LOTOJA Training Abroad
Posted on Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008
Fellow cardi-ho Anna Davis and I registered for the LOTOJA Classic back in April. The race, considered one of the longest single-day road cycling races in North America, starts in Logan, Utah and ends 206 miles later in Jackson. At sign-up time, I was skinning, hiking and skiing every day, like the mountain woman I always hoped I could be; the course’s three mountain passes including 10,000 vertical feet of climbing seemed totally doable.
Then, I left the country.
After about a month away from Jackson, my race training has given way to eating, meditating, volunteering and finding the occasional stationary bike in random hotel basements.
1. Barcelona, Spain. “Fitness Center” (two stationary bikes and Enya playing in the background. Open about three hours a day starting at 11 a.m.)
2. Provence, France. My friend Lauren Manekin who leads trips for Backroads sent me on a cycling adventure through the hills. About 10 kilometers into the ride, the infamous Mistral struck and I was blown forward and back, left and right through winding, stone wall lined country roads. Good training.
3. Tuscany, Italy. From Florence, I rented a bicycle, map included, to see wine country. The 19 km ride turned into 44 km of cement factories,terracotta pot stands, graveyards, gas stations and roadside prostitutes. After riding on the four-lane highway, I finally found the vineyards.
4. Hanoi, Vietnam. Working out in Vietnam has been about sitting up straight and learning how to breathe.
Anyone who has tips about training while traveling on budget, please enlighten me! LOTOJA participants still have about three more months of training before the epic ride. Bon Chance to all!
