6 weeks to prepare for the 2015 Etape du Tour.
Discussion
Do I have a hope in hell of completing the event?
Pros
Not overweight
Don't smoke
Don't drink much
Don't mind pain
Cons
40 years old
Not fit
Bike old and fairly heavy with unsuitable gearing (I think)
Now, regarding the fitness. I did a 60km, 2 hour 40 minute ride the day before yesterday and today, most of it on fine/compacted gravel bike paths(I've recently moved to Germany). Wore a heart rate monitor today, shows my heart rate hovering around 150bpm. I did an experiment to find max heart rate recently, got around 210bpm from the old ticker. Felt fine during both rides..though no real hills on route.
Do I have a snowballs chance? I will buy a more suitable bike if I could realistically finish.
Pros
Not overweight
Don't smoke
Don't drink much
Don't mind pain
Cons
40 years old
Not fit
Bike old and fairly heavy with unsuitable gearing (I think)
Now, regarding the fitness. I did a 60km, 2 hour 40 minute ride the day before yesterday and today, most of it on fine/compacted gravel bike paths(I've recently moved to Germany). Wore a heart rate monitor today, shows my heart rate hovering around 150bpm. I did an experiment to find max heart rate recently, got around 210bpm from the old ticker. Felt fine during both rides..though no real hills on route.
Do I have a snowballs chance? I will buy a more suitable bike if I could realistically finish.
So 80km today in 30deg heat...felt ok. One climb about 1.5km, with part at 12%...wasn't easy...out of the saddle for a bit, heart at 185bpm.
On the positive side I may have sorted a new (used bike)...it's light (7ish kg) and comes with a triple ring. This kind of device...
On the positive side I may have sorted a new (used bike)...it's light (7ish kg) and comes with a triple ring. This kind of device...
Edited by Kawasicki on Thursday 4th June 18:55
Amateurish said:
It's the climbing, not the distance that's the issue. 4500m of elevation gain at constant 7+ gradient is a real challenge. Do you have any mountains nearby to cycle up. 2-3 hours on flat cycle paths will not give you a good indication of how ready you are.
Thanks for the advice....I'm taking it all to heart!Yes, I have some climbs near me...while steep (I can barely ride a mountain bike up them) they are too short, so I'm going to give the legs two more weeks of mainly flat rides before I start hitting the mountains. I plan to use the 6 weeks to build a very small, wobbly, fitness pyramid!
outnumbered said:
As others have said, it's the climbing that'll kill you, not the distance. Think about going back and riding that 1.5km hill another 40 times to give you an idea of the amount you'll be doing ! So the more hills you can fit into your training the better.
Bike with triple chainset is a great idea.
I have thought about using that hill as a bit of interval training...basically just ride up and down it until I fail (shouldn't take long)Bike with triple chainset is a great idea.
jamiebae said:
The bike looks spot on, I'll leave this here...
https://youtu.be/aqK9s1epBqw
Just so you know what to look forward to
cheers!https://youtu.be/aqK9s1epBqw
Just so you know what to look forward to
The comments are spurring me on.
Just drove 900km round trip to pick up my new (to me) bike.
Here it is beside my old '98 Cannondale. Need to adjust the bar to saddle relationship for less drag before first ride.
And I'll be keeping you informed on my progress.......planning to do two hard climbing days per week as advised.
Any thoughts on nutrition for training?
Just drove 900km round trip to pick up my new (to me) bike.
Here it is beside my old '98 Cannondale. Need to adjust the bar to saddle relationship for less drag before first ride.
And I'll be keeping you informed on my progress.......planning to do two hard climbing days per week as advised.
Any thoughts on nutrition for training?
Well, I'm interested in all opinions...keep them coming.
I think both camps are correct. I need strength and cardio fitness...but I will definitely be focussing more on the cardio to start with, because without it I've no hope.
I've got a simple (old) heart rate monitor(with new batteries), which beeps if my heart rate drops out out of an adjustable preset training zone. I've set the lower threshold to 130 and the upper threshold to 155. I try to keep in that zone for the whole ride, though honestly it is fairly often above 155, especially if I hit a hill or just forget to listen for the beeps! Even in just 4 rides of 60,60,70 and 80km I've noticed my speed is increasing, but most of all I've noticed that my heart rate is dropping under 130 much faster if I back of the effort.
