Just an update on the map and data I’ve collected so far.  You can find the map of 2010 Leadville 100 MTB Race entrants here. A couple of notes.  First, I’ve grouped points on the map in red and blue.  Red means you made the lottery.  Blue means you didn’t.  I appreciate the data from those that didn’t make it in and I assume you are submitting your coordinates because you still want to train for the race or help those that have made it in.  That’s commendable and so I’ve added you to the map.

Second, I decided to keep email addresses off the markers.  I figure that’s better than letting the SPAM kings of the world have at us.  We’ve got plenty to keep our minds on right now with out getting inundated with ads for viagra, untold riches (if you’ll help the king out), and free software. If you find a partner in a location you want to connect with, just shoot me an email and I’ll get you connected.

I hope everyone’s off to ride their training plan and look forward to seeing you in Leadville in July (SR 50) and August.

BD

Oh yeah, if you want to add your info to the map, read this post and follow along.

Finally, go say hi to these fine folks that keep my wheels spinning.

Siren Bicycles

MOTOR TABS

Infinit

FRS

Vita-Mix (Free Shipping)

PROBAR

As some of you know I did a lot of analysis of previous year's data (that I
could find) from Leadville 100 MTB races. I've been looking for some new fun
stuff to try in my efforts, so I thought I'd do a couple of things.

First, I've set up a simple Google Form to allow anyone that wants to add their
info into the form (all fairly benign data and definitely not to be used for any
spammy BS). If you'll enter your data, I'll map it to a Google Map that should
give you the ability to start to see who is in your area for training, support
or questions. This, of course, doesn't negate the great value from the
historical information on this group or the information sharing that will surely
start today through early August.

You can find the form here: http://bit.ly/9WodRs (Shortened URL to help keep it
manageable--Google's URL is ridiculous.)

If you add your email address (not required) I'll send you a link to the map
once I get it integrated to Google Maps (need data first). Hopefully this will
help to normalize some of the data that's out there and also allow for some
increased quality in training and camaraderie.

Second, there's a ton of data that swarms an event like this. Both before,
during and after. The medical folks from the University collected a lot of data
last year. I never saw the aggregate output, but I sure would have liked to.
So for those of that do sign into the form, I'd like the option to be able to
send you another link at some point in time to help me collect some info. I'll
never publish individually identifiable data, and no names will be collected,
but I'd like to collect, analyze and publish some of the more interesting data
if the group's up for it.

Totally open for suggestions here as this is "side of desk" work for me, but I'd
like to see some more quantified info come out of 2010.

If you'd like to get in touch with me personally, please feel free to reply here
or shoot me a message on twitter @degroodt.

Good luck to all that made the first hurdle. See you in Leadville (one way or
another).

I know what I’ll be doing after my training ride on the 29th.

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More details to follow as I get re-situated back home.  But here’s a highlight to start things off.  Mas o Menos was a great time.  Great race.  Great learning experience. Very real people having a real good time.

Total Hell-ride today. Woke up later than I wanted (because I couldn’t fall asleep last night) and hit the hills at about 10 (and we were due for an 80+ degree day). So by 2:00 I was having some very interesting conversations with myself. And to top it off the Garmin Edge 705 continues to cut out (which makes it real hard to track cadence) and then come back on. I about tossed the thing down the valley with its constant on/off chiming. Argh!

Some asshole vultures that were circling over me about 2/3 of the way through like I was going to be their next great meal served as a great inspiration for that second wind. Waaaaa! I’m going to bed–after a beer, or two.

OK! All better now.

Today’s Garmin 705 data

I’ve been doing everything I can to avoid hooking the bike back up to the trainer, but this week’s storm is making this pretty hard to get away with. Guess it’s that time of year.

Snow in the Local OC Mountains

Woke up this morning to a, what felt like, freezing 44 degrees. I swear I saw my breath when I rolled over to turn off the alarm clock. But I had a 9:30 appointment for more fun on two wheels, so I had to get out and get rolling. I hate jumping out of bed and straight to the bike (it precludes a “pre-ride movement” and that makes for a grumpy rider), but I knew I only had 2.5 hours to get a two hour ride, a shower and a quick motorcycle ride up to Orange in. No time to eat, so I mixed up a quick batch of My Grub and headed for the hills. I love the Infinit Nutrition product because it’s easy on my stomach (though I rarely have this problem) and, most importantly, I never want for food when I’m using it.

On the way back down the Arroyo I ran into a half dozen mountain bikers looking like a lion cub that had lost its mom after realizing one two of the best trails in the area have been officially closed and marked as No Trespassing. Total drag as it’s a big dust-up with the local toll road authority and one side seems infinitely better armed for the battle than the other. We’re still damn lucky to have some of the best mountain bike trails in the world here in Orange County, but a loss is a loss and I’m personally unhappy with the action.

Over the weekend I finished my race calendar and will post it later this week. Looking forward to some very cool new events, including Mas O Menos in Terlingua TX in mid-February 2009. That and some pics of the hard tail build I’m nearing completion of. Finally.

Today’s GARMIN Edge 705 data

I’ve been going back through Joel Friel’s The Cyclist’s Training Bible lately and thought I’d go back to the basics of perceived effort on today’s ride. For a target, I arbitrarily picked a heart rate of 150bpm to try and maintain without going over and without going too far under. Just to have a target to calibrate against with some real data. I also rode the exact same ride I took a couple of days earlier in roughly similar weather conditions to do some additional comparison.

So, what did I learn? First, that I’m not a good gauge of my perceived effort and I easily overshot it by not having perceived just where my heart rate was. On multiple occasions I thought I was getting near 150 and I was, but by the time I looked at the HRM, it was too late and I was heading a couple beats over 150. Then I got bored of trying to keep 150 exactly and decided just to keep the perceived effort lower without paying too much attention to the HRM until I got home.

So here was the kicker for me. Under roughly the same weather conditions, same trail conditions, same route, I averaged 146bpm (Max 169) on today’s ride, versus 161bpm (Max 175), but my time on the trail to complete a 20.5 mile route was under my previous run (where I arguably had a higher perceived and actual effort). I haven’t sorted out what it means to me just yet, but I have to say I was surprised to see the time come in so close to the higher perceived effort run. I would have expected a time loss ultimately.

I haven’t even started to try to hypothesize what might be going on here. My best unfiltered guess at this point might include a loss of technique at higher efforts (i.e. a less efficient pedal stroke), which sucks to learn. Would love to hear any alternate theories on what might cause such an interesting result.

Today’s GARMIN Edge 705 data

Currently playing: Better from the album “Chinese Democracy” by Guns N’ Roses

Quick 20 mile spin around The Ranch today under some pretty ideal weather conditions (overcast and 60). Made decent time out and back at just over 20 miles under 2 hours.

I think I know what made up for the extra effort though. Generally speaking I always have one of two creatures on my mind while mountain biking–rattle snakes (and all snakes are rattle snakes to me) and any hungry/bored/angry cat larger than your average house cat. But today’s surprise wild-life spotting was human. And not just any human. A buck-naked trail runner. At least I assume that’s what he was doing. No water bottle. No shorts. No t-shirt. Just all his business and a pair of running shoes. I say a real man runs naked with no shoes either.

I didn’t know if I should ask him if he needed help, haul ass off the trail, laugh at him or what. I landed on hauling ass and getting out of dodge before it got any closer to becoming a Twilight Zone episode.

So, today’s coolest wildlife sighting: Naked Humanoid.

Garmin Edge 705 data