Hills in South Florida??? Ha!!!

Many of you may be wondering "How in the world does this Florida girl plan to do 103 miles on a bike in mountainous Tahoe (CA/NV) when there are no hills, let alone mountains, to train on in South Florida?"  Well, let me tell you...  

There are three things in Florida we have (I will explain how all three are helping in this effort):  1) WIND, 2) BRIDGES, 3) FLAT ROADS.

Just because I know you are curious, I will start with #3 and work my way back.  I am sure you are saying "How do flat roads help you with HILLS?"  Coach Bryan (AKA BIG MAC) has explained this one to us a few times.  Since we have flat roads in Florida, we train to ALWAYS peddle.  We never coast (or we stop).  This is an advantage over the not-so-flat part of the country because we are building our cardio for a 40-60 mile workout of continuous peddling, not just 20-25 miles peddling and the rest coasting.  Yes, the climbing is a different story, but cardio workouts that can sustain over longer periods of time will benefit us riders who don't have hills for training.   Bare with me, I will tie this into our training in just a few moments.

Lake Worth Bridge (EB Side)

The second thing available in Florida that is helping our conditioning for Tahoe is the bridges we have.  Over every intercoastal waterway there is a bridge.  Some are more steep than others, but all have a climbing factor.  What appears to be our 'training' bridge is the Lake Worth Intercoastal Bridge.  This one is a bit odd as it is more steep on one side than it is on the other.  Either way it is a great workout just getting in as many bridge repeats as possible.  Now, this bridge has nothing on the hills in Tahoe, but after several repeats in a row, you feel like the bridge is getting more difficult to climb each time.

Now let's talk about the wind... What did Coach Big Mac say?  Oh right... "The wind is your friend."  Some would say he is lying, and even I have said that while fighting the wind; however, (and don't tell him I said this) he is correct!  Fighting the wind can give you the perception of fighting a hill.  (Add in the constant peddle peddle peddle and you have one heck of a workout!!!) I have found myself (more than once lately with this wind we have had) feeling like I was climbing a hill yet I was on a road that was flat, even sometimes slightly down hill.  Crazy feeling, actually.

What does all this mean?  Flat Roads + Wind + Bridge Repeats = HILL TRAINING....

Well let's take this weekend for example...  Here was the work out (handed to us on a printed cut out just in case we forgot half way through...)

• 5 Bridge Repeats = 2.5 miles
• Ride from Lake Worth to Boynton Beach Inlet = 5.7 miles
• From Boynton Beach Inlet, back to Lake Worth Bridge = 5.7 miles
• 16 Bridge Repeats = 8 miles
• Ride to Palm Beach Inlet = 12 miles
• From Palm Beach Inlet back to Lake Worth Bridge = 12 miles
• 9 more Bridge Repeats = 4.5 miles
• TOTAL = 50.4 miles

A look from Spooner Junction...  All UP HILL!!!

Ok, so let me start by saying I did not complete the entire training.  (I did complete 44 miles and 20 total repeats for a total of 840' (less than 1/3 of Tahoe) climbing)  The heat added to the day and even though I was hydrating, my body was done after I returned from Palm Beach Inlet.  However, let me tell you, my ride to the inlet in Palm Beach was fast, holding on with our Elite Riders at an average of 19-20 mph.  I lost them at the very end. =(  Considering I was barely a 17 mph average ride last summer, to hold on (and even pull) at an average of 19-20 is an amazing accomplishment for me.  THANK YOU, BIG MAC!!!

Let me also explain my ride back from the inlet, and another reason I opted to not finish the bridge repeats at the end...  My Coach decided he wanted to make me BONK.  What does that mean?  basically, he wanted me to work out so hard that I got sick (he wanted me to puke!!!). He was CLOSE to succeeding.  To begin our ride back from the inlet, Big Mac decided to let me enjoy a scenic and relaxing route where we averaged about 15-16 mph.  Then it was time to turn up the FUN, he said.  HA HA HA!!!!  Big Mac had me sprint from flag to flag on the  Beach side of A1A in Palm Beach.  These were short sprints, but he wanted me at 21-22 mph.  Did I mention I have asthma??  Ya, I think he forgets that!  (JK!!)  Did I mention we were against the wind??

I any case, on the way back we had a few sprints up to 21-22 mph, then along came this elite group of riders at 23 mpg...  I was on a sprint, so Big Mac says 'GO FOR IT'...  I grabbed on the the end of the line and held on for as long as I could.  I was impressed that I was 22-23 mph for quite some time... a few miles that is.  Then on a slight uphill, not much,but enough to bite you when you are not looking, I dropped to 22mph and the elite team lost me... (they took that hill at 23 and never looked back).  Either way, I am definitely improving as a cyclist (Don't tell the Coach, he will say it is all him!!! ;-) )

AMBBR Elevation Chart... YIKES!!!

So where am I going with all this related to how I started this blog?  The consistent peddle-peddle-peddle we do on the flats, bridge repeats where we can fit them in, and fighting the wind daily is making me a better rider and preparing me for the 2600' of climbing in Tahoe.  Did I mention there is an 8-mile climb in Tahoe???  (Look at the graphic and search for Spooner.  That's it, the spike at the end, the 80 mile marker... adding insult to injury!  YIKES!)  Yes, I am a little scared by that!!!  One of the coaches, a great/strong rider told me it took him 2 hours to complete that portion of the ride... OH BOY!!!!!!

This weekend we are off to Clermont.  We wil have 2500' of climbing within 40 miles in Clermont.  Did I mention the 2600' of climbing in Tahoe is over 103 miles??  Ya, a slight difference there... Seems like there will be a lot of down hill time in Tahoe that we may not enjoy in Clermont. You know what I say to that?? Bring it on!!!  There is not a hill I can climb that will even slightly compare to the 'hills' our honored heroes face every day battling their blood cancers.  

Every day is a new challenge for our honored patients, our honored heroes.... why should my life be any easier?  Coach says, "If you think training for an endurance event is hard, you should try chemo!"  He is right! I have seen what these treatments do to people, to kids.  I want to change that.  You can help...  On this page you will find a link to my fundraising page.  This is a secure site you can use your credit card to donate.  I am donating my body (in more ways than one as I also donate my platelets), I am asking you for a donation that could equal one fast food lunch, a 6-pack of beer, a bottle of wine...  All of which pale in comparison of saving a life!  Every donation can help!!!

I will leave you this week with this... one of my all time favorite quotes from an amazing woman:

You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.  ~Eleanor Roosevelt