Hill Climb Training Day #1

April 21st is fast approaching. You've got to get moving. You need to get on the bike and do some climbing.  These are the words that were ringing in my ear when I woke up today. As usual, when I signed up for this race, I didn't take into consideration what I was getting myself into. The race consists of some really long, really big, and really steep climbs. None of  which I'm prepared for. Below is a map of the trail I'm preparing for along with an elevation graph, just to get an idea of what's in store for me.

So after I finally got myself out of bed, and shook out the cobwebs of sleep, I got dressed and threw on my running shoes. Julie decided to join me. I grabbed my phone, started my C25K app and we headed out the door. The run was a pretty good one, of course, they're usually pretty good when Julie's there with me. I remembered to take a nice, easy, consistent pace and concentrate on my breathing.  I don't think I heard Fatboy utter a word during the entire run. I guess he's giving me the silent treatment after the ass whooping I gave him on Wednesday. I finished my run, I stopped at the house, while Julie went on and extended her run another mile or two.

 After she got back, I made us all breakfast. Once we had finished our eggs sausage and toast, I went outside and got the bikes ready to go for a ride. I had been planning a training ride all week at Dell Valle Regional Park.  A few of the guys I ride the train with told me about this place, and that there are some really cool trails to ride and a lot of steep hills to climb. I had heard about Del Valle, but have never been there. We loaded up the kids, the bikes and headed out. On the road leading into the park, there were some really steep hills to get there. I kinda joked and said "I should've started my training on this road." Once inside, and after getting ready, we started off on this one trail, and as I got to the top of this one really tall hill, I looked back and nobody was behind me. I waited at the top for a couple of minutes to make sure everyone was ok. Melissa made it most of the way up pedaling, but stalled and had to get off and walk the last 50 or so feet. Julie and Trevor didn't fare so well, having to walk the bikes the whole way up. When she got up there she told me just go ahead and do my thing and we'd meet up at the truck later. Not wanting to be out in an unfamiliar place by myself, I decided to just go back and try to do some smaller inclines with the family.

 After a while the kids got tired and wanted to hang out at the truck while Julie and I rode around a little longer. We went around to the other side of the lake and checked it out. The place is pretty cool with lots of picnic tables and BBQ pits. Julie and I are thinking of making a day trip out there again and bringing a picnic lunch and possibly the paddle boat. After checking out the other side we pedaled back up this long steep ass hill to get back to the kids and the truck. I wanted to keep riding, but I could tell the kids weren't that enthusiastic about the idea, so we packed up and came home. Still, I got a little bit of a workout, and now I know where I can do some of my future training.