tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14148090030496014772026-08-07T04:58:42.057-04:00Follow different athletes and enthusiasts as they prepare for one of the countries most grueling events: <br> The Assault on Mt. Mitchell® and The Assault on Marion®.http://freewheelers.infohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04682855907013793003noreply@blogger.comBlogger98125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1414809003049601477.post-89374133267629458462013-05-25T16:26:00.000-04:002013-05-25T16:27:13.929-04:00

Congratulations to everyone who completed the 2013 Assault on Mount Mitchell. It was a terrific day of riding with ideal weather conditions and a lot of fun. A special thanks go out to all the volunteers. They went the extra mile on every occasion. Sometimes we are too exhausted to give them proper thanks during the ride, but I hope they realize how much they are appreciated. Of the

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Weather is always a challenge to predict for an event like Mitchell. Since we start in Spartanburg at a low elevation, and finish 100 miles away at the highest point in the eastern US, there are a lot of factors to consider. I reached out to NOAA employee and admitted weather fanatic William Schmitz to get an idea of what we’re looking at on Monday. All of this can change, so be sure to click

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Here are a number tips, perspectives and strategies on how some riders will prepare to assault the big mountain. I tried to choose people with different skill levels and from different cities. This is a long read. Take your time with it, and feel free to share your own game plan in the comments. Karl Johnson - Spartanburg SC I haven't been able to ride a lot of climbing rides

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Though we've all grown up with the cliché "it's never too late to [whatever]," we all know that in some cases... it is. With one week to go to the Assault on Mt. Mitchell and the Assault on Marion, there is a lot of worry, stress, and even anxiety in the air. We tend to ask ourselves, "Am I prepared?" For some reason, the vast majority will answer "Not yet." We forget that this is not a test

http://freewheelers.infohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04682855907013793003noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1414809003049601477.post-71280661631875197692013-05-12T11:26:00.000-04:002013-05-12T11:30:00.190-04:00

The Assault on Mount Mitchell is coming up, and many of you may be in a cold sweat about what you should eat and drink leading up to it.&nbsp; More times than I can count, before a major event or race is the moment an athlete contacts me.&nbsp; They’ve bonked in previous races.&nbsp; Now, they want to prepare so they don’t do it again.&nbsp; What to eat? There are many different ideas of how

http://freewheelers.infohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04682855907013793003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1414809003049601477.post-22045166530419118802013-05-07T18:20:00.001-04:002013-05-07T18:20:26.599-04:00

When I was preparing for my first Mitchell, I found myself getting psyched out about the route. At that point, despite having some decent fitness, I was not confident I would be able to complete the event. Since the challenge with Mitchell is as much psychological as it is physical, it is a great benefit to have an idea what to expect.&nbsp; This visual map&nbsp;gives a lot of terrific details

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Believe it or not, The Assaults on Marion and Mount Mitchell are just around the corner. Most of you have been riding, climbing, and riding some more over the last couple of months, in the hopes that you’ll be able to dominate on May 20th.&nbsp; Most of you are probably done with the toughest riding by this point. Hopefully the rough weather over the weekend did not prevent you

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Each year I commit to buying only one cycling event jersey. Last year, my annual jersey came from the Hincapie Gran Fondo. This year, I chose another South Carolina event. The awesome looking red and black jersey for Assault On Mt. Mitchell arrived in the mail at the end of last week. I can't wait to wear it with pride, but I made a promise to myself that I would wait until I earn it.&nbsp;

http://freewheelers.infohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04682855907013793003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1414809003049601477.post-58393434185643437352013-04-18T18:17:00.002-04:002013-04-18T18:34:55.162-04:00

Time is running short, with just a few weeks remaining until the big ride. The last few training rides, organized by Richard White, should have plenty of climbing and some interesting locations. This Saturday, April 20th at 9:00am. Meet at the Great Escape (Franklin Ave. near the intersection of I-26 and Hwy 29). The route will head up the Greenville Watershed, down the Saluda Grade, through

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With a little more than a month of training before the big event, I imagine that most people are out climbing as much as possible. I was witness to a large group of Freewheelers out this weekend. My guess is there were about 30 of them, who swiftly passed us as we prepared to climb Caesar’s Head Mountain.&nbsp; My challenges are a little different. Having spent a few months off the bike due

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There are 3 main things to be concerned about during the ride (any ride that’s moderate to high intensity and &gt;90 minutes): 1) Fluids: Aim for 16-24 oz. per hour (up to 32 oz. in summer heat). Or for an individualized fluid goal, weigh yourself immediately before and after training to estimate fluid losses (take into consideration the amount of fluid consumed during the ride). My

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On one of my early centuries, I mistakenly thought I could get away with having a big lunch midway through the ride, and nothing else. That was a learning experience. When I hit mile 95, I lost every last bit of energy. It was a major bonk. Those last few miles felt like another 100, with every hill feeling like a mountain. Since that day, I have been determined to never let it happen again.

