Preparing for the Widowmaker
For years I have been talking about it, and this year I am going to give it a go. The Snowbird Widowmaker Mountain Bike Race.
The race is on Saturday September 22nd and is approximately 3,000 vertical feet in just under 5 miles. To prepare for it I have done a few things. I have lost almost 30 pounds (don't want to lose more, then I could not race as a Clydesdale), and I have been riding my tail off. During the week I have been riding about 6-10 miles a day (1,000 to 1,500 vertical), and on weekends I have been trying to get 20-30 miles in. Last Friday I decided to go for a brutal training ride that is arguably harder than the Widowmaker will be. I took all the steep lunchtime rides up by my work and strung them together. We have one we call the tri-fecta where we string three, this took that to the next level. Some of you who have ridden with me will be familiar with these trails, and others will have to trust me, they are all steep and hard.
I started with an out and back on 'Little Beacon' and then headed down and did the 'Zoo Loop' including the 'Pipeline' climb (I cleaned them both). From there I did an out another out and back to the 'Stone Chairs'. Then off and over the backside of 'Red Butte' crossing over and up to the 'Water Tank'. From there it was an out and back on 'Cephalopod' and then back to the office. I added a Google Earth screen shot of my route for those unfamiliar. It is now Sunday and I am still a little sore, but this ride should be more difficult than the Widowmaker, so one more loop like this and I should be good to go. Overall this was about a 15 mile loop, but should have been well over 4,000 vertical. Next time I will remember to bring my GPS.
The race is on Saturday September 22nd and is approximately 3,000 vertical feet in just under 5 miles. To prepare for it I have done a few things. I have lost almost 30 pounds (don't want to lose more, then I could not race as a Clydesdale), and I have been riding my tail off. During the week I have been riding about 6-10 miles a day (1,000 to 1,500 vertical), and on weekends I have been trying to get 20-30 miles in. Last Friday I decided to go for a brutal training ride that is arguably harder than the Widowmaker will be. I took all the steep lunchtime rides up by my work and strung them together. We have one we call the tri-fecta where we string three, this took that to the next level. Some of you who have ridden with me will be familiar with these trails, and others will have to trust me, they are all steep and hard.
I started with an out and back on 'Little Beacon' and then headed down and did the 'Zoo Loop' including the 'Pipeline' climb (I cleaned them both). From there I did an out another out and back to the 'Stone Chairs'. Then off and over the backside of 'Red Butte' crossing over and up to the 'Water Tank'. From there it was an out and back on 'Cephalopod' and then back to the office. I added a Google Earth screen shot of my route for those unfamiliar. It is now Sunday and I am still a little sore, but this ride should be more difficult than the Widowmaker, so one more loop like this and I should be good to go. Overall this was about a 15 mile loop, but should have been well over 4,000 vertical. Next time I will remember to bring my GPS.
Labels: mountainbiking, Widowmaker
posted by Mark N. at 3:11 PM
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