My #1 goal for May was to complete a 10-day block of training averaging 110 miles per day. I ended up with 1110.8 miles, for an average of 111 miles per day. Mission accomplished.
I learned a few lessons along the way. On day 5 I drove over to Fernley for (a) a little change in scenery and (b) to get away from the rain in Reno. For some reason I was feeling pretty good that day. I don't know if it was the change of scenery or what, but my legs felt fresh. You know that feeling you get when you have a tailwind but you're in denial about it? You feel like you've made some sort of breakthrough in your training. The hard work is paying off and you're finally getting faster. It's a great feeling, but then you turn around and it all comes crashing down.
I didn't have a tailwind on day 5, but I had a similar feeling. My legs felt fresh, like I had made a training breakthrough thanks to the 4-day blocks and back-to-back long days I've been doing this year. I rode harder than the previous 4 days, satisfied with myself along the way. The next day was like turning around and realizing that I had been riding with a tailwind the whole time. Day 5 was not a training breakthrough. In fact, I rode too hard on day 5 and ended up paying for it on day 6. I was able to ride at an easy pace on day 6 and recovered for day 7, but I learned an important lesson.
Pacing is everything. That's the big lesson I learned from my 10-day block of training. I'm bound to have some up days and some down days during Petoji. I have to resist that urge to ride too hard on the good days.
Aside from the day 5 mistake, I was pleased with how the 10-day training block turned out. My previous high mark was 500 miles in 5 days, so a lot of this was new to me. I did well on the post-ride nutrition front. I was recovering well from day to day and my weight was steady. At a certain point I just got into the groove. Eat, ride, eat, sleep, then do it all over again. When the 10th day was over I felt like I could have kept on going. I gained a lot of confidence from this 10-day block.
10 days is good, but it's obviously a long way from 23 days. I may be happy with the way things are going, but there is still a lot of work left to do.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Training Update: April
One third of the year is over and Petoji is only 4 months away. April wasn't a huge month (1172 miles), but I accomplished my main goals for the month. I wanted to do back-to-back centuries on 3 out of the 4 weeks, plus one double century. I was able to accomplish those goals.
The back-to-back rides seem to be paying off. I'm getting more and more comfortable on the second day. I want to keep doing consecutive rides as much as possible. Obviously 2 days in a row is a lot different than 23 days in a row, but hopefully my body is starting to understand how to recover from one long day to be ready for another long day.
May is going to be a very important month. Starting on May 16th I'm planning on riding 10 days in a row averaging 110 miles per day. This is a big step up from the 4-day blocks I did earlier this year. If I have a solid 10 days I will feel confident that Petoji is possible. If not, I'll have a lot of doubts. I'm looking forward to the test. I feel ready, but you never know until you get out there and do it.
The back-to-back rides seem to be paying off. I'm getting more and more comfortable on the second day. I want to keep doing consecutive rides as much as possible. Obviously 2 days in a row is a lot different than 23 days in a row, but hopefully my body is starting to understand how to recover from one long day to be ready for another long day.
May is going to be a very important month. Starting on May 16th I'm planning on riding 10 days in a row averaging 110 miles per day. This is a big step up from the 4-day blocks I did earlier this year. If I have a solid 10 days I will feel confident that Petoji is possible. If not, I'll have a lot of doubts. I'm looking forward to the test. I feel ready, but you never know until you get out there and do it.
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Route Update: April
All hotels are booked, so I have made a few slight changes to the route.
The changes start at Day 12. I added about 20 miles to finish in Pampa, TX instead of Borger, TX. From there I decided to route through Anadarko, OK instead of New Cordell, OK. I mainly switched because of the hotel situation. It makes for a long Day 13, but Day 14 becomes shorter and a rest day of sorts.
On Day 15 I switched from Talihina, OK to Heavener, OK. This was a route change that I didn't necessarily want to make, but the hotel situation forced my hand. The switch removes a section of the Talimena Scenic Byway. It's unfortunate, but I'll still get to ride half of the Byway. On the positive side, the switch adds extra mileage to the route as a whole, pushing it over the 3,000 mile mark. I don't know why, I wanted that number. It's one of those irrational human things. Is a 100 mile ride more impressive than a 99 mile ride? No, but I'd ride that extra 1 mile almost every time. Is 3,000 more impressive than 2,900? Probably not.