Tomorrow I'm going to aim for 120km, it should take me about 5 hours, or maybe longer as it is the first ride on the new bike. A week ago 120km would not have had much appeal...my attitude is different about it now...much calmer. I'd like to end up doing a couple of 200km rides before the event, and also a couple of days hitting some proper mountains. Obviously not too close to the event.
What do you guys think of the strategy of training on an empty stomach, forcing the body to improve fat burning. Should I have breakfast in the morning!?
I think both camps are correct. I need strength and cardio fitness...but I will definitely be focussing more on the cardio to start with, because without it I've no hope.
I've got a simple (old) heart rate monitor(with new batteries), which beeps if my heart rate drops out out of an adjustable preset training zone. I've set the lower threshold to 130 and the upper threshold to 155. I try to keep in that zone for the whole ride, though honestly it is fairly often above 155, especially if I hit a hill or just forget to listen for the beeps! Even in just 4 rides of 60,60,70 and 80km I've noticed my speed is increasing, but most of all I've noticed that my heart rate is dropping under 130 much faster if I back of the effort.
Tomorrow I'm going to aim for 120km, it should take me about 5 hours, or maybe longer as it is the first ride on the new bike. A week ago 120km would not have had much appeal...my attitude is different about it now...much calmer. I'd like to end up doing a couple of 200km rides before the event, and also a couple of days hitting some proper mountains. Obviously not too close to the event.
What do you guys think of the strategy of training on an empty stomach, forcing the body to improve fat burning. Should I have breakfast in the morning!?
4 hours 56 minutes ride, weather sunny, humid, 30 deg C. No idea what distance or speed...only that my heart rate was at about 150bpm most of the time.
New bike was great..a little quicker than the old one, no surprise there. I didn't need to use the granny ring on this ride, but it was nice to have it there. I think the bike has never actually been used, I could see new grease flowing out of the bottom bracket, pedals...I think this was a good used buy. Except....the gear selector jammed on the big ring with one hour (and the biggest climb) left to ride. It is still jammed. Not sure what the issue is, it jammed when I was trying to stop chain rub on a top gear descent. I suppose it is better to iron out all these issues in advance!
I had a dirty big plate of pasta and prawns half way through the ride. That was a highlight!
New bike was great..a little quicker than the old one, no surprise there. I didn't need to use the granny ring on this ride, but it was nice to have it there. I think the bike has never actually been used, I could see new grease flowing out of the bottom bracket, pedals...I think this was a good used buy. Except....the gear selector jammed on the big ring with one hour (and the biggest climb) left to ride. It is still jammed. Not sure what the issue is, it jammed when I was trying to stop chain rub on a top gear descent. I suppose it is better to iron out all these issues in advance!
I had a dirty big plate of pasta and prawns half way through the ride. That was a highlight!
Hmm I wonder
http://youtu.be/yluBRlqllUE
and this
http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40...
http://youtu.be/yluBRlqllUE
and this
http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40...
Edited by Kawasicki on Sunday 7th June 20:47
richardxjr said:
^ sounds a bit rubbish for Ultegra. Just check the front mech hasn't dropped down by the 2mm it would take to sit lower than the top of the teeth of the big ring, if that happens it gets jammed in the big ring positon and won't shift down. Mech will be rubbing against the chain too.
If when you try to shift down to the smallest ring nothing happens and the cable DOES NOT go slack then that indicates a shifter problem.
If when you try to shift down to the smallest ring nothing happens and the cable DOES go slack then that indicates a mech problem.
Cheers! I will see if I can get Rose to have a look at the problem. If they won't support me, I'll fix it or replace it myself.If when you try to shift down to the smallest ring nothing happens and the cable DOES NOT go slack then that indicates a shifter problem.
If when you try to shift down to the smallest ring nothing happens and the cable DOES go slack then that indicates a mech problem.
jamiebae said:
Any local bike shop will be able to sort it I'm sure, so no need to go to Rose unless you happen to live by one of their places.
