Training for Tenerife (North)

10100110

Hey all

I'm just getting back into cycling after a short 16 year break and one of my goals is to cycle from area level up to the Teide crater (2500m) from the Los Gigantes side of the island (which just happens to be very hilly).

I'm going in November this year which gives me about 5 months to train, do you think this is feasible after such a long lay off? (training combined with work and family).

What kind of training would you recommend?

My parents live in the north Yorkshire moors so I could do a couple of outings up there beforehand otherwise it's all going to be based around Northants so not so hilly.

16 years ago I was cycling full time with a resting heart rate of 38bpm so if I could get anywhere near that fitness with the time I have that would be golden! (I'm also going to do some running as I want to climb the volcano bit too!

Also any recommendations on bike hire in Tenerife would be appreciated (road).

Thanks

ps I'm 38

10100110

Sorry forgot to add that if anyone has ascended the Teide would be good to get some tips etc how hard it was general fitness.

Also would like to do the Masca climb too but I think that one is pretty steep going.

sloppyschleckonds

As nobody knows your level of fitness its hard to say. Could you sustain 3/4 hours of climbing in hot conditions?

charlie_potatoes

10100110 wrote:

Also would like to do the Masca climb too but I think that one is pretty steep going.

Masca is hard enough in a car

10100110

Ha ha ha! Masca is hard in the car, I've hired a car the last couple of times I've been and you are right about that, the northern roads out of Los Gigantes are savage up towards Masca and the Teide, it would be torture but fun.

Training / fitness, starting out again after 16 year lay off, but not massively overweight or anything.

I'm about to buy the book Time-Crunched Cyclist to get some training plans in.

If I can't quite get fit enough this time, there is always next year but it would be good to attempt it, so any training tips would be useful or experience from people having ridden those areas of Tenerife.

I will do 2-3 weekends in the North York Moors beforehand as part of my preperation lol I know they are not alpine quality climbs but they are steep!

charlie_potatoes

The TF38 from Chio is a relatively easy climb. This is the route to take if you are not fully fit.

10100110

Thanks I'll check that out

10100110

Random question but how long do you think it would take to get back to a decent level of fitness with 3 rides a week, ie intervals / turbo sessions and one long ride? (over 10 miles or so) if I dig in do you think I could be hitting 20mph averages in a year or so? (I was hitting just short of 25mph on a heavy / cheap bike when I stopped training)

Thanks

shazzz

Charlie Potatoes wrote:

The TF38 from Chio is a relatively easy climb. This is the route to take if you are not fully fit.

Relatively is a, ermmmm, relative term. It is a fairly gentle gradient (5% ish) but long - 25km or so from Chio to the crater rim. And you will have been climbing for 750m, ie an hour or so, to get to Chio. I think you'll be fine given six months preparation, but don't underestimate Teide - it is a looooong climb. 3x 1hr turbo/ interval sessions (2x20s etc) plus a long ride each week will be fine. 20mph for a 10 mile TT is very achievable on that much training.

If the weather is good then it is also very beautiful. Enjoy!

charlie_potatoes

shazzz wrote:

If the weather is good then it is also very beautiful. Enjoy!

Indeed it is

carrock

I did it in February.

It is a fantastic ride, and you are above the clouds so great scenery.

BUT

Air is thin and dry ( almost 3000 metres above sea level at the observatory )
Descent is long- stop halfway to let brakes cool off

In terms of training, do some long hills.

If possible go up the volcano the day before and have a walk around, get used to the thin air

supermurph09

Did you mean 25mph average on your heavy bike or was that top speed? If it was your average then I'd suggest just remembering what you did to get to that!

Grifteruk

Ive just come back from Tenerife having climbed Teide twice; once from Adeje via Grandilla & Vilafloor and the second time from the East past Guimar and Arafo to the top.

The Adeje climb was longer at approx. 43km but generally shallower in gradient for large sections. The second climb past Arafo was shorter at approx.33km but was much harder because it was a much more consistent climb (average for the whole 33km of 6% but given about 3km of downhill towards the top the actual average for about 30km was closer to 7%). Both climbs have sections of 8-12%.

As has been said elsewhere on both occasions you climb from 0m to 2300m. Both climbs were 2.5hr sessions for me without stops and whilst you may be faster or slower either way if you want to get up in one go, you need to be able to plan for constant effort for very long periods. The pros are taking in the region of 2hrs to give you some idea of the shortest times for ascents of Teide. I have been doing regular one hour climbing sessions on the turbo at constant threshold effort whilst watching the classics and Giro and whilst I was worried about the extra climbing time on Teide, the training worked pretty well. This alongside longer rides at the weekend.

I wouldn't worry too much about needing to stop on the descent due to brakes or otherwise, but make sure you take a jacket to the top because it will often get cold at the top. I didn't think I would need it, but you do.

If you can, go whilst the pros are there - this year I got to meet Froome & Porte whilst I also saw riders from Belkin, Saxo Bank and Nibali descending with his Astana buddies !!

drewduncan

If you were cycling 'full time' and had a resting heart rate of 38bpm surely you will know yourself how long it will take to get back to the desired fitness levels as you have done it before??