General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Cherohala Challenge Rss Feed  
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2013-06-13 4:11 PM

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Master
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Atlanta, Georgia
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Subject: Cherohala Challenge
Anyone ever done this? I'm hoping someone will chime in and tell me it's not as bad as the elevation chart makes it look.

I got talked into signing up("c'mon, alltom1! It'll be so much FUN!") by some folks who aren't happy unless they're climbing hills, which is def. not alltom1's natural habitat.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/401638

Surely someone on the board can chime in with a, "no, it's not that bad/pain is temporary/heard only a couple of riders had MI's last year" bit of encouragement.


2013-06-14 10:31 AM
in reply to: alltom1

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Elite
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Roswell, GA
Subject: RE: Cherohala Challenge

No, it's not that bad/pain is temporary/heard only a couple of riders had MI's last year. Wink

 

2013-06-15 1:15 PM
in reply to: 0

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Elite
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Whispering Pines, North Carolina
Subject: RE: Cherohala Challenge
Originally posted by alltom1

Anyone ever done this? I'm hoping someone will chime in and tell me it's not as bad as the elevation chart makes it look.

I got talked into signing up("c'mon, alltom1! It'll be so much FUN!") by some folks who aren't happy unless they're climbing hills, which is def. not alltom1's natural habitat.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/401638

Surely someone on the board can chime in with a, "no, it's not that bad/pain is temporary/heard only a couple of riders had MI's last year" bit of encouragement.


Holy crap, that ride looks PAINFUL! At least you have 2x warmups before you tackle the beastly part of the ride which, coincidentally, is the point where you start to suffer on an IM (about the 80 mile point). I predict lots of sweat, blood, and mostly tears.

Edited by d00d 2013-06-15 1:16 PM
2013-06-15 3:21 PM
in reply to: alltom1

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Elite
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Roswell, GA
Subject: RE: Cherohala Challenge
I'd watch out for dogs.
2013-06-15 4:31 PM
in reply to: brown_dog_us

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Champion
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marietta
Subject: RE: Cherohala Challenge
Originally posted by brown_dog_us

I'd watch out for dogs.


+1!
2013-06-15 9:15 PM
in reply to: alltom1

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Master
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Subject: RE: Cherohala Challenge
Well, kids, I think that might have been the hardest thing I've ever done..

Day started ok although i made the mistake of letting the main group get away from me while I lolligagged in the first few hundred yards. That was a mistake that bit me within the first ten miles as another rider and I lost sight of them and missed a turn. Short story - we added 40+ minutes and 10-11 miles to a ride that was already going to be longer than any I'd done, never mind the 8000' of climbing in the middle. We wound up at the first rest stop DFL on the course and the guy I'd ridden with promptly catches a SAG ride to the next rest stop, which left me alone. Having other people to share the work at the front makes these things much faster and I was muttering a little under my breath when I saw this guy go by in the SAG truck about lack of discipline and will power

Anyhoo, the climbing started around the 45th mile and didn't let up until the 85+\- The first part was pretty manageable, but around mile 60 it got ugly and I ran out of gears way too early. Every so often, I would scrounge on the shifter to see if I'd forgotten to shift out of the big ring, or something like that. No sale. It was a head-down, slow grind, feeble attempt to maintain a little cadence for miles and miles, all done in the 25tooth. I freely admit being totally humbled by the climb - my fitness is reasonably strong but not up to the task of whipping up that hill with any kind of speed. Live and learn - that was the most climbing I've tackled in one gulp, and there are some things I would do differently next time, starting with swapping for a 27tooth on the cassette.

The missed turn early added a bit of difficulty to the day, but frankly, I never really felt like going 125 instead of the planned distance was a big deal. I'll bet I don't make that mistake again, though!

Planned rides like 6Gap and Cherohala live in kind of a funny place. .they're not exactly races but there is tonnes of fitness and speed firepower to go around. Cherohala definitely comes under the heading of you show up to do your best and just finishing is a big accomplishment. Beautifully run event. BTW, there was a good bit of chatter about Cherohala vs. 6Gap and other rides. . Cherohala scored marks for difficulty because the climb came in one big lump but the grade never got above 10% or so. Other rides like Bridge to Bridge have stretches of pitch much worse but shorter. CC seemed to rank somewhere in the middle(ouch!) in the tough o' meter.


2013-06-16 6:57 AM
in reply to: alltom1

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Elite
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Roswell, GA
Subject: RE: Cherohala Challenge

Originally posted by alltom1  Every so often, I would scrounge on the shifter to see if I'd forgotten to shift out of the big ring, or something like that.  

 

Oh, I've been here.  lol.  It's the tell tale sign that my rear is just about to get kicked.  

 

Great job pushing through.  This ride plus brag has to have had a huge impact on your fitness.  Well done.

2013-06-16 7:41 AM
in reply to: brown_dog_us

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Elite
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Whispering Pines, North Carolina
Subject: RE: Cherohala Challenge
Originally posted by brown_dog_us

Originally posted by alltom1  Every so often, I would scrounge on the shifter to see if I'd forgotten to shift out of the big ring, or something like that.  

 

Oh, I've been here.  lol.  It's the tell tale sign that my rear is just about to get kicked.  

 

Great job pushing through.  This ride plus brag has to have had a huge impact on your fitness.  Well done.




You're not kidding Doug. That sounds like peak training for IM!

BTW, b2b full still has open slots.
2013-06-16 7:42 AM
in reply to: alltom1

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Champion
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marietta
Subject: RE: Cherohala Challenge
Way to hang tough... Great job and great write up! Thanks. Btw, the dog was ok!!
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