PreParing for endurance

cyclechallenge

A Guide to Better Performance with

Less Efforts

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The Bike not every type of bike is appropriate to a 5 day 600km event. The most suitable type of bike is a racing bike or a road bike with 700c wheels and 16-33 gears. The 700c wheel size (normal racer size) has the lowest rolling resistance of all the bicycle wheel standards. This will save you a considerable amount of energy over the course of 5 days and 600km. These bikes tend to have frames built with aluminum, carbon fiber, a combination of both or titanium. all of the better frames are fitted with a carbon fork regardless of the material in the main part of the frame. There isn’t much difference in weight between these 3 types of frame. you can pay big money to get a frame that weighs less than 1kg. as you go over the kilo the price drops. This can be as dramatic as €500 for 500g. That is the weight of one small water bottle. unless you are already a super lean Tour de france rider, you can probably quite easily shed a multiple of this figure (from your figure!) with a far bigger impact on your climbing. carbon and titanium frames are usually better at absorbing road vibration and may be marginally more comfortable as a result.

Equipment

Titanium is expensive but doesn’t rust or oxidize like aluminum and steel and is therefore long-lasting. aluminum based frames are considerably cheaper than either their carbon or titanium equivalent. road bikes are generally lighter than mountain bikes and will therefore reduce the energy cost of each hill you climb. The fatter knobbly tyres fitted to mountain bikes are great for grip on mucky surfaces but they create enormous levels of energy sapping drag when used on the road. This extra drag and their extra weight make mountain bikes a major disadvantage on the hills. Mountain bikes are not really suitable for this challenge.

bicycle parts labeled

handleBars road bikes come with either drop handle bars (pictured above) or traditional (flat) type bars. you don’t have to use drop (racing type) handle bars. however they do have two advantages. • They allow you to adopt a more aerodynamic

cycling position. This is only of value if you are battling very strong head winds or if you are moving faster than 25kph.

• They provide you with several hand positions which, on long events, allows you to change your cycling posture from time to time which helps reduce fatigue and discomfort.

This latter is of significance to us. if you use drop or racing handlebars they should be roughly the width of your shoulders. Many people prefer the traditional type handle bars as these are easier to get used to.

saddles serious racing cyclists use saddles that appear to have been designed for a torture chamber with little or minimal padding. one would think that it would be more comfortable to have a heavily padded gel type saddle. however more padding means more friction and that leads to saddle sores. a lightly padded saddle will take a little getting used to at first, will leave you a bit sore, but as the skin in that area adapts it will be more comfortable in the long term. it is worth spending a bit of money on a good saddle as you are going to be spending quite some time on it so don’t want it causing you problems. it is probably best to go for a leather covered saddle. if possible match the saddle to the width of “your sit bones”. some manufacturers make their saddles in different widths. Most of

the good manufactures also make male or female specific saddles. (see below for other tips on reducing saddle soreness).

Pedals it is certainly worth investing in clip in pedals and the shoes which pair with them. illustrated above are some of the different types of clip in pedals. like the handlebars and the saddles, they take a couple of spins to get used to but are a major and perceptible contributor to cycling efficiency. This is particularly true on the hills. Just think about it. you will do somewhere in the region of 14000 pedal strokes per day on dublin - Paris. if you can at least take the weight off the pedal coming up, (from 6 to 12 o’clock in the rotation) so that the pushing down leg doesn’t have to lift it, you can save a hell of a lot of energy. anyone who tries them never goes back.

To fasten the shoe to the pedal you only have to press straight down on the pedal with the cleated part of the shoe. To release from the pedal is even simpler. Just turn your heel inwards or outwards. These pedals can be adjusted to

but generate greater rolling resistance. low profile “skinny” tyres (700X19-20c), as used by competitive time trial specialist, have a very low rolling resistance but feel like riding on solid wheels and carry an increased risk of puncturing. for an event such as this it is better not to use superlight racing tyres as they may not be robust enough for some of the smaller roads we will be using. The ideal is a folding 25c tyre as these can be light but give a little more cushioning effect which reduces fatigue. They also reduce the risk of punctures which will be important when descending. your bike should be fitted with at two bottle cages for holding plastic drinking bottles. it should also be fitted with a light weight pump. These are usually fitted to the down tube which runs from the front of the bike to the bottom bracket where the pedal cranks are attached.

release more easily for first time users. cycling shoes have a stiff sole to protect the foot and to enhance the transmission of force through the pedals. soft soled shoes, such as runners, deform at the sole when the foot presses down on the pedal. This repeated action over many kilometers can lead to discomfort and injury. Whatever type of pedal you use you should always have the ball of the foot over the centre of the pedal for efficient pedaling. The moving parts of your bike need to be high quality as they will not only have to be up to 600km in 5 days but will have to be able to cope with all the training mileage in all types of weather as you prepare for the event.

