Reaching the end of the MS150 yesterday Amy commented to me that she was still relatively fresh and willing to go longer... which was the exact opposite from last year when we arrived completely trashed at the end of both days. I was in complete agreement and began to wonder why I too felt great at the end of 150 miles in the saddle and didn't feel like I wanted to eat everything I saw for the next 24 hours.

Out front, for 150 miles, riding the bus

Pulling up front, for 150 miles, riding the bus

The question we both had was WHY? This was the exact same route, distance and trusty Trek Tandem. (We call it the Bus) Our training was about the same both years... so that wasn't it. This year was a little bit cooler and there was a minimum amount of wind... helpful, but we have ridden in the wind before without needing a nap the minute we got home. So what was it?

Then we figured it out. This year we managed our intensity while pulling our team for nearly the entire distance; 150 miles over two days. And while averaging ~20MPH for the total distance we found ourselves ready for more. That's right, we pulled the whole thing 🙂

Now if you are confused as to how we were able to ride for hours without a break and still felt fresh at the end, it's really simple. I used my HR monitor as a GPS, instead of a Speedometer. Let me explain...

In years past we had two very strong members on our team: Dana and Jim. They could ride very comfortably at ~ 24 MPH, seemingly forever. Now if you don't ride outside trust me when I tell you that riding a steady 24 MPH pace takes a very fit and strong cyclist. Our strategy for the ride was to use Dana and Jim's strength to pull most of the time and the rest of us would keep up, riding in a nicely disciplined pace-line behind them. Sounds like a good plan except for one thing: with a combined total weight of ~320lbs (Me, Amy and the Bus) riding in a pace-line becomes a bit of a challenge. After years of racing both bicycles and motorcycles, riding very close to others is easy for me. Yes, Amy trusts me. Our problem was in responding to all the small changes in speed that occur in a group. In any pace-line these changes in speed can create a sort of Slinky or accordion effect that has riders in the back constantly slowing and then accelerating to catch back up. What can be easy for a single rider becomes a series of intense intervals on a 320lb tandem. Because the Slinky gets more stretched out, the farther back you are, we found that we needed to sit in the number two or three position.

As the third strongest bike in the group, Amy and I took occasional turns up front. The expectation (maybe peer pressure is a better way to describe it) was to maintain a constant 24 MPH. With one eye on my computer and one on where we were going, our pulls lasted until we could no longer keep our target MPH. I didn't pay any attention to my HR monitor other than a quick look to confirm what I was already feeling; I was way over my T2 - anaerobic threshold. Despite what you may think, both riders tend to work equally hard on a Tandem. Equally hard in relation to their level of fitness that is. If I'm above Threshold, then Amy will be as well. With both pedals solidly connected there is no way for the Stoker in the back to coast.

The end result was a fast, but very exhausting MS 150 that left us completely spent at the end of both days. And did we EAT! We would skip every other rest stop and when we did stop I would be shoving PB&J's down as fast as the volunteers would hand them to me.

This year was very different.

Blink Heart Rate Monitor for Spinning class

Guided by my Blink - Not my Speedometer

With no Dana or Jim this year we were a bit concerned about setting a respectfully fast pace that would have us showing off our sponsor's jersey, while passing hundreds of other cyclists. Amy and I decided to sit up front for a while and experiment with our speed on the flat sections. While monitoring my HR with my Blink HR monitor this is what we found:

  • 17 MPH = ~140 BPM
  • 19 MPH = ~ 146 BPM which is my T1 (Aerobic Threshold) or what I refer to as JRA (Just Riding Along)
  • 21 MPH = ~ 154 BPM
  • 23 MPH= ~ 162 BMP  my T2 (Anaerobic Threshold)

So we settled into a very steady 21 MPH which we were able to maintain for hours at a time. If we encountered a change in grade or headwind I kept my HR right there in between both Thresholds, without concern for our actual speed.

 

John
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