BC Bike Race Training...time's up!

Training for the BC Bike Race has been like cramming for a test for me... and...well...time is up folks!

Yes, it is true...I really did WIN a free entry to the most amazing single track experience in the world- the 7-day BC Bike Race!  Last year at the Cumberland MOMAR  I was charmed enough to win the BIG draw prize from BCBR & MOMAR:

I can't believe it but race week is already here!  This time next week I will be getting ready to start 7-days of racing 40-60kms of single track mountain biking with 450 other racers from all around the world! 

In a dream world, training for the BC Bike Race would look a bit like this:

• Nov-Jan: Base training, build the base.  Grow a massive aerobic platform through zone 1 time on the saddle and base training.  Develop an amazing new level of neuromuscular co-ordination through high cadence training and pedal stroke interval sessions.  Become one with the bike, throw the aerobic threshold into the sky and eliminate effort on high cadence zone 1 rides.
• Feb-Apr: Get climbing fit and strong.  Move from shorter to longer hill climbing repeat sessions to build the legs into climbing machines loaded with unfatigueable power.  Push the lactate threshold up into new heights through endless sessions of crank turning pain. Become one with hills.
• May-June: Get race fast.  Push the speed with weekly 'meat grinder' rides, sprint sessions and compete in race after race after race to get race fit, race smart, and race savvy.  Become one with racing. 
• June Peak: Combine race speed, climbing strength and epic long rides into a big training peak of insane fitness!
• July - BC Bike Race!

We, as you may have realized by this point in your life, are not living in a dream world.

In reality my training has looked more like this:

• Nov-Jan: Train for the Diez Vistas 50k ultramarathon (that's running).
• Jan: Sprain my ankle and sit on the couch for a couple of weeks;) First DNS ever in the yeti snowshoe run.
• Feb: Get sick.
• Mar: Get sicker.
• April: Get superbug sick and spend 4 weeks on and off antibiotics, sleeping and resting:)  2nd  DNS ever-never got to see the 10 Vistas at the 50k.  Start riding my bike slowly, not allowing my heart rate to go up, secretly 'training' for the BCBR when I should be on the couch and hoping I will still be able to do it.  Considering checking the cancellation policy.
• May: Get better:)  Allow my heart rate to go above aerobic threshold.  Start riding up hills.  2 Races including the epic Nimby 50!
• June: Finally start feeling like myself again!  The exhaustion blanket lifted!  Yippee!  CRAM.  2 Races. 
• June Peak: Combine what I have managed to accumulate for race speed, climbing strength and epic long rides into a big training peak of moderate fitness.  Here is how my final week of training went down:

Monday: 1hour and Run
Tuesday: 2hour
Weds: 3.5hour
Thurs: Run
Friday: 3.5hour
Saturday: 4.5hour
Sunday 6hour

And now... I am going camping on the west coast and will be sitting in a lawn chair (under a tarp by the looks of things) miles away from my bike for the next 7 days...It is taper time baby!

It has been a whirlwind of training and preparing for the big week and I my bike and I have been to the moon and back even in these 3 short months.  Hours and hours of long solo rides...playlist after playlist on my iPod...new fuel recipes and pockets crammed full of snacks...experiments with everything from fingerless gloves to seat positions and snack ideas...miles and miles and miles of new routes...broken chains, blown seals, broken tool kits, ripped tires, broken chains...I have learned a lot about myself and about my bike.  

Did I mention that I love my bike?  We are best buds and partners in crime.  We don't go anywhere without each other anymore.  BIG THANK YOU to the crew at Mountain City Cycle in Courtenay for taking such awesome care of me and my rig.  You guys rock!

Black Beauty and I have run a bit wild this spring...but amazing epic rides also mean an empty stall at home for hours, days and weeks on end...big hugs to the best support crew ever:)

I am as ready as I am going to be.  Time to relax, rejuice the batteries and get pumped for a week of epic adventures on the beautiful coast of BC!  I will do my best to blog about the race along the way- if you are around on Sunday, June 30th, stop by Cumby to watch the show!  Details should be on the BCBR website or facebook page.

Happy Trails!
Sarah.