and then is it bad for the rest of the ride (70-mile route) or does it get better after a time?Quote:
BTW, the difficult hills start after the rest stop at 20.54 miles (RS#2).
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and then is it bad for the rest of the ride (70-mile route) or does it get better after a time?Quote:
BTW, the difficult hills start after the rest stop at 20.54 miles (RS#2).
Cyclingmama, I tried to PM you back, but says your inbox isn't accepting. Anyway, hope you're doing well!Quote:
Originally Posted by cyclingmama
Edit: you'll see that the real climbing begins at about 30 mi. in
http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=43017
My sister and brother-in-law and I did the Girls with Gears ride in Limerick, PA last Sunday. The only rest stop on the 40 mile ride was at about mile 21 and lo and behold, it is the same place as the 1st, then last, rest stop on the Livestrong ride. Not sure that we really climbed any of the same hills, but we climbed plenty. The lance ride has 3800 ft of climbing on the 45 mi ride and my Garmin told me we did 3700 ft on this ride. I'm amazed my legs survived. Felt pretty happy with myself at the end!
The steepest hills are in the middle portion of the ride.Quote:
Originally Posted by cyclingmama
Question: do you stay overnight the night after the race, too? We're about a four hour drive away and some of my group needs to return for work sometime Monday. Are there shower facilities anywhere at the race? I know the answer is probably no, but really not looking forward to sitting in the car with two sweaty guys (and myself!) and 100 miles.
There are showers in the gym of the college. I haven't used them and admittedly last year didn't even go in there to use the bathrooms. So I'm not sure that they were still available to us last year. In '07 they had the packet pick-up in the gym, but last year they had tents set up. I'm not sure if that meant that last year the gym was then closed to the folks on the ride. So I guess I'm really not answering your question. :) My team stays over Sunday night. Some are about a 6 hr drive from Philly, I'm about 2.5. I still like the idea of not getting right into my car. :)
Last year one of the sponsors, Embassy Suites, had portable showers at the post-ride event. There were not that many of them, so there was line to use them, at least when I was there (which was around 2:30-3:30). But yes, they had showers.
The year before that they let us use the locker rooms at the college to get cleaned up after the ride.
I don't know what they will plan for this year, but I think Embassy Suites will be back as a sponsor so my guess is that they will have the portable showers again. (FWIW, in the post-event survey last year I suggested that they have more showers available as well as a place for people to change if they don't want to shower right away. If enough other people made similar comments, maybe they will have more facilities available this year.) To be on the safe side, you could always bring some Wet-Ones, which are good for a quick clean up when it will be a while before you can reach a shower.
I also have a long drive home and I'm always so tired after the ride that I just take Monday off. I stay at the hotel on Sunday night and I like to eat a gigantic celebratory breakfast at Cracker Barrel before I hit the road. Mmmm...biscuits and gravy....mmmmm
BTW, the elevation profiles for Philly are posted:
http://www.livestrongchallenge.org/s...n_Profiles.htm
Just wanted to say - good luck to everyone doing the Seattle ride this weekend!
Livestrong San Jose! Two more weeks! Anyone else riding?! I just did my last long ride on Saturday - 78.55 miles of good rollers. I finished strong (but very hot!). I think I'm ready, but my heavens I'm dreading Metcalf!!
I'm riding Livestrong SJ with Team Triumph. I have not been training, and will likely be walking Metcalfe.
Are the arrow-circles about the peaks the percent grade? Also, I thought the ride was approx. 8k feet of climbing, but this says 4+.Quote:
Originally Posted by ny biker
The arrow/circle things are the rest stops. And my garmin said 3800 total climbing for the 45 mile ride. Do with that what you will. :)
This is strange because we mapped out the course on Bike Route Toaster with GPS and it said the climbing was over 5,000 feet. They originally posted 8k for the amount of climbing and now they are saying 4,300. This would change the training plan just a bit. Anyone know the exact number?
I would ask them. There should be contact info on the website.
Contacted them. Will report back :)
I wanted to share the response I received from LiveStrong:
Initially, we used a device that recorded elevation gain from a moving car. The result was that our numbers were off, seemingly. Based on www.mapmyride.com, which uses Google technology, the elevation for the course is just over 4,000 feet. However, I’ve received feedback from participants who say the 8,000 foot estimate is more accurate than is the 4,000 ft., this based upon their own personal GPS devices. Given that feedback, we nevertheless decided to stick with the estimation we received via www.mapmyride.com as the results that site provided for us in our other cities are accurate. So, if you’re looking for plan your training, I’d continue to train as though there were 8,000 feet and then enjoy the “leisurely” ride if there’s only 4,000.
This year, we are not offering showers at our Challenge Events. They were simply underutilized at previous events.
I would be inclined to go with the results of people's GPS's. Like I said, mine read 3800 for the 45 mile ride, and I see other people's with similar results, and it sure felt like a good bit of climbing to me. :) My brother in law did the 100 the first year we rode it, and they had claimed that was 10,000 ft of climbing. He found it a really really tough ride (and he rides that distance a lot), so again I'm going to go with the idea that it really was that much climbing.
