So this morning I found myself, once again, at the base of the Columbine Climb on the course of the Leadville 100. This is a 2,500- to 3,000-vertical-feet climb over about 10 miles that tops out at 12,600 feet above sea level, and its summit marks the turnaround point for the race. Most people dread having to climb the monster once in a year, and I think this morning was my fourth trip up it this year.
I was at the base of Columbine because Lance Armstrong wanted to ride it again before the race. For him and the top 5 to 10 riders in the race it’s a very important climb. The terrain in the first 90 minutes of the race covers two big climbs, but a relatively large group of pre-race favorites will reach the Pipeline aid station about 25 miles into the race together. From there to the next aid station, atop the Twin Lakes Dam, the terrain is flat and rolling and the large group tends to stay together. It’s only after you leave Twin Lakes that you start to climb toward Columbine Mine, and the pitch and length of the climb leads it to be a pivotal area for splitting the favorites’ group apart. So if you’re wondering why Lance keeps returning to the Columbine Climb, it’s because it’s one of the most important 10 miles of the entire 100.
For me, today was a day to ride carefully and within myself. Riding with Lance is fun, but it’s also a great opportunity to drive yourself into the ground. He’s obviously stronger than almost any cyclist on earth, and a climbing pace he would describe as moderate crushes me. One of the mistakes people often make when riding with a stronger athlete is to dig way too deep in an effort to stay in contact. This is especially true in training and during the final two weeks leading in to an event. With less than a week to go before Leadville, I needed to be careful not to dig too deep in a futile effort to stay with Lance on Columbine. It was better to let him go and settle into my own pace as soon as possible. That way I will get a positive training impact from the ride without inducing more fatigue than I can effectively deal with over the next several days.
My rides with Lance before Leadville in 2008 were a bit different than this year. Last year I had greater power on the bike, which meant I could handle bigger workloads during the final 10 days leading into the event. This weekend last year, I rode a recon ride with Lance on the Leadville course, but it was a considerably longer and more strenuous ride than today’s. And since that ride was on Saturday last year, I followed it on Sunday with a 4-hour road ride with Lance in Aspen. This year I didn’t want to push that hard this weekend because I don’t have the fitness to support and recover from that kind of intensity. I’m good this year, but not as good as last year, and to make the most of my fitness next Saturday I need to be smart about what I do today and the rest of this week.
Chris Carmichael
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