Logie Trail

Wednesday - Logie Trail
32ish mile ride/10 min run
1,500 ft elevation climbing….
This was a humbling training experience
You can see the route here, just click on see elevation.
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united...d/810332374455


It has come time to attack Logie Trail again….for those not familiar it is a 2.6 mile road with 1090 feet of elevation gain. Avg. grade is around 7.8% with a max of 14.4%. I did this ride last year with Jenny, I made it up successfully without stopping but I was anaerobic for nearly 1/3 or the ride, and it had officially handed me my ass on a cold platter. Today was the day to get redemption.
We had a few small groups from TNT go out and hit this road, one yesterday, the group I was in and then a small group that started after us. I had given good warning about the workout before going out. I guess I made it appear larger then life because I had heard comments back that it wasn’t that bad? Really, honestly? I guess maybe you’re an elite rider….but wait any elite rider I know wouldn’t say that. Or maybe if in the past/present you’ve gotten off your bike mid climb or your running a triple chain ring it might night be THAT bad….but still I wouldn’t tell a group of people training at all different levels that a ride ranked HARD wasn’t really that hard….it’s a bit demoralizing if you ask me. Enough with my vent…on to the ride.
We started at The Lucky Lab pub in NW PDX and headed out Hwy 30. I realized going out that my rear brake pads were worn so I stopped and looked at them. Wow, I have rubbed them pretty raw; hopefully I can get my bike into the shop before this weekends ride. Anywho, I had some break power left and my fronts are ok so I was fine to continue on with the ride. I took the first 10 miles out pretty easy and just warmed up my legs. 2 miles before Logie I took down a Power Gel. We arrive at Logie and regroup, Jenny and Shannon. Ok time, to spin up this bizznitch. As we start we by pass a house that is having an outdoor BBQ/party. I joke we should skip the ride and crash the party; it would be much more forgiving. Lol…but on we went. The first mile was not bad; I knew it wasn’t going to be…it’s the second that’s the ass kicker. Jenny I chatted and enjoyed the scenery during the way up, I don’t remember doing that last year. We finish mile one and think, hmmmmm, ½ way over not bad. I wanted to ride the whole hill in my saddle (Ahahahahaha……Ahahahaha….Ahahahaha) and thus far was successful. Then the switch backs started. Oh, ok….first one, steep but tolerable, second one and I’m up and out of the saddle. I quickly go back down as soon as I can…HR is climbing but I’m still in good range. Another switch back, up and out….Oy! Gravel, I struggled as I’m climbing 4 mph around a switchback and my rear tire starts to slip and drift, Oh for the love of God, please stay on your bike. My prayers were answered and I successfully went up. It was at this point I received a phone call and Kill Bill’s “Whistle Song” played on my phone. Just what I needed, no, not to answer my phone but to hear that song. Straight motivation! But then I was worried because I had been yelling down the hill (yes I still had enough aerobic capacity to sing, talk and oddly enough yell) “I LOVE YOU SHANNON” and hadn’t heard a response back….so I thought she might be calling. But I couldn’t get off my bike to check, I was NOT going to stop climbing….so on I went. Switchback after switchback. So freaking misleading, I kept thinking I was at the top, but I was delusional. Finally I see the summit, alas the Poka Dot Jersey is mine! For those that are not cycling geeks I’m referring to the King Of The Mnt Jersey in The Tour de France. I’m a dork I know. I wait at the top for Jenny and Alisa . I reflected back on my climb and I was very happy with my results, not once did I feel like I was going to puke. I only hit anaerobic HR 185 once and it was very short lived, for the most part I stayed at my Lactic Threshold of 175 bpm. Woot! Woot! I think this means my strength and cardio have improved over the previous year. Happy Kat! Shannon gets to the top and gets a well deserved high five, homegirl has HARDCORE status for puking on the bike! Way to kick ass girl, I am soooo proud of you! Well not just for puking but doing the ride. She is not training for the ½ iron, she is doing he Olympic, so she doesn’t have to do these long rides or the higher intensity hill climbs, yet she does them anyway. Why? Because she kicks ass! We regroup again and hit Skyline for another 15 miles of rolling hills. It was nice to climb a hill and descend with enough momentum to get back up it. The last 20 minutes of the ride could have been better, the monthly pains of being a women kicked in and I rode with knots in my tummy. Not a good feeling. We finished back at The Lucky Lab and I was contemplating not running, my tummy was not well and my feet and legs were numb…BUT I thought it would be good practice for race day so I ran for 10 minutes as I had planned. This sucked as I couldn’t feel my feet and my tummy was yelling at me…but I just tuned it out. You do what you got to do right? I mean come now; How bad do you want it?

My sleep was very poor. We had been riding in the cold and when I went to bed I was still cold and shivering….it is times like this it would be nice to have someone by my side : ( I feel asleep shivering. I took magnesium before bed but woke up at 1am with restless leg syndrome. I then tossed, turned, twitched and kicked the rest of the night/morning. My tummy started growling at 5am. Oh the humanity! I still have an hour to sleep, leave me alone!! Finally I gave in at 5:30 and got to make some whole wheat pancakes….my hunger has been insatiable today.