Tag: midsouth gravel

Indoor Training Only Mostly Sucks

It’s all in the approach …

Now that I’m a few weeks removed from Midsouth Gravel, I want to write about the training experience.

What I used

Why I Chose What I Did

Saris H3 smart trainer

I’ve used a “dumb” trainer before and found it wildly boring, no matter what I put on the television. The issue is that while it’s generally the most affordable option and gets you on the bike to workout – you have to get off the trainer to adjust the resistance.

My priorities for a direct-drive trainer were to be relatively quiet, as I set up in a “public” part of our home, and be super easy to set up. The Saris H3 was so quiet my husband didn’t hear the trainer so much as the giant fan I had pointed at me whenever I was on it.

Smart trainers connect to your computer through an ANT+ or Bluetooth connection so the training program can adjust the resistance for you (ERG mode) – or you can put the trainer in standard mode, select a level of resistance, and shift up and down the cassette to work on power output. The resistance controlled by the program in ERG mode is very, very convenient and wonderful. All you have to do is focus on pedaling to hit the target power.

The only place I found ERG to be less than helpful was in Sprints, mostly because it takes the trainer a few seconds to ramp up the resistance so you can hit the target power range – but then it also limits your output by modulating the resistance so you stay at the power target. This frequently limited my ability to hit sprint power targets in the short duration of the sprint. It was much easier in the standard resistance mode because I could manage my power output against the trainer’s resistance.

TrainerRoad

I interviewed several coaches before deciding to find a workout plan and commit to it. I’m not a racer, I don’t intend to race, and it seemed a bit wild to spend $150+ per month just to have someone tell me to do more or less or to keep up the good work.

I looked at the two most popular programs, Zwift and TrainerRoad. While both have solid workout plans, I ultimately decided on TrainerRoad based on a comment I saw while reading comparisons:

Zwift is great for social riding; TrainerRoad is boring but effective.

some random person on the internet

I was not approaching training as a bike ride with miles to track; this was strictly a workout. Time in the saddle, turning the pedals, and working on fitness objectives. This was not supposed to be fun; it was supposed to ensure I could finish a 100-mile gravel ride in early March.

TrainerRoad also has an AI function that will analyze your workouts and outside activities to adjust your future workout intensity. This was both super cool and super hard – because if you crush a workout, it keeps pushing you harder on the next workout. There is no “chill at this level until it feels easy.”

Also, I do not have a power meter on my outdoor bikes, so I’m not sure how accurate the incorporation of outdoor rides actually was. But I did learn that maybe doing a 90min threshold workout one day and then trying to keep up on a hilly mountain bike ride with my faster friends was definitely a Mistake.

How It Went

Honestly, it went really well.

As someone who has been on Operation Avoid the Trainer for YEARS … this was a tough pill to swallow at first. It took me two weeks before I set up the trainer because once it was set up, I would have to use it. And I so vastly prefer outdoor riding and the informal “training” I had been doing …. it was a mental hurdle just to start.

I set up my TrainerRoad account and customized my training plan. I chose a Low Volume plan because as a newbie to indoor training, it was tough enough to get on the trainer three days per week. I assumed I would swap out my 90min weekend workout for outdoor riding as much as possible.

New York had a very mild winter, and by that I mean it rained. A lot. Which severely limited my desire to go outside to ride. It was damp and chilly and unappealing.

So this is where I admit having the trainer as an option to keep working on my fitness when the weather was foul was really, really convenient. I could throw on my bike attire, make a bottle of Skratch Labs hydration, and get a good workout in 60-90min. Even with a fan blowing directly on me at full blast, I finished every workout absolutely soaked in sweat.

Once I committed to follow the plan as closely as possible, the rest came fairly easy. I sync’d my training plan with my Google Calendar so I didn’t make plans over my training days (or moved my training as needed to accommodate unmoveable things like business trips or helping my kid move across the state). After a few weeks, getting on the trainer every 2-3 days felt normal and natural.

Of course, about 14 weeks later I took a weekend off to spend time with one of my kids for an activity-free weekend. Getting on the trainer the first day after that trip was SO HARD. I wanted to throw everything out the window. It hurt, it was hard, I had zero motivation to be on the trainer, and everything just felt off. But I finished the workout and reminded myself that the mental aspect of just getting through the first set of intervals, even just the first over-under, would pay off when I was out in the middle of nowhere and still need to pedal back to the start.

