When I was a runner of sorts, I read everything I could about training. I raced several 5Ks, the Crim, and a couple of marathons. I knew my stuff. A lot of the training concepts I learned from running translate into the mountain biking.

I have four years experience with mountain biking, three of those racing, although I’m not really sure if you can count this year’s sorry racing performances and lack of involvement under the scope of “racing experience.” Nonetheless, I have learned a lot about putting together a brilliant training program.

Hill Workouts

Hill repeats? Pishaw. Really, now, who does hill repeats? That is soooo yesteryear. My hill sessions consist of taking Jake for a ride up a long hill, recovering, and then hitting a brutally steep hill. Trust me, this works. No, seriously, I’m not kidding.

Last weekend while I was in Marquette, I took my mountain bike for a little jaunt on part of the Ore to Shore course on a county road. It was mostly uphill. It sucked. I was riding incredibly slowly during the race. This little 7.53-mile, 35-minute road ride was brutal. I pushed hard and fast up the hills, sometimes standing, and I sprinted downhill. I pedaled for dear life downhill so I could wake up those fast-twitch muscle fibers.

A couple of days ago, I took Jake (Jake is my cross bike for those of you not in the know) for a little jaunt up to Paradise Road just outside of Chassell. The uphill ride to Paradise is brutal in and of itself, but it is Paradise Road that is known for the long climb. Usually, that climb is done away from Houghton, but I chose to head toward Houghton. Either way, it’s a climb.

I managed to set a decent pace and gradually increased my speed as I pedaled to the top of the hill. That made me feel great. When I reached the top of the hill, I shifted into my second hardest gear and sprinted down the other side.

The bottom of the famed Paradise Road hill quickly transitioned into another uphill. The grade of the hill presented some difficulty, so I shifted into my second easiest gear. I turned onto Pilgrim Road to ride the really steep hill up to the Tech Trails. That hurt. I started climbing in a seated position. When it got to be almost impossible, I stood and pedaled. My legs burned and my chest heaved in desperation for more air. I wanted to quit, but I had something to prove. I made it to the top of the hill, sat on the saddle, and gently pedaled as I regained my breath. The hard part was over.

Committing to Social Rides and Carbo-Loading

Accountability comes with commitment to others. Last night, I ran into a friend at The Library Restaurant and Brew Pub. I asked him if he wanted to ride “tomorrow” and he said yes. This morning, we met at the Tech Trails and had a great ride.

Did I mention that we did a little carbo-loading, last night?

Just Ride

This morning, when I first straddled my bike, I felt a surge of excitement and happiness. Get your minds out of the gutter, people. I was excited because I suddenly recalled how mountain biking makes me happy. This is a feeling I haven’t had in a while. I knew today’s ride was going to be great.

I was at the top of my game. My pace was much better than it had been all summer. I felt “on.” My riding was dialed and fluid. I felt like I belonged on the bike. It was just so effortless.

We rode around many of the new trails and then climbed to the top to ride some of the older trails. We did a little technical riding followed by some easy, fast riding. We made our way back down the hill to finish riding the new trails. We rode up some difficult, steep hills. Even when I was huffing and puffing, I felt great and I climbed well.

The trails were in great condition. It had rained a little, this morning, so they were damp, but not muddy. Traction was excellent, so the opportunity for speed was definitely there. I even got quite the climbing workout during the ride.

Conclusion

In short, go to the local brew pub to arrange group rides, hit up the trails, and ride a few hills. Most of all have fun. When you master this art, you can become faster, as well.