'07 Death Ride Thread

**Tyrone Shoelaces** · 05-21-2007, 09:42 AM

'07 Death Ride.

www.deathride.com

Who's in this year?

I was signed up last year, but knee problems the week prior kept me sidelined. I want to knock it out again this year, so me, Mrs. Shoe and a bunch of friends from down here are signed up for it.

I'm playing catch up as usual in my training and miles, but have been making good progress the past 3 weeks and feeling strong on some of our longer rides.

**Huckwheat** · 05-21-2007, 11:18 AM

I am fully planning on it. (do need to find a ticket though).

I thought I was doing well with my training.....until I heard what Tyronne has been doing. Damn.....catchup my ass.

**Tyrone Shoelaces** · 05-21-2007, 11:25 AM

ha, no man..it is definitely catch up for me this year. I didn't start riding until about a month ago, when Mrs Shoe walks into the room and says "Hey I just signed us up for the Death Ride and the Sierra Century."
ggrrrreeeeat...

i don't have base mileage built up so at the end of our long weekend rides, i'm utterly spent and am slogging and hurting the last 10 - 15 miles. Others we ride with, who have put the time in over the past few months with base milage rides, are still fresh at the end and ready for more while I'm beat and crying for beer.

**skimoore** · 05-21-2007, 12:09 PM

That pretty much sums it up! Last year I feel like I took too long at lunch though, I feel I can decrease my total time by just taking a little shorter break at each stop....

Start early and finish early, because there are often afternoon thundershowers.

Oh yeah, and I've heard that getting a ticket last minute is a great way to meet quality girls....

**Gerome** · 05-21-2007, 05:26 PM

Well, that's lame, Downieville downhill & XC race are the same date as the Death Ride. I'm already signed up for the XC race. Maybe next time.

**lph** · 05-21-2007, 07:17 PM

oddly enough, i think shoelaces looked WORSE after the downieville xc race then he did after the death ride.

i am out for the death ride. after that crash by a fellow cyclist a couple years ago, that AKA and I experienced, road biking has lost something for me.

**davep** · 05-21-2007, 10:10 PM

Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoelaces

Good god that looks awful

Have fun!

**Tyrone Shoelaces** · 05-21-2007, 11:54 PM

Originally Posted by lph

i am out for the death ride. after that crash by a fellow cyclist a couple years ago, that AKA and I experienced, road biking has lost something for me.

completely understandable. Hell, it happened behind me but then the thought of you guys coming upon it and then thinking if I had seen it...well, it always causes me to grab the brakes a bit more on ANY descent. But that's cool....I'll catch 'em on the climbs

heh..and yeah the d-ville XC race kicked my ass hard that year. funny that I'm willing to give the DR another go 'round but not the d-ville XC race

I'm hoping all this road riding is just a silly phase that I'll pass though once I get my Bullet back from the shop with it's new fork.

**Arty50** · 05-22-2007, 12:42 AM

Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoelaces

I'm hoping all this road riding is just a silly phase that I'll pass though once I get my Bullet back from the shop with it's new fork.

Thank god! There's finally some common sense in this thread.

**Gerome** · 05-22-2007, 11:09 AM

So Tyrone, what is your training schedule look like then? How much riding are you doing?

And people, don't hit your front brakes too hard. One of my coworkers is back in the office today after hitting a pothole and grabbing the brakes. It threw him over the handlebars, straining some ligaments & muscles in his back and temporarily paralyzing him. He'll be fine, but is wearing a collar for a while.

**Tyrone Shoelaces** · 05-22-2007, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by Gerome

So Tyrone, what is your training schedule look like then? How much riding are you doing?

Not too much total bike mileage on a weekly basis, but something like this:

Monday: rest day
Tuesday: 2 hour spin after work...typically flat not too many hills. Or maybe an 1 hour - 1.5 trail run. Or might break out the singlespeed.
Wednesday: Indoor soccer night...anaerobic for 45 minutes basically, then mandatory beers at the Irish Pub afterwards

Thursday: 2 hour spin after work....will make this a hilly ride. Lot's of hills right outside my door so could easily sneak in 2,000 - 3,000 vert in 2 - 2.5 hours depending on how aggressive I'm riding and how my legs feel.
Friday: 1 hour - 1.5 hour trail run or might break out the singlespeed, whichever I feel like doing.
Saturday: Outdoor soccer - typically full 90 minute game. Competitive league that thoroughly kicks my ass.
Sunday: Long road ride day. This past weekend was 74 miles with 7770 vert. Last Sunday's long ride was 80 miles with 6300 vert. In two weeks i'll do the Sierra Century which is 104 miles with 12,000 vert of climbing - this will be by far my longest ride I do up to the DR.

going to try and keep this schedule as best i can. Pretty good mix of cross training (basically 4 activities: soccer, trail running, mtn biking, & road riding) so I don't get burnt out on any one thing. Only things that throw it off track for me are if I have to travel for work which will happen, or if I get tweaked (pulled muscles, tweaked ankle, etc.) in my soccer games...but otherwise this should get me there. If I was trying to set some sort of speed record on the DR i'd definitely be doing more cycling specific workouts, but I just want to finish, have fun, and feel pretty good at the end.

**Gerome** · 05-22-2007, 12:39 PM

That schedule rules. I think the cross training and running have more impact than just cycling as well. I'm at a baseline 40 minutes daily bike commute, plus an hour spin class. I need to add running and more mileage overall. Time to ramp up for sure.

