Hi,
Next year I’d like to have a big event like a Grand Fondo ( or the Ariègeoise ), and I’m wondering if it can be relevant to train according to the route.
For exemple, if it’s a 3h ride with 3 big climbs ( a climb each hour mark ), is it relevant to train doing endurance rides with big efforts similar to the climbs spaced every hour?
Does it bring actual physical benefits to do this, or is it purely psychological and you’re better off doing regular, adapted workouts?
Training as per the ride will get you strong but it can wear you out too and even if it doesn’t you’ll naturally reach a plateau. Interval training with shorter intervals is designed to push you harder and let you recover enough to push hard again and result in adaptations that will hopefully push you through that plateau.
Majority of your training should be geared toward your fitness goals rather than a a specific course. That said, back in my peak running days I did like to prepare and do a race simulation. For example, if doing the Boston Marathon it is not a bad idea to prepare for “heartbreak hill.” But its not something you focus on, just something you slip into training now and then.
For something like what you describe I totally would put that into the training plan. It could be 3 x 1 hour loops with a hill at the end or something. The best would be to just ride the course and get a feel for it if that is possible.
For now, I’ll keep doing what I’m doing : around 10h a week of Z2 with a bit of Z3, and at least once a week an intensity workout.
For now I just do Vo2max and above intensity, but I may switch it up for some threshold work later on
I’d love to ride the course beforehand but it’s pretty far from home so it may not be possible.
