Below is a report from Seth Bradley who just completed the alpine/suncrest/snowbird climb. This guy is a cat 2/3 rider. I'm getting very concerned about the Tour of Park City and the Tour of Utah / 300 warriors. The report below describes the majority of the 300 warriors route.Today was isometric sets in the gym. Tomorrow will be a ride. I plan on going up the alpine loop/provo side, down to the AF guard gate, and then back up to the summit and down Provo side back to my office. It should be a good ride. I used to say to my friends, if I could go up and down the alpine loop twice I should be ready for LOTOJA--I would actually back off that statement now as I feel that I need a lot more preparation and training.
Let me Preface this by saying I am not a climber but I would like to be when I grow up, although I do think I could out climb Rick. I left my house in Sandy at 5:30 and met up with 15 other riders and we left Draper at 5:45. We rode south around the point and made our way down to the base of Provo Canyon. We stopped at the gas station at the bottom of provo canyon, more for a bathroom break than to really fill up anything. We took our time going up the bike path to Vivian park and made our way up to the Sundance turn off. Once we started up the climb, the temp was perfect. My goal was to keep my climbs 10 beats below LT and I was successful. The few real climbers in the group hammered up it and were out of site by the resort, but I figured I was not going to be the slowest up the climbs so there was not much point in me killing it to wait at the top.
Let me Preface this by saying I am not a climber but I would like to be when I grow up, although I do think I could out climb Rick. I left my house in Sandy at 5:30 and met up with 15 other riders and we left Draper at 5:45. We rode south around the point and made our way down to the base of Provo Canyon. We stopped at the gas station at the bottom of provo canyon, more for a bathroom break than to really fill up anything. We took our time going up the bike path to Vivian park and made our way up to the Sundance turn off. Once we started up the climb, the temp was perfect. My goal was to keep my climbs 10 beats below LT and I was successful. The few real climbers in the group hammered up it and were out of site by the resort, but I figured I was not going to be the slowest up the climbs so there was not much point in me killing it to wait at the top.
I took some pictures and enjoyed the ride.
We all regrouped at the top and made our way down AF canyon and on to Suncrest. It was starting to warm up a bit at this point as suncrest is somewhat exposed, but the temp was still fine. I took this climb mellow as well and did not push it. We got together at the top and refilled waterbottles and had some creamsicles at the market on top of suncrest. At this point, some of the guys had to start getting back home and other guys were trying to make excuses to get home. Someone got a flat and went home, but a handful of us pushed on. We got to the mouth of little cottonwood canyon around noon, give or take a few minutes and again the climbers took off. A few others turned off right before the mouth. One guy got dizzy and light headed and turned around half way up the canyon. Of the 16 guys that started, only maybe 5 rode the whole thing. I don't know if I could have pushed it up that last climb even if I wanted to. It ended up being 98.5 miles and 9000+ feet of climbing. That distance is a little misleading since the last 10 miles of that was downhill back to my house. The Real kicker was the weather. My legs felt fine since I kept my HR down the whole day, but sweating that much, and the heat takes it out of you in a hurry. I really feel sorry for the Pro riders who don't start until 10 and will be riding at race pace after having already done 3 hard days and having another day still to race. When I got home I was lucky enough to get a quick nap and my legs felt fine the next day, but the heat takes it out of you. One of the other guys I ride with a lot who is a climber Lost 4 pounds on the day and said it was harder than LOTOJA. For me it was a different kind of tired than LOTOJA but I usually take that ride mellow as well.
I would suggest starting as early as possible to beat the heat. Either that, or have a team car follow you with ice cold water to pour over your head. It was fun and I am looking forward to 300 warriors but praying for an overcast, 65 degree day on August 16th with no headwinds.
We all regrouped at the top and made our way down AF canyon and on to Suncrest. It was starting to warm up a bit at this point as suncrest is somewhat exposed, but the temp was still fine. I took this climb mellow as well and did not push it. We got together at the top and refilled waterbottles and had some creamsicles at the market on top of suncrest. At this point, some of the guys had to start getting back home and other guys were trying to make excuses to get home. Someone got a flat and went home, but a handful of us pushed on. We got to the mouth of little cottonwood canyon around noon, give or take a few minutes and again the climbers took off. A few others turned off right before the mouth. One guy got dizzy and light headed and turned around half way up the canyon. Of the 16 guys that started, only maybe 5 rode the whole thing. I don't know if I could have pushed it up that last climb even if I wanted to. It ended up being 98.5 miles and 9000+ feet of climbing. That distance is a little misleading since the last 10 miles of that was downhill back to my house. The Real kicker was the weather. My legs felt fine since I kept my HR down the whole day, but sweating that much, and the heat takes it out of you in a hurry. I really feel sorry for the Pro riders who don't start until 10 and will be riding at race pace after having already done 3 hard days and having another day still to race. When I got home I was lucky enough to get a quick nap and my legs felt fine the next day, but the heat takes it out of you. One of the other guys I ride with a lot who is a climber Lost 4 pounds on the day and said it was harder than LOTOJA. For me it was a different kind of tired than LOTOJA but I usually take that ride mellow as well.
I would suggest starting as early as possible to beat the heat. Either that, or have a team car follow you with ice cold water to pour over your head. It was fun and I am looking forward to 300 warriors but praying for an overcast, 65 degree day on August 16th with no headwinds.
No comments:
Post a Comment