 |
|
|
|
Tips & Tricks for Personal Records at 3 State 3 MountainApril, 2006by David Meek, CBC President 2006So this year you’re motivated, you’ve logged some hard-earned base miles over the winter. This season your goals of personal records on those epic century rides that call your name year after year will become reality. Even though you may be on the wrong side of the age/performance bell curb, it could still happen. For the 3 State, which is probably your first century of the season, you must train specifically and employ a century racer strategy to shave precious minutes off your previous times. The most important ingredient of your training is interval training. This is often left out of programs because it is uncomfortable, actually downright painful. Even so is just as important as logging in those 75+ mile training rides. Interval training consists of limited duration maximum effort riding. What I am talking about is anaerobic training. Use of a heart rate monitor can be a real plus for this type training. When climbing the first and second of the three mountains in the 3 State, you will be at or near max effort in an attempt to stay with that group of riders that will give you the high speed pace line through the valleys. I find the best way to train is to include mountains on your long weekend rides. Climb these mountains at anarobic speed, simulating 3 State conditions. Your body over time will raise its threshold levels, better tolerate and recover from the trauma and lactic acid generated when riding at max effort. Now that you have the physical side all figured out lets talk strategy. Stop your training at least 3 days prior to the event and rest up. Eat a pasta dinner the night before and reframe from any alcoholic beverages. Be sure to get to bed early so that you can get at least eight hours of sleep and still awake early. It is important to get to the event early and have all your ducks in a row. This allows you to get your head on straight and get psyched up for the battle ahead. Remember in epic endurance events how fast you get to the finish line is largely dependent on mental fortitude. Ride nutrition is very important. Don’t experiment or try anything new during a key event. I recommend three to four bottles of your favorite energy drink, two power type bars and five or six squeeze gels. I know the 3 State has great sags but you are on a mission. You must resist the sag temptations and stay with your pace line until the Sand Mountain sag at approximately mile Sixty. This is where most of the fast pace lines make their one and only pit stop with a possible exception of a splash and go at the top of Burkhalter Gap road climb up Lookout mountain. As you pass up those sags try to keep in mind your sag is the one with cold beer and hot pizza. The final strategy is rider start position. You must be surrounded by riders of similar skill and physical abilities. I always try to start near the front of the pack, however this is not always possible due to the fact that five hundred other riders will have the same idea. Think logically, if you are not capable of maintaining an initial 22-24 mph pace in a tight peloton formation you need to be starting a few hundred riders back for your own safety and that of everyone else. The key is to not get stuck behind slower riders preventing you from joining a pace line equal to your riding level. If you can safely start with riders of your level or higher, you will always have the option of dropping off if the pace is too intense and hooking up with the next organized group behind you. Keep in mind that it is almost impossible to chase down a faster moving pace line in an effort to improve your position. Now that you know some of the secrets that I learned the hard way, I hope they can help you kick it up a notch and ride the 3 State to a new personal record
|
|
|
