Training in Central IL for a San Diego trip

[jillm]

I'm afraid this is going to be long and ranty and and venty.

So here's my background; I've been riding for 4 years now and have a fairly good base from the Spinervals aero-base builders series I do fall through spring. My cat eye odometer is 250 miles from 5000--a lot of that is basement mileage, but hey, I'll take it! I am very inexperienced with group riding (just went out with a group a few weeks ago for the FIRST time). I'm in East Central IL --the terrain is flat flat flat, overpass, flat flat flat, so the only hill work I get in is once a year up in Bayfield WI, or fake hills with Coach Troy doing the Spinervals Uphill Grind and the other hill one. And distance-wise, my rides are usually 20-30 miles, the longest was a little over 40 miles (again, all flat, no hill)

Here's my situation; In August (aug 4) BF and I are planning on flying out to California to join our friends on the last day of their cross country ride from New York to San Diego. (by the way, San Diegoans, you're invited too! Actually, they're looking for locals to ride with them along the entire route. Here's their deal--www.illini4000.org. 16 or so college students riding cross country to raise awareness and money for cancer research. They're in Kansas right now) Anyway, from what I understand we'd be starting in or near Live Oak Springs and riding approximately 70 miles to San Diego.

Here's my freakout; #1 Hills, BIG HILLS! From what I've been told, the ride will start with a really big long climb and then will continue up and down up and down. Can I do it? Specifically, I want to be able to do it AND keep up with (or within sight of) a bunch of kids 20 years my junior who've just ridden 3940 miles. Do I have a chance? #2 Around 70 miles of hills, BIG HILLS! That's a long hard ride. And going downhill is scary too! Can I do it? Do I want to do it? Hey, this doesn't sound like fun anymore....

and so...what's the point of this post? Well, let's pretend I didn't just totally talk myself out of doing this. I have about 1 month the prepare for my 70 mile "Climb-like-I've-never-climbed-before" Ride. I will be doing appropriate Spinervals workouts and riding outside as much as I can. I know I need to lengthen the distances. What should that goal be? And I've been told to ride into the wind in my big gears, so I'll be doing that. Bloomington IN --hilly hundred country is about 3 hours drive, think I should get over there for a day of hills? Would that help AT ALL??? Should I do some strength training--lunges? squats? Anyone out there with suggestions? Anyone familiar with the Live Oaks to San Diego Route--if there IS a specific route...

I'm scared!

Thanks,
Jill

[Thorn]

I'm in SE WI...not quite as flat as you, but I'd still claim "flat, flat, flat, bump, flat, flat". That said, I've successfully climbed mountains in Mallorca and roads with really big, long bumps in Italy. I tend to believe that if your riding style supports long stretches of continuous spinning, given the right gears, you'll get up that hill.

For our first trip with hills, Mallorca, in retrospect, our best substitute training was riding our gravel, old railbed bike trail. In one direction it has a slight grade and you have to pedal against a resistance to keep moving. On that trip we managed two mountain passes--on hybrids.

For the Italy trip, we did the Spinervals thing this winter. The "hills" in Italy were worse than the "mountains" in Mallorca--much steeper and just as long and tall. Except for DH getting sick, the hills were accessible to us flatlanders. When we hit the roads, we travelled over to SW WI (between Bluemound and Dodgeville) and road the hills there (real hills not mountains calling themselves hills). Even though we do that only once or twice before a trip, I believe it pays off. I'd vote for doing the Indiana ride.

Elsewhere on these boards, some of the women have mentioned that after a point, doing distance is more mental than physical. For flatlanders, I think hills are, too. If you see them and panic, you're toast; if you see them, and shout, "Oh, cool! The road goes up so I get to go slower and be on my bike longer!" then you'll do fine.

The best part of hills for me now is the changing perception. Even on a single 100K hilly ride, my definition of steep decreases and my confidence increases as I ride. Perhaps, you'll see the same?

Go for it! You might just surprise yourself. In the meantime, keep riding and slowly build up the distance.

[maillotpois]

Actual riding on hills will be very valuable training for body positioning and shifting, so yes, the drive to hilly hundred country would be worth it. Shoot for a good 50 miler in the hills.

Also, if you really don't have group riding experience, please try to get some before the ride. It will make you more comfortable and, more importantly, safer.

Sounds like a great ride.

[Jiffer]

I'm sure you'll get lots of good advice, but I just want to say that I've learned I can do a lot more than I think I can when pushed to do it! I've done some serious hills between Carlsbad and La Jolla (San Diego). Specifically, Torry Pines. It's not easy, but what a feeling of accomplishment! And I did it having absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into!

As Floyd Landis said at a thing I went to recently, "The best way to get good at hills is to climb hills." I'd say just do the best you can to prepare and then go with it. Do the best you can.

You can do it!!!

[jillm]

Actual riding on hills will be very valuable training for body positioning and shifting, so yes, the drive to hilly hundred country would be worth it. Shoot for a good 50 miler in the hills.

Also, if you really don't have group riding experience, please try to get some before the ride. It will make you more comfortable and, more importantly, safer.

Sounds like a great ride.

I agree with you on both points! Hopefully we can clear our schedules this weekend for a training ride somewhere hillier than here. I can do 50 miles. That's a good realistic goal.

And I DO need to get out there and ride with a group. The one group ride I did was slightly disconcerting just because I'm not used to it. I agree that more practice will make me safer.

Gotta do it!

[jillm]

Thanks ladies,

Yes! I CAN do it, now it's a matter of doing it happily and finishing in a timely manner! If I'm going for a bike ride in beautiful California I want to enjoy it!

Thorn, what part of Italy did you bike?

[SalsaMTB]

Any chance you can get to any mid-west city hills.....aka....parking structures?? Some parking structures have some good ramps to climb. I've climbed a few around here and I think TrekJeni said she met someone who trained like that (I could be wrong though). If they're near by, it wouldn't hurt doing some repeats there.

The only risk is sometimes you'll get crap for riding on there, although the ones I've been to have never had signs saying no bikes allowed!

Good luck on the ride!