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Eight Ascents of Old La Honda (again, a week later)

See also the one-week-later effort.

I previously analyzed six ascents of Old La Honda for power/weight/time and power meter consistency precision).

I haven’t yet analyzed this 8-ascent workout in depth, but I am pleased with the effort on a hot and more humid than usual day. I made one mistake though: I should have taken Endurolytes as I was feeling funky by the 8th ascent and it was not simple fatigue.

To put things into perspective, 8 ascents of Old La Honda (about 10,200 vertical feet in total) is a wimp ride in comparison to the Everest Challenge: it’s like doing only the first two climbs of the first day (Bishop Creek / South Lake and Pine Creek), leaving out the monster 3rd leg: lower Rock Creek and upper Rock Creek. That’s why for me, the Rock Creek sections always are an effort of will (though I am rarely if ever passed on the final leg; I usually pass a few dozen people). I am toast by the end, and that is only the first day, hence recovery is critical.

2014-09-06

Starting weight was identical to within a few tenths of a pound to the week earlier effort, but I lost ~3 pounds less fluid due to cooler conditions.

I felt more rested and temperatures were cooler. The average ascent time of 21:40 was 16 seconds faster than the week earlier effort at 21:56, which is a very nice improvement. This effort was definitely pushing into the limits of my anaerobic power zone, which was my goal: stress that system and force it to become stronger.

This was not an easy workout for me. Starting around ascent 5, even as the legs continued to sullenly make power just fine, the pyschological aspects begin. Resolve wavers with each ascent, and I have to make a conscious effort to spin up faster when the road flattens slight (not back off by 100 watts as 99% of the riders always do!).

Then there is dealing with Nitwit Cyclist Day (every Saturday)—people incompetent to ride up or down OLH riding in the middle of the road on blind corners, or even all the way on the wrong side. The need to stay entirely alert is critical, particularly when decending.

Click for larger graph.

Eight ascents of Old La Honda Road (2014-08-30)

2014-08-30

See notes.

Eight ascents of Old La Honda Road (2014-08-30)
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