# Training: What does a weeklong bender do for cycling fitness?



## Campbelllevy (Apr 24, 2008)

In case anyone is wondering - I do not recommend going to sea level for a week of booze and partying.  I was a strong Cat 4 presence on my road team when I left, and on the verge of winning races (if not for flat tires at terrible times), and I went on Phish tour out on the east coast for just over a week. 

I returned this week and entered the local Aspen Cycling Club's circuit road race, and got my doors blown off. I won last year's citizen group of this same race - I finished a humbling last yesterday.

Anyone have any advice on how to gain my fitness back - and fast? I have a 65 mile road race in Glenwood Springs this Saturday! One of my teammates is telling me to take today off, but I think I'm opting for a good easy going ride with some mileage...Thoughts?


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## shongalola (Nov 2, 2005)

I would do easy tomorrow and add a couple of short efforts to wake the legs up. Good luck - it's a fantastic course though I hear the dirt is not a smooth as last year after all this rain.


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## Campbelllevy (Apr 24, 2008)

Thanks for the advice - I put in a easy hour ride yesterday, still didn't feel great. Going to put in a quick spin today, and we'll see how things turn out tomorrow morning. I'm pretty excited for the course, it looks like it will be a fun race. It's also nice not to have to drive down to Denver/Boulder for a race for a change.


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## Sherpa23 (Nov 5, 2001)

I'm still scratching my head at "strong Cat 4 presence..."

At any rate, Shongalola gave you the right advice for now. As far as getting back to where you were, it just takes time. You haven't lost anything physically but your body isn't really up for performing like it did pre-partying. At some point in the next few days you will probably have one pretty decent day, followed by one mediocre day, followed by more or less back to normal feelings. Whether that strong day comes tomorrow or next Tuesday is anyone's guess based on the limited information we have to go off of.


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## Campbelllevy (Apr 24, 2008)

Sherpa - I'm a mountain biker, and race cat 1 in mountain, but just started racing road bikes this year, so I had to start as a cat 4. Strong presence = totally variable at times, but have nearly won most races entered but killed myself with stupid errors or just wasting energy at dumb times - road biking is a totally different game than mtn biking I've found, and it often doesn't matter if you're the strongest person. Why don't you come out for a mountain bike race? The Firecracker 50 is right around the corner...


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## Sherpa23 (Nov 5, 2001)

I was actually seriously considering Firecracker 50 - enough that I was about to order a mountain bike. But then I got an offer to go do a stage race and opted for that instead. Still, I wouldn't mind getting a mountain bike and trying something like that.

What I meant by that comment was this: what the hell is that? If you're strong you're strong. If you are getting whooped, you're getting whooped. What's a "strong Cat 4 presence?" You are up there with other Cat 4's but can't ride with someone who's a 3? You are hurting all of your teammates, regardless of cat, but you're only a Cat 4? Since Cat 4 is the beginner category are you saying that you're strong for a beginner? Anyway, not only does it mean possibly different answers to your question but in the grand scheme, it's an paradox and confusing.

Besides, you're better than that. You don''t wake up in the morning and define your bike riding by what category you are. You define yourself by how you ride with your regular peer group. If you're strong, you're strong. If someone's beating you, you don't say, "well they're beating me because they are a 3." You certainly don't let them beat you just because they're a higher category. If you are regularly hurting or beating your teammates/riding partners, then that should be what you look to as far as defining your abilities, i.e. "good results in my club/local race series, etc." or "always getting into the breaks in local rides/races" or "getting beaten in races but setting new PR's on local climbs," or something along those lines. 

You are comparing the Post-Phish you to the Before-Phish you. Didn't matter what category you were in. Race categories are for when others need definition, not yourself. Besides, I'm sure that you know that categories can be misleading. I know Cat 1's in the midwest who get a top 15 in a front range Cat 3 race.

BTW, I thought you raced at North Boulder Park last year, not this year? Maybe I'm getting forgetful in my old age.


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## shongalola (Nov 2, 2005)

Mtn Biking? I thought Sherpa doesn't do hills....


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## jmlapoint (Sep 4, 2008)

A week off from racing and training and a week of boozing.
Doesn't sound like you are really interested in racing.
I would think you are probably done for this year's racing season.
Why not sober up, and wise up, and start training now for next season!


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## Sherpa23 (Nov 5, 2001)

shongalola said:


> Mtn Biking? I thought Sherpa doesn't do hills....


Sherpa does plenty of climbing during his SECRET training time. Shhhh....


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## Campbelllevy (Apr 24, 2008)

I'm not aspiring to be Tom Boonen...

Regardless - Sherpa I agree with everything you've said. I'm been whooped by pros and by uncategorized riders, it really doesn't matter - categories are completely different everywhere. I did race the North Boulder Crit last year, and I forgot about it, but this is my first serious year of racing anyway - last year was my first on a road bike.

Would love to see you out at a mountain bike race...


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## Sherpa23 (Nov 5, 2001)

Campbelllevy said:


> Would love to see you out at a mountain bike race...


Well, it looked like Firecracker 50 was the best shot for a while. We had an open calendar and it looked like the best thing around. I haven't ridden a mountain bike in many years but it looked like fun. But now a stage race came up and that is the better option.

Maybe in the fall or next spring.

BTW, I think that I am going to do some cyclocross this fall to keep me in shape for the track (I know, doesn't sound right, does it?) so there will be some new experiences for me come fall.


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