LorraineOrtnerBlake’s Blog

I caught some of the Tour de France last night. Yah, I couldn’t stay awake after 9 pm (what a baby) but I saw enough to be in awe of these slim, powerful riders. How do you climb a mountain after weeks of almost-daily century rides?

Been reading about how to climb and the consensus is: don’t exceed the anaerobic threshold. “The road climber combines powerful, rhythmic breathing with an unyielding focus on power output at every degree of the crank revolution, so that pedaling pressure never exceeds (or drops below) the anaerobic threshold. The regulation of power is more important than a specific cadence RPM for a road climber.”

Well, I’m dropping down to granny gear quick on the little rollers in my bluffy neighborhood and building the combination of aerobic ability and power. I haven’t attempted any real hills yet this season. Will keep building a base, getting some miles on.

But I’m looking forward to seeing the world from the top of the Baraboo bluffs later this summer. To paraphrase what the Tour de France announcers said last night, gonna get my legs under me.