Fun, but is it good training?

[Watoni]

Trying to get my climbing legs, so I have been putting 40-70 minutes of SST/L4 climbing in a 1-1.5 hr ride in for 6 of the past 7 days (also pushing a few days in a row since the weather is supposed to take a turn for the worse).

The legs are definitiely a bit fatigued, but I still felt pretty good. TSS is just over 700 for the week, climbing is a little over 17,500 feet in about 110 miles ...


This is my favorite kind of riding, but would I be better served doing some 2-3 hour tempo/SST rides? Keep in mind I am looking to do doubles with 15-20,000 feet of climbing so explosive power is less critical than the ability to just grind it out ...

 

[swampy1970]

Trying to get my climbing legs, so I have been putting 40-70 minutes of SST/L4 climbing in a 1-1.5 hr ride in for 6 of the past 7 days (also pushing a few days in a row since the weather is supposed to take a turn for the worse).

The legs are definitiely a bit fatigued, but I still felt pretty good. TSS is just over 700 for the week, climbing is a little over 17,500 feet in about 110 miles ...


This is my favorite kind of riding, but would I be better served doing some 2-3 hour tempo/SST rides? Keep in mind I am looking to do doubles with 15-20,000 feet of climbing so explosive power is less critical than the ability to just grind it out ...

Is it good training? I'd say so.

If you're going to be doing lots of climbing then doing a fair amount of climbing is always a good thing. If you've already got a good base of SST behind you then going harder on the climbs for L4 isn't a bad idea.

What doubles are you thinking of? 20,000ft sounds like fun. I have one of those planned for June if I ever get ride of this f#$king 'cold' or whatever it is...

 

[Watoni]

Is it good training? I'd say so.

If you're going to be doing lots of climbing then doing a fair amount of climbing is always a good thing. If you've already got a good base of SST behind you then going harder on the climbs for L4 isn't a bad idea.

What doubles are you thinking of? 20,000ft sounds like fun. I have one of those planned for June if I ever get ride of this f#$king 'cold' or whatever it is...

Thanks!

First double is Devil Mountain in San Ramon, CA:

Mt. Diablo, Morgan Territory, Patterson Pass, Mt. Hamilton, Sierra Road etc. in one day

http://quackcyclists.com/Dmd09/Dmd2009.htm

 

[swampy1970]

Sounds like fun. I'll take a look at that one...

The one I was thinking of is the one put on by Alta Alpina Cycling Club - The Alta Alpina Challenge. After being ousted from the Deathride they decided it was time to come up with something bigger and better. 8 passes, 198 miles with the last 4 climbs being both sides of Ebbetts and Monitor. ~21,000ft of climbing, mostly in the second 100 miles.

 

[Watoni]

Sounds like fun. I'll take a look at that one...

The one I was thinking of is the one put on by Alta Alpina Cycling Club - The Alta Alpina Challenge. After being ousted from the Deathride they decided it was time to come up with something bigger and better. 8 passes, 198 miles with the last 4 climbs being both sides of Ebbetts and Monitor. ~21,000ft of climbing, mostly in the second 100 miles.

Yep, that is a new double. It will be interesting to see how attendance is given that it is a week before the very popular Terrible Two (I have unfinished business with that ride this year). It is a great area for cycling to be sure and an opportunity to ride it without the Death Ride crowds ...

My season goals are TT and the stage race (Devil Mountain, Central Coast, Mt. Tam) ...