2x Mountain Bike 2x Downhill Bike

A different kind of week. Four rides in Comox Valley totaling 61 km and 639 m of climbing, down from last week’s 133 km and 843 m. The gravel bike stayed in the rack — this week was all about the mountain bike and the downhill.

Wednesday and Thursday were mountain bike sessions on Comox Valley trails. Thursday’s ride was the bigger effort: 16.6 km with 363 m of climbing and an average heart rate of 140, peaking at 170. Wednesday was a shorter 21.7 km loop with 276 m of elevation gain. Both days had solid aerobic training effect.

Tuesday and Wednesday (earlier) saw two downhill runs — 8.9 km and 14.1 km respectively. These were gravity-focused with minimal climbing but serious descending: 857 m and 1214 m of elevation loss. The heart rates tell the story — average of 104 and 91 bpm, well below the climbing days. These were recovery-friendly in terms of cardiovascular load, though the terrain demands their own kind of fitness.

Last week was a full six-day gravel block with a mountain bike day to close. This week traded distance for terrain variety and a change of scenery. Half the distance, but a different kind of training stimulus.