Etape 2008
Comments
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fnb1 wrote:driving down to Lourdes myself, done the jouney many times (usually to the Carcassonne/Limoux area though. Away early on the Friday AM, Eurotunnel and so long as I get past Paris by lunchtime I will be down there by mid evening Friday. Longish drive yes but not to stressful.
Popette, maybe it was the Red Bull that was making you feel stressed? Sleeper train does sound fun too but maybe also a bad way to prepare
Abstination and all 
abstaining?? I'm obviously not dedicated enough 0 -
I am wondering if any experienced heads could let us know what they will be taking on board during the ride eg: food, drinks, tyres, tools, also any pre and post eating/drinking advice for the best possible performance and recovery.
I think it would be good for those that have not done anything as big as the etape to be best prepared as its not just a Sunday run or local sportive thats involved.
I'm not an expert but have managed to complete the etape 3x before.
Things I would take:
2 750ml bottles
2 innner tubes (requirement of organizers)
pump " [sks wese frame fix]
speed lever (or ordinary tyre levers)
mini tool
self adhesive tyre patches
piece of insulating tape (sticking things back on)
piece of duck tape (as above or tyre boot) [I used this to great effect on Alpe d'Huez]
2 zip ties
2 paracetamol
2 plasters
small tube sun cream
cloth to wipe glasses with
some euros, maybe 20 note
bars and gels (whatever you like - food is provided at the feed stations but it may not be exactly what you want. They often have gels too but they may all be taken by those who get there first
powder mix for energy drink (in sachets or bags to mix for 1 bidon)
tube of Nuun tablets [useful to put in water when very hot to keep cramps away]
maybe also a phone or camera
will also probably wear:
armwarmers and gilet at start and put one or both back on for descents
buff or bandana (to stop my head getting burnt thro' helmet in odd pattern and looking like alien)
mitts
if bad weather predicted I would take a light jacket too!
Sounds like a lot now I look at it, but the stuff all fits in a small seat pack and jersy pockets
There is a lot of good advice on the web and in magazines. My top tips are:
Try and eat regularly early on and if you can't stand food later, as many gels as you can!
Enjoy!I\'m sure I had one of those here somewhere0 -
Thanks for the info there.
Some of the things listed I would have thought of taking for sure like the inner tubes and c02 pumps, I think it is worth while considering a folding tyre just in case as well?
I got myself a gilet and new arm warmers the other day to tuck away in my oversize dirt monkey saddle bag as my jacket wont fit with all the other things I have to cram in, I have never used Nuun tablets before but will be taking some with me and drinking a few bottles the night before to better avoid dehydration on the day.0 -
Take a pair of those thin latex gloves mechanics and doctors use. Descent of Tourmalet could be cold and they'll give some protection to fingers if you've only got mitts.0
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There are now maps of the start / finish areas on the official Etape site;
http://www.letapedutour.com/2008/ETDT/p ... /index.htm
They can be found in the drop down menu under "practical information"
Rich0 -
Good list Rich H - I bought my husband a new saddlebag and everything on your list for Father's day and he was very impressed (plus some latex gloves Dombo6
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With a little over 2 weeks before we start our drive (yes, we've decided to drive) I'm really excited and nervous for Mr P. How are you all feeling? Are you starting to wind down your training yet? Mr P has only managed a 60 mile route so far this year so it's going to be a huge effort for him to get round and beat the broom wagon. I fear for him I really do.
I'm going to take my bike and after my recent success on Alpe D'huez , I hope to climb Tourmalet at a really sedate pace the day before Etape. If it gets too much I'll just turn around and descend. Are any of you planning to go up the cols in the days before or will you be resting then?
I'm really looking forward to going and watching and possibly meeting some of you over there.0 -
I'm still training hard with the last long ride planned for 26th then I'll start to back off volume.
How I wish I had trained properly last autumn and early winter.
