The killer part about ORAMM (IMO) isn’t the long grinds but the steep sections that force you to put down big watts just to keep moving. Kitsuma (particularly the second time around), but also going up Heartbreak and the hike-a-bike off the parkway. Going up the greenway I do whatever’s necessary to make sure I’m not in the conga line on the switchbacks, then shoot for the lower end of sweet spot for Mill Creek and Curtis Creek. To me, over/unders and sweet spot workouts with bursts/stomps feel most similar to the demands of the race. I found strength training to help tremendously. It’s a very small part of the race, but a surprising number of people cramp up hard on the hike a bike- definitely be mindful of your effort. I like to run for just 10-20 minutes right after a bike workout starting in June to get used to the feeling.
Cramping going down Heartbreak is part of the ORAMM experience.
@Lennyeddy best advice I can give is to keep your pace in check until you descend Heartbreak - once safely at the bottom you can gauge what you have left in the tank for the final gravel road climb and into the last climb up Kitsuma. As far as training, at least you’ll be heat acclimated considering you’re coming up from TX - I’ve been bested by racers from Florida on this and at Jerdon, so clearly your local terrain doesn’t have to be a limiter.
Always a tough call for me. I hate the conga line but that greenway is a long threshold/sub threshold effort if you’re trying to stick up front… that’s an early match to burn and I’m not sure a mid-pack finish goal would make sense.
If I’m not dying a thousand deaths for the last 4 hours, I didn’t get my money’s worth 
The easy solution if you have a wheel-off smart trainer is to use Sim mode (not Erg) and practice climbing in Zwift or RGT or Rouvy or Bkool… any app that can simulate a climb.
No masters degree required 
Gearing and pacing are your friends. I did the Triple Bypass last year and I am from Texas, too. Longest ride I did was 80 miles. I did SSB I & II and one week of Climbing Road Race. I thought I would be completely undertrained for it, but I used a 34 upfront with a 34 in the rear, paced it wisely and kept food in me. I was feeling so good at mile 90ish guys were drafting off me into a head wind. I didn’t use the 34 rear very much, but I was glad I had it, because it did come in handy a few times.
My problem was descending, everyone I passed going up passed me going down. I was so cold, I was getting bike wobble from shivering.
Not sure about this. You also need to simulate the inclination. Perhaps with the KIKR climb….and that’s not including the off road intricacies.
For the DeathRide I did so little climbing that actual bets were placed that I wouldn’t finish the DeathRide. And again for Mt Figueroa HC climb a year+ later. I finished before some similar W/kg guys that mostly trained in the Sierra foothills.
I didn’t make this up, searched the Internet in early 2016 and found this video:
key points in that video:
- sweet spot and work on longer and longer intervals (up to 2 hours for 2 hour climbs)
- reduce cadence
- sit upright instead of getting aero
Seriously that’s all I’ve needed to prepare for targeting 1-3 hour HC climbs at 85% FTP. The foothills of the mountains are a 40 minute drive from here, and I live in flatland so the majority of my training is out the door. Its possible to effectively train for long climbs in flatland by sitting up and lowering cadence, to simulate the increased torque and muscular endurance required on long climbs. For me the biggest bang for my training buck is to reduce cadence on all those 2 hour endurance rides I do during base.
Sorry, if this is in the vid, I’m gonna watch it tomorrow on the trainer. But the low cadence, is that just in training then back to natural cadence during the race?
You don’t “need” to replicate the climbs during training. Just do the right training to increase your FTP - the higher your FTP, the faster you’ll be able to ride the climbs.
The biggest challenge on race day will be pacing, nutrition, and hydration. This is where doing some long outdoor rides can help you get things dialed in. You don’t “need” hills for this, just head out and ride for 4-5 hrs at a stretch.
For pacing, I think you’re going by HR? When I do long races/rides with long climbs, I aim to keep my HR below 87% of max on the climbs (I have an alert set to notify me when I exceed that amount). That’s high tempo/low sweet spot for me. And ride the easier parts at endurance pace - 75% of max HR.
