Mrs B booked an 8 night holiday in the Zillertal Alps/Dolomites area last night – and informed me that we shall be driving there in just under 4 weeks time. We’ve been to the place a couple of times before, so know what to expect of the riding – very few uplifts, so a fair bit of pedalling uphill (typically 1000-1500m over the day, often in one or two big chunks

I’ve struggled with a virus and injuries this year, so although my fitness isn’t too bad, I know it could be better for coping with the ascents. I’m looking for some tips and advice on preparing for some longer and steadier rides with more climbing than I’m used to.

For info, currently my rides in this country are typically sub 25k and sub 600m ascent. I normally ride on my own, and am a bit of a ‘quick blast’ type rider – like to push myself a bit, and feel like I’ve put some effort in. Apart from riding more frequently, I’ve never properly prepared myself for trail riding in more mountainous locations – and I always suffer on the climbs, particularly when they’re split into separate climbs of, say 250, 700 and 650ish metres.

It’s relatively flat wher we live, so I’ve been driving over to the Peak for most of my mtb biking. Maybe it’s just the steep and rocky stuff I get drawn to, but I find it difficult to stitch together a Peak route with something similar to the longish climbs you get in the Tyrol. (the gravel forest road type climbs)

I’m just getting over a bug, so don’t want to knock myself back by doing my normal ‘all or nothing’ rides. I’m wondering if it’s too late to get any benefit from some longer rides with slow and steady climbs. If possible, I’d like to do any training on my mountain bike (to avoid shoulder niggles) – but if it comes to it, I’d even break out my drop bar bike and hit the tarmac ….Crikey, I’ve even got a turbo trainer somewhere that I could use….Gulp!

Any sensible suggestions for a training plan would be much appreciated.

TIA

just under 4 weeks time

[quote]I’m wondering if it’s too late to get any benefit from some longer rides with slow and steady climbs[/quote]Almost certainly too late

If it were me I’d go hard for a couple of weeks, do as much climbing as poss, then have a reasonably big week, then an easy week before you go away.

I’m just getting over a bug, so don’t want to knock myself back by doing my normal ‘all or nothing’ rides.

[quote]If it were me I’d go hard for a couple of weeks,[/quote] 🙄

Oops, OK start with a moderate week, then two hard weeks, then take it easy.

Sorted.

Apart from riding more frequently, I’ve never properly prepared myself for trail riding in more mountainous locations – and I always suffer on the climbs

sounds like you’re going to suffer again then!

e-bike?

e-bike…..don’t tempt me;)

Oh, forgot to mention I’m a bit of a gym bunny, and try and get in there 2 or 3 times a week for an hour or so of resistance work. Hmm, maybe I should skip this and concentrate on the aerobic and on bike training so as not to overload my immune system(?).

You’re not really going to get the training benefit of any aerobic work in the next few weeks. Going ‘hard’ might just result in an injury. Doing some long steady climbing will condition your muscles better as well as some conditioning / stretching to help improve injury resistance.

do some more focused HIIT training on a turbo trainer. Much more beneficial than aimlessly trying to ‘ride a bit harder/faster/longer’ on your local trails

Too late to do anything about your underlying fitness. Even the best training programs are in the order of 10% FTP in 10 weeks (better initially, but you’ve got 4 weeks so it’s irrelevant whether the increase could be 4 or 5% really)

But not too late to just get out and ride, lots. I find the best thing to do is just to ride, and preferably a long way on the road. At the very least it sets your mind up for riding for that much time at the effort level you can sustain. And if you’re lucky you’ll get that 4-5% extra fitness.

Skip the resistance work, maybe do some spin classes instead? Use it to fill the days when it’s too miserable outside to go ride.

I go along with the ‘mostly too late’ school of thought. But eat well, stay hydrated, stretch a bit more than normal, get plenty of rest and do a bit more riding wont do you any harm.

