Training? What's that?

I think the people who actually finished the whole 206 miles take their riding way more seriously than I would care to. My "training" was just getting in my 20 mile rides after work, two or three times a week, a mountain bike ride on Wed. nights, longer rides on the weekend, 40 - 60 milers and the two organized metric centuries I've done recently. I did ride throughout the winter after work.

A lot of it for me is just mind over matter. The whole way up Patterson, even though it was grueling was still fun, because nothing really ached. Muscle fatigue I can talk myself through and I can spin in a low gear for a long time. I purposely kept my heart rate down in the 160s, even on the climbs rather than pushing hard and having it rocket up to the 180s. I stayed in the saddle most of the ride, except for butt breaks coasting downhill. I even crested Diablo in the saddle! I took every opportunity to coast. I know I spent 80% of the ride in the grannies. It was when I started getting cranky - I was making a list of all my aches in my head, that I realized I was no longer having fun and it was time to stop.

As far as riding with Ish Makk (RAAM finisher!) I think I was with him for 5 minutes at the start and then I saw him coming down Diablo, as I was going up, just north of Juniper.

You should try it next year. It's a good challenge and well supported. You're a good climber. You could borrow my SAG guy. :-) The camaraderie on the ride is great. I don't think I'll ever do the whole thing. Weather conditions would just have to be spectacular. The top of Hamilton was FREEZING and I imagine the descent was even worse than the one on Diablo since it's in the dark.

Maybe this year I'll actually follow through on Core Strengthening so I can get to the top of Hamilton next year.

Veronica