Marmotte 2010

Tempted to do something like this next year... however I just can't climb hills well and never been able to, so I would have to trip the man fat off before this.

I am assuming there are only soo many places? I had a quick google and could find anything conclusive or am I not putting in the search criteria? Any one with a link at all? Thanks.

dancing james, hippy, andy, can you please describe the training for this kind of event race...how many times a week, how long, where, how, etc

You want to be putting in a fair amount of hours a week, I've been training for the etape this year and been putting in anything between 6 and 18hrs a week and training 3 to 6 days. It all depends how well you want to do though. I based my training on a book called Successful Sportives that gives a few example training plans.

ill be aiming for 350km to 400+kms a week. packing in as much hills/mountains as possible during the long weekend rides. i'd do a couple of hard uk sportives (160+kms/3000m climb ones) prior to the actual event.

Actually going out to the Alps or the Pyrenees for a long weekend training would be ideal. Its something I wish I'd done this year but not really had the time

Surrey Hills FTW dudes.

:D

I would want to do this at some point but I really can't see me training up for next years. Have too much on in my life right now!

I'd put 6 months of training in for an event like this. This would start with 2 x 3 hour rides at weekends through December, January and February, then I'd add high intensity work in as the evenings get light. I'd also begin upping the mileage on one of the weekend rides so that by April I could do 100 miles without too much discomfort. I'd then focus on my aerobic capacity so I could improve my climbing.

In 2006 when I last rode the Marmotte I also had a week in Italy in May riding as many climbs as I could and then did the Gran Fondo Felice Gimondi. A month before the Marmotte I went for a long weekend in Megeve and did 3 days of climbing culminating with the Megeve Mont Blanc sportive. This got my body used to the effort of climbing for 30 minutes or more which is next to impossible to replicate in the UK. I find even now that my first day of the year in the mountains gives me backache at the base of my spine.

This sort of program works for me but might not work for someone else. I've now got close to 20 years understanding of what training I need to do for these events so you need to try it and see what works for you. There is a balance that you need to strike between being able to ride longer distances and riding them at a high intensity. As a bare minimum you need to mix up longer rides with short (30-60 minutes plus 15 mins warm up and 15 mins warm down) sessions at a high intensity.

I can highly recommend using a coach to create training plans and give advice prior to events like this.

Having read Andy's post not sure I can push myself to do this. I want to do more on track next year.

That's what worked for me. You might be different. I find track racing very good for the intensity work so the two can be combined, although I'll reserve judgement on this completely until after the Etape.

Yes I am different in that I will require more work as my base fitness (although it has improved) still needs considerable work to get me up to Marmotte level. AND I'm not a whippet.

I see...yeh a lot of interesting work, different possibilities for different people.

Btw I have a better idea now, and I don't think if you are 40 and starting now you can push like this.
You can have time and mental energy but the recover is slow, and slow is the improving....well you can still have fun but better to keep cool. But I'm very tempted...

@hippy, no worries

http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=14955904

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12546730&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=marmotte

I don't like all this talk of dropping weight. :S

The second thread is best. Mainly 'cos I get praised by a proper coach! :-)

Well I guess next week is going to be my "get some experience in the high mountains" time.. oh shit.

I don't worry for you, you're strong enough and experienced enough for it. Enjoy it.

You know all that talk of compact chainsets.. ha! too late now!
Still, there's only one way to find out what it's like. If it gets too bad I turn around and enjoy the short decscent. :)

4 x 30s maximal efforts with 4m30s recovery on the turbo.

30min recovery spin on rollers.

That'll be plenty every other week (with total off-the-bike rest on the in between weeks).

Raw talent will get you through the rest.

Raw talent will get you through

Cheers BMMF. I thought so.

a summary of my training

loads of junk miles in London 100-150 a week

long rides at the weekends - started doing 50-70 mile rides in March/February then building up to 100miles+

lots of surrey hills

once i had got used to long rides and getting up hills i started to concentrate on managing heart rate and cadence better

a few days training in Italy concentrating on long hills, hour long climbs etc

a couple of UK sportives, and also Brighton and back...

Now all you need is to listen to me about Contis and you'll be ok..

other things to learn - cycling eats money, time, social life and body fat - over a stone lighter now and none of my clothes fit any longer

I've managed to loose 10kg in my Etape bid for this year, its made a massive difference although thats probably not what you want hear!

I tossed a coin the other night and I'm going with the 26 instead of the 29, still using the compact though.

other things to learn - cycling eats money, time, social life and body fat - over a stone lighter now and none of my clothes fit any longer

Money and time, yes.
Social life, no.
Body fat, no. I just eat far too much instead of just too much.