I try to keep a few solid goals in my head to improve my riding. I also find that it helps keep me focused and riding on days when the weather is not so good.
Last year it was the Wales tour, a goal which I achieved.
This year, I'm setting two goals:
1) Cycling up Mt Washington (Preferably up to Grand View, so I can get some good pics).
and
2) My first century ride (the tour de cure in June).
So I'm looking for routes that would help me train for both.
Despite the fact that I've tackled much steeper and longer climbs, Mt Washington still intimidates the heck out of me. It's partially just a mental hurdle of thinking that only "real cyclists" can do it, I have no idea where that came from but I want to dispel it.
My other concern is about traffic not expecting a cyclist heading up there, and having some reasonable way to turn around if I can't quite make it.
Any help/advice would be appreciated!
Which way are you heading up to Mt Washington? There are several ways.
Centuries are largely about eating enough to sustain the effort and getting your grundle thru it. Get some good shorts, possibly some chamois creme and make sure your bike and saddle fit.
Well, I'd be heading up from the south side. At least I think that makes the most sense since I live at the munhall/homestead border. (At least for a few more months anyway.)
Oddly, I'm less worried about the century than I am about Mt Washington. As you say, it's a matter of liquid/food management. Also the last day of the Wales tour (brecon to cardiff), we did about 60 miles with some pretty big hills/mountains. Granted going from 60 to 100 is a big deal, but I have a lot of time to train.
Granted going from 60 to 100 is a big deal
Take it from me, it doesn't have to be. If you can make it to 60, doing 100 (or more!) is not really any more difficult.
As Mayhew mentioned, keeping yourself fed, hydrated, and comfortable is the key. Once you've hit 60 miles, you've already gotten the correct rhythm of food and water intake that works for you...just keep doing what you're doing.
In my experience, once you've passed the 50-75 mile mark, nothing really changes for quite a while further. Your body reaches a state of equilibrium, where, as long as you keep everything steady, you can pretty much go until a new factor (sleep deprivation, darkness, etc.) enters the mix.
(If you want a fun training ride, pick 3 or 4 ways to climb Mt Washington, then do them sequentially. 
)
For the century, be sure you are comfortable on your bike. Spend a few bucks on a bike session. When I did my first brevet (200km), the only thing that was problematic (besides the wrong turn which added 15 miles to the ride) was comfort--around mile 90, my back started causing trouble for me, and that slowed me down.
Also, for reference, in the months leading up to the brevet (in April, so I didn't have months and months to train because of weather. My longest ride leading up to the ride was ~60 miles. As Chris and Dan said above, after that, it's all about food and fluid intake, and being sure you can actually stay on the bike without pain.
the easiest way up mt. wash. is pj mccardle on the (gasp!)sidewalk. if you're anything like me riding the sidewalk requires a healthy dose of pride swallowing, but on the sidewalk there's no traffic worries, road obstacles, etc. and you can tackle it at any pace you're comfortable with.
for a more challenging ride you could try sycamore st., one of the 2 backroads from the west end, or any of the numerous routes up from rt 51. if you would like to try any of the latter 3 options hit me up on this board and i can get you specific street names and directions.
PJ McArdle is the easiest way up to Mount Washington, especially with gears. The road is kind of narrow, but the sidewalk is almost always vacant. I often ride up there to get to the library and then come back down on the road way.
I take McArdle the entire way from 9th street, but you can also take Arlington up from Carson.
Wales, excellent, I would like to hear what that was like.
Century - I used to do lots of centuries, several a year, and I don't think the jump from 60 to 100 is any big deal. I think it's more a matter of cumulative saddle time - get to the point where you can do 25 to 30 miles every other day and one 50 or 60 on a weekend for, I dunno, 3 months, you'll be fine. Also watch your pace though, you need to be able to do 60 in about 5 hrs or better, or on a century you'll simply be out there too long.
Mt. Washington - I'm looking at a map, has anyone ridden this William Street up from Arlington to Wyoming? It looks more gradual than Sycamore, might be less travelled. More of a "Mt. Washington Wiggle.
Wales was simply awe-inspiring. I followed the Lon Las Cymru, a mix of single track, paved narrow roads and major roads that goes from Holyhead to Cardiff. There's historical and archeological evidence that it has been a path between North and South Wales as long as there have been settlements there.
I blogged it as I went, including some pics. (Link is to the first post, and newer post will take you through the various posts.
