I did the first 10 day block of training and it has been pretty hard, I managed to complete it but I could tell it was a bit to much for the first block of the winter and especially for me at the moment. It’s hard when you are out here to not do to much as the weather is so good but you have to think what’s best for yourself and be smart as in the long term it will pay off. I have a good plan sorted now which just involves double days so a morning session around 9 or 10 o clock and then another session at around 4pm, this allows me to be fresh for each session and make sure that I can hit the key session hard and get the most out of it. It also means that there is no junk miles in the program. It may seem like it’s a late start but lets say for arguments sake I start at 9.30 every day, if I go to bed at 10.00pm I can get up at 8am after having 10 hours sleep which is going to allow me to recover really well. I can also get a decent breakfast in and mentally prepare myself for each session and the day ahead. The plan will be done in 4 day cycles:
Day 1. Run, Swim
Day2. Bike, Swim
Day3. Run, Swim
Day4. Run, Bike
I had a great run session today with one of the lads out here Alasdair Fraser, we were doing some tempo intervals on an undulating trail, 3 laps of the trail was 2.08 Kilometers I did 6.59, 7.07, 7.16, 7.14 with 1m45 recovery. I was pleased with this as I felt good and in control.
Yesterday we did a f*****g cracking ride! Sorry about the swearing but you know what it’s like it’s pretty much customary on my blog and this ride was well worth it. At the moment we have a few cyclist staying out here such as Chris Bartlet (fellow resident out and pro Cyclist), Alex Peters (Junior National Series winner and 60Kg Mountain Goat), and John Baker (coach and stronger then he likes to admit cyclist). Any way back to the ride and the first climb was to take us up to 2000 meters and the snow line and with Alex getting a hard on at any sign of an incline all week I knew we were all going to be in for a rough ride up the first climb!
This is the view from the top of the Velfique a 2,000 meter pass. This is the worst it get’s and it was 20 degrees c at the bottom, the road was like this for about 1k and then it was fine!
As soon as we started the ride we were greeted with the start of a mammoth climb, there was no messing around on the flat to ease your legs into the ride. To be honest though the climb was a nice gradient and the time soon passed. Once at the top we were greeted by a really strange looking Oli!
We quickly layered up and got on with the descent. It started off pretty cool but once under the cloud line it was fine and I was just wearing tri shoes, and 3/4s. At the bottom of the climb there were a few rollers, I say rollers but if you were on any other ride you would have said they were bloody big climbs.
Alex was up to his usual trick of putting us in the red and the whipping his video camera out and filming us. He says he was just filming the landscape, I personally think he was showboating!
Kinetic pb Velefique ride Climb in video is between callo alto and the velefique
Before we started the Velefique we stopped at the cafe which was literally as David Dickinson says “cheap as chips” I got 2 coffees and a fat boy baguette for 3 euros. The climb of the Velefique is pretty brutal, first of all leading up to the climb it gradually climbs probably only at about 3-4% but it saps you and after 3.5 hours of riding already in your legs you notice it just waring you down. The actual classified section of the Velefique is 11 kilometers and it climbs around 1000 meters up to 1900 meters, while we were climbing it was so windy ranging from a raging tail wind which was lovely and you felt like you were motoring to an extremely tough headwind where you were literally in your lowest gear putting everything in to just grinding it around, progress was tough going and hard to that the fact we made it a burn up and you have concoction of pain served up on a dinner plate! Chris Bartlet was first of the group up the climb followed by Alex Peters, then me and John, followed by Hawkins.
Starley Boys me and Paul at the top of the Velefique!
After the Velefique we had pretty much a descent all the way back with the odd 5 minute climb thrown in for good measure. Typically we had have had the Bacares climb which I’m yet to have seen but apparently it’s a 500 meter sting in the tail with some pretty nasty gradients. From what I’ve heard about it, you would probably have more fun shutting your privates in a door! :)Time was running out in this case so we just went straight back. By the time we got back we were all shattered, and cold so we just huddled around a fire in some pub/cafe I have no idea what it was but the good old chap didn’t mind us getting naked in the bogs and changed into some dry clothes, oh and eating a pasta salad I made earlier for after the ride! Don’t worry were not all cheap skates like me and I want to add that I did actually buy something as well!
Anyway he was a top bloke and so was Oli who gave us all motor support for the entire day which was fantastic as you could get drinks out of the car whenever you wanted, also food, and take layers off and add them for the descents when it was cold. I have to admit that this was one of the best rides I have ever done and we didn’t even get it on a good day for this part of the world. The scenery was fantastic, great banter, and some Strava KOMs to boot must be the Starley. Also good job I’ve got Clif bar helping me out otherwise I think I would have bonked out somewhere on one of the mountains and probably still be there now!
The Velefique ride, check out the total climbing!
Any way that was one of our days at Kinetic PB, I’m having an absolutely fantastic time out here. Everyday it awesome and not just for the training but the camaraderie amongst everyone, the friendliness, and I suppose being able to wear shorts and T- shirt all winter isn’t to bad as well. It would be awesome to have some more of you out here especially as we are doing a support vehicle for groups that wish to take on this ride.
Great blog as usual Chopper. I hope this ride is on the itinerary when we come out in March!
Hey Steve you o.k mate? The plan is to definitley do this ride you guys will all love it. We also have a Wake boarding course set up if any of you guys fancy doing it one evening or on an easy day.