Wanting To Pick Your Brain...

ArmyOfNone

Well-Known Member
I went out to Round Valley today for the first time. It was a blasty blast! Never have i been so scared on a mountain bike. I guess flying down a rocky hill at 27 mph will do that!

I really wanted to get out and ride with sean and riderx. just wasnt gonna work out for me. I have been thinking that i need to get some longer, high mileage rides in myself.

I feel like i can manage more sustained climbs now without feeling like death. And i have been pushing myself quite a bit. or trying to at least. that has been one of my biggest weaknesses as a rider. weird...now that i am craving to ride places with greater elevation change! I do need to learn how to distribute my weight better so i can control my line.

The races and rides im looking at doing this season are all pretty extended in length. I have been getting rides in recently with 2.5-3 hours of saddle time. But the mileage is around 20 miles or so.

I also have not been riding the trainer as much...or at all. Nor have i been riding on the road. I figure take full advantage of riding the trails weather permitting. Why not rite?

so i think im gonna try to do some more extended length rides when time permits. Thank god the days are getting longer!

is it still to early for me to be concerned about this? although longer rides = more time in the woods = fun fun fun!
 

anrothar

entirely thrilled
longer rides are great. a couple things to make sure of though:

you only need to do rides longer than 3 hrs once or twice a week, and at that, only if you're looking to do endurance racing.

don't increase your ride time by more than say, 1 hr a week.

do longer rides at a slightly more relaxed pace than your shorter rides. their main benefit is getting your body used to being in the saddle for an extended period of time, not necessarily distance. speed is apperently best worked on in smaller doses, like 1-2 hr rides.

this is just based on what i've read, and advice given me by others. there are always exceptions.
 

ArmyOfNone

Well-Known Member
longer rides once a week...check

relaxed pace...check

speed work in shorter intervals...check

Go to sleep now...check!
 

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
do longer rides at a slightly more relaxed pace than your shorter rides. their main benefit is getting your body used to being in the saddle for an extended period of time, not necessarily distance.

This takes some people years and years and years to get. I still have problems with this.
 
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