Getting the Double Century Bug

This Saturday was the first double century of the year Camino Real Double, and I had a number of my friends doing it.  I saw so many Facebook postings from it, that it really has inspired my double century training.  I can’t wait till my first double, Solvang, which is what I’ll use as a training ride for DMD.

They looked like they were having so much fun, and I wish I was down there doing it.

Instead, what I did do was a pair of rides on the weekend to train up.  Saturday, it was a ride with Ramon and Karen, with two steep tough climbs, Hicks and Metcalf.  Was not long on distance, but made up for it by intensity of the climbs … We’re talking 16-20% on Hicks.  Then, if that’s not enough, stiff headwinds on the way to Metcalf, then some punch your gut steep climb.  Both of them on the same day just tires you out.

When I finished this ride, I didn’t feel overly fatigued, but others reading my Strava posts were saying I was a glutton for punishment. Well it was tough, but I didn’t really think too much of it. I guess it was a good thing I canceled my original Sunday ride, which was Diablo – Morgan Territory. Instead I just did an out and back to Kings Mountain, then descent Skyline to Hwy 92, then back on Canada.

I met up with Marco at Robert’s Market, to climb Kings, and we took it easy going up, but took it aggressively going down on Skyline. That is one fun and fast descent, averaging 30-35 mph.