Entering the marmotte is foolish. discuss

godihatehills

So... Ive been riding bikes for 15 years ish,
Ive done mtbs marathons and 24 hour races, I did the etape caledonia last year with little training and got a 4.11 result....
Lets assume Ive done bugger all since then, at 6 foot I weigh a portly 13.5 stone and am SLOOOOOOOOOOOOW

would entering the marmotte be a bad thing? considering I am notoriously lazy and while I can complete events and race somewhat competively- its not enjoyable as I have to beat my ass to do it because, as I said, Im fat and SLOOOOOOW

is it possible to build a plan that I WILL STICK TO and get fit enough to compelete the event and enjoy it?
or should I just sell my bike, and concentrate on shooting commies on COD?

AndyRubio

Do it!!!!!!!! Sounds like you're worried rather unable to take part and do a good time. Worry not! It's painful and horrible but the sense of satisfaction of getting round is delicious and worth every impossible pedal stroke.

glasgowbhoy

Given your usename do you think the Marmotte is the best suited event for you?

timmyflash

Having never climbed anything remotely alpine, I for one have absolutely no idea. I read some blogs and they give me hope, i read others and think i'm a complete idiot for entering... I just don't know what to believe.

However, the worst that can happen is i train my nuts off for the next 6 months and I don't get round (well, i could fly off the edge of a hairpin and find out that i can't fly).

I've convinced myself that it's one of those things i just have to do, and what better time than now. I'm not that fat (all relative), and there's just no way i can think about entering something that's over a year away, i.e. train in 2011, to enter in 2012.

I'm already excited about the prospect of training for a few other sportives along the way to make sure i'm in the fitness ballpark of managing.

the flying smith

get in their its a great event i did it about 4 years ago and im slow too 6 ft 2 and 16 stone just ride with in your limits and you will have one of your best rides ever ,last time i met this guy after the race he was 74 and hadnt trained much because he had broken his arm 3 months before it given that everyone can have ago

on-yer-bike

You'll get round eventually if you eat and drink enough. Be a long hard day though especially if it gets up to 38 degrees C as it did this year.

AndyRubio

42 degrees on the lower parts of the road to Alpe d'Huez in 2007, not too long after 1 degree and snow atop Galibier...

Oh boy I wish I was doing it in 2011.

bs147

Go for it, as others have said, you'll get round in your own time! I'm the same height and weight - yes it's a struggle but definately do-able with sensible training, eating and hydration (on the event!), pacing and determination.

I've entered next years, it'll be my second one - I absolutely can't wait but am absolutely relieved there is 6 months to get the training in!

daverow

I'm a relatively large rider myself, 6'2 @ 13.5st and am hoping to lose around a stone before the event. I did the Etape this year and was a similar weight then as I am now and I had a great day. (around 9hrs for the Etape)

If you've never ridden in the Pyrenees/Alps/Dolomites before, you really should give it a go. You can feel the cycling history all around you - in the roads, the trees, the faded names of champions past & present dawbed on the mountainsides. The smells, the heat, the efforts.. man.. I wish I was there right now.

I'm booked onto the Marmotte for 2011 and am hoping for another incredible occasion. There's nothing quite like the big continental sportives for confirming your passion for cycling.

DO IT.

Rodrego Hernandez

It's a tough event but not as tough as people will have you believe as long as you prepare properly. The mistake that most people make as far as I can tell is to take the event too lightly and think of excuses to justify their lack of fitness and training. Get a good diet and training plan and you'll get round comfortably. Skip on anything and you are just increasing the pain on the day and will be full of excuses afterwards. Start training now, stay healthy and follow a proper training plan from a coach, get a decent bike and learn how to ride properly and you'll be find and will enjoy the day out,

Rodrego Hernandez

It's a tough event but not as tough as people will have you believe as long as you prepare properly. The mistake that most people make as far as I can tell is to take the event too lightly and think of excuses to justify their lack of fitness and training. Get a good diet and training plan and you'll get round comfortably. Skip on anything and you are just increasing the pain on the day and will be full of excuses afterwards. Start training now, stay healthy and follow a proper training plan from a coach, get a decent bike and learn how to ride properly and you'll be find and will enjoy the day out,

godihatehills

Yeah it's the sticking to a plan and motivation that concerns me- I have a one month old baby and suspect it's going to make getting out on the bike next year " interesting"

Rodrego Hernandez

If you;e unsure then forget it, a missed week will turn into a month off and before you know it you'll be lying in the gutter on the climb or pushing your bike to get round in 11 hours and claiming to have 'finished'!

Tough call but if you are unsure about it, forget it until you can prepare properly and just enjoy what bike riding you can do in the mean time.

whitehart

Is there an elimination time and broom wagon in the Marmotte? I got broomed on the Soulor in this year's Etape and would love to get some kind of revenge by finishing the Marmotte.

Rodrego Hernandez

whitehart wrote:

Is there an elimination time and broom wagon in the Marmotte? I got broomed on the Soulor in this year's Etape and would love to get some kind of revenge by finishing the Marmotte.

