Inspire the Next Generation of Riders

"My training with Dutch Diesel Cycling prepared me for every aspect of the Race Across America.  Overall, I am tickled to have felt as strong as I did through the entire event. 

 

I think one of the most helpful aspect of our training plan was the repeat tempo efforts.  That's what this race was all about.  The ability to go from racing to sleeping and back to racing is hard to train for, but what we did with our repeats during training was about as close as can be.

 

As far as our training verses needs regarding output, some of the grades on the bigger climbs of Wolf Creek Pass and the pass right after it were 7 to 8 miles of 7 to 8 %.  I found myself thinking of the Alp de Zwift and the Watopia KOM during these.   These were relentless, not particularly steep but just have to diesel through them.  I thought the climbing in Zwift and outside in my local area prepared me very well for these climbs.  On Wolf Creek Pass, my teammate and I had agreed to have me ride the lead in of 8 miles and the first two miles of the hill.  My teammate would ride the next three miles and I would finish off the top three. Then, my teammate would ride the 15 to 20 mile descent.

 

 I rode the first two miles and my teammate rode his three.  In the first bit of my final push to the top, I passed a rider from another 8-man team.  That team was making rider changes every quarter mile in an attempt to briskly get this mountain behind them.  It became a challenge I couldn't resist.  I would pass their fizzled out rider and a fresh one would come whizzing by me only to burn up and be passed.  Again, a fresh rider would pass me, burn up, and be passed.  After a few of these transitions that team realized that the person passing them each time was a single rider – me! They began to cheer and honk with encouragement as they witnessed my determination to stay up with their efforts.  This juice, this competitive inner self, thrived in the challenge.  It was something I will remember forever.

  

 There were times with tailwinds and flats, pouring down rain and slick roads, smooth like glass tarmac and crappy chip seal with transition joints jarring your bones.  We rode through the heat of the desert and cold of the mountain nights – every sort of climate condition you may think of.  We rode single lanes edged with beautiful foliage and 4-lane freeways that were pretty scary.  I ground out 5o RPM and a few miles an hour on some short steep climbs and raced 50 plus MPH on fantastic descents.

 

 Our crew and racers all endured sleep deprivation, became disoriented more than once, and learned to watch out for one another.  We truly became a team – one that cared for and watched out for one another, helping each other achieve a greater goal than any of us could achieve on our own.  

 

 The training plan from Dutch Diesel Cycling was spot on.  The depth of intensity in each zone was well balanced, the duration and mix within zones replicated the event pretty darn well.  We pushed hard during the builds and tapered well to the event.  I felt strong and rode well. This was one of the most amazing and thrilling events of my life and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for providing me with the base and depth through training that I needed in order to make my contribution to the team’s effort.  

 

Chris, Race Across America Racer

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