Hi,
I have 6 days in the Alps from 12th july so a shade over 8 weeks to go. Off the bike last couple of weeks post Mallorca but fired up to get training and have 12-15 hours a week -hopefully.
With 510km and 15000 meters of climbing over 6 days there will be some long days in the saddle. In particular day 5 with 175km and 5000m of ascent.
I did have a plan that rolled into and through the Mallorca 312 into prep for the Alps but health, life and this 2 week break mean i need to start afresh. So, do i go with a big climbs, big day or go custom? FWIW i rode conservatively in Mallorca over 4 days inccluding the 312, watching HR and keeping it below 150bpm. Power varied on climbs as i got carried away but averaged 180w at 2.5w/k-FTP 220ish. NP for rides in the 140-150w. A year ago i held 240w up Sa Calobra for 42 min so theres potentially a bit in the tank with the right training, though endurance over 6 days must be the key here i think?
Big climbs it is.
Plan set. I cannot immediately see a way to adjust intensity when the plan starts on tuesday. Is this because i went through Coach Jack?
Intensity is setting in CJ. In calendar you can edit in top right and change in CJ and it will update calendar. Probably around intensity of 3 - 5 is about right but it’s very personal.
Oh man, hat off looking at what you have ahead. 8 weeks should be fine, the endurance skills are long lasting and couple of weeks off the bike won’t harm you.
I just did 200 km with 4600 m of elevation on Tenerife (gentle climbs like 7-8%) and I was cooked by the end of the day.
I had +10 TSB and 78 of CTL on D day but next time I would probably aim for CTL around 90-100, with enough daylight in June I plan to make a sort “double Teide” - up, down and back again.
just an update on my training and the Alps trip.
Apart from the very odd interval session i stuck to training in z2 and keeping hr in the 12-130 range, with an increasing emphasis on upper z2, so about 180w at 76 kilos. I had not trained a great deal whilst awaiting heart tests and once i got the all clear didnt have much time to work on intensity. Ftp probably between 210 and 220 and quite a bit below ftp of 235 measured on an outdooor ride 12 months ago, 248 approx 2y ago.
Anyway, 6 days of riding up Alp D’huez, Glandon, Galibiere, Croix de fer, Sabot, Sarrenne etc. These were long climbs, between 13 and 27 km, some at average 10% gradients. I was plagued by right leg hamstring cramps from day one and suspect that, riding with much stronger riders, i had simply started each climb too hard.In the week before the trip my leg had locked up-knee issues-and left muscles tight. I made myself settle down and eased into riding the climbs at my pace. Power profile on the climbs confirmed 170-180w, occasion stretchs above 200w, and a Intervals ICU ftp of 209 on, i think Glandon.
My takeaway? TD and Z2 training works. Looking back over other trips i can see my power on the climbs is about the same, at a much reduced ftp. I certainly dont feel that z2 training alone hindered me though i wonder what difference some intensity , say 80-20 balance and not locking my leg up might have made.
I have given myself a week off the bike and will start traing again for Calp in late novemebr. I will be looking for a plan with some intensity to see what happens.
For this kind of events, I would suggest doing progressive high tempo/Sweetspot intervals.
That will be much more specific then, for example, VO2 work.
Increase your capacity in sub-threshold region.
As per this previous thread, the “Steve Neal Fatmax” intervals could work very well
In short summary:
85% FTP, capped by 83% of max HR, with cadence slightly lower than your normal, start with something like 3x15 and progress 3x20, 3x25, 4x20, 3x30. Twice per week, on consecutive days.