It's definitely something I'd highly recommend and am thinking I might do again in a year or two.
If I'm not mistaken Willam street is one way coming DOWN the hill. Of course it is very rarely used so you may be able to cheat.
I take williams down very often since i live close to the top of it. It is one way coming down starting about half way up the hill at rialto street. I rarely see much traffic on williams except for the occasional car driving up the one way part backwards.(yes i've seen it happen).
Last year, I did DC round trip in 2 weeks. When I came back, I was a load. I could not get myself to do anything physical well over a week.
Total load.
My plan had been to use my bicycle trip fitness to slingshot my long-distance swimming, train hard as soon as I was back from DC and do well (Place? Win!?) in a 2 1/4 mile cross-lake swim race from Negaunee, Michigan to my old home town of Ishpeming.
The swim race was 6 weeks after the bike trip.
I came in last.
I still accomplished my primary and secondary goals. That is, "Don't drown," and, "Finish within the official time." (2:29:12 is under 2:30, after all.)
Dead last.
"Wait until next year!"
Bikes:
I don't want to spend the time for a DC trip this year - either training and riding. But I want to do something on a bike.
So I'll do the MS 150, modified.
I'll take a whole day to bike out to Moraine, then stay near Erie a couple of days and bike back in 3 days, or maybe even 4.
That way I won't do the take-a-"bike"-trip-where-you-go-more-miles-by-motor-vehicle thing. My avoidance of that verges on mental illness, in a way that my old cocaine habit NEVER was.
The 150 will be rough on me for sure, but I don't want to train intensely, so I will be leisurely for the rest of the trip.
Also I can train for this year's swim race while I'm in Erie!
I'm as out of shape as I have ever been (even when I was a pack+ a day smoker) , so this should be challenging enough. This getting old business is a b*tch.
Mick
@edmonds Mt. Washington - I'm looking at a map, has anyone ridden this William Street up from Arlington to Wyoming? It looks more gradual than Sycamore, might be less travelled. More of a "Mt. Washington Wiggle.
The coffee area where I work look across the Mon and I look at Williams every day while my tea water heats. Never ridden it, but I will.
Looks good. It's light traffic, even if it is one way. Through the woods. Much more gradual than Syacamore, maybe more than McArdle.
Wiggling is good.
Mick
I glanced at your trip blog. awesome, beautiful. I've always identified with Wales, name Edmonds, family from coal miners in Johnstown, PA. I've never felt at home when I was away from hills. Too lazy to do the actual genealogy. I don't sing particularly well. I found a word a long time ago, hiraeth, that I feel a lot. Those photos definitely bring it on.
Williams is a great street, one of my favorites. The minor drawbacks are a)you're riding with the trolley tracks up Arlington before you turn right onto Williams b) Williams is one way.
Williams is low traffic and wide enough that you can do it no problem though. It's a super cool view of the city and very wooded right above the Liberty Bridge/Tunnel.
Mcardle sidewalk is by far the easiest way to get up, for sure. Williams maybe the 2nd easiest. Sycamore is hard for sure although totally doable (with a nice pull out to the left near the top)
Good luck!
I used to ride Williams all time when it was still 2 way. I was almost hit twice, head on by cars coming up the hill. I rode Sycamore and 18th after that. I seem to remember Williams being wide in sections, but it had quite a few narrow points, mostly at curves. Are the utility poles set in the pavement at the edge of the road still there?
Really great street though. Great views climbing and the decent was really, really fun. Except for the whole oncoming cars in my lane part.
My vote for easiest way up is also the sidewalk on McArdle.
No reason to fear Mt Washington. As other have stated, PJ Mcardle sidewalk is the easiest way. Since it's only a two-lane street, you'll be holding up traffic and asking for trouble. Go slow, take your time. It's steady but not very steep. Sycamore is tougher, so I simply stopped a couple of times when I first tried it. No shame in that. I kept coming back and eventually did it all in one go. Good thing about streets if that if they beat you one day, they'll be there the next day for you to try again. Try Mcardle first, take your time and you'll be fine. Enjoy the view!
A friend loaned me a motorcycle once. One of those ones with a tiny engine and a governor to keep it slower than 30 mph.
I had to get off and push to get it up Sycamore.
Mick
^ LOL! Proving yet again the superiority of the bicycle!
