The Training Game – Am I Ready for RAAM? by Stuart Baldwin

The Training Game – Am I Ready for RAAM?

So what does it take to physically ride across America? Well, as I haven’t done it yet, I can only hope all the training I’ve been doing is going to be enough! I started ramping up my training in January with long cold rides outside mixed with more intense efforts indoor on the turbo trainer. As the weather improved, I’ve been doing a lot more outside and had my biggest training week last week with 17 hours of training  - nearly 550km. I’m feeling tired this week.

The toughest bits about training have been motivating myself to get outside when it is cold and wet – once I’m outside it isn’t so bad but the problem is the getting outside. It is also a big time commitment and I really appreciate the support and understanding of my wife and children who have seen a lot less of me.

The best bit about training is that the big calorie burn allows me to eat a lot more without feeling guilty. I must also admit I enjoy the competitive side of strava (the facebook for cyclists) where I post my rides and see if I can beat personal bests or even occasionally get a KOM (king of the mountain) although these are mostly on downhill sections of road for me!

So where am I now in terms of being physically ready? I feel like I have the fitness levels and have spent enough time on the bike. The big unknowns though are how my body will handle the extreme heat in desert where it is likely to be well over 40C and also the sleep deprivation especially towards the end of the ride.  I don’t think there is any training that I can really do for these so I am just going to hope for the best.

The race starts next week. I can’t wait to get started.


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