that from day one. I’ve always had my wife’s support. I’ve watched friends and training partners go from training, to sitting around, watching TV to jumping on Facebook, to having a stretch, then back to Facebook. That’s not how I spend my time. I think when you have other commitments, you need to be regimented, get things in order and get things done….I also always try to include my family in some way.”
“The balance is a lot of planning and communicating. But overall it comes down to the family understanding what I do. But also me understanding what I need to do…which is get up early a lot and get it done. Sleeping in and rolling out for a mid-morning bike ride on a weekend is unacceptable.”“I don’t golf, I don’t play poker, and I probably make $20K less than my full earnings potential. But I’m a hell of a lot healthier, wiser, happier, and a better example to my children for it.”
“It’s deciding how you want to spend your time. I am content with a mediocre social life and very few activities that don’t involve working out. The more you put into something the more you will get out, it works for training, relationships, and life. To put more in somewhere one usually has to take some out somewhere else.”
“I teach 6th grade, am getting my masters at night, have certain Teach for America obligations, a relationship, and train a lot. Everything is scheduled, and I try my best to stick to it. I also have a plan where I know what races to prioritize…I sync those up when the timing with everything else is right.”
“Quality over quantity. Use the trainer.”
“I have a very supportive and understanding husband, and I am constantly re-evaluating the balance of more training time to get faster and more competitive-and the importance of that. I would rather be an elite wife and mother than an elite athlete”
“I like to combine family outings with a workout. I will ride to my in-laws, meet the family in town.”
“It helps to have family that is supportive of the individual who is pursuing a multisport lifestyle, so they can operate in a more functional and progressive manner. Trying to balance graduate studies and doctoral internships, military training and deployments, and family life is a never-ending balancing act. I try to give the proper attention to each aspect of my life. It’s not easy, but as the time goes on you begin to realize how to fine-tune what aspects in your life need more attention, just like in multisport, when after a certain amount of time you begin to realize what aspects/disciplines of the sport you need to give more attention and fine-tuning to. We choose multisport because it pushes the mind and the body and allows us to feel the gift of life, in its most honest and natural state.”
“I have been EXTREMELY fortunate to be dating a girl that understands the dynamics of a competitive athlete, such as me. I have also been extremely successful in surrounding myself with people who both understand and admire what I do- and that's half the battle of making it work.”
“I do jeopardize other aspects of my life. My friends in the department constantly ask me if I want to go out for a pitcher or something on the weekends, but I always have to turn them down because I'm getting up early to roll on the Blue Ridge Mountains. It's just the kind of sacrifice that you have to make. You have to surround yourself with people who "get it", and the rest will take care of itself.”
“Planning and communication is key. At the start of every week, my wife knows when my workouts are, and if they don’t “work out,” then they are adjusted. Getting 15 hours in a week actually isn’t that tough at all, so long as you find the right 15 hours. That is a joint effort.”
“This sport is my Soma. You can get me at 70% 100% of the time, or 100% 95% of the time.”
“Yeah, it’s an addiction, but I see those that end their nights with 1-2 hours of TV on the couch just as addicted. And while mine may cost more now, when I hit 65, 70, it will cost a lot less”
“I’m not really sure how it works, to be honest. It would probably be easier to be a pro, but that’s just not realistic for me. It’s tough to be too good to do this casually, but not good enough to do it full time. But at the end of the day, even in monster weeks, finding 25 hours is feasible. Whether or not it will always be (I don’t yet have kids) I can’t say.”
I hope that you found this as thought-provoking and insightful as I did.
Until next time, Train hard, live hard!
*I include just one quote from a pro, which is the first one; I found it quite good.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Training Update from Salt Lake City, Utah
Between a Spring filled with lots of racing, some down-time, and then moving out west for the summer to work at Intermountain, it has been quite a while since my last true training update. I'm back to base-phase type work, and with my priority race for the Fall being a long course duathlon [4.5mile/56mile/13.1mile], the early focus is all about building power on the bike and muscular endurance on the run; this equates to lots of low rpm (55-70) riding, steady-state runs of 10-14 miles, and functional strength work in the weightroom. I'll give a few additional details on three aspects of my training that have changed since coming to Utah: 1) early morning workouts 2) recovery and 3) riding in the canyons of Utah.
