Pump track pain cave and other delights
Now that coaching season is slow, it’s time for some fitness training, which means PT/stability/mobility/strength, Pump Up the Base and … drum roll … some pump track mayhem.
Yesterday’s adventure:
Track: Mesa Top Pump Track at Valmont Bike Park in Boulder, CO.
Bike: Specialized P3 with FOX 831 fork and Shimano XT/Saint/PRO components. This is a fast, fast bike.
Single laps on one minute intervals
This reminds me of swimming in college (back in my triathlon days), except I don’t feel like I’m gonna drown.
• “Cruise” a lap in about 30 seconds.
• Rest about 30 seconds.
• Repeat for a total of 20 laps.
This ends up being an aerobic effort with a focus on shoulders and core. Not so hard.
then
Mutually assured destruction
Coach Kevin Stiffler and I share the P3.
• Pin a lap as fast as possible.
• Pass the bike to Kevin. The bike cannot stop moving forward.
• Kevin pins a lap as fast as possible. With tricks.
• Kevin passes the bike to me.
• Repeat for a total of 10 laps each.
Anaerobic pinnedness with partial recovery = digging a pain cave. Bonus: The more I hurt, the more Kevin hurts. And vice versa.
Everyone wins!
Next: 24-hour Pump Track Relay Worlds?
Have fun out there,
Lee
Know more. Have more fun!
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Last year I did 10 lap intervals on the secret track.
5 laps in each direction and a total interval time of ~ 2:15-2:30
Tried to keep intensity level so last 2-3 laps were anerobic. Last laps were a bit sloppy and I struggled to keep them clean/fast
Just enough rest to drop the heart rate down to low areobic range.
10 sets of 10 laps completed in just under 35 minutes.
Very poductive for fitness.
If only every city had a pumptack as part of the park fitness track.