Peaks of Otter: The Ultimate Training Ride

There’s something fundamentally wrong with people who pursue endurance events as “entertainment.”

After my most recent training event, my wife asked me a simple question “Was it fun?”

“Well,” I answered honestly, “no it was really hard. I’m exhausted.”

Translation in endurance terms:  “This was a great ride!”

Why is that?

Let’s examine the ride for a moment.  We left from The Buck Mountain Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  From there we rode to the Peaks of Otter (map) and returned.  That’s 76 miles, approximately 100 feet of which is flat. 

The rest is mountains. 

Team WSLS training partners Troy Lenderking and Gordie Zeigler endured the ride with me. My neighbors Richard and Sandy Conway jumped on at Route 460 and did the middle 40 miles.

Troy wore a GPS device that indicated we climbed 8-thousand feet.  I believe it.  If he had told me it was 20,000 I would have believed it.  It seemed like we were always climbing. 

When it gets like that, your legs turn over slowly, pushing for each foot of forward motion.  Unlike riding when it’s flat, you never get that sense of momentum, what cyclists refer to as being, “on top of the gear.”  Each pedal stroke seems like a new effort instead of that rolling head start you feel as you ride in the park, on the greenway or some other place that’s flat.

We could have ridden someplace else that day.  Why didn’t we?

The guys and I are preparing for the Best of the Blue Ridge, The Artie Levin Memorial Ride. 

Our intention is to ride 100 miles in a single day.  (Known as a “Century” in cycling terms)  We could do much less.  There are options of 25 miles and 50 miles.  Why not just do that?

It’s that pain thing again.

There is no sense of accomplishment unless you have to work for it.  Therefore, the harder you work, the greater the sense of accomplishment.  The problem is that everything else is something less, so you always push for the next most difficult test.  Otherwise there is no reason to even go.

Unfortunately you spend days dreading the next event because you know it’s gonna hurt.

There’s another school of thought that you learn something about yourself when you push the limits.  Boss bothering you at work?  Co-worker nagging you to death?  Kids getting under your skin?  Mortgage due?  When you’ve been to the edge of what you can stand, you tell yourself, “I’ve had worse.”  It’s a good feeling.

People more prophetic than me have taken stabs at explaining why people ride their bikes to the Peaks of Otter.  I wish I could make everyone understand.

In the meantime, Gordie, Troy and I will keep training.  Maybe we’ll get so strong that the Peaks ride will become a piece of cake. 

Maybe then we can enjoy it for the scenery.

Note:  Please remember that although we suffer these rides willingly and gladly, we are raising money for and awareness of the fight against MS.  Please click the link at the top of this page and donate to the cause!