So, I can cross Mt Washington off my list. Went up this morning on PJ Mcardle's sidewalk. It would have been much easier if not for the wet leaves and branches. (I had to get off and trundle a couple of times.) Although I could definitely tell that the winter had taken its toll on my legs, it was much, much easier than I expected.
Came back down on Sycamore. That was a little scary.
Thanks everyone for their advice and encouragement.
So, I can cross Mt Washington off my list
Way to go!
Congrats!
@Mick -- 2+ mile cross lake swim to Ishpeming? Are you crazy? It was cold in northern Michigan all last summer. Cherry Festival at Traverse City almost had to be cancelled -- the cold had killed the cherry blooms. It was still dang cold when I went through in July. That swim is impressive, even if you came in dead last at 2:29.
You can cross that off your 2009 goals, what are you going to do for 2010?
Just kidding, nice work.
When I set MY goals for 2009, I made sure to choose things I had already done so I could feel a sense of accomplishment. You chose things you didn't do! That takes real guts.
Swolfort -- 2+ mile cross lake swim to Ishpeming? Are you crazy? It was cold in northern Michigan all last summer.
The lake in Ishpeming was not all that cold at the end of July.
Sarah_q, who was posting here for a while, swims in REAL open water races - like long distances, waves, tidal currents, salt water, sharks - that sort of thing.
Sometime she and I are going to swim in the Allegheny. Probably after the ice melts. I imagine she'll kick my butt.
Two and quarter miles is in some ways equivalent to a 25 mile bike race. Not trivial, but not "OMG! OMG!" either.
OTOH, the fact that it was *to* Ishpeming? That is is certainly questionable judgement. Kinda like going to Clairton for your vacation.
Am I crazy? I think we all know the answer to that and there is no need to dwell on it, thank you.
Mick
Negley between 5th and Wilkins. Not my goal, but someone else can have it.
As for me, I'll stick to getting back on a bike.
This may have helped alleviate your worries about climbing Mt Washington if I had noticed your post back then... In 2008, I went on the Bike Fest Mural ride. We went up PJ McArdle. It was my first year cycling.
A pregnant girl with a yellow sundress, flip flops, and a single gear bike made it up the hill with me in tow. Her picture is here Girl in Yellow Dress. Scroll down about half-way through the page link.
I decided to try to post the actual image. This link may not work - first time I've tried linking to an image. If there isn't a picture below, sorry, refer to the link in my earlier post above!
This is the pregnant girl wearing a yellow sundress, flip flops, and a single gear bike that rode up PJ McArdle . I was in awe.
Looks like a rear cassette & deraileur to me on the helmet-less pregnant girl's bike.
saltm513 - Negley between 5th and Wilkins. Not my goal, but someone else can have it.
I first attempted Negley off of 5th in the summer of 2008. Age 49. I'd just biked about 10 miles and was in a good rhythm, and decided to go for it.
About half-way up, I started to feel pressure in my left arm and shoulder -- classic angina. I do not have heart trouble, but I do have just enough medical background and common sense to recognize that my body was saying "Get off the damn bike and rest, NOW!" The pressure stopped immediately, and 10 minutes later I was back on my way and felt fine. Never had a recurrence, either, despite climbing Negley two more times without pause (and Federal and Rialto and Center and Suffolk-Hazleton-Burgess and ...)
All in all, learning what my breaking point was was an educational experience.
quizbot, nit-picking cannot diminish that woman's awesomeness. I'm with you, TDW.
Get more people on bikes, including my wife and baby, and get my fat ass up the damn hill.
Re; stu, I'm in your bracket, once I was having some chest pains that thought I had better get checked, so my doc checked me all out, turned out to be nothing. But the doc asked "do you get these pains when you bike?", I told him no, and he said "well just bike more". True. He was a good doctor.
Just trying to be accurate. Nothing diminished about anyone climbing Mt. Washington on any setup. I do question the wisdom of riding in flip flops without a helmet, but the rest is ok. +1 to myddrin.
I will get that pain every now and then when I struggling up a big hill on my bike.
quizbot. At least she was drinking water.
I turned 57 last month. The decline in my physical prowress is disconcerting.
When I get a new bike, I always test it out on Negley Hill. If I can't get up, I need a lower gear. They don't call them "granny" gears for nothing.
But then, there ist he challenge of balance...
Mick
Those British racing trikes are not reputed to make balancing easier.
Hmmm, yes quizbot, I see the gears. I must have confused her with another rider. For nearly 2 years I've been believing it was the pregnant girl - I think I'm relieved.
