Vermont is spelled with a capital “V”, surely no coincidence. With the loads of mountains and climbs available, it had to start with a “V”. I mean, if it was mountainous enough to draw a runaway “loose” nun who left the church for a sailor, it must be good, right? (Great nordic skiing there””Trapp Family Lodge, if you are there in the winter months as well).
Anyways, being a seventh generation “V”ermonter myself, who was raised on a family farm on Rogers’ Hill in West Newbury, VT (which was hand cleared and settled in 1763 by my G-G-G-G-G-Grandfather and still owned by my father) I have a deep love and feel for VT, liberal politics notwithstanding. So when I heard about the 200 on 100 “Dumptruck of Awesome” that was available, I just knew that I had to do it. And not only that, I knew that I had to share this beautiful “Ode to the V in Vermont” with all of my best cyber-cycling-soul mates. Okay, soul mates might be going a bit far there, but you get my meaning.
So, enough with the intro.
Break out the rollers, get on the trainers, find your winter gear; lay off the seconds, nurse that one glass of booze, hold the toasting to one drink, dodge Cupid’s chocolates and shoot the Easter Bunny because training for this bastard started yesterday and you’ll be paying for it on the 28th of June, 2012 in spades!
See you in the pre-dawn hours on the Canadian border with our eyes firmly fixed on the prize of the Massachusetts border. Let’s drive this dump truck like Mel Gibson leaving the compound in a post-apocalyptic world, baby!
Route and location details on the Cogal Event Page.
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View Comments
@Steampunk
I'm just trying to model what a 13+ day in the saddle might look like and that means in terms of pace to finish with some daylight left. Obviously, number and duration of stops are TBD.
@2000dB
Hope that gets better soon? Overtraining or mechanics and will you be good for the distance/hills?
@Steampunk
@CanuckChuck
It seemed from the video that the opportunity for stops are thin on the ground so that may determine the schedule? And warning the last time I pushed someone doing that was the last time I do that!
@Rob
It's a bit of a random injury that didn't even happen while riding but evolved into a tendonitis.
I have very little pain left so I might go and start testing it on the rollers today.
@Steampunk
Yeah, I'm with Steamy on this one. Breaks every 100k, but no mnore than a few minutes, 15 at most and then only the three times. The longer you sit around, the more you cramp up and lose the rhythm.
@itburns
Damn, itburns! I thought that we had agreed not to mention that after the Austin Cogal!!!
@CanuckChuck
Sunrise is supposed to be V after V that day. Also one of the reasons that isd our start day, so, we have an extra two minutes of daylight going for us.
@2000dB
Yeah, I have a bit of knee pain as well. Came back too strongly after the month off the bike when I rode the 200k in the 24 hours. Still riding but keeping an eye on it. Should be okay by the end of June, though.
Well I just put Brian on the spreadsheet. He doesn't offer much wind block but he's great fun. And plenty fit. He needs the mileage for an ultra ironman in September .
@Buck Rogers
Bingo. It will be nice to get out of the saddle to fuel up, but too much time off will lead to stiffness and cramping...
So Tim, Brian and I just had a small dry run - 130 km, 2000+ meters, 3 big climbs and smaller for a tough ride on a beautiful day. Brian finished with the big boys in 3:40, Tim was close, 3:50 and I limped home in 4:08. In my defense or excuses, excuses I was on a 1983 Ish Bianchi made steel old girl friend but she has old school gears that made me a bit sluggish. Tim by the by is on some new wonder bike with, wait for it... electric (OMFG) shiters.
This was a new Grand Fondo in the Bershires and before the climb started I had the real pleasure of having a quick chat in the peloton with Eric Zabel, who posted up to help John Eustice (discussed elsewhere in a past article). He was a sincerely nice guy and although I do not easily get "star" fever it was just neat to say hi on the bike and meet and see the man ride - effortless grace.
So here's the point of posting this, there are roughly 7 1/2 weeks to 2 much on 100 and I am planning a flat 210 fast ride on Long Island on the 3rd of June plus long rides before that. Then I think just short rides up to the weekend before and rest or small ring rides for the last 3 days. What are others doing and how is it going?
One last thing was that today I got in a group that was not working well and it added to the work load. Hopefully we will be a well oiled 2 up paceline that embodies casually deliberate for steady and productive progress?
You learn a lot about other riders when in a paceline. Fingers crossed you are two tidy parallel lines of awesome. Working together makes a good day on the bike even better.
@girl
True and your form is laid bare too!
Paceline: yes. But I envision an awkward first hour as we find a collective rhythm.
I'm finally starting to build. I'm looking at a 100k solo ride on Thursday, and adding distance over the next couple of weeks. The Ontario Cogal is May 27; 202km with some tough climbing. Thereafter, just lots of riding.