Early Morning Workouts: My job at the hospital starts fairly early, and because I would rather do my longest workout of the day in the morning (things always seem to come up in the afternoon, and even when they don't, my body's circadian rhythm best lends itself to quality in the morning), I have been getting up between 4:15 and 4:30. At face value this seems a little outrageous, but I've been going to bed between 8:15 and 8:30, so I'm actually sleeping quite a bit! Basically, I've stayed on Michigan time. I do most of my midweek riding on the trainer -- both as a way to really dial-in these highly specific workouts (for more on this see a great article on trainer benefits: http://triathlon.competitor.com/2011/06/training/the-endangered-outdoor-ride_31264-outdoor-ride_31264) and to eliminate the risk of flat tires and other mechanicals that could easily cause me to be late for work. In addition, trainer rides help out with the light factor since it is still dark during the first half of most of these workouts, which would be OK for running, but not so much for relatively fast cycling. As for running, the streets in Utah are extremely athlete friendly, so even when it is darker, I have a pretty large shoulder to work with, and decent lighting as well. In terms of the workouts themselves, nothing too exciting or heroic to report here. I have started working in weekly double bricks (bike/run/bike/run) which are mentally pretty easy (you I have 4 shorter workouts vs. 1 real long one) but physically pretty challenging (they definitely stress your body)...which is a nice transition to my next topic, recovery...
Recovery: I have been bouncing back from intense workouts (and even some shorter races that I have worked into my training) better than ever. This may be attributable to a whole manner of things, not to mention the fact that I haven't done any high-intensity speed work, and not even that much training at threshold yet. That said, if my legs feel good 20-hours after a 15 mile climb (more on that in the next section), it makes me confident that something is at work for me. Here are the four things that I am excited about. 1) I recently partnered with Extreme Endurance (http://xendurance.com/) which makes a supplement that helps your body process and remove lactic acid and other waste product. As you all know, I am absolutely anal about what I put in my body, so I have researched this product extensively, and tested it in the medical community. It's safe, totally legal (obviously) and I have found it highly effective. Rather than go on about the science here, if you are interested, you can learn a ton on their website. It's a great investment in your training, and I would highly recommend it. 2) I have been eating a ton of cherries, and more specifically, using them to fuel my early morning workouts. Research shows that a variety of compounds in cherries help with inflammation (on par with Ibueprofen) and the fruit has a high anti-oxidant content which is also great for fighting all the crap we create in our body from the stress of training. In addition to their more medicinal benefits, cherries are a great and all-natural source of simple sugars, perfect for pre-workout fueling. 3) Whey Protein has been shown to both help prevent the breakdown of muscle and to jump-start the re-building and recovery process. I've been adding a scoop to my post-workout chocolate milk and/or oatmeal. It's cheap, you can get it anywhere, and the science here is pretty indisputable. 4) I have written about compression socks before, and now so have all the leading multisport publications. Long story short here is they don't just work for me, but they also seem to work for just about everyone. I don't use them during training, but after harder sessions, I put them on for at least three hours, and have noticed a huge difference from those few rare times where I don't throw them on. Another great investment.
Riding in the Canyons: Climbing back home in Ann Arbor, Michigan means half-mile to mile rollers. I've learned that the true meaning of "climbing" means 10-15 mile ascents up 4-10% graded roads. It's quite the difference! Going from 90 and sunny to snow-crested roads is just awesome!! I have loved these gritty hill-climb rides, and have no doubt that I will be faster on the flats and rollers when I get back home as a result. The bike lanes are wide, drivers courteous, and views spectacular. Pretty much heaven for a cyclist! I'll stop there and let the pictures tell the rest of the story.