Plus, I only had 2 more weeks before Midsouth, so I could also remind myself it’s a limited-time inconvenience.

The Results

My target was to be out for 10 hours with about 8 hours of ride time.

nailed it!

While training didn’t make me faster (by race standards; I ended up around where I would normally be in late May), and I didn’t lose any weight despite adding in 3.5 hours of workouts to my life … I met my ride time goal and was only out for 9.5 hours total (including stopping at the aid stations).

relaxed, comfortable, and still tons of energy at mile 88

It actually felt very weird to come back from Oklahoma and NOT get on the trainer a few days per week. I thought about extending the training plan because Fitness Gains but ultimately decided to take a few months off and focus on riding for fun again. I don’t want to lose sight of Riding Bikes Is Fun with a side benefit of Fitness.

I did, however, plan out a 16-week plan to help keep my base fitness up for my 2-week bikepacking trip in late August. I can see how spending a little time on structured workouts will benefit my ability to ride consecutive days while hauling all my camping gear around.

Until June 1, I’m back to riding bikes with friends as I can. I’ve made my peace with not being in Top Shape during this time because my focus is back to fun.

See you out there!

MidSouth Gravel 2023

on the road again …

You guys – definitely travel and ride bikes somewhere you’ve never been before.

The Midsouth Gravel is both a gravel race and an event, but the dedication to authentic inclusion makes this event stand out. The emphasis isn’t on the pointy end of the ride (the racers) but on everyday people who show up in Stillwater, OK for a weekend of bikes and community. The organizers are dedicated to creating space for everyone.

I don’t even know where to begin. After spending 15 weeks following a training plan on Trainer Road, I was ready to throw the indoor trainer out the window. Riding bikes has always been for fun, not fitness, and this was a decision to do prescribed workouts with a specific goal of getting to a baseline that would allow me to complete a very early season 100-mile ride with 91% of the course on dirt roads. But I have to admit …. the work paid off. I achieved all of my goals for MidSouth, most importantly to finish strong.

The Day Before Midsouth

Arriving late in Oklahoma City, we grabbed some food for the hour drive out to Stillwater. Very quickly we felt like we were driving through the middle of nowhere …. which we were. On Friday we hit up the Expo, checking out the vendors and picking up swag before checking in to get the race plate and pick up my bike from the bike shop.

During the rider meeting, Bobby called up all event promoters to the stage and reminded us all that events happen because someone wants to share their roads with others. That was a wildly surreal moment.

Bobby also gave an impassioned speech that we aren’t here to race bikes; we’re here to be in community. A community where everyone is loved, valued, and is deserving of a good ride. That regardless of our challenges, we are in this together. And every single person would get a hug at the finish.

the ride

If I’m being honest, I can’t really tell you about the ride. It was people on bikes on stunning red dirt roads, all moving in the same direction but at different speeds. Some had mechanical issues and sitting beside fences, waiting for the SAG jeep. Some were taking a break to eat or drink. Despite registering solo and knowing exactly one other person who had signed up (among the 2500+ registrants across all categories and events) …. I was never alone.

But I can tell you about the people I met along the way:

  • Andrea, from Pennsylvania, who was racing for Sturdy Girl Cycling. We have a mutual friend.
  • Alex, from Arizona, who also had a Cutthroat in the same colors as mine. We chatted for several miles and ended up running into each other at every aid station.
  • Zoe, a trans femme non-binary person from Alaska who exuded off-the-charts energy with a trans flag emblazoned with BLACK TRANS LIVES MATTER. Their energy was infectious.
  • Andrew, a fellow Pactimo Ambassador, who was riding the 50 miler with his sister. We were wearing the same jerseys and bibshorts, just in different colors.
  • Kenneth, a queer Latine, who chatted with me while we were filling our water bottles. He then came over to take photos with my sister and her family (who had dressed in character onesies so I could find them easier at the mid-point aid station). We caught up again at Mount Butt’r.
  • Rebecca, “how you doin’, sister?” as we barrelled down a rutted-out doubletrack. We caught up at the Chamois Butt’r Mount Butt’r aid station, chatting while relaxing in the Adirondack chairs
  • Yasmin, a stunningly gorgeous and incredibly strong rider (she passed me many times before we caught up at the aid station) AND FELLOW UNTAPPED AMBASSADOR! Thrilled to share my Salted Citrus stash with her.
  • The older woman who was blaring disco tunes from her Bluetooth radio and yelling “I LOVE YOU JUST THE WAY YOU ARE” to everyone she passed
  • Jim, the para-athlete who had run the 50k ultra run the day prior and was crushing the 100 mile route on a bike. He’ll be at Leadville both weekend this year – to run and cycle. Total beast and a really genuinely nice person!

