This Shit is Hard

Today's Ride: 59 miles, two major climbs (each side of the Middlebury gap)

Another out-and-back, this time over the mountain then back. Climbing sucks, by the way. Both on the way over and on the way back I was going mighty slow, especially coming back. I'm hoping that one of two things happen: 1) I get in ridiculous shape, ridiculously fast, or 2) adrenaline pushes me over the mountains quicker than I'm going now.

So, hoping to help accomplish 1 so that 2 happens easier, tomorrow I'm going to ride the course of the road race of the Green Mountain Stage Race. The course is about 64 miles, but I'm bumping it up to 70 to make it a full loop. It's going the east side of the App Gap, and the west side of the Middlebury gap. It's going to SUCK. But after bonking (hard) with six miles to go, I'll be backing a lot of food, and stopping before the second climb to refill my water. I hope that I don't die, because then I wouldn't get to do the P/1/2 course on Thursday, which is about 107 miles. Game on!

Tomorrow's Ride: 70 miles, East Middlebury to Bristol, over Rt. 17 to Waitsfield, south on 100 to Hancock, back over the Middlebury gap!

Back.

Today’s Ride: 36 miles, one major climb (East side of the Middlebury Gap)

That’s all today’s ride was, really, was the climb. I got a late start and didn’t have enough time to go down the other side and then come back.

It’s ten days until the start of the Green Mountain Stage Race, and I’m hoping that a solid lead-up of hard work will do some small measure towards making up for the fact that my training fell way off this summer (hence the no blog entries).

I wish I’d been riding more this summer, but what I’ve learned is that I don’t do too well with a lot of free time. I just waste it.

But now I’m back. We’ll see how it goes.

Tomorrow’s Ride: 52 miles, Cornwall to Hancock and back, via Middlebury gap