Doing the Etape? Do this

vorsprung

Doing the Etape? Here's a great training idea for the month before...

Avalon Sunrise 400km

June is the time to consider the challenge of the Etape, and decide on which areas you need to improve, and then concentrate on them. Here are a few key areas to consider:

Distance
The etape is just over a 100 miles. So if you've done 250, it should be no problem

Endurance
Most experts agree that “There is probably no real short cut to endurance training” other than doing long rides! You need to find that sustainable speed and the best way to do that is with long rides

Group riding
Audaxes and Sportives are all excellent ways to improve your group riding technique, as well as learning from other riders.

Climbing
Although the Avalon Sunrise 400 only offers 3100m of climbing and there are no climbs anything like the Col de Tourmalet, there are a number of steep short hills which can help build your climbing strength

amaferanga

You've lost me. Why on earth would someone want to do a 250 mile ride as training for a 100 mile ride? :?

vorsprung

amaferanga wrote:

You've lost me. Why on earth would someone want to do a 250 mile ride as training for a 100 mile ride? :?

For the reasons given above

Also, maybe they'll enjoy it

amaferanga

vorsprung wrote:

amaferanga wrote:

You've lost me. Why on earth would someone want to do a 250 mile ride as training for a 100 mile ride? :?

For the reasons given above

Also, maybe they'll enjoy it

I guess you're just trying to promote your audax, but quite why you think a 400km audax would be better training than a few 100 mile sportives still puzzles me.

vorsprung

amaferanga wrote:

why you think a 400km audax would be better training than a few 100 mile sportives still puzzles me.

I'm sure that entering 100 mile sportives is a great way to prepare for the etape. But whatever sort of event you do, it's a weekend. So why not try something a bit different?
To list a few more reasons:

1. Confidence wise if you can do 250 miles then 100 miles won't seem daunting at all. Psychology is important

2. Some riders (unlike your good self) don't have the good legs every year. They will have got into the form of their life to ride the etape. So they might see it as an unmissable opportunity to be able to ride 250 miles

3. I would hope that the etape entrant would have done many, many bulk miles in the winter before the etape. But what if they haven't or if it doesn't fit in with the rest of their life? Doing this a month before is probably the last chance for endurance for some people.

vorsprung

*bump*

Just keeping this on your radar

Official Webpage for Avalon Sunrise 400

blorg

In fairness that is a very misleading title. I haven't done the Etape but I have done the Marmotte and it is a completely different kettle of fish to a 400km audax, requiring a completely different approach.

Good luck with the ride but I don't see the need to confuse things with the Etape link.

Westerberg

I did the Etape last year and don't see how an event such as this - through the night - would have been in anyway good preparation. Much better something like Dragon Ride. I don't mind the plugging, but sell it on its own merits!