HD300 - Analytics

• How much climbing is there on this course?
• Where does the climbing take place?
• Is the climbing bunched up in only a few miles or is it spaced out?
• Descending: where, how much, when?
• Should my training be heavily weighted on climbing?  Descending skills?  Long hours of steady riding?
• What kind of lights should I have?
• Cold weather, rain?
• Sweating makes for wet clothes.  What kind and how many?
• Hydration?
• Nutrition?
• Cramping?
• Where should I expect to lose / gain time? 
• What will the long stretch of climbing do to my average MPH?

These are a few of the questions that need answers so that proper training and accomplishment can take place. 

CLIMBING:

• There are 16,800 feet of climbing over the entire 300 mile course.
• 80% (13,700 feet) of the climbing occurs within the first 191 miles. 
• Though there is a `shock' climb of 13% grade at mile 13 of the HD300 it is only 3/4 miles long. Thereafter the climbing is more moderate.  Until mile 156. 
• At mile 156 the grades become more steep (4% to 9%) and continue on that way for 31 miles.  An increase in elevation by 4,500 feet (to a top elevation of 10,600 feet).

So the most challenging part of the climbing starts at the halfway point of the event. 

DESCENDING:

• In the last 95 miles of the event end there are 10,250 feet of descending. 
• More than half (5,300 feet) of the descent takes place in the short distance of 26.7 miles (immediately after reaching the highest elevation).
• The last 95 miles will take place in the dark of night, on empty and desolate roads.
• Ambient temperatures will be in the 40F range.  When descending at speeds of 20 - 40 mph the windchill will drop that another 15F - 25F degrees.
• Within this 95 miles there are another 3,100 feet of climbing. 

 STRATEGY:

From `the neck up' it is easier to do twelve 25 mile stages than to do one 300 mile stage.  

 

 TACTIC:

Two bikes.  One for climbing and one for descending and the flats. 

CLIMBING BIKE: 

• Bacchetta Ti Aero
• front double rings: 50/34t
• Rear cassette: 36/11t
• Railgun carbon fiber hard shell seat (Kent Polk)
• Tiller and Zipp/SRAM R2C levers on a mini-bullhorn handlebar

DESCENDING AND FLATS BIKE:

• Bacchetta CA2:
• Double front gears: 58/42
• Same rear cassette, Railgun seat, tiller, levers and handlebar

TRAINING:

I live in the Arizona mountains so it is a matter of choosing the `best' set of training courses.  Comparing the mileage, cumulative climbing and average feet of climbing per mile I've got excellent ("no excuses") training terrain. 

• Failing to plan is a plan for failure. 
•  Every time we breathe in and breathe out we get another chance.
•  Action defines us.
•  Behavior precedes awareness.