ILRA Proving Grounds

Ride report: ILRA on 6-15-11

Rider: A-Train

Looped thru Island Lake yesterday after work but before the rain. This was my first real test since building this bike last fall to where I was finally in good enough shape to put the bike thru the proper test.  5 laps total yesterday at ILRA for 36 miles. Started with the yellow and then did a blue, yellow, blue and one last yellow.....(equaling 3 yellows and 2 blues) total time with no stops ( I packed everything I needed for the ride) 2:28:36.  And as always I lapped through the parking lot after every loop....no blue to yellow shortcuts.

My first 30 miles of 2 yellows and 2 blues rivaled my fastest time when I race Expert back in 2008. My fastest recorded time for 2 yellows and 2 blues in 2008 was 2:01:33 and I crossed the parking lot yesterday at 2:02:58 and kept the hammer down as I went for my third yellow.

Maybe it's my road legs or maybe it's the larger wheels but I was hauling the flatter sections, even thru the twists and turns. The bike also carried more momentum down the shorts hills before the next climbs. Trail chatter there from small bumps is really reduced on the larger wheel thus making it less effort to keep the big wheels turning. I feel my riding and shifting were very clean as I only remember checking up on 2 turns where I was braking to late once I realized I was going to fast for the next turn.  As many times as I have been around there in the past some of those corners still sneak up on me when the sand gets soft.

My weakness tho was climbing, as the ride went on the burning increased. This is of course normal but in the past I was always a strong climber so I tended to not suffer on the climbs. By the end of my 30 miles (2nd blue) I was starting to feel the climbs in my legs. As I and decided to press on and tackle my third yellow the climbs were really starting to wear on me. The two way sand climb at the beginning sent my heart rate thru the roof and gave me my first inclination of fatigue starting in my legs. I had serious thoughts about going out for one more blue as I was finishing the 3rd yellow but it was starting to rain and I think if I would have went I would have either bonked eventually or become more sloppy with my handling. I believe stopping at that point was the right choice.  Training is going good but the 3 hour mark seems to be my ceiling at race pace.

Last, traffic on the trail was it's usual. Had to pass and wait for an average amount of people. I started with the yellow because a group of 12 had just entered the blue as I was mounting my bike and I didn't want to have to worry about passing them. Ends up starting on the yellow made for a better 'pit' strategy. Like I said I never stopped the entire ride but the section of the blue trail that runs along side the railroad tracks was where I was able to pop a mini clif bar and swap bottles from my rear pockets to my cage. The timing was perfect on both blue loops. From now I plan to always start with the yellow.

This ride result gives me confidence going into the Stony Marathon that is just over two weeks away. Still plan to race CAT 2 (SPORT) due to the 3 Hour ceiling I have.  The race will go over 3 hours in regular conditions but I know I can gut out anything over that.  CAT 1 (Expert) at over 4 hours tho is out of my league even below race pace.  I just haven't had the training time to prepare for that distance.  At my peak in 2008 that race took me 4.5 hours (5th place poium) and for that one I had double the Base miles on my legs leading into it.  After a long time away from racing I think it would be silly to jump back in the deep end and risk injury or an early burn out when I finally have some endurance and strenght built back up.

That's a braaaap!!!!

Aryn