These are a few of my favourite training rides. I don't do each of them every week, however I try and get in anywehre between 4 and 6 rides depending if I can get the time off from work that is needed, my body is injury free, I am not too tired due to working late the night before, the kids don't have anything on that I am needed to transport them too etc etc.
To Birdwood and back including Checkers Hill, Corkscrew, and Eagle on the Hill to Mt. Lofty - 158kms
This is my longest and hardest ride for the week. I do it all in the top chain ring except for the three climbs to build strength in the legs. This is particularly hard going up Gorge Rd, and also the unulations on the way back at about the 98km mark.
I have covered 118kms by the time the last climg up Eagle on the Hill to Mt. Lofty arrives, so the legs are certainly feeling it going up there.
This ride takes about 6hrs including a stop in Birdwood for a hot chocolate and a bite to eat.
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| To Birdwood and back |
Easy Ride to Outer Harbour and Seacliff - 78kms
After yesterday's hard ride this one is the total opposite - an easy flat one done in the small chain ring to spin the legs.
I play a game on this ride called 'lets see how many people can pass me' so I don't start getting competitive and chase people down that I can see ahead of me!
This is a very popular route for cyclists so quite often I can get on the back of a group and just have a nice and easy ride. It is also great during the summer months as there are many people walking along the beach, and the views out over the ocean are superb!
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| Easy Ride to Outer Harbour then Seacliff |
Wednesday: Mega Spin Mega Advanced Class
I have mentioned these classes previously so just briefly, throughout the year when Megabike holds these classes I really enjoy participating in them, even though they are 90mins of suffering and sweating!! It's an early morning start with the classes going from 6.30am-8am.
The classes are quite varied each week from sprinting, practising surges, climbing, time trials etc. I have noticed a huge difference in my road riding since doing these classes and I can very highly recommend them. Even Oliver is doing them now (he is in the beginners class though!!).
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| Mega Spin Mega Advanced Class |
Ryan O'Keefe Ride Up Norton Summit then to Outer Harbour - 117kms
Ryan O'Keefe (ex Sydney Swans player) is one of the helper riders on the Beat Cancer Tour (BCT) so he invited participants that they could join in on this ride on a Thursday morning, which is done at a brisk pace.
Brisk - I think that was a subtle warning - this group is fast!! The first time I went out with them I set a PR (Personal Record) up Norton Summit!! From the summit we then go across to Mt. Lofty, then come down the Old Freeway back to the city for coffee. The loop is only 50kms, but it is a hard and fast 50kms.
I then go a bit further to Outer Harbour and back, and a more sensible pace, and end up with a ride of over 115kms.
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| Ryan O'Keefe Ride |
Triple Challenge - up Norton Summit, Eagle on the Hill, and Greenhill Rd, all to Mt. Lofty - 113kms
This ride is pretty much the same distance but has alot more climbing in it as I am going up to Mt. Lofty three times, but the pace is no where near the same as the one above as I am on my own and just enjoying the riding and the scenery that goes with it!
I consider Norton Summit the easist to climb, so I start with this one, then the next easiest is Eagle on the Hill (the Old Freeway), and Greenhill Rd the most difficult as it has quite a steep beginning, and there are no flat bits to give you any rest. So I go from easiest to hardest on this ride.
Each time I reach the summit I have a couple of minutes break to have a gel, something to eat like a museli bar, and of course a drink.
The ride takes about 4h30mins, and is almost 3000m of climbing (Mt. Lofty is Adelaides highest point at 950m).
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| Triple Challenge |
Megabike Saturday Ride: To the Bower Rd Roundabout and back - 75kms
I have two Saturday rides that I choose from, but this is the main one I do - usually because my legs are tired and I want an easier ride, and also because Oliver quite often joins in on this one too.
The other one I do leaves from the old Megabike shop in Hyde Park and is called the Fast 40's. The pace is higher and goes all the way to Outer Harbour, and I do this ride is Oliver is not riding, or if the legs are feeling good and I want a fast one.
The first one leaves the Megabike shop in Rundle St at 7.30am, but I take the long way there going along Port Rd and down Robe Tce just to get in a few kms extra beforehand and it is done at an easy pace with the right hand lane doing 35kmh, and the left hand lane doing 30kmh, that way giving each rider a small turn on the front with plenty of time to recover.
We then ride back to the city for coffee and a chat, and then I just come home.
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| Saturday Megabike Ride |
Sunday Surprise Ride - approx 90kms
By far my favourite ride of the week. Every second Sunday Claud from Megabike takes us on a surprise ride in that we don't know where we are going until we get there. Sometimes we head up Clarendon way, sometimes through Belair, and sometimes through Stirling and Aldgate and Hahndorf.
I like these rides the best as quite often we go on roads and climbs that I have never done before so it makes it interesting. The rides I do my myself I have done hundreds of times before and just about know every inch of the road, so these ones gets me out to new places, seeing new views, going through little towns, and all with a great group of people!
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| Sunday Surprise Ride |
All up I ride anywhere from 300 - 520kms per week plus the spin class over the 4-6 rides per week. As I write this, just a week and a half out from the Beat Cancer Tour, in the past three weeks I have set PR's up all the hills that I do, so my form is currently very good.
The biggest thing I am concerned about is having to back up day after day, and not getting a rest day at all. Approx 900kms in one week is way longer than any week I have had previously, my record being 540km, but I feel that I have put in the effort, and have the advantage of being in a group and not having to be out in the wind for the whole ride like I am when I go out on my own, so am quietly confident of meeting the challenge!!
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