Climbing Club Feb results and March goals

[Veronica]

Are you talking about me, Jo? I can't help it if my piano legs are freakishly strong.

V.

[jobob]

You and your freakishly strong legs were bad enough, but your husband was even more annoying ! He hasn't ridden diddly, yet he bombs up Diablo and the next day he bombs up Palomares and the beloved "hill that goes on freakin' forever" parts 1 and 2. s'no fair !

[Veronica]

He was exhausted after! He said he was coming home to do errands... he sat in front of the tv and the computer all afternoon.

Plus he's got that guy advantage. I have to drag him on wicked long rides to be faster than him.

V.

[maillotpois]

I used to be faster than my husband.

[Starfish]

You guys are all freakishly amazing to me.

[jobob]

You're so sweet, Starfish !

But you know what? When I first started riding, only a few years ago, a 5 mile flat ride was a big deal for me. Then, eventually, I could manage a 10 mile ride. And so on.

And hills? Hah! There's a hill near my home I call my nemesis hill. It's about a half-mile long, about 250 feet of climbing, and fairly steep in parts. It took me months to finally make it 2/3 of the way up that sucker, and then when I finally got up there I realized there was more to it. I think it was another couple of months before I finally slogged up the whole thing.

The first time Veronica asked me to ride up Mt. Diablo with her, I was scared sh!tless. You could imagine my relief when she emailed me that morning saying she had to bail on the ride because her cat was sick and she had to take it to the vet (cat turned out fine, otherwise I would have felt a bit guilty doing the happy dance under those circumstances).

Fast forward a few years later. This weekend Veronica & I are doing a 300K brevet (that's about 188 miles) with about 7000 feet of climbing. I'm fairly confident I can finish it - not at a rip-roaring pace mind you, but within the 20 hours allotted, yeah, that I think I can do.

It took me a few years to get to this point, and I don't consider myself athletic. I'm just your average Jo who likes to ride her bike.

[Starfish]

Jobob, thank you for your description of how far you have come. I find it very inspirational. Four years ago, I was thrilled to ride 12 flat miles on a bike path. This year, I am setting as my main goal ride the Shasta Summit Century, hoping for the 100 mile finish.

I really appreciate your stories, because although I have become a better cyclist, and fitter on the bike, than I was when I started about 3-4 years ago, I have not gotten better/faster at the rate I thought I might. My average MPH is quite slow, and there are a lot of people I cannot go on rides with because of it.

This is despite reading books, setting up periodization, and working with a heart rate monitor. But, this year I am trying to work more with how my body feels, doing more cross-training, and trying new approaches. So, I am hoping for a different result this year.

I have gotten in about 6500 feet or so this month, and my goal was 10,000, so with two more long rides yet to get in, I think I might make it.

[GLC1968]

Well, I didn't make it in March, either!!

My goal was 12,000. I finished with 11,695! Only 305 ft short....some stupid lunch ride I had to miss due to work, I'm sure.

We ended the month with a bang though. I just finished a 53 mile ride with 4435 ft of climbing including my very first mountain ascent (not the biggest mountain in the area, but hey...I'll take it!).

Next month the goal must go up.