Mount Hamilton Ride Report

[Veronica]

Yesterday we rode up Hamilton from Livermore. This is a 95 mile ride with just under 7800 feet of climb.



It was sunny, but cold and very windy when we began - so cold in fact that my knees started aching almost immediately. Thom is riding ahead of me and he slows down when he realizes that I'm no longer with him. I finally catch up and tell him about my knees and that I've decided to give it an hour. If they still ache in an hour, we're turning around. Twenty minutes into the ride, I'm wondering if we should just call it quits now - my knees hurt so much. We finally turn out of the wind and pull over at the wide spot in the road, which will be a rest stop for DMD at mile 91. I take 3 Advil and hope that now that we're out of the wind and beginning the hard climbing I will warm up and all will be right with the world.

To be continued.

[jobob]

Ah, I was wondering how your knees were holding up as I was heading out yesterday - it was chilly and windy that morning in my neck of the woods too, and stayed that way until mid-late afternoon. I kept my warm tights on for the entire ride.

It must have been beautiful up on Hamilton, though. It was so clear out that I could pick out all of the observatories from the Dumbarton bridge and even farther away than that.

[Veronica]

You can see from the elevation profile that this is a ride that begins climbing immediately. It's about a 1% grade for the first five miles and then it kicks up to be 7 - 9% for about a mile. I don't why, but once we begin this tougher climb my knees actually feel better.

On these long Sunday rides I'm trying to keep my heart rate below 165. That's about ten beats below my lactate threshhold. I have my HRM set to beep at 166. Keeping my heart rate down makes this climb feel so easy. Once you are over this blip the climb continues for 25 miles at about a 1 - 3% average grade. This is a really pretty area, fairly remote. Thom blathers at me about lots of different things. There are two fairly steep climbs just before the downhill to the Junction. I'm finding it pretty easy to keep my heart rate down even on these climbs. That's good.

We stop only long enough to buy more Gatorade and water and use the rest room. The next 5 five miles are pretty flat and we take turns pulling. There is a fairly steep climb up out of the valley, a nice downhill and then a longer climb with a descent to a one lane bridge. This section is really pleasant with little ponds with ducks and frogs. The bridge takes me a bit by surprise. There is a slight turn into it and I overcook the corner a bit. Those bridge supports are looking kind of big and painful, but I keep my head and don't run into anything.

Thom has decided we're going to eat our sandwiches at the bridge just before the final big climb to the top of Hamilton. I've been very religious about eating every 30 minutes and I don't feel like a sandwich. I eat two bites to make him happy and then start the climb - knowing he'll catch up. This last climb is a bear - average 9% grade over the five miles. I turn off the beeper on my HRM, there's no way I can do this at 165. But I do keep my heart rate around 170 - still below lactate threshhold.

When I get to where where the water stop will be for DMD, I imagine Thom being there, ringing our cowbells as I come in. I think a Red Bull at that point will be welcome. It's about another mile and a half to the summit. Then I start doing the math about what time I will get there. I estimate 12 hours - 5PM.

The summit is gorgeous. We eat a little, use the facilities. Thom has a Coke and I try to drink a little but gag on it. I guess Coke is out.

The five mile descent is fun. I catch up to a motorcycle and he motions for me to pass him. The little climb after the bridge isn't bad. The next one seems to go for forever. We do see a bobcat though. We again rip through the valley, taking turns pulling. We decide we have enough food and water and don't need to stop again at the Junction.

But this first climb out of the Junction is just awful. It's here that I begin to wonder if I'll be able to do DMD. I'm slow, not quite miserable. We're in the shadow of the canyons, so it's a little depressing. I know I've been eating well, I've managed my heart rate, but maybe... I just don't have what it takes.

We stop at the top of this climb. Thom eats half a sandwich, I have a Red Bull and a sandwich bite, use the bushes. It's a short descent here, but cold. The next climb isn't so long and I'm feeling a bit better. But then... I have twenty miles of downhill, average 1 - 3% grade and we are flying. I have NEVER felt so good on this section of the ride before. Thom asks if I want him to take a turn pulling and I tell him no. Drafting requires too much mental energy for me at that point. He says he's happy to draft. There are a few uphills here, but not too many. The final descent is way fun. We average just under 18 for the last 25 miles and I'm hopeful again.

To be continued.

[Bike Goddess]

V- Where did you start? Sounds like you did Mines Road (one of my favorite rides) but I can't tell what you did after you got to the summit.

Love to hear your rides. I think you'll be fine for DMD- you still have some good riding time before that ride.