Jim also gave me a compliment I will carry with me forever – as he pulled up beside me, he said “Wow, you’re strong. You look so calm and comfortable right now.”

  • Some guy on an orange bike with a white T shirt that reminded me of my friend Kyle. We yo-yo’d a few times late in the day, exchanging brief acknowledgments whenever we’d pass each other.
  • The woman I passed late in the ride with a “Deaf Cyclist” button, so I gave her visual kudos instead of yelling encouragement.

I can show you a selection of pics I snapped along the ride

PICS BECAUSE IT HAPPENED

Crossing the finish line was exhilerating. When it was my turn for the signature Bobby hug, he embraced me tightly as I thanked him for sharing his roads with me, that it was a true love letter. He effused about how this is what it’s all about and next year will be even sicker.

what went well

Having family meet me at the midpoint and end. Knowing someone was there to greet you, encourage you, and ask you about the ride so far was awesome. Don’t underestimate the psychological edge having a support crew gives you.

Training. Every day that I got on the trainer when I really wanted to just sit on the couch with my dog paid off. I wasn’t really sure someone could do hour-long structured workouts and see improvements but the proof is in the pudding. I finished strong, in under my estimated total time out, and almost exactly the ride time I wanted.

Staying open to whatever the experience would be. Signing up for an event in a location that you’ve never been before can be intimidating. Signing up without knowing anyone else who was signing up doubly so. But that allowed me the freedom to just say hi to people and talk about whatever came up.

Pancake in a cup for breakfast. Legit, always have the pancakes.

Things that could have been better

Sunscreen only works if you use it. The coating of red clay mineral loam covering me, my bike, and my stuff did not protect me from a raging sunburn.

Other thoughts

Oklahoma. I didn’t know how beautiful Oklahoma is. I think many people like me who live in more liberal-leaning areas would dismiss the state as a bunch of backward white farmers who are scared of “progress” and its less than inspiring history of where white people forcibly marched native tribes from around the burgeoning country only to then give that very land away to white settlers through five Land Runs.

While the history is true, I think it’s also important to remember that not everyone in a state or city or block – or even a single household – have the same beliefs and political leanings. When we feel smug about living in major metropolitan cities, we can blind ourselves to the people who are working to build inclusive communities in deeply traditional areas. To boycott or ignore Oklahoma for their exclusionary policies doesn’t help those who are fighting on those front lines. Spend your time supporting those communities in transforming fear into tolerance, acceptance, and eventually love.

After dropping off my bike at the shop to be shipped back to New York, Pete and I set off to explore Oklahoma City. We found a walkable downtown where we sat down for lunch in Bricktown and then wandered north to check out the new permanent installation at Factory Obscura: Mix Tape. We then stopped in to relax and have a few drinks at Skydance Brewery (the Mandarin Fluff hard cider was exceptional) before adjourning to our hotel, getting dinner, and calling it an early night because we had to be up at 4:30am to get our flight home.

You guys – definitely travel and ride bikes somewhere you’ve never been before and be open to the experience that will unfold.

See you on the road!

addendum

Things I forgot to mention:

  • Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again” on repeat in my head all day; replace “making music” to “riding gravel”
  • WIND. Wide open skies meant riding West was a strong headwind; north or south was a cooling cross-breeze; and riding East was a fantastic tailwind
  • Starting the day under cloudy skies, mid-50*F temps; brilliant sun coming out around mile 20; Wind; relaxing in the shade in Perry at mile 50 with my sister, her partner, her kids, and my husband; double-track and rustic, rutted-out roads; Clouds returning after mile 68 and powerful wind gusts from the North; turning right onto a 7-mile flat stretch and motoring along as the wind shifted from the West and provided a nice tailwind; another rustic road; riding through Oklahoma State University campus as we rolled back into Stillwater; hammering it the last few miles to the finish
  • CHASE THE CHAISE. Rolling into the Mile 88 rest stop and seeing signs to be alert for furniture quickened my heart. A lifelong dream to Chase the Chaise achieved. Hoping they will send out the photos soon!
  • Bobby’s STOKE. He is the alpha and omega of stoke. For DAYS. How is this man still awake?
  • the DFL Party. The entire weekend was one huge party, which I was a bit too much in my own head to really participate in (plus, not 20 anymore). but what stuck out was the DFL Party. DFL is being the last person to cross the finish line and true to MidSouth ethos, there was a huge party for Marley Blonsky, co-founder of All Bodies on Bikes. 14 hours after the race started, she cross the finish line to receive the DFL prize – a giant longhorn skull. LEGIT – no other race does this and they absolutely should. EVERYONE deserves a great ride, not just those at the pointy end of the event.

Midsouth Training – Week 7

or, wtf was I thinking

As you may recall: last year I put my name in the lottery for Midsouth Gravel on a whim. Not only did I not overthink it, but I also didn’t really think about it AT ALL.

This is a huge gravel event; what are the chances? There are plenty of other Women aged 40-49 that will sign up and get chosen.

But secretly, I thought it would be cool to get in. And the Fates saw it favorable to choose me.

Alexander Rothaug – The Three Fates, circa 1910

The moment of learning I got in was both euphoric and terrifying. Because now I had to actually do what I’ve spent years NOT doing:

INDOOR TRAINING

So here we are on week 7 (of 14) using TrainerRoad and I am not sure I’m cut out for this. Or maybe I’m just not used to having structured workouts at a regular cadence. Or maybe …. just maybe …. this is not the time of year to be doing this.

It’s literally the middle of winter, when all the vibes are cozy, comfortable, stretchy pants, hibernation, hot cocoa with whipped cream or marshmallows.

this looks legit more fun than any indoor workout

It’s a time for fat biking. It’s a time for slow and low. Cross training. Snowshoeing. Hiking. Sleeping.

Decidedly not regularly pushing myself to new power heights. Because the part about picking an AI-enabled training plan that adapts with you means it literally never gets easier. If you crush a workout, it just serves you harder workouts next time.

Personal Reminder: The goal is to be prepared for 100 miles on dirt in the middle of March. Not to race, not to podium. Just enjoy the ride.

So … week 7. I completed my latest ramp test and the first workout was a level 6 Sweet Spot 2x23min workout at 92-95% of the new FTP. My legs felt so heavy and it took a bit to find my groove tonight. I had to psych myself up through the each section of the 23min interval (every 5-7min the power target changed) – just 3 more minutes … just 2 more minutes … one more minute and then the watts go up a tiny bit.

Last week I did all three workouts PLUS went outside twice, which Garmin deemed “unproductive” because they were more challenging than a training plan would schedule. I wanted to go ride bikes with friends outside so I have zero regrets – but I’m definitely in need of some rest.

I’m mildly paranoid about missing a workout, mostly because I don’t want to fall off the wagon. But it’s becoming clear to me that I am not in a place where riding every single day (or more days than not) is viable. I’ve never been that person – I’ve always needed/wanted a bit more rest time than others while still doing cool stuff.

It’s not summer, Laura. Summer volume of riding is literally the exact opposite of the universe’s energy right now. Don’t fight too hard. It would be a shame to be totally burnt out when you get to the starting line.

For all my years of riding bikes, I’m a super noob when it comes to indoor, structured training. I’m not afraid of being new and learning. But woof – this is tough.

Thanks for reading and hopefully I’ll be outside more soon (replacing the 90min weekly workout instead of in addition to that workout).

Looking to 2023

how Laura got her groove back

My body craves stillness I said to my husband, totally deadpan and completely unironically. Stillness that comes in the form of power naps, savasana, yoga nidra, and sleeping in. It’s luscious and beautiful and so satisfying. (Pete just looked at me dumbfounded, like I was some wellness influencer trying to tell him he needs to take the dog for a walk to have “Me Time”)

didn’t do enough camping this year

Yet 2023 has big plans for me – or more specifically, I have big plans for 2023.

