So just after the start of this year, Brian and I were talking about our biking goals for this year and motivation to train for them. Both Brian and I use MapMyRide to keep track of our workouts and rides. In the past, we have used a "Friends" connection on the MapMyRide Rivals/Leaderboard to set up challenges to compare how our speeds on set trainer time trials were shaping up. That was fun for motivation to train harder, but now were have other plans ...
This year will be about DISTANCE ... lots and lots of distance! Brian is training for this year's Habitat For Humanity "Cycle of Hope" Ride (which will take place from 1-16 July, from St Louis to Winnipeg) and I am training to race solo in the 2nd annual 24 Hrs of Falcon Ridge (which will take place on 16/17 July).
So, we are challenging each other to a "GET YER BUTT ON THE SADDLE RACE" and ride ride ride in preparation. Now since Brian is generally riding inside during the winter and I am outside mostly on longer-time rides, we decided that the challenge should not be time on the saddle, but DISTANCE RIDDEN - BETWEEN JANUARY 1st and JULY 17th ... cunning race eh!
Of course right now, even with my slower speed outside, I am getting in enough longer rides to take the lead ... but I'll need it ... trust me there ... Brian's a machine!
Plus once we get to July 1st, Brian will be heading off on his COH ride, which will cover at least 1500 kms; ending on the 16th! I will need to be WELL AHEAD of him by then or I will be a goner! Mind you, my "Ace-In-The-Hole" might be the distance I bike in 24 Hrs of Falcon (including half of the 17th!). Course Brian could always come out to Falcon to "support me" at that race ... hey, the COH ends midday on the 16th and it's not like he'll be saddle-sore or anything after a bunch of consecutive century rides ;-)! In fact, I hereby challenge Brian to come on out to Falcon to receive his prize or "support me" in any way that seems appropriate at the time!!!
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Race Status Update as of end January:
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Race Status Update as of 15 February:
Tom's almost 300 kms ahead ... but then spring is coming ... but then so is Sloth Cross ... but then Brian's about to move up to Zone 3/4 from 1/2 on the trainer ... what will happen? Kinda makes ya want to get on your bike and ride - doesn't it!?
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| Notice how Brian's super consistant training rides have suddenly angled up! Is he nervous? Or is he just loving the trainer?? Am I nervous??? |
Just looked at the latest graphical display of how Brian and I are doing in our "Get Yer Butt on the Saddle Race" and the differences keep growing. My latest big spike of a ride being 167 kms at Sloth Cross makes the graph look even more skewed, but check out Brian's upward track! Oh yah ... Brian's picking up the pace and length of his trainer rides ... the challenge is being met! I spiked up to 1350 kms, but Brian is over 950 kms now. Not sure if I'll be able to build enough of a lead before Brian's Cycle of Hope at this rate.
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Well February biking is in the books and it's time for the month end "Get yer Butt on the Saddle Race" update.
A very good month for both of us. Brian turned it up a notch in duration and speed. Tom kept the mostly outside biking going through the bitter month and got in 167 kms at Sloth Cross (yah, but it took him 15 hrs though!?!?). Yet Tom fell short of his goal to be 400 kms ahead of Brian at the end of Feb ...
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| Tonight (28th) Brian put in over 40 kms, while Tom only spun out 26 kms ... 4kms short of his goal (slick Brian!). |
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| Brian's the super consistant purple line (vectoring up) and Tom is still the up and down red line (like his cross bike). |
Brian has started adding a 2nd trainer ride on some days and moved up to zone 3 as a base, so his numbers are going up ... but then Tom continues to take advantage of being on call at night recently and doing some long day rides.
Here's the numbers as of mid March:
Ok, so Tom's momentarily taken a 660km lead, but now that the snow is melting, Brian will be outside soon and riding longer ... so Tom will need that to reach 1200kms extra by end June. Only time on the saddle will tell!
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I was on the road at the end of March, so the update is overdue ... but here it is:
March ended with Tom riding down in Moab, including a long road ride to finish off his biggest month of 963 kms (2391 total) ... while Brian also had his biggest month at 644 kms (1676 total). This put Tom ahead by over 700+ kms - but ... Brian is now riding outside and his longer rides have begun!
Here's what the training rides have looked like ... Tom still up and down with longer rides, but Brian is also starting to increase his duration ... so we shall see what April holds (Brian is already off to the lead so far)?
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