Today consisted of another 112 mile bike ride and 6 mile run. We decided to leave a little early to try and beat the heat. Well it was a good idea but we took a wrong turn and added on a few more miles but that was okay cause we were training.
The Wisc bike course consist of a stick which is 16 mile out to the beginning of the loop. Note the loop is 40 miles and that is repeated twice then you bring the stick back to transition and start your run. I have said it before and I will say it again. It is not the hills alone that eat you up it is making the right decisions throughout the day. Such as when to switch gears, when to slow down on a certain turn cause you are going 45 mph and know what is on the other side----example a sharp left turn followed by an immediate up hill. There are three hills toward the end of the each of the loops. Meaning you have to see these babies x2. I have named then accordingly.....Mama, baby, and papa. Mama is an ~ 1 mile climb of about 4-5% incline. Just when you think it is flat for a few seconds the grade ups itself to about 7%. Kind of funny when you look down and you are already over your FTP and only going 5-8 mph. Like the coach said this is where you will here the bikes a creaking and slamming and these will be the people around you out of the saddle showing you just how to climb that hill. I will be cheering you on and tell you how damn good you look. Then when I see you on the run around mile 3 and you are walking you can tell me what a hellish bike split you had :). Then comes baby hill not to bad but a steady climb. Well you think it is over and you make a left hand turn and I am not kidding I swear you climb for over a mile and keep climbing. Again important to stay IN THE SEAT and steadily climb these hills cause if not it will get you. Loop # 2 today I actually seen a few people walking their bikes up daddy hill.
Loop # 2 we stopped so peeps could refill their water bottles and I grabbed a coke for some calories and sugar and threw in a No DOZ. Yes a caffeine pill. Damn when it hit me it was game on!!!! 40 more miles of constant gearing and thinking. I had to talk myself into doing loop # 2 cause my ass and taint were not very happy with me. Loop # 2 was GREAT!!! Today I had a better loop two vs one. It was good to see all the team out there getting it done.
Let me say this from a logistical point. When you are done with the loops and back on the stick stay at your watts cause the hills are not over yet and remember you have 17 more miles to T2.
IF YOU COME UP TO RIDE THE COURSE PLEASE BE SURE WHEN THERE IS A STOP SIGN TO COME TO A STOP, UN CLIP, AND PUT A FOOT ON THE GROUND. THE COPS WERE STOPPING PEEPS LEFT AND RIGHT AND GIVING OUT CITATIONS FOR FAILURE TO STOP. THIS IS NO JOKE. We were warned about this in out team meetings and we seen it today.
Also if you don't know the course please be careful when descending. We seen a couple bad accidents today and one ended with a possible dislocated shoulder, fractured clavicle, and a trip in a local squad to a trauma center. It was on the s curves and curve # 1.
At the gas station a local told us she counted over 100 bikes on the course today. She wanted to know if there was a race today. We asked if that was more than normal and she said 30 or more is normal but never like this. We were invading there territory. Not many issues but a few peeps honking and saying a few things. No biggie :)
Picking up a special sunscreen Tucker told me about cause I got burned two days in a row and that is not a good feeling. I was literally getting cooked today on the course.
Tonight's brings another team meeting. Coach is going over tools of the trade. We then have a team dinner at a nice restaurant.
Tomorrow at 0800 we are running 13.1 miles of the Marathon run course. We are starting in t2 and taking one loop of the course. Again it will be nice to know the lay of the course and what to expect.
Well be careful out there and train smart folks. Until we talk again, be good :)
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