2015 Tour of Sufferlandria

24

Comments

  • cerv50
    cerv50 Posts: 272
    bobmcstuff wrote:
    cerv50 wrote:
    Bit of advice, don't do stage 1 back to back like I just have unless your super human lol

    Haha, I'm going to do just that after work... Can't afford to take time out in between as have other plans later!! I'll get some energy drinks or something...

    Doing it today rather than tomorrow as am planning a 100km ride in real life tomorrow (shock, horror). Probably a really stupid thing to do if I want to do the lot! But it looks like good weather and I haven't cycled outside properly for 2 weeks so I'm really keen to get out. Just a few 5k commutes which is enough to whet the appetite but not enough to sate it.

    Good on ya, beware as stage 2 is Blender at 1hr 44mins :roll:
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,435
    Yup I've done Blender before as it's one of the ones included with Strava Premium, hopefully know what to expect! Could be interesting, never done quite this much back to back stuff before. Should help me shift my last couple of kilos to my target weight anyway!
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,435
    Yeah so long scream is quite hard.

    It does say no breaks in between! Stage 8 looks horrible...
  • markp80
    markp80 Posts: 444
    bobmcstuff wrote:
    It does say no breaks in between!
    ^ This!

    Stage 1 down, 8 to go! :shock:
    Boardman Road Comp - OK, I went to Halfords
    Tibia plateau fracture - the rehab continues!
  • cerv50
    cerv50 Posts: 272
    MarkP80 wrote:
    bobmcstuff wrote:
    It does say no breaks in between!
    ^ This!

    Stage 1 down, 8 to go! :shock:

    No breaks on stage 8, think I might need a new butt after next week!!
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    'tis only a game
  • rudivoller22
    rudivoller22 Posts: 492
    Stage 1 done (wow elements of style is boring!) and going to get Blender done tonight. Stage 8 looks brutal.

    ISLAGIATT isn't too bad.
  • Pigeons in flight
    Pigeons in flight Posts: 282
    just finished stage 1. Agree - Elements of Style isnt the best. The Long Scream was truly horrific though.

    Is everyone keeping settings on TR to 100%? I was nearly throwing up during LS.....or is that the point of Sufferfest?!
    Never mistake motion for action
    Tweet@gmunrop69
    Trainerroad - GMan69
  • bisoner
    bisoner Posts: 171
    Pigeons in flight wrote:
    just finished stage 1. Agree - Elements of Style isnt the best. The Long Scream was truly horrific though.

    Is everyone keeping settings on TR to 100%? I was nearly throwing up during LS.....or is that the point of Sufferfest?!

    I've had some issues finishing LS and backed it down to 90% for the final 15 mins. I did them back to back. My heart rate was right on the limit for the whole 25 or so minutes. If I wasn't doing this challenge I would definitely have bailed.

    Started Blender today and after 2 minutes Stages needed a new battery which was duely changed. I think my power was showing wrongly yesterday as I found it today much easier, still hard mind, and I actually enjoyed the sprints after looking at them with dread leading up to that point. Hardest bit today was FTP riding at the end with those single minute recoveries - I wonder if it might have been easier to ignore the minute recoveries and stick at the same level.

    Stage 8.......oh dear.
  • markp80
    markp80 Posts: 444
    JGSI wrote:
    Just about to embark on EoS on the rollers, delay the upload and then do Long Scream later on.
    :shock:
    Boardman Road Comp - OK, I went to Halfords
    Tibia plateau fracture - the rehab continues!
  • markp80
    markp80 Posts: 444
    JGSI wrote:
    'tis only a game
    :shock: :shock:
    :mrgreen:
    Boardman Road Comp - OK, I went to Halfords
    Tibia plateau fracture - the rehab continues!
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    MarkP80 wrote:
    JGSI wrote:
    'tis only a game
    :shock: :shock:
    :mrgreen:
    'fraid so ;-)
    Road ride today to get rid of cabin fever.. Stage 3 tomorrow
  • rudivoller22
    rudivoller22 Posts: 492
    Stage 2 done. Not sure I'm going to survive stage 8 with my FtP at 100%!!
  • cerv50
    cerv50 Posts: 272
    Stage 3 out the way and even though it hurt I am still (kind of) enjoying the challenge. I am however having to knock it back to 90% FTP though hence the reason for the next paragraph...

    A few weeks ago I did a 20 minute test and TR suggested a new FTP at 228, way lower than my 251 which I had for most of the later part of 2014. I kept it at 251 and then a few days later did an 8 minute test and that suggested an FTP of 250, more like it I thought so seeing as it was only 1 FTP point I kept it where it was. I am however having to knock back the FTP by 10% on each session which suggests my FTP should be nearer the 1st figure of 228, what do you guys think?

