Training like Lance

Len and Lance on the Podium

Len and Lance on the Podium

Our boy Len Zanni from Big Agnes/Honey Stinger had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to race with Lance Armstrong this summer at the 12 Hours of Snowmass race. Len is a typical Roaring Fork Valley sandbagger, so you’d never know it from talking to him that he’s one of the best cyclists in the Valley, if not the state. At the Snowmass race, Len held his own, riding laps just a couple minutes slower than Lance and helping their three-man team to victory.

b-town-marbleAs winter sets in here and the snow starts to fly, Len and I have been trying to squeeze in as much riding as we can, unlike the rest of the Backbone crew, which is solely focused on skiing now. (click photo on right to see our friend B-town ripping some early-season powder grass during a mission in nearby Marble with JLD last weekend).

Len and I were plotting our winter training yesterday, talking about getting in one road ride per week, with lots of gym time and skate skiing to maintain fitness. Then I stumbled across Lance’s winter training plan as explained by Chris Carmichael on Bicycling.com.

Lance’s Training Outline
2 x per week 5-5.5 hrs endurance pace
2 x per week 3-4 hrs endurance pace with 2 x 20minutes at just below LT pace (380-400watts)
1 x per week Tuesday-night ride
1 x per week 3-4 hrs with 2 sets of 4 x 20seconds max effort x 40 seconds recovery
1 x per week–day of for travel, rest.

Uhh yeah, Len, you’re going to have a tough time keeping up with Lance next year.

Here are a few reasons why choosing a recumbent bike can be beneficial for you and your family.

Big Weekend of Racing for the Backbone Crew

Len on the podium with Lance and Max

Len on the podium with Lance and Max

Well, our downstairs office dweller and overnight cycling celebrity, Len Zanni, along with his teammates Lance Armstrong and Max Taam of Team Aspen, pulled of a huge victory at the 12 Hours of Snowmass yesterday. Len rode strong all day and definitely held up his end of the bargain on the team. At the last minute, Len was forced to ride the race’s final anchor lap and he successfully held off a strong late stage push from world champion Mike Kloser of Team Beaver Creak. Len got a standing ovation when he showed up at the office this morning.

Velo News has a great recap of the race, in which Len, “categorized himself as a B-level pro with a couple of kids” (we know better) and Lance brags about eating Honey Stinger. Quite the endorsement!

We’ll post a Verteblog exclusive interview with the one and only Len Zanni later today.

Ian and his wife Sari also had a good race, winning the co-ed trio division at the 12 Hours of Snowmass. Recap here.

Crystal Mill Falls

Crystal Mill Falls

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Jess Smith, who had a great race at the Glenwood Triathlon last week, strapped on her trail shoes for the annual Lead King Loop, a beautiful but challenging 25K race that starts in the historic town of Marble and rolls through Lead King Basin, through the old mining town of Crystal, past Crystal Mill falls and back to Marble. Jess finished second in her age group and fourth overall!

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And finally, Mr. Scott Leonard, the better half of Mavis Fitzgerald and associate publisher of the Mountain Gazette, had a big weekend of racing at the 2008 Colorado Rally in Steamboat. He races for Team Salta/Checkpoint in Mavis’s old 1986 VW Golf (which now looks nothing like the car Mavis used to drive around town once Salta and Scott were finished modifying it). Scott and his partner had a strong finish against some of the sports’ best drivers, including superstar Travis Pastrana.