Tour Divide Basics: Training

[sthig]

I remember last year obsessing over what gear ratio to pick to take on all those hills I'd be tackling and had ZERO idea what it would be like.

there was some dude that said "JUST PICK ONE AND COMMIT, DUDE"

Boy, I have no idea who that guy was... wait, Jesse? Jerome? Justin? Maybe it was Justin. 

Not sure who that nice guy was, but boy did he give me the best advice for getting me to Mexico

[THE LONG RANGER]

It's not the worst advice, as it's just a game of compromises. "Glad I had that gear for that section" "F-me, this gear sucks for this section" Whatcannayedo? Model the entire course out in a computer, w/elevation profile and surface conditions? Sounds like John Nobile territory (master craftsman) 

[Marshal]

...............

One other thing to think about is the difference between fitness and craft. Fitness is all those numbers: how fast you can ride 100 miles, your Vo2 max - yadda yadda. Craft is being able to understand how to operate in a self-supportive manner on the route as comfortable and efficient as you can. You'll def. want to be a master of your craft, which takes some time and experience. Fitness comes and go. Do what you can - do what's possible. Being a master of your craft means spending less time and energy to do the same thing, than someone that's sorta winging it. I almost want to say that getting some bigger days in there doesn't necessarily mean going faster on the course at all, but just being more efficient when you're off the bike and just riding a little more. An hour more each day over two weeks makes a pretty be difference. "I'm getting stronger, the longer the race goes", can be interpreted as, "I'm kinda figuring out my craft". .......................

double ditto's

All TDR rookies should carefully read  THE LONG RANGER's full post-- But his comments about fitness Vs craft really highlights the crux of doing a good fast TDR. 

It is assumed we will all have a good, strong fitness base--- but it is our individual craftsmanship (or multi-day skill set) that will let us maximize our personal potentials and achieve our best finish times. 

Oh and btw it's our craftsmanship level as much as our fitness level that makes it all that much more enjoyable.......

[mcbarb57]

Sthig, I live in Slidell La north of New Orleans. Climbing will be my challenge ! I work at a job where I get 8-10 miles of walking each day, I have been been getting a long 8-10 hour ride on my day off. And what you are saying is great to hear. I will have some more work to do and I am up to it.
I do have a trainer and I will be on it in the am from now on. That was a great idea.
I have gone for three overnight rides and camp out, learn a lot and will get some more in.
Thanks for all the feed back see at the TD



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[-dan]

last november a bud and i rolled from Reno to Mendocino (405m 37k climbing) in four and a half days on a route planned out using maps... we only got turned around to backtrack twice.  we spent about a third of the total time between 5k and 7k, and i had very little issue with elevation.  ...and i felt like an unstoppable diesel engine for weeks after.  doing the AZT this spring to test/doublecheck everything as i made some changes after the Reno-Mendo adventure.  although i will be a rookie this year on the TDR, i can tell you doing any type of three-four day roll will change the way you think about everything.  my confidence climbed dramatically after finishing the Reno/Mendo ride. 

i just started using a garmin (so i can learn how to use it) and over the last couple weeks, on average, i'm getting 120-160 miles, 12-14k a week with about 1/3 or so on dirt.  as i'm rolling single speed, the only thing that plays in my head is miles and miles of spinning on the flats and feeling like i'm going nowhere.

basically i'm just riding my bike and making sure i am having a good time doing it.  i've found that it is stupid to worry about something you can not do anything about, and when an issue arises, just do the best you can and move on.  dwelling is the worst thing one can do in any self-supported situation.  once you roll out from Banff or Antelope Wells, you really only have two choices, finish or quit. 

one should never plan to quit.

[THE LONG RANGER]

You got a good attitude, -dan!

If you meet/exceed your expectations in the AZT, I think you'll be in a superb position for the TD!

[-dan]

You got a good attitude, -dan!

If you meet/exceed your expectations in the AZT, I think you'll be in a superb position for the TD!

thanks man.

[sthig]

Sthig, I live in Slidell La north of New Orleans. Climbing will be my challenge ! I work at a job where I get 8-10 miles of walking each day, I have been been getting a long 8-10 hour ride on my day off. And what you are saying is great to hear. I will have some more work to do and I am up to it.
I do have a trainer and I will be on it in the am from now on. That was a great idea.
I have gone for three overnight rides and camp out, learn a lot and will get some more in.
Thanks for all the feed back see at the TD

The Rouge Roubaix just happened this past weekend, that's one tough century with some gravel dirt road climbing (on a road bike).  It's near Baton Rouge, I'm not sure if that's close to you but if you got the route, you could probably ride that and bank some climbing over 100 miles.

When going out camping/bike-packing TRY to make stuff break and fix it.  Or purposely lessen the amount of food you take to learn how to ration it out.

Also a big help for me was core work - lots of burpees, crunches, jump rope, planks, planks, planks and more planks.  And then after that, planks  

[mcbarb57]

Thanks for the advice, I am going to fine the route and do it. Son's getting married this weekend than it's all training!
Break things o no lol, I got that down pat.
Starting to go to CrossFit again! Love it


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[mcbarb57]

Ok can anyone tell me. I have loaded my garmin etrex20 with the GPS data of the TD but I could not fine the Canada data, does anyone know where I can get that. And do I need to do any thing with my spot tracking? And one more thing all I need to do is show up in Bannff on June 12 right.


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