Kicking Ride the Rockies 2015 Training into High Gear

How can it possibly be May already? That means Ride the Rockies 2015 is NEXT MONTH! Holy cow. Time to kick my training into high gear!

I'm testing a new training idea this year, focusing less on logging miles and more on building strength. For the past two years my goal has been to ride 2,000 miles between January 1 and the start of RTR. I fell just short of that goal in 2013 with 1,863 and only made it to 1,625 last year. This year I didn't set a mileage goal.

As of April 30 I have ridden 734 miles since January 1, all but 85 of that on my indoor trainer. My guess is I'll break 1,000 by the end of the month and end up around 1,200 before June 13. Instead of just racking up miles I have been adding variety to my workouts, both on and off the bike.

On the bike I have added in one day a week riding in a higher gear (literally) at a lower RPM (60-80) for a shorter ride (I usually try to keep it between 80-100 RPM on the trainer). My hope is this will build leg strength to help me get up the steep grades of Grand Mesa and Royal Gorge climbs, which routinely get above 8% grade.

It's not too late to add this 30-day Ab/Core Challenge to your training routine. In 30 days you will feel a noticeable difference in your core strength. 

Off the bike I have worked on building core strength. Last year I struggled with back, shoulder and hip pain throughout the ride. My hope is building core strength will help my body cope with punishment of riding an average of 66 miles per day for seven straight days! I started with a 30-day Ab/Core Challenge my daughter gave me (above) and kept going after I finished it, adding in burpees, push-ups and this routine (below) my friend Anne (aka the Feedyard Foodie shared with me (which she got from her daughter!).

As much as I abhor doing core strength work I think it is really paying off. I'm up to a 4:00 min. plank and can definitely tell a difference. On my rides to/from work this week I could feel my core engaging more and my legs felt strong even with the reduced miles and lack of riding outside on actual hills! I also noticed that my body posture on the bike has improved and I can hold myself in a "power position" longer.

I do plan to start riding outside more in the coming month. After all, May is National Bike Month and there is no better way to prepare for Ride the Rockies than actually riding in the Rockies. In fact, I'm headed out the door right now to enjoy a sunny Sunday ride along the Front Range :)

Ride on!

Daren

The Feedyard Foodie's Daughter's Core Workout

Cardio 5
1 min. wall sit
30 sec. rest
1 min. burpees
30 sec. rest
20 crunches
10 pushups
20 crunches
1 min. of lunges
30 sec. rest
1 min. of burpees2 min. rest 

1 min. wall sit

30 sec. rest
1 min. burpees
30 sec. rest
20 crunches
10 pushups
20 crunches
1 min. of lunges
30 sec. rest
1 min. of burpees

2 min. rest

3 min. of shadow boxing

CHALLENGE! 5 min.
1. Plank until you can't plank anymore
2. Switch immediately to leg raises as long as possible
3. Finish with crunches until the 5 min. are up