If you’ve got any spare chub then you could lose 4-5 kg in 4 weeks which would likely make as much difference to your climbing as any training gains you’d make in the same period.

do some more focused HIIT training on a turbo trainer. Much more beneficial than aimlessly trying to ‘ride a bit harder/faster/longer’ on your local trails

This – if you have access, 2 short hard sessions a week, some core work – planks etc. and a 2 hr ride each weekend. 5% improvement is a lot on a long day out

Thanks for the feedback and suggestions. I had a basic assessment at the gym last week and, for my age (55), I’m in pretty good shape; body fat is quite low and (according to their charts) resting heart rate is that of a fit 40 year old. So, I think my underlying fitness might be better than I’m giving it credit for.

Thinking back to previous trips to our destination, it’s the amount of time on the bike & in the saddle that does me in. I have some trouble with a couple of old neck & shoulder injuries – I’m keeping up with my stretching and conditioning for them, but extended saddle time on anything other than a perfectly set up bike flares them up.

Ive previously used a lightish (circa 27lbs) trail bike, but I could never get the cockpit 100% comfortable, so have replaced it with a far more comfortable and capable ‘all mountain’ type bike, but it’s about 31lbs in weight (with no further scope for weight reduction).

From feedback so far, it sounds like I might be just as well to stick some reasonably fast rolling tyres on this bike and get out on it little and often, building up the length and time of the rides (?).

…oh, and/or get my turbo trainer back out (edit….just remembered the new bikes rear end wont fit the turbo trainer…Arggh!!)

+1 for an ebike – every man (between 8 and 108) and his dog has one out here (I’m in Mayrhofen right now). Took the bikes to the Ahornbahn yesterday & they looked at me as if I’d just trodden dogsh1t across their carpet when I asked if they were allowed onboard. Penkenbahn and the Kombi allegedly allow bikes, but that’s only a jump spot into the much higher riding above Horberg & the Penkenjoch.

You’ve 4 weeks you can make a difference. Just up the riding a bit and ideally find some hills and session them. A mate of mine prepared for the Haute Route living in Singapore whee the biggest hill is about 200m, he did a lot of reps ! I find Alps holidays hard as its all day on the bike (typical UK ride 2-3 hours) and every day for days on end which at home I never do. Its preparing for that as much as anything.

Enjoy the holiday.

Cheers Jamba. The hill reps is a great idea. I’ve worked out a pedally loop with a couple of steady gravel track climbs that I can session and increase the reps on. Sounds like you know what I meant about longer consecutive days in the saddle – that’s reminded me I need to buy a new bucket of chamois cream:))

54, busted knees, not riding as much as I’d like at home but still determined to go to the Alps. Sound familiar 😉 ?

There are some good training plains on the BCA website, you could try and get through half the panic plan, just adjust slightly for MTB: https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/knowledge/article/izn20130429-Seven-week-panic-plan-0 🙂

Plenty of time to make a noticeable difference IMO
Around 5 hill reps sitting and 3 standing pushing hard(Sounds like you are pretty fit so this should be ok).
Heard that doing intervals like this does actually give you some long distance fitness.
You could pedal with the brakes on if you don’t have hills. 😀

I’d disagree with the comments about too late. Especially if you’ve bot been doing much. Worse thing you can do is just rest for a month.

The 10 weeks for 5-10% are for people who aren’t already declining from inactivity. What we need to do is get back any underlying fitness that has been built in the past, or as much of it as possible.

If you look at a graph of form and fitness if he does nothing he’s going to turn up rested, great form but with another month of declining fitness which will already be low coming off the back of inactivity and a virus.

I’d do a mini periodized 4 week cycle myself, 3 weeks of training getting progressively tougher followed by an easy recovery week the week before you go. That way you will have three weeks of improving your fitness and turn up rested with good form off the back of a week of recovery.

You aren’t doing an iron man long day type event and will effectively only have one cycle of training so one week recovery will be enough of a taper to be rested.

Week 1
2 long steady rides and a hiit session

Week 2
2 long steady rides a bit longer than last week and 2 hiit sessions

Week 3
2 long steady rides again a bit longer
2 hiit sessions

Week 4
2 short to medium Length rides that are steady with a few short bursts of pushing it. Rest for a few days before you head out.

