Training at Ray's

Sunday is my one guaranteed day off a week, so it's become my tradition to make it up to Ray's mountain bike park. I was feeling spry so I decided to take up the Gary Fisher Piranha, and my Gary Fisher Advanced ss/full rigid. The plan was to do a new training regiment that my teammate Rusty tipped me off on. Last Monday, I had the night off so I went up, and he recognized me (don't worry my fame won't change me;) and introduced himself. He was doing a form of descending intervals on the cross country course at Rays. We did six laps, took a break, then did five, then break, then four etc... I thought this was a nice way to get a workout in without mindlessly doing laps, when the lap is less than a quarter mile, laps get boring quick.

So I went up Sunday with the hopes of doing ascending intervals1,2,3,4,5,6. Then head over to the sport and expert section and practice some skills. I really enjoyed the ascending intervals, it warmed up my legs nicely so that when I hit the five and six lap circuits I could really hammer hard. It was also nice because it gave me a chance to practice as it was pretty packed, if you've done the loop at Ray's you know that there is at most two places to pass without the other person pulling off. There are wider spaces but they tend to come at places where it's hard to get by. The two best places I found were switchbacks on the CAMBA climb, stay on their wheel and when they go wide for the switchback you cut to the inside and pass. The second is along the back side after the whoops, build up steam and cut to the inside ramp and pass.

The one thing I wouldn't mind trying would be a fibonacci interval (1,1,2,3,5,8). If you got that joke you are a nerd! Did some runs on the technical lines, until I couldn't ride anymore. Overall, a fun ride. Tomorrow, I ride with Johny P, so be expecting another ride report. Finally, also be looking for my book at the end of summer titled "Tuesday with Johnny", and uplifting tale of a two cyclist who share memories and make themselves stronger because of it. I'm in a spry mood so I'm off to rest up for tomorrow.