Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition

I was really looking forward to our Saturday long ride. We are continuing to build up our weekly cycling mileage as we prepare for our first attempt at the 7-day Haute Route Alps from August 21st-27th. In addition to our triathlon training (Note to self: IM Lake Placid is in a month), we are putting in a lot of quality riding. Whereas two weeks ago I was on the struggle bus getting back into structured training, this past week I felt really strong and fresh. My body came around and I felt like I was recovering well from my training sessions. On Monday we did an EZ 1 hour spin, Tues was the Spinners A-group ride (3:43/69 miles - we ride to/from the group ride) and Wednesday we went mountain biking for almost 3 hours (24 miles). Thursday I had a private bike skills session with an athlete (90 minutes). In total, before Saturday I had ridden for almost 10 hours.  On Friday evening, Karel mapped out our Saturday ride and called it Cesta Z Mesta - in Czech it means "The Road Out of T...

What you need to know before climbing Saluda Grade Distance:  Starting from the gas station at 176, the climb to Saluda is 7.67 miles. However, the first few miles are fairly flat. The actual climbing guesstimate is around 3.88 miles. Elevation gain:  Start at 974 feet and finish at 2118 feet (total gain = 1537 feet). Grade:  According to my Garmin, the average grade is ~2% with most of the climb averaging around 4-5%. It's a steady climb with a few sections where the grade kicks up a bit. There are some more demanding segments that are around 6-9% but there is nothing crazy steep on this climb. Road condition:  The road condition is excellent. It's very smooth. This is a treat compared to our bumpy roads in SC (this climb is in NC). Scenery:  This is a very scenic climb. With a rock wall and trees on your right and a river flowing below the trees on you on the left, you can't help but feel at peace during this climb. You are literally tucked into ...