Those are the only major changes. The other cities stayed the same, but mileages may have changed slightly because of more exact routing from hotel to hotel. I've updated the daily GPS files and the big route map on the website.
 |
| Original Itinerary |
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| New Itinerary |
On Day 15 I switched from Talihina, OK to Heavener, OK. This was a route change that I didn't necessarily want to make, but the hotel situation forced my hand. The switch removes a section of the Talimena Scenic Byway. It's unfortunate, but I'll still get to ride half of the Byway. On the positive side, the switch adds extra mileage to the route as a whole, pushing it over the 3,000 mile mark. I don't know why, I wanted that number. It's one of those irrational human things. Is a 100 mile ride more impressive than a 99 mile ride? No, but I'd ride that extra 1 mile almost every time. Is 3,000 more impressive than 2,900? Probably not.
Those are the only major changes. The other cities stayed the same, but mileages may have changed slightly because of more exact routing from hotel to hotel. I've updated the daily GPS files and the big route map on the website.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Training Update: March
After a slow February, I picked things up a little in March. I had 1,400 miles for the month and 9 centuries. (For the year I'm sitting at 3,700 miles and 23 centuries.) Most importantly, I was able to complete a 4-day block of training where I averaged 119 miles per day. There's more detail on those 4 days here if you're interested.
I felt good during the 4-day block and I'm getting a better feel for how I have to pace myself for multiple long days in a row. However, 4 days is less than 20% of what I'll need to do for Petoji. I feel good about my progress so far, but I still understand that I have a lot more work to do.
Towards the end of May I might have time to fit in a 9-day block of training, so I'm going to use April to focus on back-to-back rides. I want to do 2 100-mile rides in a row on 3 of the 4 weekends. I also want to squeeze in one double century. There are a few days around 170 miles, so I want a few doubles in the bank before Petoji.
There won't be any long training blocks, but April should be a busy month and May will be even more important.
I felt good during the 4-day block and I'm getting a better feel for how I have to pace myself for multiple long days in a row. However, 4 days is less than 20% of what I'll need to do for Petoji. I feel good about my progress so far, but I still understand that I have a lot more work to do.
Towards the end of May I might have time to fit in a 9-day block of training, so I'm going to use April to focus on back-to-back rides. I want to do 2 100-mile rides in a row on 3 of the 4 weekends. I also want to squeeze in one double century. There are a few days around 170 miles, so I want a few doubles in the bank before Petoji.
There won't be any long training blocks, but April should be a busy month and May will be even more important.
Monday, March 2, 2015
Training Update: February
As expected, February was a quiet month. I only got in 724 miles for the month. However, I did start adding more intervals into the schedule and I'm doing 2 days per week now. I don't really have a structured plan. I'll do 40/20s, pyramids, or just go 100% on a climb.
It doesn't sound like much, but I have to keep reminding myself that this was all part of the plan. Things will start to pick up in March. I want to start getting my weekly long ride into the 110 mile range and I have a block of 4 100-mile days in a row planned. I should start to feel like I'm making progress again.
It doesn't sound like much, but I have to keep reminding myself that this was all part of the plan. Things will start to pick up in March. I want to start getting my weekly long ride into the 110 mile range and I have a block of 4 100-mile days in a row planned. I should start to feel like I'm making progress again.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Training Update: January
January is over and Petoji is only about 6 months away. How did January's training stack up and am I on track with my training plan?
So far the plan is on track. I was able to work on one of my big points of emphasis- riding hard on consecutive days. I completed two different blocks of 4 days in a row at 100 miles per day. These blocks were the main goal for the month and the most Petoji-specific training I could do. I was even able to fit in some adequate recovery time after both blocks, which is something I don't always have the discipline to do.
January turned out to be a big month. I did 1,596 miles and a total of 11 centuries. I was blessed with a combination of more free time and better weather than normal. Hopefully it's a good foundation for the year to come.
February is going to be a change of pace. I'm going to have less free time on my hands. As a result, I will pick up the intensity. I might even do some dreaded indoor riding (I find it easier/safer to do intervals indoors). I'll still do my weekly long ride and I want to fit in one weekend of back-to-back centuries. Aside from that, there won't be a whole lot going on when it comes to Petoji-specific training. Essentially I'm just trying to stay in decent shape until March and then I will ramp up the training again.
So far the plan is on track. I was able to work on one of my big points of emphasis- riding hard on consecutive days. I completed two different blocks of 4 days in a row at 100 miles per day. These blocks were the main goal for the month and the most Petoji-specific training I could do. I was even able to fit in some adequate recovery time after both blocks, which is something I don't always have the discipline to do.
January turned out to be a big month. I did 1,596 miles and a total of 11 centuries. I was blessed with a combination of more free time and better weather than normal. Hopefully it's a good foundation for the year to come.
February is going to be a change of pace. I'm going to have less free time on my hands. As a result, I will pick up the intensity. I might even do some dreaded indoor riding (I find it easier/safer to do intervals indoors). I'll still do my weekly long ride and I want to fit in one weekend of back-to-back centuries. Aside from that, there won't be a whole lot going on when it comes to Petoji-specific training. Essentially I'm just trying to stay in decent shape until March and then I will ramp up the training again.
