I had the crazy idea to do this challenge today. I got the idea when I read a comment (somewhere, I think it was Youtube) where someone asked, "I wonder which is harder Sand Dune Park or Santa Monica Stairs."Instead of waiting a week, when I didn't have a race to run, I decided that I would do it this week. Call it impatient or competitive, I couldn't wait. In addition to doing the challenge, I rode my bike to both of the locations. The ride was 42 miles round trip and, of course, was accompanied by two flat tires at about miles 28 and 33. It was due. The first flat tire was fine, it was the front tire. I had one CO2 cartridge, but the second was my back tire. By this time, I had finished two courses of the Santa Monica Stairs and was spent. The physical pumping of the tire was exhausting. Those last 9 miles on my bike were killer.
Ok, so which is harder? I can't quite tell right now. They are both physically challenging. Sand Dune Park: the picture doesn't do the hill justice. It's STEEP and every step I took I would slip down half a step. My calves were on fire. The park was also about 5 blocks in from the beach and a steep hill up from the coast. So my ass was already tired from the long ride and the steep climb. Santa Monica Stairs: 142 steps of pure (ass) hell. My butt/thighs were burning. After the second climb my thighs felt like they were in complete atrophy. hahaha Try it! It was tough, but I'll probably do this challenge again. What can I say, I'm a masochist. haha
1 comments:
Thinking back, I DO think the sand dune is harder. I may try it again, but maybe I'll ride the route counter clockwise. Although a 17 mile ride back home seems daunting after that kind of work out.
In the sand dune photo: the girl in the white top/grey pants was going up & down non-stop. She must have completed 10 ascents. I only did 2. hahaha (... Read Morebut I knew that I had the ride and the stairs ahead of me...excuses haha) The couple walking down talked to me for a bit, because they saw me photographing everything. At one point she stopped and asked her boyfriend, "why did you bring me here?" hahaha yeah, definitely not a date spot. The three guys walking up, they were the ones egging me on. They wanted me to do another ascent, but when I told them what I was doing...they backed off. haha
The stairs are steep. There was a guy running up and down the stairs who lapped me a couple of times. hahaha after I finished the second round, I collapsed on the grassy median on 4th street.
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