< 3 weeks to go: status update

Exactly 19 days to the first day of the Haute Route Alps challenge and I am a happy camper because the hardest two training weeks, which I feared, are behind me. Hence, time for a blog update: as the figure below shows, the plan has been executed and my fitness is at a level (CLT at 180TSS–green and grey line) that probably will not be seen ever again after this August:

To put this in perspective: The figure shows actual performance (jagged lines, except for workload as that would be too jagged and mess up the picture) against the plan established several months ago (smooth lines). For example, the jagged orange curve shows that actual fatigue tracks the planned fatigue (red smooth line) well. Both also are at their max, the result of the last peak build cycle of two mammoth weeks during which I burned 16,138kJ and 17,008kJ. Shannon pointed out that corresponds to about 5 to 6 pounds (3500 calories per pound and, given the human machine’s efficiency of converting thermal/caloric energy to mechanical between 20 to 25%, this is about 3500kJ). Yet I didn’t loose any weight, as it is so easy to increase food intake.

The workload is now progressively reducing (“tapering”) so that fatigue falls more rapidly than fitness, resulting in a rise in “form.” The timing should be such that form is peaking just on the first day of the race.

Although tapering for the race has started, this week’s training load is still fairly high at 186TSS/day or 1.86hrs riding at your max – this typically means 2.5 to 3.5hrs of riding, depending on the intensity. But the trend is downward: duration will be reduced, while keeping intensity. This week we are visiting the in-laws in Rhode Island and the riding here is hilly; about 800 – 1000 altitude meters per day but good short hill intensity. Next week is Vermont, with hopefully longer climbs and that will be the final prep for France. The focus on training is transitioning to growing anticipation and enjoying the daily experience.