Etape Caledonia 2012 Training

doubleoseven

Thanks to a friend who asked me to do 2012's Etape Caledonia I now need to get in shape....
My plan was to be able to do about 65miles comfortably @ 15mph average by April. Currently i'm aiming to do one longer ride/week and gradually build upto 60-65m. Plus i am doing some short 1hr sessions on the mtb , the odd 20 mile road run and some indoor roller training also. Can anyone suggest a decent plan that will enable me to do the etape? My main worry is the hills....trundling around Clent-Romsley( in the black country)recently was hard going, whether it's due to the 42/52--13-25 gearing or just old age remains to be seen! so any help or pointers would be greatly appreciated.

bompington

It all depends what you mean by "do" the Etape C. I know people who wouldn't call themselves cyclists at all who'e done it on mountain bikes without any training to speak of. At that level most would be walking up the Schiehallion climb whatever gears they have, but it's the only hard climb on the whole route, really.
I'm no expert when it comes to training but your plan looks like it ticks the boxes for "get out and ride" (or stay in and ride for that matter). Most would suggest that more interval-type training is the most effective, but until you get to the race training level I don't think the details make much difference.
Your gearing certainly looks a bit old school, it would do you no harm to get a bigger cog or two on the back (28 or so) and maybe a 39 in front instead of the 42: 39X28 is about 20% lower than 42X25.

But most of all look forward to it - it's quite challenging enough if you push yourself, which obviously means different levels for different people, but it's great fun and not to be feared.

suzyb

Schiehallion is the only hard climb if your a cyclist. If your an unfit bike rider who struggles on hills the hills nearer the start are hard as well.

Your plan sounds good to me though. But then again...what do I know about training for the Etape :oops:

doubleoseven

Thanks.
My gearing is old school( bike is 13yrs old), would a 39 fit on the front? not sure about what size i could go down to.The gears etc are Shimano RX100-8spd.
We have set ourselves a time of sub 5hr30min-which is 15mph avg.
how long( in length/miles) is the Schiehallion?

beinbhan

The Schiehallion climb is only about3 Km long at the steep bit is is more an initial steep ramp 4-500 metres then levels of slightly then kicks up round a couple of hairpins, after that it is just a gentle climb (big ring) all the way to the top another 6-7 Km it is not anything to worry about if you have a reasonable level of fitness. It is 10-15 minutes of pain if you are as heavy as me (18 stone) I'm not built for climbing

racingcondor

The Black Country is much more challenging riding than Etape Caledonia so don't worry too much about the hills.

Your plan looks good. If you can do a 65 mile ride reasonably comfortably then you should be fine. Gearing may be worth looking at but when I did it my climbing gear was a 39-23 and I was fine (although keeping the candence up on Schiehallion was hard work).

Pigtail

I was new to cycling about this time last year, with the EC being my main goal. I spent a lot of time on a gym bike through the winter, with most rides on the road being 30-40 miles. Then in early spring I built up the mileage, with a two day tour taking in quite a bit of the route about a month before.

The whole day was amazing, with the sense of anticipation, the closed roads, the crowds of bikes and the atmosphere. You'll get sucked around on adrenaline alone. I don't know what experience you have - but I would certainly look at that gearing. Getting in with a good group makes a big difference. I spent most of the event moving up through the crowd and only found people I was well-matched with towards the end. Consequently my last 20 miles were my fastest of the day and I finished relatively strongly.