    (hope that makes sense, my heads still a little fuzzy following Fight Club earlier lol)
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,435
    Stage 2 done (sort of)

    Turns out running 6k on Friday lunch time, doing Stage 1 Friday evening, then 110km on the road yestrday followed by going to bed at 3.30am and waking up with somewhat of a hangover is not conducive to having a good turbo session... Everything was way down on last time I did Blender - I ended up just ignoring all the data and just going off RPE, turns out I didn't really get to my threshold HR during the TTs at the end.

    If it hadn't been for this Tour thing I would absolutely have bailed after the warm up, no question.

    My internet did cut out for a bit at 45mins so I got a nice extra rest.
  • sloppyschleckonds
    sloppyschleckonds Posts: 8,019
    bobmcstuff wrote:
    I ended up just ignoring all the data and just going off RPE,

    How does that work on a turbo trainer?
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,435
    How do you mean? Seems pretty straightforwards to me - when it says "9/10" I pedal at a rate that I feel is 9 out of 10.

    I'm not on trainerroad so I only have cadence and HR to go by anyway. For the longer sections I usually try to make sure my HR is in the right zone, there's a converter on their site but I know what my zones are anyway. Obviously for the shorter sections (like the 20s sprints in the middle of Blender) you just have to go hell for leather because the HR lags too much.

    On the plus side I don't feel hungover any more.
  • Pigeons in flight
    Pigeons in flight Posts: 282
    I'm not sure which is worse...the dodgy American soft rock (sounding like the kind of thing the Rembrandts would be doing now...Blender being particularly bad) or the burning in my legs. Stage 3 beckons..
    Never mistake motion for action
    Tweet@gmunrop69
    Trainerroad - GMan69
  • sopworth
    sopworth Posts: 191
    Cracked day 3 today. Got to say, i've been using TrainerRoad on and off for the last 14 months and, doing this 'tour', it has really come into its own with regards to getting everything out of the videos.
    After a few lazy months over Christmas, I did the 20 minute FTP test last week and it came down a bit. Probably a good job because I would have never been able to hold the required power so far.
    Looking ahead to the weekend is a bit scary!
  • cerv50
    cerv50 Posts: 272
    Anyone else a bit saddle sore and what do you do about it??? Germolene for me after stage 4 and a shower :oops:
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,435
    Stage 3 done, night and day compared to yesterday!! Almost enjoyed it :D

    Realised there's no way I'll be able to do Stage 8 on Saturday - I'm going to a Burns supper on the Friday night so there's no way I'll be in a fit state to do 2 and a half hours worth of hard turbo training!

    Could push it to Sunday but then I don't fancy doing 2 hours of ISLAGIATT on Monday evening, and there's no way I'm doing 4.5 hours on Sunday either... Also if the weather's nice on Sunday I'll probably either go skiing or get my metric century for February out the way...
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,435
    Pigeons in flight wrote:
    I'm not sure which is worse...the dodgy American soft rock (sounding like the kind of thing the Rembrandts would be doing now...Blender being particularly bad) or the burning in my legs. Stage 3 beckons..

    I actually don't mind most of the music, you're right that Blender is particularly bad though. You can tell which the older videos are, e.g., Blender and Revolver don't have such polished graphics as Nine Hammers (just picking ones I've done) and the music's not as good either.
  • markp80
    markp80 Posts: 444
    bobmcstuff wrote:
    Realised there's no way I'll be able to do Stage 8 on Saturday - I'm going to a Burns supper on the Friday night so there's no way I'll be in a fit state to do 2 and a half hours worth of hard turbo training!

    Could push it to Sunday but then I don't fancy doing 2 hours of ISLAGIATT on Monday evening, and there's no way I'm doing 4.5 hours on Sunday either... Also if the weather's nice on Sunday I'll probably either go skiing or get my metric century for February out the way...
    I've been thinking about this, as I'll struggle to do a stage on Friday.

    First of all, I think you'll be too late on Monday evening to do Sunday's stage. It will close at noon on Monday.

    The only way I've been able to come up with a workaround is to get ahead of the game this week. So, tonight I'll be doing two stages in a row, 9 Hammers followed directly by Angels (stages 4 & 5), then Local Hero on Wed (st 6), The Rookie on Thursday (st 7). Then Friday no ride, Sat and Sun as per the plan.

    If you do the same (or similar), then you could maybe do Saturday's stage on Friday, giving you a rest day on Sat, Sunday as planned. No splitting stage 8 though, all three to be done straight after each other!

    Cheers,
    MarkP
    Boardman Road Comp - OK, I went to Halfords
    Tibia plateau fracture - the rehab continues!
  • markp80
    markp80 Posts: 444
    cerv50 wrote:
    Stage 3 out the way and even though it hurt I am still (kind of) enjoying the challenge. I am however having to knock it back to 90% FTP though hence the reason for the next paragraph...