If you got eliminated on the solour then the marmotte may not be for you. The etape this year was one of the easiest for a long time - the Marmotte is very tough.

It is possible to ride the marmotte course and not be eliminated as it isn't on closed roads but it's hardly a 'finish' if it takes you forever.

fish156

I completed La Marmotte in a half decent time in '08 and immediately afterwards I would have happily sold my bike to anyone that had offered me £50 for it. Basically it's a tough ride.

Beats spending the rest of your days on the sofa though.

lochindaal

The etape this year was one of the easiest for a long time

!!

cjcp

godihatehills wrote:

Yeah it's the sticking to a plan and motivation that concerns me- I have a one month old baby and suspect it's going to make getting out on the bike next year " interesting"

A turbo trainer is your friend. You might not be able to (sanely) spend hours in the saddle, but you can create the perception of you not sodding off on a training ride by getting up when Junior wakes up early for, eg, the 5am feed and you then stay downstairs on the turbo while the monkey sleeps in a flat pram while the Mrs catches up on her sleep. Amazing how the little monkeys fall asleep to the hum of a turbo trainer.

By the time Spring comes, Junior should have dropped a feed during the night and you might find yourself able to creep out for 2-3 hours on a Sunday morning. In the meantime, opt for intense, hard sessions on the turbo.[/code]

twotyred

I weigh a portly 13.5 stone and am SLOOOOOOOOOOOOW

4:11 for 130kms isn't slow

is it possible to build a plan that I WILL STICK TO and get fit enough to compelete the event and enjoy it?

Only you know what your motivation is.

Have you done any big continental climbs? If you have then you'll know the Marmotte with four of them is a serious proposition with the possibility of you cracking horribly if things go wrong. I don't think you can enter the Marmotte with a little bit of training under your belt and hope for natural talent to get you through it as you seem to have done before from the history you gave us. So bearing that in mind if you can't get motivated to seriously train then don't bother.

I've entered next years Marmotte and I reckon I'll have to be in my best condition possible to get round without suffering too much to enjoy it. So much so I'm working on my preparation with a coach

fish156

twotyred wrote:

I've entered next years Marmotte and I reckon I'll have to be in my best condition possible to get round without suffering too much to enjoy it. So much so I'm working on my preparation with a coach

Oh, you'll suffer. You will go for the best possible time you can do and you'll suffer. The enjoyment of La Marmotte tends to come in hindsight.

craigenty

My best ever day on a bike and my worst ever day on a bike have both been in La Marmotte - only 2 years apart.

timmyflash

craigenty wrote:

My best ever day on a bike and my worst ever day on a bike have both been in La Marmotte - only 2 years apart.

Which one was first?

twotyred

Oh, you'll suffer. You will go for the best possible time you can do and you'll suffer. The enjoyment of La Marmotte tends to come in hindsight.

I know I'll suffer I just want to be able to lift my head occasionally to take in my surroundings in order to have some memories to replay later. That and not ending up in a medical tent with a drip in my arm

craigenty

timmyflash wrote:

craigenty wrote:

My best ever day on a bike and my worst ever day on a bike have both been in La Marmotte - only 2 years apart.

Which one was first?

2004 - hell - 10h+
2005 - unbelievably good - 7h41m
2006 - steady - 8h - but did Etape 2 days later in 8h too.
2007 - Hell Hell hell - 8h20m

Funny old game La Marmotte

DominicB

Craig, where were the main time differences between the 2005 ride and the 'hell' rides?

Steve GT

You should also put things into the correct prospective.
The time you have with this baby is a once off special time. Once it's gone, its gone and you will never have it back. I know by experiance. You dont want to look back in 20 years time and have regrets.
Remember that the Marmotte will still be there to do in 5 or 10 years time.
If you still want to attempt it, do it only if you can really put in the time to get the miles into your legs. I suspect that the arrival of a new baby will severly limit that.
I did the Marmotte this year. I am 50 something and lost over 2 stone to get into the best shape I have ever been in to do the event. I achieved my goal of getting a gold standard time for my age, but did put a lot of time and effort achieving it. It went so well that I felt that I still had a lot left over in the tank when I crossed the line.It was the best experiance I had on my bike.
In contrast to that I have to mention my first trip to the Alpe in 2008. I am usually a bloke that averages about 6000 miles of cycling a year, but like my food. I drove down to Italy for our holiday in September, but had always wanted to do the famous climbs of the region, so I stopped for a couple of nights at Borg. I had planned to do the mini Marmotte Route and do the last 3 climbs, The telegraph, Galibier and the Alpe. It was not particularly hot, but I died a 100 deaths on the Alpe, due to my extra weight and lack of training. It was the worst experiance I had on my bike.

motdoc

Taking crack is foolish.
Doing the Marmotte is a sparkling good plan, after all it's just weakness leaving the body!

daverow

You never know what tomorrow might bring. Get involved. You might be pleasantly surprised!

elcanyonman

Well.......................Did you enter