After the absolutely soul-satiating bikepacking trip with my sister and my oldest adult child, I went back to chillaxing. I talked to my endocrinologist to adjust my thyroid medications and my entire being has returned to the fun, chill person I know I am inside. It’s been a game changer for feeling like a real human.

I joined my friends for a 36mi fat bike ride on Cape Cod a few weeks ago, which was really freaking fun. I just don’t understand people who don’t have fun on a fat bike. We were on beaches, in the woods, on rustic rail trails, and quiet backroads.

the places the sand was soft and deep were less fun, but the ride was amazeballs

Which in turn helped me feel motivated to put some new events on my radar for next year. Make my goals to see more places by bicycle. Break out of this location rut I find myself in after 5 years of riding around the Northeast.

On a whim, I put my name in the lottery for Midsouth Gravel Event in Stillwater, Oklahoma. And a week later got the email saying my credit card had been charged and see you in March 2023! OPE. The universe is calling my bluff. 100 miles of red-clay dirt that will either be a dream or a nightmare to ride in all day based on YouTube videos from 2020 and 2022.

females be strong as hell

I also signed up for the 100-mile Long Wall Rollin’ Coal Gravel Grinder in Shinnston, West Virginia in September 2023. I wasn’t able to go this year but I’m super into the idea of checking out West Virginia’s rolling hills. Plus their logo is absolutely fire! If I can do 100 miles in March, I will be super set for a hilly 100 miles in September!

hell yeah!

After several coach interviews, I settled on just paying for a TrainerRoad subscription and buying a smart trainer to help me prep for a literal All Day Epic in a totally different state I’ve never been to. I thought about Zwift and while the community aspect really appealed to me, the gamification didn’t. Everyone I talked to said TrainerRoad is boring but effective; Zwift can be effective but is more social. It’s going to be hard enough to want to be on the trainer (mostly because I’ve avoided riding a trainer in the winter for nearly a decade), but I’m motivated to be effective. Social hour can happen outside on the weekends.

I like that TrainerRoad uses your data to adapt your training plan based on the timeline to your event(s) and your goals. Mine don’t involve racing so I can focus on building endurance, power, and maybe some speed. I’m not afraid of being out for 10 hours – that’s a difficult bikepacking day when I’m riding up big hills with a full load. But I would like to finish in less than that if possible.

But let’s talk for a minute about how super noob I am about indoor training.

not me, but honestly this doesn’t look fun

mostly because I’ve spent so long avoiding the trainer. My philosophy has been to figure out the distance and elevation profile of the event and then practice pieces of the final event, building up to an approximation of the event. This has served me pretty well – I’m not the fastest but that’s not my focus. My happiness comes from the experiences my bike allows me to have, not specifically for fitness. Plus, I also can get very competitive and really need at least one place in my life where I’m not striving to achieve more/better. Bikes are a way to move through time and space and find happiness.

I plugged in my stats and was assigned a fairly low FTP. Having no real clue about FTP, I decided to try the Ramp Test. I made some assumptions that the test was capped at 20min and while it kept telling me to ride until failure, I didn’t quite “get” what that meant.

The first 20min were very chill, just spinning a very high cadence with an increase in resistance every minute. After 28 minutes, I was starting to feel fatigued, but nowhere close to failure. So I decided to try to shift the gears, which is apparently a very big No-No as my cadence went from 115 to 34 as the resistance instantly ramped up. After a few minutes of fiddling around with this, I decided to call it quits and cool down. So 36min of ramp test.

you can see where I started to try shifting lol lol lol

My FTP was adjusted, but it’s still pretty low. I had some time today to do an actual workout and selected the recommended interval workout. I feel like I shouldn’t be able to sing along to my playlist during the intervals. Midway through the workout I increased the targets to 115% of FTP and it started to feel more like a workout. But still not as intense as I assumed a VO2 max workout should be. For example, my recovery power typically ended up around 70-80, not the 50-60 target. I literally had a hard time getting that low of power output for the recovery segments.

Anyway, the actual training plan doesn’t start until I’m back from my vacation. Already planning to retake the Ramp test to kick it off and see if I can get to an actual FTP and right-size my training plan.

What else will 2023 have in store? Hopefully more bikepacking. More mountain biking (I really, really like mountain biking even though I am very, very mediocre at it). More camping with friends. Seeing more places.

More to come, friends. See you out there!

from a recent soggy Sunday gravel ride
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