Somedays are better than others. It has been a long, long, long time since I did a ride or run and totally ran out of energy. Nothing left in the tank at all. I was 24 miles into a 30 mile mountain bike ride when it happened. I had enough hydration and think it was pretty much a lack of replacing my nutrition along the way. It’s a little harder to eat while on the mountain bike because of the trail, but it can be done. For the ride I was doing too, I went out a little hard to begin with and by doing so paid the price by not being able to complete the distance I set out for. For the little under two and a half hour ride, I burned 2757 calories and finished doing 26 miles.
I was upset with myself that I was unable to finish the distance and focused on my nutrition and hydration the next two days afterwards. I started planning in my head doing the 30 mile mountain bike ride and finishing it.
So Saturday I went back out to the same trails and headed out to get this 30 mile ride finished. Started off way better in the nutrition department and speed, taking it a little easier the first 15 miles. The weather was about 14 degrees cooler with some cloud cover every so often.
The three hour 15 minute mountain bike ride came in at 32 miles burning 2571 calories. 200 fewer calories yet five more miles. The speed definitely helped maintain some of the calories.
I mentally had to get out there and finish what I set my training goal for. I was more relaxed and focused the second ride knowing to take it easier.
For the past few months I have been reading “Maximum Overload for Cyclists” and using the programs for adding weight lifting into my training this year.
I have always done weight training, but with this book and the program it has, I am more focused. A good program, and I will focus more on a later post on how that is going and what it is all about.