Short answer: I'm no one. I'm a 30 year old with a dream. However, if you dive into that statement, there's a lot to find out. So here's a few specs about my athletic ability, mindset, and lifestyle at the beginning of my training. I'm sure that my body and level of ability will increase over the next year, but here goes:
Name: John Pontiff
Age: 30
Hometown: Knoxville, TN
Ht: 5'7"(1.7m)
Wt: 160 lbs (72.57 kg)
I'm a long distance hiker. I subscribe to the "ultralight" mentality. When I'm in the wilderness, I prefer to have as little weight on me as possible. My hiking setup is ~14 pounds before food and water. I can hike a long way in a day. I prefer 20+ mile days, and I like to be on the trail from sun up to sun down, sometimes earlier (I've been known to hit the trail as early as 2:30 AM). 150 mile weeks on foot are the norm, not anything exceptional. Big miles are almost always my goal, and I like to push my limits almost to breaking point. I can sustain myself under these circumstances with about 2000-2500 calories a day, but I prefer to take in somewhere in the ballpark of 4000.
So how does this translate to ultra racing? Easy. I've done the calculations and brainstormed my carry weight and capacity. By my math, the base weight addition to my bike is somewhere around 8-10 pounds, add another 4-6 for food, and 6 for 3L of water on my back. This is a max of 22lbs, coupled with a 25 pound bike, a total of 47 pounds. I've seen people on the Appalachian Trail carrying more on foot. Minimal added weight means climbs will be easier, and the bike will handle more true. That equates to more speed.
I can average 18mph on flat land with minimal head winds, and I can keep that pace for hours on end. Is that good? I don't know, I'm a rookie in this sport, and I've never competed, but I certainly wouldn't consider it bad. In the field, I can sustain my energy levels on 4-5 hours of sleep. That means more time in the saddle and more miles on the ground. I know how to suffer well. Just the sight of a beautiful view or magnificent wildlife reenergizes me.
Mindset
The goal is to set the Grand Depart record on the Tour Divide. I want names like Matthew Lee and Kurt Reifsneider to take notice. That record, to my knowledge, is around 17 days. That's a very tall order, especially for someone as green as myself. Winning the race without setting a record would also be fantastic, and I will be satisfied with just finishing. However, as a training goal, the record is where my eyes are set.
I think my roommate/hopeful training partner, Erick Greer, put it best: When I get my mind on something, I will give up everything I own to get there. I'm a determined person, and when I want to do something, it gets done. That philosophy will be at the heart of my drive and training.
Lifestyle
I work as a monitor technician for University of Tennessee Medical Center, which affords me lots of time to train. Because we work 12 hour shifts, I only work 14 days a month. The other 16, I will be on my bike. I have a rigorous training agenda written out that I will post on another portion of this blog, and I will stick to it. My intent is to make myself a bicycle commuter in all weather conditions. I have a minimum mileage goal each week, and I fully expect to exceed it. I have training ideas planned for all conditions and situations (rain, snow, sun, wind, dirt, pavement, singletrack, climbs, descents, flats) and I believe East Tennessee might just be the perfect home base to see all of them. There are no zero days, because there are none on the Tour Divide. No matter where I'm going or what I'm doing, I'm getting there under pedal power.
So that's a little about who I am. Hope I've given you enough of an idea.
No comments:
Post a Comment