Alpe d,huez climb.

chrisw12

I'll be brutal here and I really really wish someone had been brutal to me when I was 14st trying to climb the Alpe, loose some weight! Do every reasonable thing to loose some weight because it is much easier than getting even fitter and will make your goal times more achievable.

robbo2011

ademort wrote:

After reading all the posts and studying the graphs I,m going to start with a pace for 1 hour 20 minutes and see how that pans out. Really pleased i asked the original question. Am going to give it my best shot.

I think this is a mistake. You have to do this climb six times, so there's absolutely no value in plucking a time out of thin air with no reference point as to your actual ability. What will happen then is if your goal is unrealistic, you'll bust a gut on the first ascent, your HR will climb too high and you'll be totally spent for the later climbs.

I would suggest to forget time targets and pace yourself by heart rate. Go as slow as you need to keep your heart rate well down into zone 3 and then keep it there. It will take as long as it takes. For example, when climbing on on long alpine events, i try to keep my between 145 and 150 on climbs (max hr is 182). That way i know i can go all day. If i let it go higher, yes, ill be faster for a few hours, but then i'll be spent later in the day.

boblo

@robbo now that is good advice. If the OP has plenty left, he can always cane it on the last one.

meanredspider

I did the same event last year at a weight of 85kg

https://connect.garmin.com/activity/515144556

I'm glad people talked you out of trying for an hour - utter insanity unless you're supremely fit. I set myself a goal of just achieving the 6 climbs and figured out I should aim for 2 hour laps: climb, eat & drink, descend.

Climbing: this is the "easy" bit - loop around at near the roundabout (take a leak if you need it) and pedal.

Eat & drink: You'll see how many calories I burned (I was using a PM so in the right ball park) - about 3 days worth. I really struggled to eat enough even at the speed I was doing. On the last climb I was squeezing in jelly beans when I could and forced a gel down for the last few ramps. I didn't drink enough. The harder you go, the more you'll need to eat (and you'll possibly be less able) and the more you'll sweat.

Descending: there's a speed limit on the descent because the road is open, you're sharing it with cars lorries and escort motorbikes along with lots and lots of other cyclists (all with very different capabilities). You need to concentrate very hard and brake far more than a normal descent. Besides that, the first descent was very cold - people were really suffering who hadn't wrapped up properly. One lady wiped out another guy (and his bike) because she couldn't feel her fingers. There were people with blankets treating people at the bottom of the hill. Learn from this. I had arm and leg warmers, a gilet, full gloves with built-in lobsters. As the sun comes up, it all changes. From 0C to 33C and 94% RH

Going back to pacing - I was the last of my team of six to finish the first ascent. I was the only one to complete the 6 ascents. I set myself a 200W target pace, trained to it, tested it before the event on the climb, and ride to it on the day. I ran a 33 ring up front and a 30 at the rear. It's neither glamorous or sexy but the cheer you get when you cross the line and they announce you've done the Six is incredible.

Don't end up in the medical centre (like my team mate did with LOTS of other people) on a drip.

Good luck.

supermurph09

chrisw12 wrote:

I'll be brutal here and I really really wish someone had been brutal to me when I was 14st trying to climb the Alpe, loose some weight! Do every reasonable thing to loose some weight because it is much easier than getting even fitter and will make your goal times more achievable.

He's doing it next month

meanredspider

chrisw12 wrote:

I'll be brutal here and I really really wish someone had been brutal to me when I was 14st trying to climb the Alpe, loose some weight! Do every reasonable thing to loose some weight because it is much easier than getting even fitter and will make your goal times more achievable.

Being brutal myself, it's "lose" some weight (loose = not tight) But you're right - I lost 10kg to get to 85kg when I did it. I don't know how tall the OP is and (as my neighbour puts it) if he's too short for his weight.

gweeds

I'll add that people often think the descents on these climbs are great for recovery when in reality the mental concentration needed, especially on open roads, is significant. As is holding a descent position for that length of time.

meanredspider

Gweeds wrote:

I'll add that people often think the descents on these climbs are great for recovery when in reality the mental concentration needed, especially on open roads, is significant. As is holding a descent position for that length of time.

There's an added dimension that, as you're headed down, it strikes you what a long descent it is and that, as soon as you get to the bottom, you're turning right around and riding back up. That's mentally quite tough too. The middle part of the climb is also mentally quite hard because there's nothing to look at and no support. There was a tiny plastic gearwheel in the road and I noticed it on every single climb.