Wu Kong0 -
popette wrote:... How are you all feeling? Are you starting to wind down your training yet?
I'd be interested in hearing other some participants thoughts and views on this also.
I fit the classic Brit Etaper profile - 40 years old, recent convert to cycling after bilateral knee procedures, all-the-gear-and-no-idea etc! I started training back in November, with a diet of steady miles in the rain and some turbo/trainer sessions at home. I found myself a coach and began to get a little more organised and purposeful. This was of course immediately followed by disaster...
The first 10/11 weeks of 2008 were a total write-off for me in training terms, as I enjoyed the norovirus quickly followed by a deep seated chest infection. I started riding again in the middle of March, and had to stop on the first decent climb I tried. At this stage I was thinking of pulling out, but decided to soldier on. The whole coaching / formal programme was by this time out of the window - perhaps a move I'll regret?
Anyway, April and May saw a prolonged period of relative good health and I managed to make the most of this racking up over 1500km with a mixture of endurance and hilly rides. I say hilly, but the Surrey Alps aren't that imposing from a height point of view! I guess (hope?) that the many short sharp climbs will have formed some sort of natural interval training. We'll see.
Feeling stronger by the end of May, I've upped the intensity in June and am definitely going faster/better than I ever have in my short cycling career to date. I've managed to average 30.5km/h for my 45km occasional commute over rolling terrain, and to insult my local time-trial course with a 26 minute first attempt at a 10 mile TT. Yesterday I did 175km in 7 hrs around the Surrey Hills, including winching myself up White Down (signposted as 18%) with 150km+ in my legs.
So I'm feeling much better than I perhaps hoped (during the dark days of February) at this stage, but I honestly have no idea whether or not the Etape is within my grasp. I've never climbed anything much above 300m or so, and have never spent more than 20 minutes on any one climb. In that context, the Tourmalet looks like a massive challenge. That said, I know that pinning a number on my back/bike has a major motivational effect so I'm hpoing for some extra help from this.
With two-and-a-bit weeks to go, I'm not sure when to back off. I'm tempted to simply keep pushing the miles and the hills until Sunday 29th, and to then pack my bag and wait for the big day. On the other hand, I'm frightened of overdoing it now and losing what I've developed to date. Should have kept the coach shouldn't I!?
Anyway, thoughts and comments on how to approach these last few weeks would be most welcome. And best wishes to everyone here who's taking part. It's a massive challenge and I have enormous respect for all finishers past and future....0 -
I think it is too early to be winding down the training. I intend to go hard until the week before and then maybe taper off a bit but not too much. I think you would be suprised how quickly you recover from a training session.
Anyway I have 3 TTs planned in the next two weeks 2 10mile and 1 25 mile. Not doing any road races incase of accidents!! Then the Sunday before the big day I intend to do a hard ride with lots of hills, probably about 100miles. Final 10 mile TT on Wednesday before travelling on the Thursday. I will try to get a 2 hour ride in on the way to the Pyrenees on Friday and maybe a recce of the Hautacam on Saturday ( at a gentle pace of course).
Good luck to all taking part0 -
I'll be doing the White Rose Classic route (185km) this weekend and then again next Thursday, with intervals in between and after, leading up to flying out on the Thursday. I might do a little climbing in France before the Etape but no much. I'll be taking my new bike (pedalforce) out this weekend so really looking forward to that, still building it up. 0
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Everything's gone really well so far.
Plan for the next couple of weeks:
- This Week - Commute as normal
- Weekend - 120-150km steady training ride.
- Next Week - Couple of commutes, one longer ride (try and break 60mins for Rich Park)
- Last Weekend - 50km light spin
- Last Week - Nothing
- Day Before - Light 10km ride to check the bike build ok.0 -
Not sure whether I'm ready either. I plan to ride as normal this week (hill repeats, long hilly ride Sunday) and then taper the last 2 weeks. I have read several sources that consistently recommend riding as frequently as normal during the taper period but half the duration for each ride. I fly to France (driving from Minnesota is out of the question!) July 2 and will do a few short easy rides there before the big day.
