Is 67mi Bud Plant Ride Harder than 80mi? Depends...

The "Bud Plant" ride in the Cartersville area is frequented by cyclists, especially folks from ATS. The ride and the brewery are incredible resources for cyclists in this area. The AB folks allow us to park in one of the plant's parking lots and the course, no traffic and beautiful scenery, is well marked with great options... now for a little controversy:

Many of us ride 40 miles on the 67mile course, turn around and retrace our steps for roughly 80 miles. There's a store at 26 miles so that gives you two refueling stops at close to equal distances during the ride (at 26 and 52 miles on an 80 mile ride). If you elect to not turn around, but continue on the marked course, you end up with 67 miles. Many of us feel that's a harder but shorter option. Well, is it?

My Garmin 500 (get one at Atlanta Cycling) tells the story:

80 mile route - 2923 feet of climbing for 78.9 mi which is 37ft/mi
67 mile route - 2684 feet of climbing for 67.2 mi which is 40ft/mi

So the 67 mile route is indeed a little harder (mile for mile), and all of that extra climbing per mile is in the last 27 miles since the fist 40 miles is the same for both rides. Next time I ride out there I'll hit the lap timer and get "the facts" in terms of how much harder that last 27 is.

Don't forget that the 80 mile route IS longer and you do climb more so my position is the 80 mile ride is tougher for those reasons but it does depend on your poison. One other interesting note about the 80 route is that the turnaround point is almost the lowest point on the ride, in fact the low point is the left at the silo which takes you to the turnaround point. What this means is the trip back on the 80 mile route is, on the average, uphill.

The Stength in Control

First let me say today's thoughts don't apply to competitive cycling, in particular shorter races, but racing head to head in general. That's another blog entry, for certain.


I try to lead ATS group rides in a way that helps my endurance athletes (iron and half-iron triathletes, RAAM competitors, century addicts) develop a sense of controlled pacing, controlled exertion... and it mystifies newbies almost every time, then turns them into believers, disciples. It seems that continual and nearly level or even exertion for long periods of time runs counter-intuitive to most of us. In a nutshell most want to attack every hill and then rest up for the next one. This is a part of fundamental strategy for head to head racing but is very counter-productive when it comes to pure endurance, especially highest pace for the longest distance.

Chris Carmichal would say you're pulling out a book of matches and striking one every time you attack the hill; sooner or later you'll pull out the book to strike another and, well, it's empty! There are many angles to "burning a match" - glycogen reserve depletion, lactic acid accumulation, muscle fatigue - but the big bursts attacking the hills will cost you regardless of the angle you view it from. They'll cost you if you're aiming to ride long mileage as fast as possible.

I love to have someone pass me on a climb then they rest/recover on the descent or next flat so I, of course, pass them. They pass me on the next climb, I pass on next descent... eventually, assuming THEY are riding long enough, I'll pass them and never see 'em again. Happens every time and I can't help but chuckle. Control that effort, flatten the power and heart rate, not the hill... let me repeat: unless you're racing.

Long course triathletes, this should be your mantra: control control control
RAAM racers: control control control
Randonneurs: control control control
Century addicts: control control control

Control yourself holding to the maximum power level or heart rate you can sustain over your distance. Use your training rides to determine that level. It will ALWAYS set your maximum pace.