unreasonable goals

[Veronica]

My comment about the spin class was just about his motivation. You can't do a multi day ride if you're not fit and from the original post, I'm inferring he's not. And if he hasn't been back, is he motivated?

It sounds like he doesn't have a bike yet, so he's not riding outside. If you're going from a base of nothing to riding several hundred miles in a week, in less than 4 months, he needs to get training.

Be supportive and encouraging all you want, but he has to ride the miles and they are not flat.

V.

[Trek420]

Be supportive and encouraging all you want, but he has to ride the miles and they are not flat.

V.

V, I'm shocked You mean it's not all downhill to LA? But yes, the miles are not all flat.

Perhaps more important is what goes up must come down. I saw some crashes last time I think were because people focus so much on climbing skills they neglect descending skills. You can't learn that in spin class.

You need strength certainly but also skills to manage a long ride or multi day tour.

I'd better train.

[Bluetree]

V, I'm shocked You mean it's not all downhill to LA?

Trek... I hope you're not insinuating that Los Angeles is as "low as it gets"

[stacie]

thanks trek, i hadn't even realized there were difficult climbs and descents. We're still working on why you should ride with the flow of traffic. Gulp.

[Trek420]

thanks trek, i hadn't even realized there were difficult climbs and descents. We're still working on why you should ride with the flow of traffic. Gulp.

On that, don't ask or debate why, just do it.

But what gets people on the hill above is not so much that hill but it comes at the end of a 20 or so mile "warm up hill". So you climb and climb and come around a corner, look up and

Check out the calves on the gal walking

These are not weak people "cross training".

And of course any self propelled forward motion counts ;-)

There's debate between the techie people before and after the ride, I've read figures anywhere from 18,000 to 26,000 feet of climbing (and descending of course. We start and end at sea level so...).

There are harder individual rides out there. I think some of V's doubles have more climbing than that.

But what gets you is the back to back to backness on a multi day tour.

Do a century, do another, do another, do another in a red dress, do ....

Of course there's no shame in taking the SAG wagon and none will fault your friend.

But I train and plan and eat to ride every mile.

Once again, there is nothing wrong on any day with doing your best and taking the SAG wagon.

I've done that myself a few times and will again I'm sure.

But if I wanted a bus ride to LA I'd go Greyhound.

The website says "ride to end AIDS" and I think that should be ones training goal.

Stacie, PM me and feel free to have your friend contact me

Trek - CAR4 crew, Rider ALC 3, 4 & now 6, Training ride leader ALC 5 8-)

[maillotpois]

The website says "ride to end AIDS" and I think that should be ones training goal.

Rock on!

We're currently coaching a group for the Leukemia Society's Team in Training program for the Tour of the California Alps/Death Ride. www.deathride.com

That is an unreasonable goal for a lot of folks and will push the people on our team farther than they would have thought they could go. But it's pretty cool how having a goal outside yourself can be motivating.

[KSH]

Of course there's no shame in taking the SAG wagon and none will fault your friend.

Let me ask this... is the AIDS ride more about raising money and awarenes... vs. "You must make the entire distance"?

It is like the MS150... where SAG wagons are full and around you at all times?

I went into my first MS150 with poor training, and pain in my kness. Unfortunately, I wasn't sure how much I needed to train... but the little training I did... I was mashing my pedals.

So, my first MS150 was a MS65. But it was fine. I took a SAG wagon. I still raised the money and that is what mattered.

If this is the case with the AIDS ride... then why not back off your friend a little... reality will hit him when he starts riding. Why not help him raise money for a good cause instead?