Good luck everybody. I have enjoyed following this Forum the past few months. Your comments have been very helpful.0 -
Crown Jewel wrote:...several sources that consistently recommend riding as frequently as normal during the taper period but half the duration for each ride.
....but I'm far from sure I can ride twice as fast........ 0 -
Same number of rides per week, half as long for each ride. 0
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IanTrcp wrote:
In that context, the Tourmalet looks like a massive challenge. That said, I know that pinning a number on my back/bike has a major motivational effect so I'm hpoing for some extra help from this.popette wrote:... How are you all feeling? Are you starting to wind down your training yet?
With two-and-a-bit weeks to go, I'm not sure when to back off. I'm tempted to simply keep pushing the miles and the hills until Sunday 29th, and to then pack my bag and wait for the big day. On the other hand, I'm frightened of overdoing it now and losing what I've developed to date. Should have kept the coach shouldn't I!?
Anyway, thoughts and comments on how to approach these last few weeks would be most welcome. And best wishes to everyone here who's taking part. It's a massive challenge and I have enormous respect for all finishers past and future....
As long as you haven't overdone the training and caused yourself to become ill or suffer an underlying fatigue you will be fine; taper off about a week before. It's good to travel down a bit before one of these events to acclimatise to the local conditions and recover from the stress of spending a day traveling and eating rubbish service station or airport food.
Doing some local rides on or near the route helps with the build up, because then on the day it won't be such a leap into the unknown riding on that terrain, like Popette's idea of a gentle reconnaissance of the Tourmalet.
As for the long climbs, just got to be patient and not panic. Sensible gears and a positive mental approach will see you up there. And remember to start eating those energy bars before you reach the climbs.0 -
I would just be having a week off the bike myself and treat myself to a sport massage, inbeween the focus is on hill reps with the idea to keep spinning at a good cadence.
I would think that a visit to friendly LBS is a good idea just to make sure all is ok as the last thing you want is a serious mechanical over there and basically screw it all up.0 -
Anybody know if it is possible to get onto the course (particularly Le Tourmalet) as a non participating cyclist? We are down in the area for Le Tour and thought it would be quite a spectacle.
thanks0 -
Exige, I've a high placed dossard/official entry that you can have since I'm injured if you are interested. I would like to recover my costs, let me know sode@henleycol.ac.uk, I've also two rooms going in Pau (sleeps up to 6) for the 5th july. As for riding along, if you miss the beginning I suppose it is possible since there is not strict marshalling (perhaps at the finish). Probably not recommended but who am I to say when the places are supposedly non transferable?
Cheers Sean.0 -
I have my final sportive on Sunday, the Circuit of the Cotswolds. I'll probably then do 2 or 3 easy one hour rides in the week after that. Depending on how I am feeling, I will either do a hilly or a flat but quick 50 / 60 miler on the final weekend before the event itself.
In the week leading up to the Etape, i'll probably do a couple of easy one hour rides again, with a 30 minute leg spin in Pau on Friday.
We are on the Portsmouth - Caen ferry overnight on the Wed which means we should get to Pau tea time on Thu.
Can't wait now....
Rich0 -
One of the guys at my LBS told me that the first feed station at the etape is usually a mad free for all and if you are one of the later starters (my bib no is 6215) they may well have run out of water. He suggests therefore that it's a good idea to take enough water to miss the first station.
How have previous Etapers found things? Is this the case, or is it nothing to worry about?
Tapm0 -
I had a number around 59xx in 2005 had no problem getting water at any of the feed stations. I did in 2006 but that was the last one at the foot of Alpe d'Huez, we instead had cool glacial melt water.
In 2005 a mate rode past the first feed stop for the reasons you mentioned, on the recommendation of the guy he was riding with, and he feels he suffered as a result.
