1 This is the Book I wish someone had given me
February 09, 2013I suspect I've done just about everything wrong a person can, so to !FAIL! at completing the 200 mile in-one-day version of the Seattle to Portland Bicycle Event: STP.
This is the book that I wish I had had when I started riding for more than an hour or so. The hard won (i.e. painful) learnings of "don't do this". Yes, I had lots and lots of "input" on "what to
Good, Olde Days!
Once upon a time, back in the good-olde-days, like around 2004, I decided I needed to start riding my bike to strengthen my legs, and especially my right knee. I had been going to the gym and working out, but it wasn't enough.
Fortunately, Larry, my trainer at the gym, had done/coached triathlons and shepherded tours of places like Australia on bicycles. With Larry's encouragement and a lot of research on the web, I started riding. That first year I was happy I had ridden 500 miles during the Oregon summer.
Longer Distances....
Then I started ridding longer distances: 1300 miles the next year, 2000 miles the year after....
and had started doing "events". Pioneer Century, Portland Century, even signed up for STP.
But something wasn't right: it just didn't seem to work out well. I didn't even start my first STP when it was clear that 200 miles was beyond what I could do. On the Centuries, I would usually cut off part so it wasn't as long since I was fading out. Yep, it wasn't working out.
Sort of Works...
Fast forward a couple of years: I rode 4500 miles last year, two years I completed STP in one day, and I have failed to complete STP a couple times. I now consider "a long ride" to be more than 100 miles or so.
These commentaries are my assessment and insight into what I shouldn't do. This is the book I wish I had read (and understood) back in 2004.
Please note that "your mileage will vary."
