Marmotte 2013
Comments
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I'm having a quiet week. I did 60 miles yesterday, felt pretty flat and slow. So I had a nice sleep-in this morning, and I'm going to take it easy this week, just a few shortish rides.
Quite honestly, I think being rested is more important at this stage.0 -
Not sure whats happening with me for the last week i've been tired and struggling even on short easy rides, a few days rest are in order i think.Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.0 -
Lot of people here on a different agenda to me. Some of their activities for the last week are more than I achieved in my peak weeks!. Its just a couple of low intensity half hour sessions for me.Hills do make I sweat a lot0
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After a big week last week (450 miles) i'll be taking it easy for Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday, Nothing on Thursday and then a leg stretch on Friday. So Probably around 80 miles between now and Marmotte.0
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Rob Somerset wrote:Lot of people here on a different agenda to me. Some of their activities for the last week are more than I achieved in my peak weeks!. Its just a couple of low intensity half hour sessions for me.
+1 mate, I'm planning a hard effort 45 minute ride this evening, easy 1h ride tomorrow, then nothing... Rest and fresh legs are good imo.
At what temperature (Alpe d'Huez altitude) are people not going to bother with a wind-proof?
I thinking a peak of ~25 in bourg (as forecast) is probably borderline for not wearing anything but a jersey?0 -
Take a windproof at least it can be very cold at the top and descending cold is dangerous.
@Willy b where are you staying?
we'll be in LE BOURG D'OISANS from tomorrow, the five of us should be easy to spot, stupidly expensive bikes and lots of beer.Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.0 -
itboffin wrote:
@Willy b where are you staying?
we'll be in LE BOURG D'OISANS from tomorrow, the five of us should be easy to spot, stupidly expensive bikes and lots of beer.
Camping in Bourg from Thursday Night till Saturday, then off upto Annecy for the Etape. Although not quite sure where i'm staying as my Dad's sorted it all out
I'll keep a look out 8)0 -
itboffin wrote:Take a windproof at least it can be very cold at the top and descending cold is dangerous.
Thanks mate - picked up a Mavic Helium jacket last week for that exact reason...0 -
I'm going to take a light windproof and an old jumper (which will get binned) to wear for descending AdH to the start.
Please may the weather forecast be right!0 -
janogorzalek wrote:Rob Somerset wrote:Lot of people here on a different agenda to me. Some of their activities for the last week are more than I achieved in my peak weeks!. Its just a couple of low intensity half hour sessions for me.
+1 mate, I'm planning a hard effort 45 minute ride this evening, easy 1h ride tomorrow, then nothing... Rest and fresh legs are good imo.
At what temperature (Alpe d'Huez altitude) are people not going to bother with a wind-proof?
I thinking a peak of ~25 in bourg (as forecast) is probably borderline for not wearing anything but a jersey?
3 days of doing nothing is more than enough time for the body to shift out of training mode and is just the wrong thing to do prior to a big event like the Marmotte. You may feel rested but it will just make a hard day feel even harder.
Next Saturday you will be spending 6 hours+ climbing. Doing short 30-60 minute rides at whatever pace you will be climbing at every day/every other day between now and then should not be at all tiring (if it is something is very wrong). But it will be enough to keep your body in the right form.
Re clothing: One tip for getting to the start, especially if you are staying up a mountain, is to use a bin bag as an extra, disposable, outer layer.Martin S. Newbury RC0 -
bahzob wrote:Re clothing: One tip for getting to the start, especially if you are staying up a mountain, is to use a bin bag as an extra, disposable, outer layer.
Good tip.
The French have black and yellow (for recycling) so you can choose whatever matches your kit best.....0 -
Newspaper under your jersey is another good tip.
Edit: Just got an email about insurance, asking me to fill out the form. Assume I don't need to do this if I have my own insurance?
Laos in terms of a program this is what I understand is happening:
04/07/2013 SPORTS HALL OF ALPE D BOO
2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Village exhibitors and animations
2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Bib pick
05/07/2013 SPORTS HALL OF ALPE D HUEZ
10:00 - 7:00 p.m. Village exhibitors and animations
10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Bib pick
06/07/2013 BOURG D OISANS
6:00 to 7:00 Removing bibs
6:00 to 7:00 Start Control Depart 7:00 1 -1999 2000-3999
Depart 7:30 7:50 Depart 4000 +
06/07/2013 SPORTS HALL OF ALPE D HUEZ
10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Village exhibitors and animations
12:00 Opening of the Pasta Party
4:00 p.m. awards ceremony
6:15 p.m. Closing the race at the foot of Alpe d'Huez
Taken from here: http://www.sportcommunication.info/web2 ... rophee=128
This all correct?0 -
7:50 start time for me. Does anyone know if there are real toilets near the start line? I got caught out on that one last year in Italy!
I will be climbing Alpe d'huez on Thursday but not giving it my all, then just a quick ride along to the base of the Glandon and back on Friday. I considered going all out on Alpe D'huez on Thursday but it seems like a bad idea now.0 -
bahzob wrote:
3 days of doing nothing is more than enough time for the body to shift out of training mode and is just the wrong thing to do prior to a big event like the Marmotte. You may feel rested but it will just make a hard day feel even harder.
Next Saturday you will be spending 6 hours+ climbing. Doing short 30-60 minute rides at whatever pace you will be climbing at every day/every other day between now and then should not be at all tiring (if it is something is very wrong). But it will be enough to keep your body in the right form.
