RAGBRAI: Thoughts on Training

I learned a number of things from RAGBRAI regarding conditioning and training.  It is the farthest I have ever ridden in a week and with the Karras Loop, the longest day (both mileage and "will this ever end" time).

Five hundred miles is a long way to ride in 100+ degree heat.  While RAGBRAI advertises 471 miles for RAGBRAI XL there were a lot more miles added getting to campsites and back to the start point.  I will continue with stating 500 miles which is probably more accurate. 

Lesson #1:  Completing RAGBRAI requires no athletic ability or training!!!!!

This may seem like a pretty bold statement but it is true, maybe not recommended but true.  Case in point my friend "Pahjanke."  By the way that is not his real name but it resulted from an auto corrected drunk text from another friend. 

Pahjanke had little experience on a bike other than that he is capable of riding a bike.  He dropped 2 Gs on a bike and only rode it 40 miles about 2 months before RAGBRAI and then did not ride until the event.  He finished!  Zero training!

We have now turned it into a new term.  So unless you want to get "Pahjanked" you may want to train as recommended by RAGBRAI.  I knew mentally and physically that I could do it, my goal was to do it as free of discomfort and pain as possible.

I did my usual, let us review my training strategy:

1. Ride as much as possible:  This is the hardest part for me.  I am a busy guy with a lot of responsibility at work.  I also have a lot of responsibility at home (4 kids, 1 wife, 2 dogs) that need attention.  My local bike club set up training rides which all conflicted with my life.  They recommend 500 miles of training before the event.  I rode my bike to work (8 miles each way) 4 days a week for several months.  That combined with a couple of 20-30 mile rides count in my book.  I just like to avoid the shoulder/neck tightness and pain that comes after a riding drought.


2. Get a good set of tires:  This is an easy one Continental GatorSkin tires.  It was recommended by the QCBC to purchase new tires before the ride.  Some of the group I rode with did, some didn't.  Those who bought new GatorSkin tires had no trouble.  Those who went cheap and didn't buy new tires did.  Plus, I love new tires there is something about them, like a brand new box of crayons!

3. Drink a bunch of water:  I failed miserably on this one.  Usually this is not a major issue with shorter rides.  I actually suffered great pain and discomfort.  I played hydration catch up for the first day or two.  Miserable!

4. Shove my jersey pockets as full of Jelly Belly Caffeine Sports Beans and Pearson's Salted Nut Rolls: 
I went to Sam's Club and bought a big box of salted nut roles.  I put a few in my jersey pocket each day.  Those are amazing when you are craving a salty sweet snack.  I used Peanut Butter flavored GU based on a friends recommendation.  Nasty, but they did their trick, quick energy.  In the future I will stick with Sport Beans  The real performance enhancing food on RAGBRAI are pork chops which come on a stick.  AMAZING!!!  Three or four of those a day and you are set!
With the exception of the failure to drink a bunch of water, I met my goals well enough to complete the ride with little to no discomfort.  Severe dehydration, but water is a crutch?!?!? 

At least I didn't get Pahjanked!

By the way, I do recommend following the guidance and training, especially if you are one of the athletic types!  With enough intestinal fortitude and desire, anyone can complete this ride.

Back from RAGBRAI

I had a great vacation riding 500 miles across the state of Iowa with about 15,000 other folks.  This was the first time I have participated in RAGBRAI and it far exceeded my expectations.   There will be a numerous posts that may serve to educate those who may want to ride RAGBRAI in the future or bore those who have done it 30 times.

I learned a lot about myself while on this ride.  Mainly I discovered that I am a bike enthusiast, which I will define as someone who loves to ride and own lots of bikes.  Although I can hold my own, I tend to ride at a slower pace while looking around and enjoying the scenery rather than seeing how fast I can make it to the next destination only to watch the tire inches away from mine in a pace line.  I also have a tendency to abandon friends to get a free chocolate milk in the middle of nowhere Iowa when the Iowa Dairy Framers association is passing it out.  These tendencies allow me to enjoy both the ride and my bicycle.  This is how I ride all the time and probably why I have never raced.  It is not my style.

I point this out because we had a person in our group show up later in the week.  We had never met but he indicated that he had heard of my legendary speed and stamina;  that I was a hard core biker.  Whoa hold on....by no means am I to be described as a hardcore biker in the sense that I am fast or have the stamina of something that has lots of stamina.  That tends to mislead the hardcore ride faster guys.  They are eventually disappointed as I quickly and unexpectedly pull off the lead of the pace line while I drag them up the hill, cutting through a 20 MPH head wind, only to get a nice cold, free chocolate milk, leaving them hanging.  They are further disappointed when it is time to roll and I say "I just want to get one more pork chop on a stick and take a 15 minute nap."

I would like to know who spread the rumor that I was "hardcore?"  Hardcore pork chop eater maybe.