I'm an hour and a half from Munich, so even though I have just fixed the bike, I booked it in for a service. I want another set of eyes to check the bike before I do the event.47p2 said:
Hope this is a bit of inspiration for you...
I signed up for the 3 Pistes Sportive last year as soon as it came online, 102 miles (165km) and 9711 feet (2960 metres) of climbing. Unfortunately I broke two vertebrae on 6th May (3 weeks before the sportive) so I had to pull out. I had cycled through the winter on a single speed bike, climbed thousands of feet on it and covered around 2000 miles, I was fitter than I had ever been but there was no way I could even get out of my bed to do the route.
My miles are way down since I broke my back, I now leave the harder climbs out of my cycling as I have ongoing pain in my spine and arms but I still manage to get about 100-140 miles a week in at the present time with moderate climbing. A week ago on Sunday was the 2015 3 Piste Sportive and even though I have not done anywhere near that sort of mileage since my fracture I decided at the last minute to put my name in for it. We were forewarned the weather was going to be rough, the rain, sleet, snow and gale force winds made the 102 miles feel like 204 miles, a headwind for the last 40 miles was torturous but I was determined I was going to finish and with a bit of encouragement from my cycling buddy I managed to complete the route.
On a final note I could only wish I was 40 again, I'm almost 50% older than you...
Good luck and enjoy the day
OK, so that puts my task into perspective. Glad you are still doing what you love, hope I can at your age.I signed up for the 3 Pistes Sportive last year as soon as it came online, 102 miles (165km) and 9711 feet (2960 metres) of climbing. Unfortunately I broke two vertebrae on 6th May (3 weeks before the sportive) so I had to pull out. I had cycled through the winter on a single speed bike, climbed thousands of feet on it and covered around 2000 miles, I was fitter than I had ever been but there was no way I could even get out of my bed to do the route.
My miles are way down since I broke my back, I now leave the harder climbs out of my cycling as I have ongoing pain in my spine and arms but I still manage to get about 100-140 miles a week in at the present time with moderate climbing. A week ago on Sunday was the 2015 3 Piste Sportive and even though I have not done anywhere near that sort of mileage since my fracture I decided at the last minute to put my name in for it. We were forewarned the weather was going to be rough, the rain, sleet, snow and gale force winds made the 102 miles feel like 204 miles, a headwind for the last 40 miles was torturous but I was determined I was going to finish and with a bit of encouragement from my cycling buddy I managed to complete the route.
On a final note I could only wish I was 40 again, I'm almost 50% older than you...
Good luck and enjoy the day
Training going fine....resisting the urge to go flat out all the time. Just back from 172km ride in the wind and rain, 2100 m climbed. Obviously not as hard as the event, but it wasn't intended to replicate it.
Going to do 90 minutes at 175bpm on Monday evening. That'll hurt...
Oh yeah, I've lost a load of weight...down to 66kg. Way less blubber everywhere.
Going to do 90 minutes at 175bpm on Monday evening. That'll hurt...
Oh yeah, I've lost a load of weight...down to 66kg. Way less blubber everywhere.
Update...did two laps of the zillertaler hohenstrasse this weekend. One lap Saturday afternoon, one lap Sunday morning. I'm slow but the climbs were long and steep, worse than the Etape. Feeling pretty confident now. The descents were uncomfortable, as the road surface was terrible. I've buckled my rear wheel a little and the bearings don't sound too good either.
Thanks for all the advice/encouragement. I would say that the best training for me was a mix of longish medium rides and a few 1 hour rides at threshold, with my heart bpm around the 175 mark. I'm not sure hills are required for training, but they definitely help with mental preparation.
4 weeks of training has worked, hopefully I'll be finished the event itself this time two weeks.
Thanks for all the advice/encouragement. I would say that the best training for me was a mix of longish medium rides and a few 1 hour rides at threshold, with my heart bpm around the 175 mark. I'm not sure hills are required for training, but they definitely help with mental preparation.
4 weeks of training has worked, hopefully I'll be finished the event itself this time two weeks.
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