The Athens-to-Atlanta 85 mile skate marathon isn't just a long race for masochistic athletes, it's an epic journey over hill and dale that's fun and can be done by all. Take Wendy Gramm, 49, for example, who decided to skate Athens-to-Atlanta at the last minute. Initially unsure of whether she could physically do it , Gramm put her fears to rest when she comfortably completed the roller-coaster course on her recreational skates in 8 hours and 50 minutes. "The parts of the course that were described as scary at the pre-race meeting were not scary at all, Gramm told me. "I remember flying over those hills and thinking this is some race!" Gramm is obviously hungry for more. Already she has mapped out her next year's strategy, which includes upgrading to a racing skate and taking some lessons. "I'll have a different mental attitude and push myself harder," she said.

Wife of United States senator and presidential candidate Phil Gramm of Texas, Mrs. Gramm is no stranger to sustained efforts. She's an enthusiastic advocate of touring for fitness, having most recently completed the CAMT (Cycle Across Maryland Tour) on skates, going 350 miles in 6 days with two other skaters and 1700 bikes. Mrs. Gramm sees long-distance multi-day events as becoming the ultimate American recreational sport: "People have gotten past running because it bangs them up. Bikes are too cumbersome to haul around, not to mention they're hard on the seat. The skates are perfect, and it's an exercise that's easy to recover from. Lot's of people doing the bicycle tours were very intrigued with what we were doing. I think the sport is really going to take off. We have a whole group of people here who believe in fitness, so now it's just a question of getting them involved."

The satisfaction gained from individual effort in a group setting has always been at the heart of the Athens to Atlanta experience. The event connects skaters, regardless of age or ability, with the bond of shared experience, leaving all who finish giddy with a sense of accomplishment. Women's winner Heather Laufer (Geo/Rollerblade) said it well when she described her reception at the post-race pasta feed and awards ceremony: "Everyone was clapping for me because they meant it. They weren't just trying to be nice."

How to Prepare for the Big One

Just thinking about Athens-to-Atlanta causes a gordian knot of nervous tension to form in the stomachs of even the most die-hard competitors. Skaters can anticipate 85 miles of searing pain from feet turned to hamburger and legs overrun with sour milk, so it's no wonder Athens-to-Atlanta has earned a reputation for being the world's toughest, longest, gnarliest road race.

It's true that only the strong survive, but provided you do your homework, Athens to Atlanta can be conquered with relative ease. Here's how I prepare for this fall classic (next year's edition will be held on October 10,1995, so start now):

December through March: These are my months of base training. Just thinking about breaking the tape raises my heartbeat, but during these months I make a conscious effort to keep my heartbeat below 140 (70% of my max). I'll put in 3-4 long, sustained efforts in per week, just to get the miles in the legs. Every 7 to 10 days I'll be like a kid opening his Christmas presents when I allow my heart to redline for a half and hour or so, but that's it.

April-June: I still put in 2 to 3 days of long, slow distance, but the workout menu changes to include long intervals. I have found that doing intervals twice weekly raises my average speed, something that's extremely desirable when the racing season is just starting to get underway. My long intervals are never longer than 2-3 minutes, and 4-6 repetitions is usually all I can handle if I'm doing them at 85-90% of capacity.

July-September: This is the time of year when I'm racing and traveling every weekend, so I don't have as much time to train. I still put in one long skate a week (usually a super-slow recovery skate where the objective is just to keep the skates on my feet for 3-5 hours), but I rarely hammer unless I'm in a race situation. Outside of racing, I cut down my interval work to one day a week. I decrease the interval duration to 45 seconds and increase the number of repetitions to 10. The whole idea at this stage in the season is to rest. If you cut back on your training after overloading your body with work early in the season, you'll feel an incredible rebound effect. That's why it's too late to start training for Athens to Atlanta a few short months before the race. Do your homework early enough and you'll be able to ride off of all the hard work you've put in during the winter and spring. Good luck!