l'Etape du Tour 2008 - Training Article

timebandit2
timebandit2 Posts: 7
edited August 2008 in Sportives/audaxes/training rides
Hey,

If anyone is interested there is a new article posted on
www.endurancesource.com
It's an interview with a chap who just completed l'Etape 2008 and he goes into details about his training etc.. The also a second article on two guys who are cycling around the world!

Ayone planning on doing next years l'Etape? :D

Comments

  • SunWuKong
    SunWuKong Posts: 364
    Mike was in the same hotel as me in Lourdes. He's real nice guy.
  • timebandit2
    timebandit2 Posts: 7
    I have to agree, was really helpful when I spoke to him!

    How did you get on with the event. By all accounts the weather wasn't the best for riding - slippery surfaces...?

    :wink:
  • SunWuKong
    SunWuKong Posts: 364
    Despite the weather I really enjoyed. I had a hard time on the Tourmalet, probably due to not eating enough. Ate loads at the top, and gels between there the start of the climb to Hautacam. Felt a lot better on that climb. Got round in 8:53 which was a fair bit slower than planned but not bothered, I enjoyed it :D
  • knedlicky
    knedlicky Posts: 3,097
    I’m sure Mike Broomfield is a nice guy and but I’m not so sure the amount of training he did is necessary or even desirable to do the Etape in a typical ordinary rider’s time (about 15 hours a week, 18 hours when you add changing, showering, etc, and no rest day!).
    Anyway, how he manages to have so much free time amazes me – don’t people have jobs, family or houses?

    Mike also makes a couple of mistakes - he talks about the broom wagon at the Etape as if it doesn’t exist in other sportives – that’s not true, some other sportives and brevets do operate a broom wagon.
    And he also says his next goal, the Marmotte, is the hardest sportive going. I’d say the Alpenbrevet in Switzerland, 276 km with 7030 m climbing, well surpasses the Marmotte. It took place this last Saturday.

    http://www.alpenbrevet.ch/2008/index.php?pid=epage_infostart1
  • wildmoustache
    wildmoustache Posts: 4,010
    Yes, knedlicky is right. The Brevet is the daddy.

    I agree that his training schedule is unrealistic for most of us. It also depends on where you start from. If you're already light then I think you can get away with more doing shorter, harder rides, rather than having to lose the flab through longer rides.
  • hitthehills
    hitthehills Posts: 1
    I agree as well, I think the training listed is on the heavy side but it's still great to see an example of the training someone who completed the event did. even if it's more then needed.
    I'm planning to take part next year so it's just great to have an idea of what's required! :)
    Really looking forward to it already! :)
  • P.B.
    P.B. Posts: 23
    I also competed in this years l'etape. I live in a flat in Paris and do no exercise whatsoever. I bought a bike over the internet ten days before the event. I went and trained for four days in the Pyrenees immediately before the event and finished happily in 8 hours and 15 mins.

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