Mallorca312 2017

timotie0612
timotie0612 Posts: 13
Anyone doing this in 2017?? Despite the worse ever experience in terms of online crashes etc I'm all entered. Done things like la Marmotte and Flanders previously but nothing of this length so wondering whether to stick the normal training methods that have got me through other endurance events or to do something different for this one? It's 312 km with over 5,000m of climbing so should be a breeze :shock:

Comments

  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    its a long day in the saddle, do as much as you can to get time in the saddle over winter until the event, the climbing is pretty straightforward stuff and really doesnt feel like 5000m
    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.
  • Agreed, it's more about the length of the day than the climbing, most of which is in the first 3rd of the course. It's essentially one long drag from the coast up over the top of Puig, steep enough, but nothing too drastic. The final loop out to Arta and back is a bit of a killer, with one or two longish gradients when you've over 200km in the legs. As itboffin says, get the base miles in over the winter and you'll be fine. I'm doing it next year as well, and planning at least 1 x 200km a month, daylight hours permitting.

    My mate rode it last year and he concentrated on riding 150-200km maybe twice a month, and only did 1 ride over 250km; if you've done the Marmotte and Flanders this should be a piece of cake. The first 30km are flat, as are the middle 60-70km, and apart from the run up the west coast, it's best described as 'lumpy'.

    It's worth working on overall consistent pace - there's a 14-hour cutoff for the broom wagon, so to give yourself time for pee/food/sobbing, you probably want to average 16mph overall or thereabouts. I did my first long run last week since the spring, 200km in just over 8 hours with about 2000m accumulated climbing in the Trossachs, so not far off.

    Good luck with the training :D
    "Get a bicycle. You won't regret it if you live"
    Mark Twain
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    looking forward to it now, i wont be doing any rides longer than 60 ish miles mind, i'm only doing the middle distance this time so i'm going to focus power and climbing.

    Villa booked for the week and about to book a hotel and flights for the week before with the family, i'll be going out in the mornings training, the family will flight home the day before and i'll switch over to the apartment with mates for the event proper.
    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.
  • Sounds good. I'm going solo (for now anyway), flying out Thursday and back on the Tuesday, staying in Puerto Pollenca. Don't really like the area round Playa de Muro, and PP's handy for the Formentor run.

    I've been doing a fair number of miles this year, albeit lots of shorter runs of 80-100km, but will build it up in the spring. Should hit about 10,000km by the end of the year if the weathers not too bad. Need to drop a few kg and get some hill repeats in - not easy with the party season looming ;)
    "Get a bicycle. You won't regret it if you live"
    Mark Twain
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    parrrrrtttttttyyyyy woohoo
    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.
  • It's a shame they don't go through Palma anymore, I guess it caused too much traffic disruption.

    I think the new 225km distance looks quite good.....
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    Yeah I'm doing the mid distance but if they still went through Palma marina I'd be so tempted to go full, it was awesome really awesome, police at every traffic light and a whole lane segregated just for us.

    And that backdrop
    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.