Feb 07, 2011 23:50
I've been "training" for the Tour Divide Race for about a month now. I wasn't really slouching in my physical condition, but the year started out slow with my knee injury, ending in very successful physical therapy and a wonderful summer spent in Colorado riding bikes and discovering the fun of doing all the walk up hikes up 14ers. I would say some of those trips, like riding to Leadville, hiking Mt. Massive and then riding back (3 days), riding to Longs Peak, *attempting* to summit on October, riding bike (3 days) and doing the same for Pike's Peak (26 miles of hiking, 200 miles of riding - much on country roads) - plus the week of peak bagging and going up and down 13,000 foot Argentine Pass with a touring bike is a little more than poking around Denver environs. I feel mostly like I'm in the condition I was, before I did the Pacific Coast or France, which is great - since I know have 5 *months* to hone in on just getting distance done.
From my knowledge of doing those longish tours, the condition I'm in after wards is mixed: you get the feeling that you can, literally, ride a bike, all day (and you can), but I'm also in the throes of some sort of cold that doesn't shake for a month (at least), feel weak and generally don't do much, until my body recovers.
That leads me to believe that I'm really and truly on the right path to getting ready doing 100-150 miles a day for 3-4 weeks, but mileage should be added slowly, or I'll hit my actual peak much too soon and will feel less than up to it, come June. If I really crank out mileage in the next month or two, I'll be at peak in March and that's too soon.
Anyways, All good stuff.