Etape du Tour - d'Huez!? How do I train!

roryh

Hello,

I'm doing the etape du tour in just under 8 weeks, and have realised that the training I have been doing really hasnt left me in the position I want, so any advice on what I should be doing training wise (time no object!) between now and the etape in order to complete it before the broom, or ideally somewhere in advance of that! There are 8 weeks left.

I live in London, which is relatively flat, but spent a couple of days in the north york moors last week (though for time reasons only managed to get 120 miles in over 2 days) and did 70 miles at the weekend with a local club averaging just over 15mph on average over the ride. I'm thinking of heading out to wales for a weekend to ride the route of the dragon ride, but any suitable suggestions closer to home would be good!

So what kind of training would you reccommend? (times a week, distance, intensity)...

Thanks!!

ut_och_cykla

Long efforts at a level you can just sustain - - hours of hard work. Break it up into 20 minute efforts in a bigger gear than feels comfy?

100%

You probably need to put in at least one good long ride of 4-5 hours each week for the first 3 weeks, then a break, then repeat.

I'd also spend time in the week working on trying to find some steep short hills and practice riding them repeatedly since you're going to have to be going up those ramps at each switchback.

If you have a turbo trainer, then you could also look at getting a climbing block and using that to help you get used to riding up hill for a long period of time.

Cheers,
Steve

rick_chasey

Turn the heating up, sit on a turbo, have your significant other/friend point hairdryers at you and say you're not good enough, turn it up to the highest resistance and go flat out for about an hour or so.

I'm only half joking.

Mccaria

Have to agree with Rick - from memory on the the Ventoux it reached 40' and on the Tourmalet it was 35'+. Very difficult to prepare for that. On the day if it's that warm you need to be drinking often and early, but its very hard for pastey anglo-saxons to train for that.

The Etape is quite short and looks to be basically going up and down, so try and get used to doing sustained 1-2 hour efforts. Doing this on a turbo is not a bad idea, except for the boredom issue. Alternatively a number of people liken the effort of doing a long climb to a 25 mile TT effort, which seems a reasonable proxy (but without the back pain)

twotyred

have realised that the training I have been doing really hasnt left me in the position I want,

What makes you think that?

roryh

Thanks folks.
@Twotyred - I went out with a bike club on a 60 mile run over slightly lumpy terrain, (ok, with one or two short 25% hills!) and I was struggling to hang on at the pace we were doing (think we averaged 25.5kph over the whole route). I guess my key issue is trying to work out whether I should be doing endurance rides (100 mildew plus), hill reps or intensity training, and it sounds like all three!

I guess I will go and do 70 miles once a week with a local club for intensity (about 4 or 5 hours) and 1 or 2 hill rep sessions a week up highgate hill, which is similar gradient to the alps, albeit much shorter. Does that sound about right??

jonginge

Personally, I'd skip the hill reps and do 1-2hr tempo rides. You sound like you're in north london so laps of regents park. Boring, yes, but very effective. I'm in souf' laandan so I use Richmond park for those types of rides

oldwelshman

You will not hit 25% hills so dont worry about not keeping up with guys.
In fact that is the most important advice for you for the ride, do it at your pace and do not get drawn in to riding at higher intensity than your used to.
If your managing long rides at weekends that will be enough prep just ensure you ride similar intensity or even less than normal.
Also ensure you eat enough during the ride.
If you go to wales I would not do the whole dragon route but maybe do bwlch, rhigos then bwlch from other side as part of loop.

twotyred

I should be doing endurance rides (100 mildew plus), hill reps or intensity training, and it sounds like all three!

Agree you need to be doing a mix but as Jon suggests substitute the hill reps for 1 hr threshold rides. Take it easy with these though as too many will leave you too fatigued to get in your endurance and high intensity work.

The Etape is quite short this year at 70 miles so I don't think you need to be doing 100 miles regularly- again it will leave you too fatigued for other training. Keep it to mostly 3-4 hour endurance rides.

roryh

Thanks for the help! Tried out my first threshold run today (1.5hrs, BPM average 157)... Erm. But to ask a silly question, what is your threshold??

From looking at my heart rate the other day on a fairly tough club run, my heart rate got up to 178 BPM when climbing a massive hill (according to my Garmin).

Today I was doing laps around regents park (which is flat) and my average rate was more like 157 BPM over 1.5 hours. I really pushed it for the last 10 minutes, and managed to get my heart rate up to 180 again. Should I therefore be going at more like 180 for an hour??

Cheers again!
R.

Down the Road

buy a turbo, put the front wheel high enough to simulate a 12% gradient

set the resistance fairly high and practice for an hour at a time.

You have left it a little late but this will get your upper body used to climbing in the alps.

remember the UK has the second highest number of entrants but accounts for the majority of the DNFs

jonginge

roryh wrote:

Thanks for the help! Tried out my first threshold run today (1.5hrs, BPM average 157)... Erm. But to ask a silly question, what is your threshold??

From looking at my heart rate the other day on a fairly tough club run, my heart rate got up to 178 BPM when climbing a massive hill (according to my Garmin).

Today I was doing laps around regents park (which is flat) and my average rate was more like 157 BPM over 1.5 hours. I really pushed it for the last 10 minutes, and managed to get my heart rate up to 180 again. Should I therefore be going at more like 180 for an hour??

Cheers again!
R.

That session sounds just about right to me. Not too hard that recovery takes days but hard enough for gains in endurance fitness. It'll probably be about the same average BPM you'll be climbing at in the etape

twotyred

Agree sounds about right for a 1.5 hour session. You might have scope to up the intensity. You could try pushing harder for short periods now and again during your 1-1.5 hrs and see how that feels. Main thing is not to over do it and leave yourself too knackered to train regularly and properly

rls

Skipping ahead here to the event, but I've spent quite a lot of time cycling the alpes over the years and my biggest tip is to stick to your own pace and remember to do it from the very start. Better to finish slowly than not at all. Besides you'll see the people shoot off in front of you and can have some satisfaction as you claw some of them back as they fade and you carry on plodding....plus all the stuff about staying hydrated and fuelled

Also don't feel pressured into pushing a bigger gear than you are comfortable with, while Alpe d'Huez isn't that steep it is pretty much relentless with the only rest coming on the outside of the 21 hairpin bends as that's where the road flattens as it turns.

Enjoy, I wish I was going

RLS

roryh

Hi,

Just thought I'd report that I just about managed to complete the race in a rather slow 8hrs15 mins, mostly because I realised I am rather petrified of decending and did most of the ride on my own as a result! My excuse is that it was 38 degrees on D'Huez, but I made it, avoided the urge to vomit, and got my medal at the end! Result!

Thanks for the tips!

R.

rc856

Excellent.
Well done

In hindsight, I'm sure you enjoyed it as well!

ut_och_cykla

Well done!