Etape du Tour Training

[fairwarrior]

More sound advice @willball12

Funnily enough I came across these links today @mattmox which might also help but mirror the sound advice here in some cases.

Hill Training Plan

Hey there! Many riders seek climbing ability, however, your ability to climb comes down, very simply, to your FTP and your weight. Maximize your FTP (through TrainerRoad training plans) and optimize your weight, and you will become a faster climber. All TrainerRoad Training Plans will make you a faster climber (by improving your FTP). But when it comes to choosing a training plan, you need to ask yourself “What kind of climbs do I want to be good at?”. The Crit Plan and associated foundatio…

5 hour A Race, But Plan builder Workouts Only 2 Hours Max?](5 hour A Race, But Plan builder Workouts Only 2 Hours Max?

Are the TrainerRoad plans good enough for long 3hr+ races?

I have been doing the Trainerroad training plans since June this year, what I have found is that when I am racing in the 3-4 hour races (100km+), I am able to keep up with the groups for 1h30min after that I am cooked. My thinking is that this is as a result of the 1 - 1:30 workouts on Trainerroad plans. Do I need to do add extra time to supplement the 1:30 rides if I want to get stronger for longer races?

I’ve just been keeping myself ticking over since the lockdown kicked in and like yourself my training has been less intense these last couple of months at least. Booking flights for the September 6th Etape was the booster I and many others would have needed to get that training spark that was missing.

I was actually building up early season with Climbing Road Race LV but have this week reconsidered and now starting Century HV even after starting this thread with questions about LV! My main concern remains regarding weekends. What I’m definitely doing is one long weekend ride to perfect nutrition, get mentally ready for long hours in the saddle, and you’ll see in the linked posts theres something about type 1 and type 2 muscle usage and you need to do long rides to really train one of them. I also have 3 kids under 7 so the longer i’m out the better!

What 'm not sure about is the Century Saturday rides utilise over/under workouts. I would still like to incorporate then as they would seem important. I’m considering a super early Sat morning (so as not dropping family responsibilities )under/over WO as prescribed and also do a long but easy ride that will be approved by my wife on the Sunday. I’m just concerned thats tipping the balance into fatigue and negative effect. I guess its trying to find that balance in the middle somewhere. I still need to think about that for this weekend!

I’m now also freaking out about using 50mm carbon clincher rim brake wheels for descending.!!!

I said in my original post that I’m an experienced amateur, by that I mean I’ve been cycling for about 7 years now and just started some road racing 2 years ago, I’m 42. This will be a monster for me in terms of climbing and time in the saddle so this is why getting the long ride at the weekend is so important to me as it is with you too. The Scottish Highland have their climbs but nothing to compare.

It is difficult juggling around family and all of my HV training will revolve around them during the week when they are in bed.

You are probably wondering why I jumped to HV. It’s purely to get weekly volume under my belt on top of a long ride at the weekend, an element of learning to ride with fatigue. I’m just winging it!

I hope this helps a little, the advice given on this forum has been great and I’m thankful to all for their input.

I wish you all the best with your training @mattmox.

[mattmox]

Thanks very much for such a thorough post, @fairwarrior, much appreciated.

There’s certainly some similarities - I’m 43 and concerned about similar areas as you are from the sound of it… and for me too it will be a monster! I have disc brakes though, so I think I’m good to go there. I too also added the Century Plan to my calendar today and did the first ride of that (Ramp Test).

Fortunately I do have the luxury of time - no wife or kids and still furloughed, so I can throw time and effort at the training. At the moment I tend to do all my training Mon-Fri and give myself the weekends off to rest - friends keep telling me that it’s as important as the training (I only half believe it!).

I can see that motivation may be my problem when the training really steps up from now until the event as due to my job I am doing it in the hope that I am going, rather than the knowledge that I am (I guess we all are to an extent with the uncertainty of Corona). My work looks like it will ramp back up in August, and as it stands I do not have the time off I need for the weekend of the Etape. So I am just doing the training in the hope that I can sort something nearer the time in terms of work swaps with colleagues to get the required time off… it’s a gamble. It would be easier to put in the effort if I knew for sure I was actually doing the Etape.

Anyway, that’s irrelevant largely - I’m stubborn enough that I can ignore that and push on through the training on the assumption that I can sort something nearer the time.

If the travel restrictions allow, I am considering heading somewhere later this month (Wales, maybe even the Alps) to find some proper climbs to tackle. I don’t really like the idea of turning up in Nice with no clue what to expect, and even less idea if I am capable!! Some training in the mountains will either give me that confidence… or scare me into training harder!!!

Anyway, thanks again, really appreciate the reply. I’ll have a look at those other threads you linked too…

Cheers