Well, first of all, I don't recommend riding once in 6 weeks (or 4 times in 9 weeks!) and then going out and riding the WI loop. Unless of course, you want to be reminded of exactly how much bike fitness you've lost!
It was a pretty nice day here in the IL/WI area and we drove up to Verona this AM after swimming 2000 meters at the local Y. The original intention was to run around Lake Monona, about 20K, as a post-holiday workout. But I stuck the bike in the SUV and decided to use the decent weather to ride instead.
The day was colder, but nicer, than the last time I was on the course on that epic race day. The trees are now all bare and the crops have been harvested and with the sparse landscape you can really get a sense of the rolling nature of even the smaller hills on the course. The other thing I was reminded of is the thread that Dev started about AG-ers and off season fitness. I have swam alot, but not much else for the last two months and boy did I feel it on the ride today. You can sort of fool yourself with your fitness this time of year..."oh the pants are a little tighter, a few pounds, but hey I swam 16,000 last week, so I still got it, blah blah..." and then you go and do something that is a familiar test and you realize, as your struggling up the climbs, that fitness is hard won and easily lost....and that it is OK to eat what you want in July and August when it all burns, but October and November, well that's a whole 'nother thing.
When they first announced that bike course in 2002 I thought they were nuts...too tough. Who is going to run a marathon after that? I struggled with that ride alot in 2003 and 2004, finally getting through it this year. I've grown to really like it. It's challenging and tough but if you can get your head around it it is a whole lotta fun to figure out.
If you are racing next year, you have something special to look forward to.
Anyway...I'm rambling. It was a fun 40 miles...and a reminder not to have the second (or third) bagel.
Happy Thanksgiving folks,
Mark
It was a pretty nice day here in the IL/WI area and we drove up to Verona this AM after swimming 2000 meters at the local Y. The original intention was to run around Lake Monona, about 20K, as a post-holiday workout. But I stuck the bike in the SUV and decided to use the decent weather to ride instead.
The day was colder, but nicer, than the last time I was on the course on that epic race day. The trees are now all bare and the crops have been harvested and with the sparse landscape you can really get a sense of the rolling nature of even the smaller hills on the course. The other thing I was reminded of is the thread that Dev started about AG-ers and off season fitness. I have swam alot, but not much else for the last two months and boy did I feel it on the ride today. You can sort of fool yourself with your fitness this time of year..."oh the pants are a little tighter, a few pounds, but hey I swam 16,000 last week, so I still got it, blah blah..." and then you go and do something that is a familiar test and you realize, as your struggling up the climbs, that fitness is hard won and easily lost....and that it is OK to eat what you want in July and August when it all burns, but October and November, well that's a whole 'nother thing.
When they first announced that bike course in 2002 I thought they were nuts...too tough. Who is going to run a marathon after that? I struggled with that ride alot in 2003 and 2004, finally getting through it this year. I've grown to really like it. It's challenging and tough but if you can get your head around it it is a whole lotta fun to figure out.
If you are racing next year, you have something special to look forward to.
Anyway...I'm rambling. It was a fun 40 miles...and a reminder not to have the second (or third) bagel.
Happy Thanksgiving folks,
Mark