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A new level to the pain basement

j-sworks

Maximum Pace
Feb 5, 2012
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Yesterday I did a double of Takao and Jinba, aka. wada, west and on the second climb up Jinba I found a new depth.

At the bottom of the climb it stared to rain and then as I continued to climb the thunder rolled in and the rain thickened, yet I was too far into it to turn back and I was passing some cyclists so I pressed on. On the final cement section before you reach the summit ( I knew this final left-hand turn was coming right before the final push to the top) I began to increase my cadence slowly and when I reached paved section before that final left turn I gave it the full beans, I said to myself "ok...now!", and I felt something new.

I felt s tingling sensation throughout my body and I looked at my cadence, it had gone up from 63-80rpm, and quickly said "no time to think, give it everything!"

Regretfully I didn't have much left as I came up to the gate and didn't put it into the big ring (did that the first time), but I did set a PR and popped right at the section where the road briefly levels out. The regular people were looking at me like I was some crazed lunatic.

This is one of the reasons I ride, it never ceases to amaze me how I can dig a little deeper and my body rewards me with more power.

I'm clearly not asking questions here but wrote this to possibly inspire others here, or rekindle that killer instinct inside you.
 
Just read that. Think I'll lie down for a bit.
 
Good stuff, man. Some of my biggest collapses and biggest breakthroughs have been on Wada. If I'm reading your post correctly, you climbed Takao and Wada west twice, and PR'd on your second time up Wada? If that's the case, bravo. Even if that's not the case, bravo.

A couple of weekends ago, I did a Wada triple, hitting the pass from all three sides -- east, west, then the rindo that winds around the back and pops out on the dirt trail. That was a bit tougher than usual because I only had a 23 in the back, though I did have a compact setup up front. Anyway, I've been wanting to do a double-triple of Wada: Hit the pass from all three sides, then do it again, for a total of six climbs. Should add up to some decent altitude gain.

Your post about Wada and pain basements reminded me of this. I don't mean to hijack your thread, but if anyone's down for a Wada double-triple, let me know!

Deej
 
Good stuff, man. Some of my biggest collapses and biggest breakthroughs have been on Wada. If I'm reading your post correctly, you climbed Takao and Wada west twice, and PR'd on your second time up Wada? If that's the case, bravo. Even if that's not the case, bravo.

A couple of weekends ago, I did a Wada triple, hitting the pass from all three sides -- east, west, then the rindo that winds around the back and pops out on the dirt trail. That was a bit tougher than usual because I only had a 23 in the back, though I did have a compact setup up front. Anyway, I've been wanting to do a double-triple of Wada: Hit the pass from all three sides, then do it again, for a total of six climbs. Should add up to some decent altitude gain.

Your post about Wada and pain basements reminded me of this. I don't mean to hijack your thread, but if anyone's down for a Wada double-triple, let me know!

Deej
Ok so on closer inspection I can't tell what time the PR was set, so I'm not sure if it was the first or second run. So I'll have go ahead and retract the claim of a PR on the second run. But yes your right that was the route, takao-wada-takao-wada.

I have to admit that I don't much like the climb from the East, so I made sure to avoid that. I will give you advanced kudos on the triple-double.

I too have had a few revelations on Wada east and now West, it seems that it's a good climb for testing your mettle.
 
But yes your right that was the route, takao-wada-takao-wada.

Nice! Have you ever done Takao-Bijoutani rindo-Wada? That rindo, which comes between Takao and Wada west, is a favorite of mine. Yes, rocks there can mess up your tires if you're not careful, but it's a solid, pretty climb and closed to traffic. I've seen exactly one other cyclist there before.

I have to admit that I don't much like the climb from the East, so I made sure to avoid that. I will give you advanced kudos on the triple-double.

I, too, prefer Wada west. Partly because it's more open, but mainly because it's generally less painful. That said, Wada west can be a sufferfest if you TT it.

I too have had a few revelations on Wada east and now West, it seems that it's a good climb for testing your mettle.

For sure. That final ramp before the last left turn can be tough when you're in the red zone. And the lower section has some deceptively difficult ramps.
 
Nice! Have you ever done Takao-Bijoutani rindo-Wada? That rindo, which comes between Takao and Wada west, is a favorite of mine. Yes, rocks there can mess up your tires if you're not careful, but it's a solid, pretty climb and closed to traffic. I've seen exactly one other cyclist there before.



