Different bikes, riding & fitness

Cardy George

Piercing rural members since 1981
While I was never 'fast', I was a capable climber back in the days of living in the hills. It really was nothing to do 100k (on the roadie) because I was doing at least 60 hills kilometers every, single, week. The key to improving is consistency.

Right now my consistency is pedalling. Everywhere, all the time. I don't pedal, I don't move. If my aerobic base was big when I left Adelaide, its freaking huge now. My challenge though is diversity.

Take the Dirty Weekend Solo 12hr for example. I hadn't specifically trained, but I knew my base was solid and I'm pretty decent at pacing myself. Climbing sucked, but it was hard to tell if I was losing or gaining as there were so many team riders who were doing one flying lap and having a rest. My lap times were super consistent and after I'd ridden for ten hours over two days, I discovered if I tackled the really steep pinch like a SS rider I could've been so much faster and it took a lot less effort.

I came home and rode to work two days later, expecting to be completely flat and useless. But bugger me if I wasn't actually faster. Still tired, but definitely faster across the ground. Turns out riding in hills for 12 hours reacquaints you with climbing muscles, which are useful on flat ground too.

So, now I include one session of stomping, and one session of high power spinning per week to try and keep a useful range of cadence. I've also found a climbing loop. At 3 minutes up AND down its not very long, but the up is technical and I alternate between seated and standing every lap.
 
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