Mix in a session or two per week of press ups sit ups and chin ups for weeks 1 to 3. Not in week 4.

If you don’t own a heart rate monitor, get one and quickly find your lactate threshold. When on holiday and climbing make sure you stay under that he at all times if you can (easier said than done on climbs and depends on your gearing) that should help get you round.

Have fun 🙂

If you’ve found in the past that you’ve wrecked yourself over the full days in the Alps, then maybe try and plan in a couple of big Peaks days with a decent lunch stop and a few bailout options. That way you will get a feel for what kind of pace is sustainable for a day. There is no point flogging yourself once you’re out there you may as well enjoy the views!

I think the only thing you can do is to do something active every day – a little often. I’d alternate some exercise between high intensity to get power up: so spin, squats, something of that nature, and some lower intensity recovery rides or activity. Your not going to get full benefit, but you will get some benefit and it’ll get your body used to regular activity. I find your body does respond quite well to exercise – you will not get superfit instantly, but you will get immediate benefits, especially if you’re starting off from a basis of good fitness already. There is also an element of riding yourself into it – you’ll be strong on the first day or two, the day three and four might be tough, but from day five you might find yourself starting feeling better and stronger. That’s my experience from skiing holiday’s anyway.

Don’t forget core and upper body too – no point in focussing on your legs and suffering with back pain and arm pump.

And one other thing to consider – gearing. Go as low as you can go.

Cheers fellas – some good ideas there. I’ve finally got all the components together for a SRAM Eagle drivetrain, so will stick that on the bike I’m taking. As luck would have it, I have do core strengthening Pilates 2 or 3 times a week to prevent another old injury from playing up – and when I’ve kicked out this cold I’ve got, I’ll restart some endurance type resistance stuff at the gym to get the arms & legs ready for some of the long descents.

If it was me I’d be looking at structured flexibility training for the next four weeks. I find no matter how fit I am I don’t enjoy all day in the saddle unless I’m flexible enough not to feel tight halfway through the day.

I use a yoga app, and turn the volume right down so I can hear the TV rather than the constant reminders to breathe.

Id skip ‘little and often’ and go with ‘kill or cure’. If you started at nothing and add 10% per week for 4 weeks you’ll still be knackered on day 1 of the alps.

How about commuting?

Mines 25 miles each way on fairly crap (in terms od traffic) roads but its SSUK in 3 weeks so ive been doing it 1/2/3 times a week with the aim of doing a full week then a rest week before the event.

Day 1 was 13.5mph average (I.e. horribly unfit), swollen knee, back elbows and wrists all painfull, and could barely move. Already im 15mph+ and feel fresh(ish) when I get home (no longer feel the need to eat every carb in the house!) .

A more gentle start might have avoided day1 being quite as horrible but id be 3-4 weeks behind.

Some conflicting priorities

1. Getting over illness/lay off – it’s longer rides that suppress the immune system more (I’m currently getting back after a 6 week complete layoff due to viral illness). Also you need to be very careful not to injure yourself with the sudden increase from nothing for a while.

To enjoy your holiday you need to be able to ride. With intelligent training you can gain some confidence in your fitness, gain a bit of fitness and still not risk everything through injury/relapse

Week 1 – some gentle pootles on the bike you’re taking interspersed with a couple of interval sessions where you establish the level of effort you can do for a full session. Depending on how you feel a longer cross country ride.

Week 2 – two quality interval sessions, a longer XC ride and depending on how you feel.

Week 3 – two very high quality interval sessions ending the last one completely spent and a couple of longer XC rides if you can without injury or feeling ill. The key here is that you haven’t overdone it in week 1 and 2 and arrive at week 3 building fatigue but able to do a really high quality week that leaves you feeling really fatigued.

Week 4 – low load – do 1 rep of each of your 2 interval sessions and a bike fettling pootle. You’re done – enjoy the holiday