Cycle: Spring Training
Categories: Bicycle Culture
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| photo by Glenn Kasin/Team RadioShack |
| Lance Armstrong and Team RadioShack used North Scottsdale roads for training in December. |
As with the pro cycling calendar, Arizona's race season is getting started, so many road and mountain riders have been putting in long hours in the saddle to get the conditioning back to a prime spot in hopes of raising their arms in a victory salute or simply accumulate points to move up in their race category.
For most of us though, this is the time to set goals and target a race or three at which we aim to set new personal records. Events such as el Tour de Mesa (formerly the Tour de Phoenix) or the Whiskey Off-Road in Prescott allow riders to experience a race-like environment and push their physical abilities. But more than anything, competing in events like these is flat out fun.
Riders cannot simply get on their bike the morning of a race and expect to do OK. Quality results require quality training time. Any coach or trainer will tell their athletes that every minute counts towards training, and even short sessions help. But each week should be anchored by a long training ride that gets the legs used to high miles and varied terrain.
The Valley is a perfect location for quality training. That's why pros like Armstrong, the United Healthcare pro team, and pro mountain biker Emily Batty come here for winter training. But cyclists need to be smart about where they ride the long rides.
REAL DEAL BIKE TIP #9: Fuel up. Many perceive spring training as a time to shed weight and will not bring food for the ride. DO NOT DO THIS. Keeping properly fueled is a necessity for riding. As rides head to less populated areas, convenience stores may not be so...convenient. Riders should be able to burn upwards of 2500 calories over the course of a four hour training ride. For pure survival, start consuming good carbs and fluids as much as three or four hours before hitting the road and continue eating and drinking throughout the ride. There is nothing worse than a mid-ride bonk.
Keys to spring training, aside from lots of miles, are finding routes that challenge but are not epic, offer good riding surfaces so riders can focus on condition and endurance, and take riders away from heavy traffic. The roads of north Phoenix and north Scottsdale fit this bill to perfection.
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| photo by Jason Franz |
| Happy Valley Road near Reata Pass in North Scottsdale makes for prime training tarmac. |
REAL DEAL BIKE TIP #10: Tell them where you're headed. Always let someone know what part of town you are heading to, especially if you are riding solo. It gives spouses, friends, parents, or whatever an idea of how long the ride will last and where they might need to go should you need that emergency pick up.
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| photo by Jason Franz |
| The North Valley commonly offers empty roads with good bike lanes. |
If your route starts from North Phoenix, Cave Creek Road is the primary passage north where you can circle around Black Summit Mountain and head up to "The Towers" and the turnoff to Bartlett Lake. Bartlett Dam Road is a fantastic ride onto itself, but beware - this road becomes very steep and challenging at its base 13 miles in.
Lastly, ride at a consistent tempo that provides a challenge but does not push your heart rate into the red zone. Remember, the point is to build condition, not shock it into your body. As a point of reference, my most recent long training ride was a 78 mile jaunt into North Scottsdale that went up Happy Valley Road.
Your bike is calling. It's time to report.
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| photo by Jason Franz |
| A bonus of riding to the edge of town is the chance of seeing wildlife such as this pack of native javalinas at the side of Happy Valley Road. |
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