Wilderness Road Ride

Coach Ed’s comments for Team Zrs:

Mountains of Misery is a challenging bike ride for dedicated road cyclists through the heart of southwest Virginia. The annual timed event features century (100+ mi) and double-metric century (200 km/124+ mi) options””both ending in a tough, four-mile 12%”“16% graded climb to the finish.

Wilderness Road Ride is not as intimidating, rolling start at your convenience.  While the ride is not flat, this is just a plain old “ride at your pace” community event with aid stations every 10 miles or so.

These are not races, but supported bike rides with planned aid stations, stops, etc.   MTM will typically fill, but Wilderness Road Ride will not.

The area is SO BEAUTIFUL and the rides are just fantastic.   The lodging will be cheap – The hotels you’ll stay at will be at Va Tech – Blacksburg in the summer.   Tons of availability.   The MTM rides are difficult and not intended for new riders.   The wilderness road ride is much more tame – there are rolling hills but it is not masochistic. Its not flat, so don’t come back and tell me I said there were no hills!

The WRR is on Saturday morning.   Leisurely ride and pace – enjoy the beautiful roads and scenery.  Then grab some grub, etc – head out to dinner as a group in BBurg and have some fun or kick it at  a local pub.

Sunday – MoM people….you know the gig!

A suggestion for those not riding MTM  (both people riding Wilderness on Saturday, and others who are just hanging out) will be to get in a run and or go and hike to the Cascades.  The Cascades are a very scenic rock scramble (but dogs, etc can do it easily) up to a water fall.   After the hike – grab grub at a RIDICULOUS country diner where you can get ANYTHING deep fried.   I’m not kidding.   Entire Hamburgers I think.

Then we head up onto the mountain with beer and cheer to will home our MTM studs on the final climb of the day (very much Tour De France like).   Very cool.   The race ends at the famous Mountain Lake – which is where Dirty Dancing was filmed.

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Thoughts on what rides you should pick

• Under 70.3 Programs: you should do the Wilderness ride.   They have distances of 14, 29, 38, 58 and 78 miles.  Typically Track 1 and 2 people will have done rides of 30-35 mile sat this time of year.  If being safe  you should consider the 29 or 38.

• 70.3 Programs:  Track 1 and 2 will typically have done several 50 mile rides – do the 38 or 58.  3 – Track 3 and 4  will have done 50-70 miles in training – consider the 58 or 78. IF you want to try the MTM, I would strongly suggest the 100 miler and not the double metric.   To prepare for it – you will have to add miles to all of your long rides.
• Ironman Programs:  Unless it is an early season race (July or earlier) – you will typically be on the same plan as the 70.3 folks.

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Mileage Adjustments for those considering Mountains of Misery.

Both MoM and WRR riders will follow whatever training plan you are  currently on

MoM rider s:You will scratch your long rides out and replace them with this mileage for your bike rides on the following weekends:

April: First week, 50-60 miles. Second week, 60-70 miles.  Third week, 70-80 miles.  Fourth week, 80-90 miles.

May: First week, 90-100 miles.  Second week 100 miles.  Third week rest.  Fourth week MoM and Wilderness Road ride.

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FCA Race Summary:

Fully supported aid stations will be positioned at regular intervals along the course  and the start/finish location.  Aid stations will be supplied with Heed Hammer Nutrition fuel, as well as water and plenty of other snacks. Detailed maps and cue sheets will be available at the start of the ride.  The first 200  registrants will receive an event T-shirt, Hammer Gel and other goodies.