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1.) Have an objective in mind; try to be specific in identifying your Focus. A certain finishing time is good, but a better way to approach the final leg of training is to concentrate on one or two aspects of the ride that may become an obstacle on event day.&nbsp; What is it that you need to work on most between now and the event? The Assaults are a rare blend of distance, climbing, and

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As we resume our spring/summer full slate of weekly rides, and since we have experienced a few crashes already, I want to urge everyone to read the following reminders about SAFETY. Consider that the Spartanburg area rides often include packs of 20-30 riders ranging from elite/well-trained/experienced riders to beginners who haven't put in miles in several months. Safety must be our

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My singular goal for this early spring season was to conquer the Assault on Mount Mitchell. My hope was to reach a time goal of 6:30, which would beat my personal best from last year by 37 minutes. The way I was training, this sort of goal was not out of the question.&nbsp; Then it happened. The injury. It first showed signs right after last year’s Bridge to Bridge, and continued for the

http://freewheelers.infohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04682855907013793003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1414809003049601477.post-74391522388029707952013-03-17T11:03:00.000-04:002013-03-17T11:04:19.886-04:00

(This is a re-post from 2011, but it is a great article that is just as relevant today.) This past weekend offered cyclists in the Upstate of SC another unseasonably warm and sunny weekend of riding, but the cost was high winds. Sunday, after a particularly challenging 38-mile ride in a stiff wind, one of the riders talked to me afterward about looking relaxed on the bicycle. I noted that I

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If someone were to give you a puzzle or test to solve at school or work, but failed to provide any instructions on how to complete it, chances are you would probably figure it out eventually. It sure would be easier and a more efficient problem solve if you had some directions. Well, attempting to complete a challenge with the magnitude of The Assault on Mt. Mitchell without some

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Post-ride fatigue is actually very common among endurance athletes.&nbsp; In fact, many Pro or Olympic level endurance athletes are known to sleep 10 hours a night PLUS 2-3 hours in a nap during the day.&nbsp; Why?&nbsp; Not sure exactly.&nbsp; It hasn’t been determined in research, nor has it been well studied.&nbsp; There are hypothesis, though.&nbsp; Some experts think that the cytokines

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In my opinion, the best way to get better at climbing is to climb, pure and simple. Whether you do that on your own, through training rides or organized rides, doesn’t matter as much. What matters is that you put in the work. The Freewheelers have a series of official training rides, but they are mostly self-managed by the cycling community. Richard White is especially instrumental in

http://freewheelers.infohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04682855907013793003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1414809003049601477.post-72405685858840887622013-02-19T18:30:00.002-05:002013-02-19T18:30:52.494-05:00

Frankly, I like to listen to music... on and off the bike. I've been a musician and avid cyclist for the majority of my life, and the two have gone hand-in-hand all along the way. I've learned a lot about mixing the two; sometimes the easy way, and sometimes the hard way. Below, I'm going to share some of that with you. And though it may seem like I'm over-thinking it - who wants "rules" just

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Often times, athletes will hit a plateau as they begin burning fewer calories with every stride or pedal, as their bodies become more efficient running at a lighter weight. From a training standpoint, then, it’s important to mix it up within your training program – hills, intervals, cross-training, and strength training will all help. As far as nutrition and intake, it can actually be more

http://freewheelers.infohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04682855907013793003noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1414809003049601477.post-88441348091000311922013-02-10T17:17:00.000-05:002013-03-06T12:18:35.095-05:00

In my opinion, the best way to train for an endurance climbing event is simple -- climb more and ride more!&nbsp; The Freewheelers have already started their official training rides. The easiest way to hear about them is either&nbsp;through the Freewheelers mailing list (for members), or The Assaults Facebook and Twitter feeds. If you live in the area, I recommend trying to join them for as many

http://freewheelers.infohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04682855907013793003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1414809003049601477.post-2940977786691024722013-02-07T17:44:00.002-05:002013-02-07T17:45:45.011-05:00

On Monday, May 20, 2013, I will make my first attempt to "Assault on Mt. Mitchell." I'm your average recreational cyclist with a true passion for pedaling. No doubt I will get my fair share over the last 30 miles as I ascend to the summit of Mt. Mitchell on my quest to reach the highest elevation east of the Mississippi River on my bike. I'm somewhat of a stranger to climbing mountains on my

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It is early February, and we are all hoping for an early Spring! &nbsp;For no other reason, of course, than to be able to ride outside without having to constantly be on the lookout for a menacing patch of ice. &nbsp;No matter where you are located, one thing is for sure, it is time to start working towards your big goal for the season: The Assault on Mt. Mitchell. Whether or not you have been

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Over the next few months, we'll be hearing from a number of people with different perspectives on how to approach this event. The posts will range from people doing the event for the first time, to the 17th time, or those who will be coaching our fitness and nutrition regimen. Keep your eyes out for a lot of helpful information from now until May 20th. Meet the Bloggers Aaron West This will be

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