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Not sure that this is the time or place to be advising people in detail on how to spend their last prep week. It very much depends on what people have been doing up to now. Some will have been following a detailed programme, some will have been a bit more chaotic. Also people have different objectives, and be riding at different levels. The key thing is to feel rested this week, and to not go chasing it.0 -
I'd second the bin bag idea. Although personally, I'm planning on taking a packable wind jacket. They don't exactly weigh much and you should have pocket space given that we have feed stations, meaning we don't have to lug loads of food round. If it's only 23ish in the valleys I guess it might be quite cold on the descents?0
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I'd personally recommend some 3M disposable overalls. Cost about £1.50. If you are a real pikey tie them to a lamp post and collect them that evening.0
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Drove down to my brothers (North of Grenoble) yesterday and had time to do a lap of Lac Paladru and a bit more.
Weather was glorious, first hot Sunday they've really had!
Drive down very good, always a good idea to travel on a Sunday (out of high season) as they're no trucks on the road. Belgians and Dutch have started their hols but French start next weekend so auto routes were clear, and peages ok, though I have a telepage so can now drive through quite a few at 30km without stopping.
Today, drove down to "home" (Serre Chevalier) and roads were full of cyclists heading out of Bourg towards Col du Glandon / Croix de Fer etc.
Once past Bourg not as many cyclist heading for Lautaret / Galibier but still a fair few, and no sign of any potential flooding along the Romanche, so I'm sure "Airwise" can sleep happy tonight
Far more cloud over this side of the Lautaret and that is often the case with very defined difference between one side and the other, in the winter one side could get half a metre of snow and the other just a light dusting!
Temps this afternoon were hot especially when the sun did break through the cloud, forecasts today for Serre were 20 - 22 and my thermometers were reading 27 and the forecast is for it to increase a fair bit by Saturday.
I'm off out to do Izoard tomorrow as it's closed to traffic from 09:00 to Noon leaving here circa 08:00 so will see what temps are like around 07:00 and I'm at 1400ms.
Many cyclists were wearing sleeveless shirts and didn't see any jackets on descents - anyway I'll give you my take on things tomorrow after my ride.0 -
Two weeks on and it's much better. What a surprise.
Still. High temps on Saturday so I expect to see numerous Brits in black Rapha, perspiring excessively and grovelling up the Alpe in a hundred minutes plus.
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grovelling up the Alpe in a hundred minutes plus.
pompous ass :roll:0 -
What food do they normally have at the food stops?0
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airwise wrote:Still. High temps on Saturday so I expect to see numerous Brits in black Rapha, perspiring excessively and grovelling up the Alpe in a hundred minutes plus.
Does wearing white rather than black really help? I struggle in the heat, but I thought that was largely debunked, hence most of the teams in dark colours.
Is 100 mins at the end of the marmotte bad?
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My first attempt on Saturday, but however long it takes me, arriving at the top of the Alpe after a long day in the saddle will be anything but bad.0
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For those of you that are doing both La Marmotte and the Etape the following day, what are you planning to do for recovery ?. Myself, having not done La Marmotte before, I'm hoping that I might get a massage somewhere at the finish and grab as much food as I can at the same time, then ride down the Alpe to the car before driving up to Annecy, getting more food/drink en-route and wrapping legs in ice to help any swelling go down, then get as much sleep as possible before the next day.
Thoughts ?0 -
TheStone wrote:
Does wearing white rather than black really help? I struggle in the heat, but I thought that was largely debunked, hence most of the teams in dark colours.
Yes Stone. If you see pros, their hot weather gear is incredibly thin and the material almost see through. The only reason they are not wearing a reflective colour as well is advertizing requirements but technical fabrics will be designed to cope with the temperatures. Full length zips too so that they can be opened on climbs. Normal shorts as well without bibs.
Hence I wince (and take the proverbial) when I see people struggling in their "sportswool" come race day. Wearing Rapha and riding a £6K bike coming through Alpe d'Huez at 6 o clock at night to me means stop spending your money on pies and posing and get serious. Sorry if that sounds pompous.
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Do let us know what you will be wearing.
So we can avoid you.0 -
airwise wrote:Hence I wince (and take the proverbial) when I see people struggling in their "sportswool" come race day. Wearing Rapha and riding a £6K bike coming through Alpe d'Huez at 6 o clock at night to me means stop spending your money on pies and posing and get serious. Sorry if that sounds pompous.
Is 6 o clock bad? That's only 10 hours?0 -
airwise wrote:[
Hence I wince (and take the proverbial) when I see people struggling in their "sportswool" come race day. Wearing Rapha and riding a £6K bike coming through Alpe d'Huez at 6 o clock at night to me means stop spending your money on pies and posing and get serious. Sorry if that sounds pompous.
Welcome to the cycling family.
:roll: :roll:0 -
lee_d_m wrote:For those of you that are doing both La Marmotte and the Etape the following day, what are you planning to do for recovery ?. Myself, having not done La Marmotte before, I'm hoping that I might get a massage somewhere at the finish and grab as much food as I can at the same time, then ride down the Alpe to the car before driving up to Annecy, getting more food/drink en-route and wrapping legs in ice to help any swelling go down, then get as much sleep as possible before the next day.
Thoughts ?
That is essentially what i'll be doing.
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