Friday, January 16, 2015
Why a Credit Card Tour?
Petoji is a credit card tour, meaning that I will carry basic cycling gear and clothing and pay for things like
meals, supplies and overnight accommodations along the way. Why choose a credit card tour over other methods of touring?
In the world of cyclotouring, I'm more of a cyclist than a tourist. I love to ride. A big part of the appeal of riding across America is the physical challenge. I've always wanted to do something similar to America By Bicycle's Fast America rides, which are supported tours that average about 100 miles per day. To me, that would be the perfect trip- just focus on riding and let the support crew take care of everything else. Unfortunately, their schedule doesn't work for me this year. Neither does the PAC Tour Elite ride. I'm on my own.
Hiring a SAG driver crossed my mind. It would be nice to pre-plan water stops, have a wide variety of food available, have spare parts in case of a breakdown, etc. In the end I simply can't afford it. There aren't a ton of bike tour companies that can do this sort of thing and the ones I found were too rich for my blood. I tried to be creative and look for a non-cycling specific tour guide or driver, but I ran into similar problems. A Petoji SAG wouldn't really make sense unless I had a group of 5 or more riders organized. I have no idea where I'd find 4 other riders who would be willing to join me.
A credit card tour is a decent compromise. I'm going to try to go as light as I can with just one set of off-bike clothes, mini tool, mini-pump, 2 tubes, patch kit, phone, Garmin, charging cable, sunscreen, toothbrush, ID, and credit card. (Note: I'm still working on the exact packing list and will post it later on.) Obviously there are a few concerns. The first is water. Towns are few and far between on the Western portion of the route. I've been mapping out mileages between towns and looking for any potential water sources in between. I'm going to want to carry 4 bottles on certain days. The second is the potential of a mechanical issue. A mini tool can solve a lot of problems, but not all of them. On my normal rides around home I know how to deal with a broken spoke, a broken chain, or a severely cut tire and slowly make my way back. However, that's usually only 50 miles away at the most. At any given time during Petoji I may be hundreds of miles away from a bike shop. All I can do is have quality equipment that is properly maintained and hope for the best. That's true of any ride, though.
I'd be a liar if I said I wouldn't prefer a SAG wagon. It would certainly make things easier. That doesn't mean that doing it by myself is impossible, and by the time I make it to Jekyll Island I'm sure there be a sense of satisfaction from doing things on my own.
In the world of cyclotouring, I'm more of a cyclist than a tourist. I love to ride. A big part of the appeal of riding across America is the physical challenge. I've always wanted to do something similar to America By Bicycle's Fast America rides, which are supported tours that average about 100 miles per day. To me, that would be the perfect trip- just focus on riding and let the support crew take care of everything else. Unfortunately, their schedule doesn't work for me this year. Neither does the PAC Tour Elite ride. I'm on my own.
Hiring a SAG driver crossed my mind. It would be nice to pre-plan water stops, have a wide variety of food available, have spare parts in case of a breakdown, etc. In the end I simply can't afford it. There aren't a ton of bike tour companies that can do this sort of thing and the ones I found were too rich for my blood. I tried to be creative and look for a non-cycling specific tour guide or driver, but I ran into similar problems. A Petoji SAG wouldn't really make sense unless I had a group of 5 or more riders organized. I have no idea where I'd find 4 other riders who would be willing to join me.
A credit card tour is a decent compromise. I'm going to try to go as light as I can with just one set of off-bike clothes, mini tool, mini-pump, 2 tubes, patch kit, phone, Garmin, charging cable, sunscreen, toothbrush, ID, and credit card. (Note: I'm still working on the exact packing list and will post it later on.) Obviously there are a few concerns. The first is water. Towns are few and far between on the Western portion of the route. I've been mapping out mileages between towns and looking for any potential water sources in between. I'm going to want to carry 4 bottles on certain days. The second is the potential of a mechanical issue. A mini tool can solve a lot of problems, but not all of them. On my normal rides around home I know how to deal with a broken spoke, a broken chain, or a severely cut tire and slowly make my way back. However, that's usually only 50 miles away at the most. At any given time during Petoji I may be hundreds of miles away from a bike shop. All I can do is have quality equipment that is properly maintained and hope for the best. That's true of any ride, though.
I'd be a liar if I said I wouldn't prefer a SAG wagon. It would certainly make things easier. That doesn't mean that doing it by myself is impossible, and by the time I make it to Jekyll Island I'm sure there be a sense of satisfaction from doing things on my own.
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