Being a very "up front" cancer event, it's emotionally quite hard too. I harnessed that by writing the names of those I was doing the event for on a bit of tape on my top tube. Whenever I was feeling like the going was hard, I'd think about them, what they'd been through and, particularly those friends I'd lost who'd have given anything for the chance to be just riding up a mountain...

gweeds

meanredspider wrote:

Being a very "up front" cancer event, it's emotionally quite hard too. I harnessed that by writing the names of those I was doing the event for on a bit of tape on my top tube. Whenever I was feeling like the going was hard, I'd think about them, what they'd been through and, particularly those friends I'd lost who'd have given anything for the chance to be just riding up a mountain...

That can't have been easy. You have my respect for that.

meanredspider

Gweeds wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Being a very "up front" cancer event, it's emotionally quite hard too. I harnessed that by writing the names of those I was doing the event for on a bit of tape on my top tube. Whenever I was feeling like the going was hard, I'd think about them, what they'd been through and, particularly those friends I'd lost who'd have given anything for the chance to be just riding up a mountain...

That can't have been easy. You have my respect for that.

It's not often I ride with tears running down my face but there were a few times that day it happened. A dad struggling up the hill with a kid on a tag-along - both wearing t-shirts with a picture of "mum". Things like that put the "struggle" of riding my bike up a hill into stark perspective - possibly the most massive dose of MTFU you can take.

gweeds

I think I'd have climbed off and wept

ademort

meanredspider wrote:

chrisw12 wrote:

I'll be brutal here and I really really wish someone had been brutal to me when I was 14st trying to climb the Alpe, loose some weight! Do every reasonable thing to loose some weight because it is much easier than getting even fitter and will make your goal times more achievable.

Being brutal myself, it's "lose" some weight (loose = not tight) But you're right - I lost 10kg to get to 85kg when I did it. I don't know how tall the OP is and (as my neighbour puts it) if he's too short for his weight.

I,m 1.77M and very stockily built. I have no fat believe me. My legs are very muscular and on many occasions people have asked if i,m a track cyclist when i,ve been out doing various rides across the country. I cannot lose weight i just can,t. I know you did the event last year you mentioned it in a previous post and any advice i,ll take. Also been warned about the cold at the start will be wearing arm and leg warmers and gloves. We also need lights for the first hour or more i,ve been told.

meanredspider

That's all good then - I'm sure you'll be fine.

Yup - I'd also carry some sort of descending jacket/gilet too depending upon the overnight temp (it was -4C at the top minimum). And, yes, lights. I used Lezyne Femto on the event but I was glad to be with friends running bigger lights for the 10k ride to the start from our chalet. The start takes forever because you roll forward from one "pen" to the next - it's an electric and friendly atmosphere. My other tip is to try to get an early night beforehand - I think I only got 3 hours sleep: nothing like enough. Finally, if there's any specific food you like, take it with you. The shops in Bd'O are a bit limited.

ademort

meanredspider wrote:

That's all good then - I'm sure you'll be fine.

Yup - I'd also carry some sort of descending jacket/gilet too depending upon the overnight temp (it was -4C at the top minimum). And, yes, lights. I used Lezyne Femto on the event but I was glad to be with friends running bigger lights for the 10k ride to the start from our chalet. The start takes forever because you roll forward from one "pen" to the next - it's an electric and friendly atmosphere. My other tip is to try to get an early night beforehand - I think I only got 3 hours sleep: nothing like enough. Finally, if there's any specific food you like, take it with you. The shops in Bd'O are a bit limited.

The company we work for are supplying us with a full kit with company name on it, including bodywarmer,arm warmers and leg warmers but we know we cannot wear the kit on the day itself. We need to look into that. We are staying in appartments and all food is supplied. It,s agreed we will eat a lot of pasta and that type of thing. We will also have someone at the bottom and top of the alp with food and drink. I,ve looked at your garmin stats and feel i,d be better doing what you did. Nice and easy every time and not make a race of it. We will be there on the Monday and do a ride up the alp on tuesday. That will give me and my colleagues a better idea of what we are up against. I,m also taking extra brake shoes just in case.

meanredspider

I wore my own bike gear for much of the day. I started in the official gear and swapped back into the jersey at the end but I wanted my Assos shorts on for most of it.

It sounds like you're well catered for. And, yes, start steady. If you get to the start of the 5th climb still feeling fresh, then you can always shift up the pace. You can see from my HR trace that I was flagging going up the 6th time - glycogen all gone and nothing left in the legs.

