At the end of last year, two of our current personal training clients (Amy & Tanya) were looking for a fun girls trip, and Amy’s love for Montana provided the answer! They decided on a guided bike trip from Glacier National Park to Yellowstone National Park. They committed to the trip, and then the work began: they started training!
Both Amy and Tanya have always been adventurous, including climbing Mt. Rainier together, and they had some experience with organized rides, but never in Montana. This was their most ambitious adventure so far.
One of our favorite things at South Landing is seeing our clients USE their health and fitness outside of the gym to live life big, and so we wanted to hear more from Amy and Tayna. Keep reading for a pretty incredible adventure these two ladies went on recently.
WHEN YOU SIGNED UP, WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST HESITANCY?
Finding time to train! We both wanted to be prepared, and this was one of the most difficult weeks the tour company offered. Both of us have busy lives, family, work, and many obligations. We wanted to make sure we had enough training to enjoy the week!
WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO ADD STRENGTH TRAINING INTO YOUR TRAINING PROTOCOL?
I (Amy) had previously benefited from weight training but was forced to stop during COVID. I could tell that my muscle mass was diminishing, and I was worried that at my age (53) that it would not be easy to restore if I didn’t add back strength training. Tanya was looking to build strength and hadn’t used a personal trainer previously.
HOW DID YOUR SESSIONS MAKE YOU FEEL MORE PREPARED FOR YOUR TRIP?
Tanya and I had different schedules and used different trainers at South Landing Fitness. I worked with Taino, while Tanya established a relationship with Shane.
Taino crafted my sessions with the primary focus on training for the ride. I was able to engage my quads and glutes more effectively on the bike, therefore pushing more power (watts). The time spent training with Taino definitely helped balance my training to include upper body, back and core. I have degenerative arthritis in my left foot, and he would incorporate exercises to strengthen the tendons and ligaments in my foot as well as working to improve my core to help with balance. The time I spent with Taino was critical to my success during my ride! I was able to rapidly increase my fitness level without spending adding extra miles on the saddle. This was a real bonus especially for my family!
Tanya’s time with Shane was spent building a base and progressing into lifting “heavy weights”. Shane’s sense of humor blended well with Tanya, increasing her strength significantly!
WHAT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT(S) OF THE RACE/TRIP FOR YOU?
Cycling with each other was a memory that we will have for the rest of our lives. There were many “epic” moments . . . riding in a pace line trying to beat the storm back to the van, climbing “Going to the Sun” road in Glacier without cars, riding to safety in a hail storm! Lifelong memories, and death defying moments.
WHAT WAS THE TOUGHEST PART (S) OF THE TRIP FOR YOU?
We each had tough moments. For me (Amy), riding on gravel with my road bike, especially the descents, was not something I was expecting. Tanya’s challenge was suffering on some long climbs.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW MANY MILES YOU RODE EACH DAY, WEATHER, ETC.?
We rode between 45-90 miles each day, with at least 2000-5000 feet of climbing. The views were spectacular, and (most) of the other cyclists in the group were great. Afternoon thunderstorms were constant, and we got hailed on twice, once on a long descent!
WHAT DID YOU LEARN THROUGH TRAINING AND THROUGHOUT THE RACE ITSELF?
For me, I hadn’t trained for a long event like this in 10 years. However, I was surprised that I was able to engage a lot of the strength and bike efficiencies that I previously developed. Tanya used it as a highlight for her year and devoted a lot of energy in preparations. She also has made the decision to keep weight training as a cornerstone of her in daily life, with or without epic bike rides.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Maybe something similar in either Tucson or Tuscany.
We want to give a huge SLF shoutout to these ladies for all they have accomplished. What so many didn’t see was the hours and hours of training and dedication they put into making this dream become a reality.
They are inspiring in so many ways, and we are so proud of them. As we say daily…
ALWAYS MOVE FORWARD