I, too, prefer Wada west. Partly because it's more open, but mainly because it's generally less painful. That said, Wada west can be a sufferfest if you TT it.



For sure. That final ramp before the last left turn can be tough when you're in the red zone. And the lower section has some deceptively difficult ramps.
In general I think when you turn the corner and enter the Wada West road entrance tells the story of what's to come, even if you don't push it. The entrance is super dark even in the middle of the day. I've seen people waving all over the road right at that point, I think it's about 10-12%, and I thought "boy I hope for your sake that this gets better for you" but I know it doesn't get much prettier.

If you have a RWGPS of that favorite route of yours why don't you post a link, or PM?

This was my 4th time doing WW and I knew that last ramp, which I hate, before the final lefty was about the distance I felt that I could leave it all on the road so I did.
 
Probably motivated by this thread I went and did Wada West-East-West this morning. Knowing exactly what I was in for I pushed hardest on the third one and got up there much faster with more confidence. Somehow once I get familiar with a route it gets that much easier.

I'm up for a double-triple when you are Deej! Wada day that would be.
 
Probably motivated by this thread I went and did Wada West-East-West this morning. Knowing exactly what I was in for I pushed hardest on the third one and got up there much faster with more confidence. Somehow once I get familiar with a route it gets that much easier.

I'm up for a double-triple when you are Deej! Wada day that would be.
Indeed.

It helps me understand where I can go hard and when to hold back a little.
 
You can also find it, as well as the "ura-Wada" rindo, on this MapMyRide map.
qh3i.jpg

Oh I like the look of this one. My sort of insanity. I have yet to ride the Ura-Wada, but it's coming soon. I was thinking about doing two Three Sisters back-to-front, but this is nicer.
The Bijoutani rindo (not sure what the official name of the rindo is) I mentioned is the second climb in the link Mike posted.
The 10 km stretch of closed road is called 栃谷坂沢林道. Tochitani-sakasawa rindō is clearly far too much of a mouthful. I've always thought of it as the Jinba Onsen rindō, because I approached it from that side the first time I rode it. Approaching from the R20 end, Bijo-dani rindō makes sense. The Bijo-dani Onsen is now closed for good, I fear. Has anyone ever been to the Jinya Onsen?

Several photos from this album tell the story of the rindō. https://picasaweb.google.com/halffastcycling/20130714ThreeSisters
 
Oh I like this one. My sort of insanity. I have yet to ride the Ura-Wada, but it's coming soon.

Fantastic! You'll, er, "love" it. Honestly, though, it is a beautiful and challenging climb that brings an utterly new vibe to the same old Wada. Highly, highly recommended.

The 10 km stretch of closed road is called 栃谷坂沢林道. Tochitani-sakasawa rindō is clearly far too much of a mouthful. I've always thought of it as the Jinba Onsen rindō, because I approached it from that side the first time I rode it. Approaching from the R20 end, Bijo-dani rindō makes sense. The Bijo-dani Onsen is now closed for good, I fear. Has anyone ever been to the Jinya Onsen?

Several photos from this album tell the story of the rindō. https://picasaweb.google.com/halffastcycling/20130714ThreeSisters

OK. I guess I kind of knew about all that, and then forgot it. To a certain portion of the Tokyo cycling community, it is known as "Deej's Secret Rindo," which I "secretly" love. Actually, remembering back, I recall you "pioneering" (lot's of quotation marks flying about here) this rindo a few years ago and telling us about that viciously steep portion -- I think your Garmin was saying 18% -- that runs for a couple-hundred meters.
 
Fantastic! You'll, er, "love" it. Honestly, though, it is a beautiful and challenging climb that brings an utterly new vibe to the same old Wada. Highly, highly recommended..

I really enjoyed it the few times I've done it and really want to do it on my cyclocross bike and continue up the hiking trial to the true summit.
 
I really enjoyed it the few times I've done it and really want to do it on my cyclocross bike and continue up the hiking trial to the true summit.

Yeah, some CX action up there would be fun. I'm trying to remember how rideable the trail is. I ran there along trails from Musashi-Itsukaichi in December, popping out on the dirt trail at Wada, but I can't recall whether it would be suitable for a bike. Do you know anyone who's ridden it?

It was so cold on that run that I was getting icicles in my hair ...

9403598221_353f8ae11e.jpg
 
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