Training or Challenges

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Okay, while I have posted prior condemning the "stravahole" mentality some riders display, I will admit to having a Strava acount. It's fun - uploading my rides and seeing if I got any fast times on local segments. And while I know not everyone who's fast uses it, the benchmarks among local riders is also nice. I have never headed out with goals of crushing segments - preferring to just ride my ride and see what pops up. I'm training for specific events, not chasing kudos.

So it was with a little trepidation that I joined the latest challenge on Strava -climb some crazy amount of meters - the amount the boys in the Tour climbed in the last week in the tour. I knew I'd get a great start with the Breck 100. Bu I also knew I'd need some easy, non climbing rides after to recover! So would I meet the challenge or not? As of now, I'm thinking no - I'm gonna be at about 98% of the needed total. I could head out for a few mor miles, hitting all the local hill and get the number. Or I could do exactly what I did - recover smart, just ride my bike and hope for the best. It's amazing how many meters some of those people climbed - but my training is more important then the challenge. I'll be happy with my 98% completion and the knowledge that I gave it a go. Will I join more challenges? Maybe. But I'm not gonna go out of my way to meet them - just like with my riding. Riding is first, segment chasing not at all.

(Edited to add - Some how, my math was wrong! I did actually complete the challenge - got 101% of the distance. Not sure how, but I'll take it!)

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