I rode my first Leadville Silver Rush having trained outside in the Chicago area (no hills there either). The long climbs were a novelty for me, and definitely hard, but I was able to pace successfully to finish.
I’m training for the Triple By Pass in Colorado that has three climbs of 2-3 hours.
I think everyone is spot on with the Sweet Spot workouts going longer and longer.
So am I better off not letting my FTP to go up and focusing on SS long rides up to two hours, or letting AT and/or ramp test move the FTP up and the PL levels decreasing which would mean more rest intervals.
I’m 62, Power/Kg of 2.5
Higher FTP or long endurance rides at a lower FTP?
Both? I hit my highest ftp five years ago, at fifty-five, by progressing my sweet spot rides out to 2-3 hours, and progressing threshold rides out to 50-70 minutes. My fitness is getting close again, but I can tell the difference between then and now - I’m currently not capable of doing 2-3 hours of sweet spot.
You want to improve your fatigue resistance through the longer intervals. The power and duration will go hand in hand. Push out the duration, then push out higher power, then more duration etc would be the way I’d tackle the build.
I do find on longer events or climbs (relative to what you are used to) it’s those who fade the least who do well. You will have noted them, you passed them in the first hour, later you faded and they passed you an hour or two later at the same pace you saw them at at the beginning.
In mountaineering I’ve always called this alpine guide pace. Doesn’t seem that fast as you pass them, but several hours up the mountain, they pass you barely breaking a sweat whilst you need a break.
Specificity is the critical element as you approach your goal event.
Also, if you start doing SS rides up to 2 hours, your FTP is going to increase as a byproduct in all likelihood.
Thanks for the insight. I am still on the fence. I really want to do this. Since I don’t see any updates for Six Hours @ Warrior Creek for this year. I am an older rider @ 56 and tend to finish middle of the pack. Just started TR more on a trial bases but we shall see. Any tips and help would be welcomed.
Thanks
Mitch
Are these great charts canned ones with WKO5, or custom? Would you mind sharing them if custom?
Should all be included.
Did ORAMM last year and doing it again this year. I think you got a lot of good advice on how to gain fitness so I’ll say a couple things on how to apply it to this race.
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Work your way up in the early pavement sections and bike path climb. You don’t want to be walking up Kitsuma that early in the congo line. Also don’t forget to drink early and often.
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The Curtis Creek/Parkway climb looks scary on the map, but that is not the hardest part of this event. Settle in and pace yourself here.
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Heartbreak Ridge starts with a hike a bike section and in my opinion this is where the challenge begins. From here on the course becomes quite rough and punchy. You cannot expect to recover on down hill sections because of the technicality. What you can expect is to put down 400 watts on every 25-50 yard steep, rocky, rooty climb. So try your best to have something in the tank for those to avoid hiking. When you come down Star Mountain there is another sustained climb on gravel. This is where I start to feel like I got my money’s worth every year. Also in case you missed it the first time stay hydrated. This race is in July in NC and it’s going to be hot and really humid and you will have to drink more than you think.
Good luck hope to see you out there. If you can come out a few days early I recommend parking at Andrews Geyser and riding up Star Mountain over to Curtis Creek up to the top of the mountain. Turn left on the Parkway and then left again onto Heartbreak and back down to Star Mountain and the car. That will give you a good idea of what to expect. That’s about a 30 mile loop.
Spot on. Three years ago I was undertrained and not use to the altitude. I came up on a 75 year old guy and talked to him for a while, then went on. I got altitude sick and DNF. Probably a combination of lack of specific training, push at Threshold and altitude. When I was on the side of the road and loading up, I saw him come on by. He knew his speed and power limits, and although slow I’m sure he made it. I have had a good two months on base and build and will continue for another month, until it is warm here. Then switch to sweet spot longer and longer intervals 2-3 times a week.
Thank you. Would that be about 5k of climbing? Haven’t hashed out my travel yet, but I will definitely do this if I can get out there early enough.