I've just watched the video, surprisingly made me feel less pessimistic about the bike now.
I wasn't expecting they would close the roads completely, but at least in one direction - I was surprised to see cars overtaking cyclists.
All we can hope is they close the roads to lorries and the Dutch, although I did see a caravan at one point so it appears we're not even safe from the Dutch !
I live at the moment in The Netherlands and neither for love nor money can I find a hill of any worth to cycle up. So all my training is on the rolling dunes path. I still can't get above 28kph over 4-5 hours!!
So if anyone fancies swapping their hilly terrain for a weekend in a swap for a hilly ride in UK then I am up for it.
Such is the problem that I have planned two weekend aways in Limburg (south Holland) to get my hills.....
oh dear Bedders isn't funny, you need hills, Seren and I need flat roads!!
I am still trying to work out why on earth you would need flat roads??
Bedders it is no fun having hill less rides but to help you sustain a decent power output for climbing just do some threshold work, preferably into the wind wind is the new hills!!
The hills in Switz are drags so it is important to be able to grind out a nice steady rate of watts to get you up them comfortably, you don't have to be massively strong on the bike. Threshold work will do that, just as you would do it for running to improve your marathon race pace.
i guess maybe if you're only riding hills you're doing alot of coasting down hill. maybe a turbo is a solution. just to 1-2 hour rides on that at a steady pace perhaps? that'd get you used to a constant pace without a break.
There is no where in this country with mega long descents to worry about, the most you get is a rolling course and to be honest if you are working properly you will not be resting on the downhills. It is not like on the continent where you get miles and miles of downhill.
If you are working hard enough on a course, even a hilly one you will not have a chance to coast downhill unless you actually need to after a hard effort going up the hill in the first place.
I didn't get a chance yesterday on lots of the course to work my legs going downhill.............we were straight up a mountain side before coming straight back down.........with me on the breaks .........they then sent us straight up another hill before my legs had a chance to get back to normal...........it was sadistic...........the downhills had lots of bends and turns and alpine bend type things....I tried to do what Crashie said but its hard to keep off the brakes when the road turns 180 degrees or there is a giveway right at the bottom....and they put 14 climbs into the ride
Seren, that's fine if your legs need the rest anyway, recovery is as important part of training as the exertion. The point I am trying to make is that a hilly or rolling course will give you just as much fitness as a flat one but it will also toughen your legs up for climbing.
Unless you are doing a pan flat course like Florida where you may want to be practicing hours in your tri bar position then there is no need to worry about finding flat roads to train on, hills will give you all you need for any other type of course.
Very nice way to look at it, thanks Meldy and its definitely 4 loops.
Funny how mapping it out, there were routes I just thought no way and then found one that my brain is comfortable with, yet makes no difference at end of day, still 100 miles!!
I couldn't get on the tri bars once yesterday............I think I need a route to practise them as looking at the course we will have a few miles on them............
I enjoyed bala Nam. but double the amount is a big difference for my knees...........just like running they can handle up to 13 miles but fall apart afterwards.......They are going to play a big part...........I was marathon fit before Bala just not done any cycling or much swimming..........anyway no more wibbling for me, going to forget IMCH for 2 weeks now and get my revision done.
Seren, you're a naturally strong cyclist, you're a more than decent runner, and your swimming has come on nicely. You live in a stupidly hilly area and think Everest Base Camp is an undulation. You'll be more than just fine.
ps: plus you have a gutsyness (if there is such a word) that gets you through pretty much anything...
My intestines are nicely pickled, ive been to Magaluf on a stag weekend, im still suffering a bit and have decided from now on that my body will be a temple (at least for a couple of weeks anyway)
I did a hilly 42miler with 800m of climbing in the wind on Saturday and it nearly killed me ... only averaged 13mph and sometimes i struggled to reach double figures going downhill against the wind.
Comments
I've just watched the video, surprisingly made me feel less pessimistic about the bike now.
I wasn't expecting they would close the roads completely, but at least in one direction - I was surprised to see cars overtaking cyclists.
All we can hope is they close the roads to lorries and the Dutch, although I did see a caravan at one point so it appears we're not even safe from the Dutch !
Can I offer a swap to anyone?
I live at the moment in The Netherlands and neither for love nor money can I find a hill of any worth to cycle up. So all my training is on the rolling dunes path. I still can't get above 28kph over 4-5 hours!!
So if anyone fancies swapping their hilly terrain for a weekend in a swap for a hilly ride in UK then I am up for it.
Such is the problem that I have planned two weekend aways in Limburg (south Holland) to get my hills.....
I am still trying to work out why on earth you would need flat roads??
Bedders it is no fun having hill less rides but to help you sustain a decent power output for climbing just do some threshold work, preferably into the wind wind is the new hills!!
The hills in Switz are drags so it is important to be able to grind out a nice steady rate of watts to get you up them comfortably, you don't have to be massively strong on the bike. Threshold work will do that, just as you would do it for running to improve your marathon race pace.
JD - yip, thats what I need to do, keeping constant pace without all the down hills.
Am also going to start monitoring HR, think I'm way below what I should be working at.
There is no where in this country with mega long descents to worry about, the most you get is a rolling course and to be honest if you are working properly you will not be resting on the downhills. It is not like on the continent where you get miles and miles of downhill.
If you are working hard enough on a course, even a hilly one you will not have a chance to coast downhill unless you actually need to after a hard effort going up the hill in the first place.
That sounds harsh Seren. ((((((())))))
I'm trying to map out a route now. I'm not a fan of loops but looks like I may have to do one with 3-4 loops...grrrr!
Seren, that's fine if your legs need the rest anyway, recovery is as important part of training as the exertion. The point I am trying to make is that a hilly or rolling course will give you just as much fitness as a flat one but it will also toughen your legs up for climbing.
Unless you are doing a pan flat course like Florida where you may want to be practicing hours in your tri bar position then there is no need to worry about finding flat roads to train on, hills will give you all you need for any other type of course.
1 to warm up, 1 quick, 1 quicker and 1 cool down
Very nice way to look at it, thanks Meldy and its definitely 4 loops.
Funny how mapping it out, there were routes I just thought no way and then found one that my brain is comfortable with, yet makes no difference at end of day, still 100 miles!!
Wow Seren, see, power in the those legs!!!I couldn't get on the tri bars once yesterday............I think I need a route to practise them as looking at the course we will have a few miles on them............
I enjoyed bala Nam. but double the amount is a big difference for my knees...........just like running they can handle up to 13 miles but fall apart afterwards.......They are going to play a big part...........I was marathon fit before Bala just not done any cycling or much swimming..........anyway no more wibbling for me, going to forget IMCH for 2 weeks now and get my revision done.
break it down into edible chunks
Seren, you're a naturally strong cyclist, you're a more than decent runner, and your swimming has come on nicely. You live in a stupidly hilly area and think Everest Base Camp is an undulation. You'll be more than just fine.
ps: plus you have a gutsyness (if there is such a word) that gets you through pretty much anything...
Have you nicely pickled your intestines Barlos?
whats Coach been up to then?
hahaha, v funny Nam!
My intestines are nicely pickled, ive been to Magaluf on a stag weekend, im still suffering a bit and have decided from now on that my body will be a temple (at least for a couple of weeks anyway)
Its nothing exciting barley!
Right today, 2 hour bike ride today, aiming to keep legs spinning, use areobars more and keep HR at right level.
I need to improve big time