I would not be lured into thinking there is less, rather than more, climbing. :) Just my take on it.
Thanks, and I agree.
Did anyone do the ride last year and have the total for climbing?
Last year my whole team did the 45 mile, so I don't have any info for you there for any other distances. But you can always search around on things like motionbased.com. I just looked and saw a lot of 8,000+ climbing for the 100 mile ride.
They think the showers were underutilized?? Maybe that's because there were so few of them that the line was way too long to wait on.
I hope there will be someplace to change into clean clothes.
p.s. I got nuthin' on the elevation. I don't have my polar hrm set to measure it because it uses too much memory.
Here's a California event for LAF happening this weekend :cool:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=32118
For Philly, I'm trying to pick the best hotel for two nights. I know the Doubletree and Homewood Suites received high praise. Anyone stay at the Summerfield Suites by Hyatt? They appear to be the cheapest and the closest.
No idea, sorry. I don't think that one was an option the last year at least. I remember the Homewood Suites being the closest to the venue last year. I'm sure it is just as nice though.
I did part of the Philly course last weekend (big 60 mile loop). It was pretty warm that day. We were eternally grateful for the kind woman at an Amish fruit stand who turned us loose with her garden hose so we could refill our bottles and cool off. I know climbing difficulty is relative, but there are definitely two long, steep monsters to tackle and then handfuls of short steepies. I was loving my granny gear by the end of this one. The Garmin said we did over 5,000 feet in 60 miles.
Even though the pre-ride had me a little bummed and discouraged, I'm still really looking forward to this and to riding my first century. I'm sure the energy on that day will be amazing!
Indeed, it looks like the elevation will be in the 7500-8500 foot range.
There's no more glorious suffering than a good, long, painful climb. Although the "pucker up" descent did take the wind out of my sails.
Thanks for the info folks, it's been very helpful to BB32 and I. :)
Was just looking at the hotels page for Philly (I wanted to see if the Doubletree has wifi for my new laptop) and I noticed that the Hilton Garden Inn will be closed due to flooding, and they are moving people from that hotel to others.
If anyone was planning to stay there and you haven't heard about it yet, you should call On the Mark Travel ASAP. Hopefully no one will be too inconvenienced.
p.s. I'm getting really excited...
Only a few more days until the ride in Philadelphia. Say hi if you see me -- I'll be wearing this Shebeest tank top (in pink):
http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodSB_1428.html
along with my Cool Wings:
http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodDE_CW7.html
and my cool skull socks:
http://www.twinsix.com/gear/the-stuff/skull-sock-pink09
(plus shorts, of course.)
Those cool wings look pretty awesome!
I have yet to decide my outfit of choice. I'm super pumped!!!
Question about breakfast....Do you usually pick up something at LiveStrong (what do they have?) or stop somewhere before the ride? Thinking that I will probably be nervous, so don't want a greasy feast, but I also want to eat enough. I'm not sure what's in the area?
Say Hi if you see me too - though there will be many dressed like me* - green and white shirts, very celtic looking with our Posse name on it, matching socks. :) We have a canopy set up not far from the start that has a couple banners on it - one says Why we ride, another just notes that we are my sister's Posse. :) As you pass me, my shirt will tell you "may the wind be always at your back."
*though I'm the only one with auburn hair :)
As to breakfast, I think they have bagels there and fruit, but honestly since we stay in a suite hotel, I tend to have things in the fridge for myself that I bring with me.
Weather forecast is looking good, fingers crossed!
I bring my own breakfast to eat in my room, too.
For the first couple of years, the Doubletree restaurant opened early for us, but they didn't do that last year. I think they might have had some cold food out, but no one at the hotel could tell me in advance what they would have so I just did my own thing. Their rooms have microwaves and mini-fridges as well as coffee makers.
I don't think you will find any fast food or restaurants open before the ride, since it's so early on a Sunday.
BTW, make sure to get to the college early -- they will have even more people this year than last year. And I just read on twitter that we've raised more than $3 million!
Thanks for the info.! We were thinking of arriving at 6:30. Sound good?Quote:
Originally Posted by ny biker
So, I hope everyone in Philadelphia had as great a time as I did. My legs are still a bit sore and tired, but as they say it's a good kind of tired.
Here are my pics from the ride:
http://picasaweb.google.com/bowmandj...iladelphia2009
I'm not sure how they did the numbering this year. Last two years, it was alphabetically, having nothing to do with when you registered. This year, my whole team's numbers were sequential, even though I registered at midnight the day registration opened up and some of them registered months later. Weird. But I was number 1732 and I guarantee you that 1731 did not register before me. Your number 11 was very cool though!
I saw someone with a "she loves hills" jersey at the ride. Never got up the nerve to ask if it was someone from here though.
You have some great pics, thanks for sharing. I tend to burn a lot of battery taking video at the start of the ride, then I don't have many photos. I think my brother in law has some though.
Glad the rain stopped, but our canopy area was like a swamp from all the weekend rain!
Nice pics! I loved the devil. What a wonderful day. This was our first century and we rocked it! What a great group of people. Here are our pics:
http://picasaweb.google.com/btricket...Challenge2009#