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Sounds good. I am running 26″ x 4″ tires. 165mm crank arms and gears:
CTR (last year and this) 26 x 22
SS Training 26 x 20These are quite low ratios.
My weekday training bike has gears so I can get into the right zones.Scott
I just re-checked my current plans from recommendations from you and you prescribed a “week off” for recovery weeks. So maybe that is the best pattern.
Scott
Hi, I have been using Stages power on my SS for over a year now and see some of the same issues. I think the 4iiii power meter may be a little better in this regard. I just bought one of those as well, but put it on my geared bike. I’m thinking of buying one to replace the Stages.
I find that power isn’t measured properly when exerting pressure at slow cadences. I ALSO find that “pulling” up on the crank arm in the other half of the rotation makes Stages get stuck in zero power for a little bit. ie if you can both push and pull on your crank arm, Stages has a hard time transitioning between push to pull. The strain gauge sees stress fields swapping. So the power in the upstroke is very sketchy. Kind of frustrating.
Scott
Could I purchase an upgrade to my CTR plan?
Also, would you have any recommendations on who would know how to structure ultra running training workouts that would integrate well with your plans?
Thanks!
ScottHi Coach Lynda,
Wow, this looks great, Thanks for stacking it up for me! I will load this into Training Peaks!
I see that you recommend me swapping some of the rides to fit runs. Are there any good strategies for picking which rides to replace with runs? I wonder if I need to find an ultra-running plan and have structured run workouts that I can swap in and out of the riding workouts. Obviously I wouldn’t be following either precisely since I shouldn’t just add them all together.
Oh, and one other question. Is the CTR plan for TP with the workouts now ready?
Thanks so much!
Scott
Well… 😀
Sticking with my singlespeed fat bike for everything, except that I realize to be competetive in the King of Pisgah series that for the two gravel races I think I will have to use a geared gravel bike. That is if I can remember to use gears.
As for the PRAR, my goal is mainly to be able to compete, I realize ultra running is new to me, so maybe I could consider that a “C” race?
Scott
Hi Lynda,
Well, I’m having a hard time deciding between the two goals, but if I am honest with myself, it will probably be Goal #1 and CTR.
Scott
Hi Coach Lynda, Thanks so much! I have had a fantastic season this year 🙂
My motivation is starting to pick up. I’m getting “restless” and feeling I need to be doing something intense 🙂 I don’t believe I have any overuse injuries or issues like that right now. I’m feeling pretty good.
The event is the Pisgah Productions Double Dare : http://www.pisgahproductions.com/events/double-dare-mtb-race/
Here is the basic description: Teams of two riders will race to reach up to 10 checkpoints (CPs) per day, two days in a row. The race begins at noon on Saturday and every team must be back before midnight. The race resumes at 6AM Sunday with 10 brand new checkpoints. Every team must finish before 6PM on Sunday. Teams ‘in the running’ should expect up to 70 miles of riding with 12,000-15,000 feet of climbing each day.
So, it is all MTB on steep technical Pisgah trails. Historically we go full out about 10-12h per day. There are surprise physical and mental challenges at some checkpoints, but this is mainly full speed “racing” where we decide the route.
Scott
OK, that sounds good! I’m actually a low-lander out in South Carolina, but I go to my local mountains in Pisgah for training. Lots of opportunity for steep climbs and HAB there, just not the elevation. I have a back to back 6h/6h overnight up there this weekend in the training plan so I will start experimenting now.
Thanks!
Scott
Hi Dave, awesome! I run a SS fat bike. I raced the whole thing in 2016 and fell in love with the route. Yes, BV to Silverton is the crux of the race, and I think the most beautiful and exciting 🙂
In 2016 I ran a 32×22 I think and that was too much. In 2017 I ran what I thought, as a SS’er, to be a WAY too low of a gear 28×24. That was based on some of the same philosophy we have been talking about. It turned out to be a great gear. I was able to climb a lot and fast. So, the strategy of super low gear was working. I was feeling great. I have essentially lost just as much weight as my entire bike and 1/2 of my gear that I packed last year! I have been using very low gearing in steep big races this year 26×22 and have been getting on the podium with it and doing better than ever.
So, I am re-checking my calculations for CTR this year.
Scott
Hi Dave,
I really appreciate your perspective. This is specific to the CTR course this year from Denver to Durango. I went with a very low gear last year and was doing really well in 4th place until I had a medical issue causing me to stop in BV. I have figured out how to prevent that now and have been following 3 of Lynda’s plans back to back and have also lost a lot of weight this year so my power has gone up and my weight has gone down. I am trying now to refine my strategy.
My goal is in the 5 to 5+ day range.
Doing that requires an average moving speed of about 5.2-5.6Mph
The record run average speed is only about 6mph.
The more climbing and the less HAB I can do on the insane climbs the better. I won’t want to over-burn valuable energy on an over-geared bike. The main spinning sections are the Tarryall detour and LaGarita detour, but even the 70mile Tarryall detour has I think 6000ft if climbing.
Scott
Thanks Dave! That’s exactly where I was going with it. I know I have to gear for the climbing and use the rap-n-coast for the very few flats. And the times when I am spinning out will just be treated as forced recovery time. That said, the minimum comfortable standing climbing cadence is what I need to figure out. The 45rpm in interesting. I need to do some tests and look at my numbers to see where I am at. I think I want to choose the cog to give me the minimum desired average speed at that standing climbing cadence. All other riding will be faster (rap-n-coast, or going downhill) with the exception of HAB.
I do know this about myself, I generate a lot more power spinning than hammering, so I have been learning a lot over the past year that when I drop my gear ratio and spin more, I perform a lot better. Granted, there is a point at which the power will fall off with too much RPM.
Scott