Yes, it was windy yesterday- SE winter winds! But at least you had them behind you as you went from the junction to the beginning of the "big"climb!
Good work. Looking forward to the end!

[Veronica]

We started in Livermore and did the ride as an out and back on Mines Road.


In the truck on the way home Thom and I were discussing the ride and how I felt at various points. He WAS so glad I pulled most of the way back. He said he had no doubt that I could finish Solvang and the mid tier doubles like Knoxville. But he wasn't sure I had the leg strength for the climbing in DMD and the Terrible Two. I was feeling better at that point so I basically said, "I'm finishing it. They will have to drag me into a SAG vehicle."

Things I need to focus on in the next three months are improving my leg strength and my lower back. My back was very tired when we finished. Part of that is I am down in the drops more, part of it is all the climbing.

I have my cadence data for all the ride and even though I was in my smallest gear, my cadence average was only 59 for the actual ascent of Hamilton. For the earlier parts of the ride it was 87. For the fast bit on the way home it was 95! Much more to my liking.



So goals for February are to actually get in two workouts a day on Tues . and Thurs. and to get in two or more Core workouts a week. Ideally three would be nice. January saw an average of one a week.

V.

PS Sorry this came in installments. But I started writing before I went to work and then could only write on my breaks.

[aka_kim]

I've been very religious about eating every 30 minutes and I don't feel like a sandwich. I eat two bites to make him happy....

We eat a little, use the facilities. Thom has a Coke and I try to drink a little but gag on it. I guess Coke is out....

But this first climb out of the Junction is just awful. It's here that I begin to wonder if I'll be able to do DMD.

Dude, ya gotta eat! Listen to your coach. Have you tried Ensure? - Some say it's awful, and I haven't tried it, but I know that some long distance riders swear by it - maybe something to try during your training rides.

Good job on the ride. The Pilot says that the key to finishing DMD is believing that you can and will finish it. So you've just got to believe.

[Veronica]

Thanks - I think I can do it. I may be the last person in...with Thom following me in the car. I think I should have brought more Honey Stingers and hammer gel. After the summit I switched to Pay Days and I don't think they gave me the energy I needed.

V.

[SadieKate]

Dude, ya gotta eat! . . .

Good job on the ride. The Pilot says that the key to finishing DMD is believing that you can and will finish it. So you've just got to believe.

Isn't it "Studette?" And, I agree. I'd be taking one of everything I could think of in the big 'ol bag of yours and see what tempts you. I like Nanci's or Maillotpois' (somebody's) list of what she did eat. Also, do the temperatures make a difference? I really change what I like to eat winter to summer. Someone somewhere was talking about chocolate milk. I usually can only eat chocolate during cold weather rides and milk rarely sounds good to me, but chocolate milk on a 200 mile ride might be wonderful. Just stocked up on Trader Joes's dark choc coffee beans. It will be significantly warmer then than now.

Remember how much energy there is to be absorbed from the other riders. Use that to bolster your belief that you can do this. I know all of us think you can.

Between you and Nanci and Jo and Snap and everyone else's reports of this weekend's rides, I'm exhausted but cheering everyone on. Somebody has to do those rides. Hills, haven't seen those in a while. Must try again.

[slinkedog]

You rock, V! I want to be like you when I grow up.

[Bike Goddess]

Great riding V! That ride is the very one that I have a goal to do as well-an out/back via Mines Rd. I thought that was what you had done from the profile and your report!

Are you doing Abs exercises? I do them at the gym and it's really helped my back on longer rides.

Keep up the good work! I'm right behind you cheering you on. If I can get the day off, I'd like to volunteer for the DMD just for you!!!!!! I'll see what I can do! It's on my calendar, now I have to ask!

[maillotpois]

Great ride, Veronica! That climb up the back side of Hamilton is a tough one. (The other side is a lot easier.) I just did Mines from the Junction back down as part of my self supported century a week or so ago. I love that last part of Mines where its' mostly down with some rollers and you can just fly!

Sorry about the knees, but it sounds like they got gradually better?

I just read a great article in the NY Times Sports Magazine about the guy who's won RAAM the last couple of years. Basically he's a nut case and slowly goes crazy and delusional during his rides. Don't emulate him. However, the positive point from the article, and the reason I bring it up, was they cited a lot of research that basically proves that most of what gets you through an ultra endurance event is mental. And it's pretty clear from your posts that you have the mental thing DOWN for DMD. I think if it can be done, you'll do it!

Sarah