This week has started off on a very bright note for me and it also means a tough decision has to be made now. I received confirmation from the event staff for the Bike Ride Across Florida that my entry fees are indeed carried over from last year for the 2008 event since I had knee issues this year and couldn't ride, so my training plans have just changed. Sort of...
I have 3 choices:
1- continue my training/ride schedule for next race season and hope my fitness level will be sufficient for completing the BRAF.
2- train only for the BRAF which means putting in progressively longer rides until I can average 18+ for nearly 200 miles. This one requires a lot of night riding.
3- combine the training for both and sacrifice my early race season goals in order to do well at the BRAF. This one requires some night riding but only in the early morning or late evening according to which way my schedule slides.
Considering the 2008 route will be similar in distance and time required to complete it, I'll have to average over 17 mph for 11 hours. That is the minimum speed and maximum time to complete the ride. Given that the course is run east to west and they like to put what hills Florida has near the end, it poses an interesting challenge for mind and body. Diana is going to drive the truck and be my personal SAG wagon for the event, so my stops will be minimal for nature breaks and a change of clothes. We'll have to work on her handing me bottles and food while I'm on the bike so I won't have to stop, but we've already got the communications requirements ready as well as all the support equipment needed. I even have a back-up bike, or two, this year.
I think option 3 will be the best choice for me at this point. What I'll have to do is ride as many Macon rides I can do on Saturdays, continue the WBL rides on Sundays, but at some point one day will have to be sacrificed to build specifically for the BRAF. When to do that and which ride will have to be cut is the tough decision I'll have to make soon.
I have the rest of the week to re-arrange my schedule so I'll hopefully be peaking on the endurance side of the equation for April 20th. Maybe its time to give Eddie-O and a few other endurance riders a call and gather a wealth of advice so the decisions I have to make along the way will be narrowed from the get-go.
On the current training of late, Saturday was a bust. Just not meant to be. Nuff-said 'bout that. Sunday..........well, it was a beautiful December day with very few clouds, a good bit of sunshine, and a slight breeze out of the WNW. And, only one brave soul joined me for the WBL ride. BK and I deviated from the planned route but managed to find ourselves pushing for nearly 20 miles into that slight breeze. When you look down and find you only have one gear left until "Granny", you're heart rate is nearing your personal red-line, you're on a flat, flat road, and your doing a whopping 12.5 mph -->you know you're having some fun!! So the wind is pushing 21+ all day with gusts nearing 30 at times, who wants to be on the couch watching TV and miss an opportunity like this? Put your hands down. BK wasn't happy that we didn't get in over 50 miles, however. On the way back to Perry I distinctly remember doing 27 mph easily and not feeling any wind on my face, and I was happy about it. I do enough riding during the week in the cold and wind to make up for missing a few miles on Sunday, so I don't feel bad about cutting that ride short.
But now those decisions are harder to make knowing I need every mile I can put into the bank at this point if I want to complete the BRAF in April.
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2 comments:
just do either the Saturday or Sunday ride twice in the same day instead of just once.
problem solved :-)
That's what I'm planning, sort of. I have routes that extend out to 160 miles with good climbing that will be my final preps for the BRAF. Getting food and drink along the way is the tricky part.
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