Your training is also so much more impressive considering the knee surgeries you've had performed. I don't think I've met anyone who's back to 100% after two acl repairs. Right on!

**Tyrone Shoelaces** · 05-22-2007, 12:50 PM

shit thanks man...but it's only been one ACL repair, not 2 (knock on wood!!!)

**Huckwheat** · 05-22-2007, 02:38 PM

My issue is that out of the next 7 weekend I have plans for 6 of them (and not biking plans

). My key training is on my commute. If I commute the shortest fastest way it is 16 miles round trip with a bit over 1000 climbing (have been at 3 days a week for a couple months now), there are tons of variations to add on.

So, I will definately pull off the below, but how much more? I need to add a Geiger Grade (3k) or Mt Rose (4.5k) probably one day a week. Still missing the long days, but will have to do.

Mondays: 20 mile commute.
Tuesdays: 20 mile commute + 1 hours Ultimate game at lunch.
Wednesdays: 20 mile commute
Thursdays: 20 mile commute + 1 hours Ultimate game at lunch.
Fridays: 20 mile commute.
Weekends: probably more chance of getting 1 run in, due to schedule.

**skimoore** · 05-24-2007, 08:50 AM

Just mapped out my normal weekday route up the Marin Headlands (I don't have an altimeter, so I have to rely on the maps...) Kinda stoked though, because on Tuesday I rode 30 miles after work...but got almost 4450 feet of climbing in that distance.

On just a day where I only have an hour or so to ride, I can get 2500' of climbing with only one lap of the headlands...each additional lap I do adds another 650' of climbing, each lap takes 20+ minutes I think...

I'll be out there again tonight, although I did the stupid thing and tried to run yesterday, my IT bands still won't let me run...

**smmokan** · 05-24-2007, 10:14 AM

That's a helluva ride right there. Not only are those passes BIG, but they're all a pretty solid grade too. Damn.

What kind of average speed have you guys knocked out on past Death Rides?

**skimoore** · 05-24-2007, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by smmokan

What kind of average speed have you guys knocked out on past Death Rides?

My first one was last year, averaged around 14mph while I was riding (129 miles, 9 hrs 13 min riding time, 10:30 total)

The guy who "won" last year did it in 7 hrs...18.4 MPH average counting stops...

**smmokan** · 05-24-2007, 10:38 AM

18.4 mph counting stops???? That's insane. 14mph is really fucking good too.

kb1dqh · 05-24-2007, 11:39 AM

Has anyone ever done the terrible two? It looks insane. Heads over all 'my' local hills, so it appeals. Beautiful ride for sure. Pretty much every major hill in Sonoma County. 200 miles, 16k vert w/ some major climbs. I'm just wondering if anyone has done it!?

http://www.srcc.com/tt.html

**skimoore** · 05-24-2007, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by kb1dqh

Has anyone ever done the terrible two? It looks insane. Heads over all 'my' local hills, so it appeals. Beautiful ride for sure. Pretty much every major hill in Sonoma County. 200 miles, 16k vert w/ some major climbs. I'm just wondering if anyone has done it!?

http://www.srcc.com/tt.html

My dad's done that one...it's the only double he didn't finish (he's done all the other major climbing doubles besides the Mulholland). From what I've heard, the toughest part is battling dehydration and keeping your salt balance...I'm thinking of trying to tackle it next season, this season I'm not in shape and my selfish brother graduates the day of the ride...

kb1dqh · 05-26-2007, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by skimoore

My dad's done that one...it's the only double he didn't finish (he's done all the other major climbing doubles besides the Mulholland). From what I've heard, the toughest part is battling dehydration and keeping your salt balance...I'm thinking of trying to tackle it next season, this season I'm not in shape and my selfish brother graduates the day of the ride...

I bet- it gets hot on most of those hills- exp. the east side of Sonoma. Let me know if you end up going for it- where in the area do you ride?

**Pedro** · 05-27-2007, 06:25 AM

Originally Posted by kb1dqh

I bet- it gets hot on most of those hills- exp. the east side of Sonoma. Let me know if you end up going for it- where in the area do you ride?

That looks like a neat ride, I was thinking about doing the 12 hours of temecula-but this my a good local endurance alternative. Im moving to the area next week

kb1dqh · 05-27-2007, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by Pedro

That looks like a neat ride, I was thinking about doing the 12 hours of temecula-but this my a good local endurance alternative. Im moving to the area next week

Welcome to the area! Plenty of riding (road and mtn) all over the place, although I'm partial to the road up in Sonoma aside from a few classic mtn loops... It's a fun place to explore.

**Tyrone Shoelaces** · 05-27-2007, 05:35 PM

Just got back from a 90 mile training ride. Lot's of climbing like last week but not sure on the vert as my computer was acting up and isn't really accurate. Felt much better at the end of the ride than my previous long ones, so these long weekend rides gotta be doing some good.

Not much riding for me for the rest of the week aside from maybe some mountain biking and short 1 - 2 hour easy flat spins with the Sierra Century and it's 12,000 ft of climbing coming up next weekend.

**Huckwheat** · 05-28-2007, 12:05 PM

Dude TS....you are going to crush!! That is some hefty training you have going, I am psyched for you.

I just got back from a weekend of wedding festivities in Park City.....I did play alot of Ultimate, dance my ass off, and go for a late night 3 hour hike with the boys (from 1-4 am), so I came home pretty sore (despite the liver punishment

).