What Last Training?

meanredspider

I know it won't make much difference but I only have about 2 weeks left before I do Alpe D'HuZes (6x up Alpe D'Huez in a day for charity).

I've put the training in - plenty of century rides and elevation (did 560k the week before last). In the last week or so, I've been doing a bit more intense stuff (intervals and hill climbs). I'm feeling pretty confident. I'm also 10kg lighter.

What I'm not sure about is what to focus upon in this last run-up. Next weekend I have a 179k 3000+m ride to do. I just don't know what else to do. Once I get there, a few days beforehand, I can actually find out what a real Alp is like to ride up (only done them on the Tacx so far).

Anyhow - any clever ideas?

daxplusplus

Unfortunately no clever ideas but merely another question, the answer to which will hopefully help you too.

What about diet in the last two weeks?

If your going to start tapering then do you also cut back on food? Do you make a last ditch effort to lose a little more weight or are you in danger of losing muscle or fatigue?

meanredspider

DaxPlusPlus wrote:

Unfortunately no clever ideas but merely another question, the answer to which will hopefully help you too.

What about diet in the last two weeks?

If your going to start tapering then do you also cut back on food? Do you make a last ditch effort to lose a little more weight or are you in danger of losing muscle or fatigue?

Good question. I think I'm going to keep working on the weight until the end of next week and then, once we head down to France, I'm going to stop - that gives me a few days to ensure I'm eating OK and properly fed.

napoleond

Food is the only thing you can work on. The real unknown is how you'll react to the altitude. It's not mega high but it got me, I was about 10-15% down in power.

phreak

NapoleonD wrote:

Food is the only thing you can work on. The real unknown is how you'll react to the altitude. It's not mega high but it got me, I was about 10-15% down in power.

I'd say there are a few other things too. What are you like at descending for instance? You could practice that without taking too much out of yourself physically. Likewise if you're going up and down for an extended spell, eating on the day can be a big factor, as can the weather.

ollie51

NapoleonD wrote:

The real unknown is how you'll react to the altitude. It's not mega high but it got me, I was about 10-15% down in power.

aye, I was at least 10% down on power, if not more. Though, at times it was the highest altitude I'd ever been to, the hottest temperatures I'd ever been in, and I'd not long got rid of a virus.

daxplusplus

phreak wrote:

What are you like at descending for instance? You could practice that without taking too much out of yourself physically.

Good point BUT just be careful not to injure yourself this close to the event - I'd be going into "strict don't push it and don't risk any chances of an accident" mode.

meanredspider

DaxPlusPlus wrote:

phreak wrote:

What are you like at descending for instance? You could practice that without taking too much out of yourself physically.

Good point BUT just be careful not to injure yourself this close to the event - I'd be going into "strict don't push it and don't risk any chances of an accident" mode.

Too funny - if only you'd seen me yesterday morning, hammering down at least a 10% slope at around 30mph (peak) on a dirt track on my MTB! Not the most sensible thing I've ever done - but having ground my way up a 500m Strava Cat2 climb (except off road on an MTB and a surface that was like glue - I wish I'd have used it an an FTP test!) the joy of descending was immense. Anyhow, I think I'm a pretty good descender and I'll be on the Volagi with disc brakes (I'll be more worried about those around me, popping tyres and the like.

Good info about the power. I've a Stages on the bike and I plan to ride to it. I'm not sure whether the "thinner" air will tire me more or just make the perceived effort harder - any thoughts? The heat is my greatest concern right now. As a long-time resident of the Highlands, heat isn't something I'm used to. I'll have a few days to acclimatise and also learn what the air density does to me.

whoof

Learn some French.

meanredspider

whoof wrote:

Learn some French.

Ah, merci! Ca c'est un suggestion magnifique!

What's the French for "bonk" (the cycling term rather than the après-ski term ;-) ?

whoof

je suis fatigué

or

avoir des relations sexuelles

Depending on how your trip pans out

herzog

meanredspider wrote:

whoof wrote:

Learn some French.

Ah, merci! Ca c'est un suggestion magnifique!

What's the French for "bonk" (the cycling term rather than the après-ski term ;-) ?

La fringale

meanredspider

whoof wrote:

je suis fatigué

or

avoir des relations sexuelles

Depending on how your trip pans out

If I can use the second one, the event will have been easier than I expect!

jgsi

Good luck fella... I'd have a few Plan Bs in hand to cope with the heat and dehydration.. I'd also probably have cravings for pork pie and HP sauce by ascent number 2
Organised the 'Ice Cold in Alex' moment?
It's all about priorities now.

meanredspider

JGSI wrote:

Good luck fella... I'd have a few Plan Bs in hand to cope with the heat and dehydration.. I'd also probably have cravings for pork pie and HP sauce by ascent number 2
Organised the 'Ice Cold in Alex' moment?
It's all about priorities now.

Thank you - love that image. With a few thousand Dutch people about, I'm sure there will be a beer or two (even if it's served in a half-filled school-sized water glass with the foam scraped off with a stick... :shock: )

I'm getting some practice in this weekend - the Belgian Randonnee I'm doing (Choufre) is handing out bottles of beer at the final "feed" stop