The first one is a bit of a scrum because there's obviously more riders around you but nothing too horrendous.0 -
SunWuKong wrote:I had a number around 59xx in 2005 had no problem getting water at any of the feed stations. I did in 2006 but that was the last one at the foot of Alpe d'Huez, we instead had cool glacial melt water.
In 2005 a mate rode past the first feed stop for the reasons you mentioned, on the recommendation of the guy he was riding with, and he feels he suffered as a result.
The first one is a bit of a scrum because there's obviously more riders around you but nothing too horrendous.
The second one is at 116k at La Mongie-long way to go, though you might get lucky in the villages-there are often ordinary folk who'll set up a table by the side of the road
Get to the start with 2 lucozade sport bottles stuck in your jersey, and two bidons on the bike. When you drink the lucozade, slide the empty bottle towards a bystander with the words "La poubelle, s'il vous plait"“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best..." Ernest Hemingway0 -
No probs last year getting water at the first feed.
Last year this feed was in a Champion supermarket car park so there was a large area to lay out all the tables.
Although it is a little annoying that the wqater are insmall bottles as it means to fill my 2x 1L bottles I need 5 or 6 little bottles... which was difficult tio carry, along with my dried fruit and banana...Rich0 -
Thanks for the reassurance guys, i think the lucozade idea sound good just in case but it desn't sound too problematicpm0
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Is anyone else still in denial? With only a couple of weekends to go, I feel like I should be stressing out - but it's just not happening.0
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What's to stress about. By now we're either ready or we're not. You're ready and so am I.
Look at the Sportive Results so far, extrapolate results onto the Etape, add a bit (or a lot) for the unknowns, and be happy your calculations still don't add up to 10 hours.
(I hope to hell I'm right, but don't spoil my illusions, I only just stopped worrying about the Broom Wagon)
Clive
http://www.clivesetape.blogspot.com0 -
For most of us rides like the etape provide longer term goals and give direction and focus to our training. However they are in the end bike rides that we want to experience and enjoy to the full.
Hopefully we will have sufficient stress to facilitate and maximise our experience but not too much to spoil what should be a great day out.
Yesterday I rode the 'Circuit of the Cotswolds' last week 'The Dragon' earlier the TOW these and all of my other sportives and audaxes were part of 'etape training and preparation' BUT they were each in their own unique ways special and valuable.
I agree with Datameister now is not the time to be 'stressed' we have responded positively to our etape entries and used it as an event to work towards and prepare for, we have respected it sufficiently to now approach it with a confidence and positive expectancy.
It is an incredible route along some absolutely fantastic and historic roads I know that I for one am excited and looking forward to my trip immensely.0 -
Taking up Datameister's theme, either we're ready or we're not.
What have we succeeded in and what have we failed in on our preparation programmes?
Succeeded
1. 3000 road km since Jan 1
2. 15 rides > 100km.
3. 40 x 2hr gym sessions.
4. 20 x 1 hr turbo assessment sessions.
5. Decided on jersey - Biemme Scotland top,
Not (yet) succeeded
1. Can't ride my bike with arms aloft (just in case I do finish )
2. Can't decide whether to shave my legs.Where the neon madmen climb0 -
pedylan wrote:2. Can't decide whether to shave my legs.
The only thing that I am worried about is whether to shave or wax!!
I feel as prepared as I can be and can't wait to get over there. I have had some strong rides of late, with three 100 mile sportives under my belt this month. I am climbing well and finishing each ride with what feels like plenty left in the legs. I would have liked at least one of those rides to have been on a hot day but it was not to be....
I am approaching the ride with a view to just experiencing the whole event as much as I can - the scale, the closed roads, the surroundings etc. However, if I am on a good day, I am very aware of the silver standard time for my age group and that will be one hell of an acheivement for me in my first ever Etape.
Cheers
Rich0