Early Morning Workouts: My job at the hospital starts fairly early, and because I would rather do my longest workout of the day in the morning (things always seem to come up in the afternoon, and even when they don't, my body's circadian rhythm best lends itself to quality in the morning), I have been getting up between 4:15 and 4:30. At face value this seems a little outrageous, but I've been going to bed between 8:15 and 8:30, so I'm actually sleeping quite a bit! Basically, I've stayed on Michigan time. I do most of my midweek riding on the trainer -- both as a way to really dial-in these highly specific workouts (for more on this see a great article on trainer benefits: http://triathlon.competitor.com/2011/06/training/the-endangered-outdoor-ride_31264-outdoor-ride_31264) and to eliminate the risk of flat tires and other mechanicals that could easily cause me to be late for work. In addition, trainer rides help out with the light factor since it is still dark during the first half of most of these workouts, which would be OK for running, but not so much for relatively fast cycling. As for running, the streets in Utah are extremely athlete friendly, so even when it is darker, I have a pretty large shoulder to work with, and decent lighting as well. In terms of the workouts themselves, nothing too exciting or heroic to report here. I have started working in weekly double bricks (bike/run/bike/run) which are mentally pretty easy (you I have 4 shorter workouts vs. 1 real long one) but physically pretty challenging (they definitely stress your body)...which is a nice transition to my next topic, recovery...
Recovery: I have been bouncing back from intense workouts (and even some shorter races that I have worked into my training) better than ever. This may be attributable to a whole manner of things, not to mention the fact that I haven't done any high-intensity speed work, and not even that much training at threshold yet. That said, if my legs feel good 20-hours after a 15 mile climb (more on that in the next section), it makes me confident that something is at work for me. Here are the four things that I am excited about. 1) I recently partnered with Extreme Endurance (http://xendurance.com/) which makes a supplement that helps your body process and remove lactic acid and other waste product. As you all know, I am absolutely anal about what I put in my body, so I have researched this product extensively, and tested it in the medical community. It's safe, totally legal (obviously) and I have found it highly effective. Rather than go on about the science here, if you are interested, you can learn a ton on their website. It's a great investment in your training, and I would highly recommend it. 2) I have been eating a ton of cherries, and more specifically, using them to fuel my early morning workouts. Research shows that a variety of compounds in cherries help with inflammation (on par with Ibueprofen) and the fruit has a high anti-oxidant content which is also great for fighting all the crap we create in our body from the stress of training. In addition to their more medicinal benefits, cherries are a great and all-natural source of simple sugars, perfect for pre-workout fueling. 3) Whey Protein has been shown to both help prevent the breakdown of muscle and to jump-start the re-building and recovery process. I've been adding a scoop to my post-workout chocolate milk and/or oatmeal. It's cheap, you can get it anywhere, and the science here is pretty indisputable. 4) I have written about compression socks before, and now so have all the leading multisport publications. Long story short here is they don't just work for me, but they also seem to work for just about everyone. I don't use them during training, but after harder sessions, I put them on for at least three hours, and have noticed a huge difference from those few rare times where I don't throw them on. Another great investment.
Riding in the Canyons: Climbing back home in Ann Arbor, Michigan means half-mile to mile rollers. I've learned that the true meaning of "climbing" means 10-15 mile ascents up 4-10% graded roads. It's quite the difference! Going from 90 and sunny to snow-crested roads is just awesome!! I have loved these gritty hill-climb rides, and have no doubt that I will be faster on the flats and rollers when I get back home as a result. The bike lanes are wide, drivers courteous, and views spectacular. Pretty much heaven for a cyclist! I'll stop there and let the pictures tell the rest of the story.
Stay tuned for my next post, which I am quite excited about: a "crowd-sourced" review of how many near-elites (that are still "pro" at something other than multisport) are able to maintain their level of competition...as well as all the other things in life...
Until then, train hard, live hard!!
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