Ride the Rockies 2013 Training Update: Hitting the Open Road

Saturday was one of those days in Colorado when the warm sun and blue skies call you outside and there are few ways to experience it than to hit the open road on two wheels powered by your own two legs!

Easter weekend ushered in beautiful riding weather in Colorado. I was able to get my bike out on the road Saturday for the first time since early February and was anxious to see if all the miles on the indoor trainer were paying off. I rode a 52-mile loop from Castle Rock to Palmer Lake and back through Larkspur, Colorado. For the most part I felt really good during the ride but was quickly reminded that there's nothing like riding on the road to train for a road ride!

My Cyclops Fluid2 indoor trainer is a great way to maintain base miles during the winter and focus on spinning technique. It's also just great aerobic exercise. But there is really no way to simulate wind, hills and beautiful scenery of the open road on an indoor trainer!

So far I have logged 615 miles toward my goal to ride 2,000 prior to June 8, the start of Ride the Rockies. I'm a little behind schedule but I've only taken two long road rides this year totaling 104 miles. But by comparison last year at this time I had ridden 425 miles, 230 on the road. So I've ridden 315 more miles on my trainer so far this year. I'm really hoping those miles will pay off as I start adding on road miles.

With just over two months until Ride the Rockies and mote than 1,400 miles to reach my goal I'll have to log nearly 700 miles per month in April and May. That seems a little daunting but with a light travel schedule in the weeks ahead I think I can find the time, especially if the weather warms up and I can start commuting to work on my bike soon.

One thing is for sure, I'm looking forward to getting out onthe road more often in the cocming weeks. There's just nothing like hitting the open road on two wheels powered by your own two legs.

Ride on!

Daren