    A few weeks ago I did a 20 minute test and TR suggested a new FTP at 228, way lower than my 251 which I had for most of the later part of 2014. I kept it at 251 and then a few days later did an 8 minute test and that suggested an FTP of 250, more like it I thought so seeing as it was only 1 FTP point I kept it where it was. I am however having to knock back the FTP by 10% on each session which suggests my FTP should be nearer the 1st figure of 228, what do you guys think?

    (hope that makes sense, my heads still a little fuzzy following Fight Club earlier lol)
    When I did this last year, I started off at 100% but half way through I was starting to struggle both with fatigue and swolen and painful knees. I had to cut the % back a fair bit to be able to complete. For that reason, I've started at 90% this year, and my intention is to hold it at that intensity all the way through.

    With regard to your FTP, it sounds like you just had a bad day when you got 228, as the latest 250 is aligned with your previous levels. No surprise you're having to knock back to 90% - these workouts are hard!

    Cheers,
    MarkP
    Boardman Road Comp - OK, I went to Halfords
    Tibia plateau fracture - the rehab continues!
  • rudivoller22
    rudivoller22 Posts: 492
    Bizarrely I'm actually enjoying this. Definitely motivates me to get on the turbo where I otherwise wouldn't bother. Managed stage 5 today. (I started Friday night so I could get ahead of myself as I'm in London this Friday so built that in as a rest day) Angels is always a pleasure!!

    The more I look at stage 8 the more I'm not sure it's actually possible!!
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    Stage 8 is going to be turned down (a lot) ... micro bursts can be a bit of a bike beater nevermind body beater. Revolver is ok... and to be very frank I dont want to be doing anaerobic capacity workouts at this point in the year - utterly pointless for me.
  • cerv50
    cerv50 Posts: 272
    MarkP80 wrote:
    cerv50 wrote:
    Stage 3 out the way and even though it hurt I am still (kind of) enjoying the challenge. I am however having to knock it back to 90% FTP though hence the reason for the next paragraph...

    A few weeks ago I did a 20 minute test and TR suggested a new FTP at 228, way lower than my 251 which I had for most of the later part of 2014. I kept it at 251 and then a few days later did an 8 minute test and that suggested an FTP of 250, more like it I thought so seeing as it was only 1 FTP point I kept it where it was. I am however having to knock back the FTP by 10% on each session which suggests my FTP should be nearer the 1st figure of 228, what do you guys think?

    (hope that makes sense, my heads still a little fuzzy following Fight Club earlier lol)
    When I did this last year, I started off at 100% but half way through I was starting to struggle both with fatigue and swolen and painful knees. I had to cut the % back a fair bit to be able to complete. For that reason, I've started at 90% this year, and my intention is to hold it at that intensity all the way through.

    With regard to your FTP, it sounds like you just had a bad day when you got 228, as the latest 250 is aligned with your previous levels. No surprise you're having to knock back to 90% - these workouts are hard!

    Cheers,
    MarkP

    Changed tactics today MarkP, started out at 90% for the first 2 then 95% and finally 97% for the last session of Angels 2015. Seemed to go OK but mentally am trying to hold something back for Saturday.

    http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/ride ... ngels-2015

    It seems like we are all very sceptical about Saturdays 2 hrs 25 mins. Does anyone have any ideas how best to approach the sessions, ie start of at 80% then take it up %'s as the time progresses or the reverse and work down from 100%? I will possibly aim for 10 minute breaks inbetween to stretch out a bit or spin the legs out with hardly any power at all
  • venster
    venster Posts: 356
    MarkP80 wrote:
    No splitting stage 8 though, all three to be done straight after each other!

    Cheers,
    MarkP

    Is this actually true, because I was going to get one in early...

    And for you guys who use the videos and TR, I was thinking of buying ISLAGIATT just to relieve the boredom. Can you tell me, from what I've seen, the videos display effort/cadence...if you're using a PM do those figures automatically get converted into cadence and power so you can follow it along the bottom of the screen, taking your ftp into account?
  • rudivoller22
    rudivoller22 Posts: 492
    venster wrote:
    MarkP80 wrote:
    No splitting stage 8 though, all three to be done straight after each other!

    Cheers,
    MarkP

    Is this actually true, because I was going to get one in early...

    And for you guys who use the videos and TR, I was thinking of buying ISLAGIATT just to relieve the boredom. Can you tell me, from what I've seen, the videos display effort/cadence...if you're using a PM do those figures automatically get converted into cadence and power so you can follow it along the bottom of the screen, taking your ftp into account?

    Yes you put your FTP into TR and it converts it to a power target for each session for you and gives you a breakdown after each interval. I only started using TR to do this sufferlandria tour but I love it and will definitely be sticking with it.

    Sadly you do have to do them back to back. There is something on Facebook sufferfest page about it you have a few minutes between each to do it. Assume TR will pick up on it if you don't but I don't know how it works and I'm not taking the chance of having to do it again!!
  • rudivoller22
    rudivoller22 Posts: 492
    The videos make a massive difference by the way. I think the newer sufferfest videos in particular are fantastic

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