ademort

I,m just back from Alp d,uez. Arrived on the Monday evening and did a run up alp d,uez on the tuesday morning. No ideal preparation as we parked the bus in the casino supermarket car park and set off straight up the alp. I realised after 500 metres that 39x28 was too big. Came across the finish line in 1hour and 8 minutes but muscles killing me and heart rate on the max. I called into the Trek shop and rented a Madone triple for the day cost €40 but with 30 front and 30 rear i felt it would help.
On the day itself i Started the climb with the temperature at 18 degrees at 04.30am. First climb went as i had planned, the second was much the same. By the third you could really feel the heat my feet were burning by the time i got to the top.The fourth climb was very hard due to the sun i felt like i could not get enough fluids down me. Anyway i made it to the top. Once i crossed the finish line i went to the toilet and got an attack of cramp. Not to be put off i went back down to the start and got my legs massaged which was the brilliant. To answer my prayers the weather changed while i was in the medical tent with some fairly heavy and light rainfall. I went up the last two climbs like a new man.
It,s an amazing feeling when you,re name is announced to the crowd and everyone is going crazy. My team had 45 people and i was the only only one to do the 6, i,m over the moon. However 5 of my colleagues were not to pleased with me as i had the keys to the bus and some of them had been waiting in the car park since 14.30 and i didn,t come down till 19.30.The only other disappointment is my Mio 305 HC that i recently purchased stopped recording after 12 hours which is the official battery life for one charge. I,m charging it up as we speak and hope to recover some data from it.
By the way we all wore our company clothing and not the clothing from the organization. Also i found that the so called speed limit for descending was only controlled at two points. I went down the alp like a rocket for the best part of the day. Of course how further it went in the day how fewer people on the alp so less traffic.

sloppyschleckonds

Well done chap

robbo2011

Good to see that you listend to the advice regarding gearing

Nevertheless, very well done for finishing the 6 climbs. That's a great achievement.

meanredspider

Great job - well done - I know how tough it is. I think most of what you found I'd told you in one list or another but it's great you did the 6 and that cheer is amazing.

davidof

There is a heatwave at the moment with 35C valley temperatures in the afternoon. Personally I don't cycle after midday in these conditions unless I have to so I know how tough it must have been out there.

supermurph09

Well done, sounds a great experience.

ademort

Thanks to all for your help and advice. We are already talking about next year.

robbo2011

There's so much more to the Alps than l'Alpe. Why not try something else? For instance, The Alpen Brevet in Switzerland is popular with the Dutch, why not give that a go?

meanredspider

robbo2011 wrote:

There's so much more to the Alps than l'Alpe. Why not try something else? For instance, The Alpen Brevet in Switzerland is popular with the Dutch, why not give that a go?

Dunno if you've missed the point but this is an annual charity event (Alpe D'HuZes) - 6 ascents if the Alpe in a day.

robbo2011

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19620964#p19620964]meanredspider[/url] wrote:

robbo2011 wrote:

There's so much more to the Alps than l'Alpe. Why not try something else? For instance, The Alpen Brevet in Switzerland is popular with the Dutch, why not give that a go?

Dunno if you've missed the point but this is an annual charity event (Alpe D'HuZes) - 6 ascents if the Alpe in a day.

Of course I haven't missed the point. This is the event where the organiser trousered a load of money for himself isn't it. But he has done it once, why not go and explore some other areas?

I am sure there are other equally valid ways of raising money for charity if this is an objective.

meanredspider

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19621457#p19621457]robbo2011[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19620964#p19620964]meanredspider[/url] wrote:

robbo2011 wrote:

There's so much more to the Alps than l'Alpe. Why not try something else? For instance, The Alpen Brevet in Switzerland is popular with the Dutch, why not give that a go?

Dunno if you've missed the point but this is an annual charity event (Alpe D'HuZes) - 6 ascents if the Alpe in a day.

Of course I haven't missed the point. This is the event where the organiser trousered a load of money for himself isn't it. But he has done it once, why not go and explore some other areas?

I am sure there are other equally valid ways of raising money for charity if this is an objective.

Yes - the organiser paid himself some money a couple of years ago when the charity claimed that "every single cent goes to cancer research and care" (I paraphrase). Since most charities have admin charges, I'd take an educated guess (my cousin is a charity fundraiser and bought her house for cash after the Boxing Day tsunami), that, even with this dishonest act by the organiser, a greater percentage of the money went to cancer research and care than most other charities. I'm also sure that there's now more scrutiny of where the money goes than pretty much any charity (I ride with one of the trustees). I'm sure that there's plenty of other hills all around the world that they could ride up to raise money but no event quite like Alpe D'HuZes is like for the Dutch. It's an incredible event with an incredible atmosphere on a hill that the Dutch think of as "their" hill.

robbo2011

Yes, I can see why many Dutch people would find it special. My Dutch partner on the other hand hates all of this orange stuff. It drives her mad.

meanredspider

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19622261#p19622261]robbo2011[/url] wrote:

Yes, I can see why many Dutch people would find it special. My Dutch partner on the other hand hates all of this orange stuff. It drives her mad.

I found it quite hard as a Brit outsider last year riding with an entirely Dutch team in a very Dutch event - more so than pretty much anything else I've done in NL.

Quins

Just back from Bourg D'Oisin, huge congratulations and respect to you for completing that challenge! Once was enough for me. Well done.