The tyres should always be pumped hard to the pressure recommended on the side wall as this helps avoid punctures and reduce rolling resistance. Tyre sizes in the range of 700cX23c to 700cX28c are the most suitable for this type of event. (The first figure is a measure of the tyres diameter; the second is a measure of the tyre’s “fatness”) fatter tyres give a softer ride

Setting Up Your Bike

a more scientific method is to measure your inside leg measurement from your sit bones to the ground while standing in bare feet. Multiply this figure by 0.885. The result is the height the saddle should be above the centre of the bottom bracket (the lowest part of the bike frame where the pedal cranks and chain-set attach and rotate). The above methods are good starting points. Because we are all different you may find that it is necessary to adjust from this slightly to get a good comfortable position. remember that if you have been riding for a considerable time with a saddle position that is very low or very high then even the most efficient of positions will be uncomfortable until your muscles get used to working in the new position.

you will be a far more efficient engine on your bike if it is set up correctly to optimize your power output.

saddle heighT Before setting up saddle height make sure that your saddle is horizontal by placing a spirit level on it (from front to back) when the bike is on level ground. There are a number of different methods for calculating the correct saddle height. The simplest is to place your heel on the pedal (in flat shoes) while sitting normally on the saddle and back pedal slowly until the pedal is at its lowest point. at this point your leg should straighten but you should not have to rock your hip to the side of the lowered pedal to reach it at its low point.

saddle forWard or BackTo find how far forward or back your saddle should be you need a plumb line. sit on your bike on level ground, wearing your cycling shoes. Make sure that the ball of your foot is over the pedal spindle. rotate the cranks until they are parallel to the ground (horizontal). Place the unweighted end of the plumb line on the front of the knee cap of the foot which is forward. let the weighted end hang down over the foot. The hanging pointer should be pointing to a spot just ahead of the pedal spindle.

handle Bar PosiTion This is one of those areas for which there is no hard and fast rule. in general, the taller the person the greater the height difference between the saddle and the handle bars. again, in general, the handle bars should not be higher than the saddle. some other guide lines are that when the crank is about “2 o’clock” the knee and elbow should just about overlap when using drop handle bars. in every position on the

handle bars it should be possible to have a bend in the elbow. This is essential to absorb shock and react to changes in the road surface safely. you don’t want your bars so high that all your weight is on the saddle as this will cause saddle soreness. conversely, you don’t want your bars so low that your neck is strained trying to keep your head up and looking forward. Too much weight on the hands will lead to discomfort and maybe even carpal tunnel syndrome, in which the hand and fingers become numb. do make sure that the brake levers are set to be easily accessible from your normal riding position so that in an emergency situation you can react fast. find out which brake lever activates the front brake and which activates the rear. experiment with your braking in a safe area closed to traffic. The most effective braking is using the 2 brakes simultaneously but progressively while keeping the bike in a straight line.

Clothing

as you can imagine this can be a crucial area when it comes to comfort on long distance events. This is especially true of the clothing worn next to the skin in the saddle contact area. it is worth investing in a couple of good pairs of purpose made cycling shorts. These will have a substantial pad made from synthetic material which should be worn next to the skin (no underwear). The outer part of the shorts is usually made from lycra which is close fitting to the legs and bum to avoid chaffing. if you are self conscious about wearing tight fitting cycling shorts it is possible to purchase MTB type shorts which have a lycra inner short covered by a more conventional, loose fitting outer short. There are male and female specific shorts available with

slightly differing pad shapes. The pads in the shorts can be lubricated with Vaseline or one of the purpose made creams available in good bike shops. using anything other than good quality cycling shorts is likely to lead to saddle sores. Be careful to wash your shorts after each use (avoid tumble drying them) to prevent bacteria growing which may also cause saddle sores. in cooler weather (most of the year in ireland) it is a good idea to wear a pair of close fitting lycra training bottoms over your shorts. We have already mentioned one other contact point in the shoes and pedals. so see above for advice on these.

The 3rd point of contact is the hands on the handle bars and like the bum they need to be protected. good, purpose made, cycling mitts are essential. not only will they make your hands feel more comfortable on the handlebars but they are also an important safety item. in the event of a fall it is a natural reaction to put your hands out to save yourself. Mitts help reduce/avoid injury to the hands in this case. on a multi day event it would be a shame to be put off the road by a relatively gentle fall that caused cuts or abrasion to the palms and heels of the hand so that you couldn’t hold the handlebars! in colder weather gloves are recommended as your hands can get quite cold sitting on the bars doing nothing much for hours on end. still with safety in mind, invest in a quality helmet. a good bike shop will be able to help you here. you need a helmet that fits comfortably. it should be adjustable at the straps and around the crown. it should be well ventilated. in cold weather the adjusters will allow you to wear a hat under it. avoid the unventilated BMX or sprint type helmets. While they are very strong they are designed only to be worn for a very short time and consequently get very hot when used in longer events. a road racing type helmet is the most appropriate.

it is a good idea to avoid using cotton clothing while cycling. cotton will soak up sweat and retain this moisture which can chill you. When you climb a hill on your bike you work very hard, generating a lot of heat but travel very slowly. you get sweaty but don’t have a breeze to cool you because of your slow speed. When you descend the hill you are most likely freewheeling but you are traveling very fast. descending won’t generate any heat but the air rushing past you at speed will cool you. for this reason good cycling gear tends to be made from synthetic fabrics which don’t hold moisture and help wick it away from the skin. except in the warmest weather, 2 layers of this type material would be considered as the minimum requirement on the upper body. for most of the year in ireland this should be supplemented by at least another outer layer. remember the faster you go the greater the air speed passing by you and therefore the greater the cooling effect. There are many excellent products available in the bike shops. you should look for an outer layer that has a wind proof and breathable front (as cyclists rarely get chilled by a wind coming from behind them). cycling jerseys have pockets at the rear so that you can carry food, mobile phone, spare tube, tyre lever, puncture repair kit (though you may prefer to purchase a small pouch which fits under the saddle for the latter 3). shoes have already been mentioned above. But inside your shoes your feet can get very cold in bad weather even when cycling hard. for most of the year thermal socks (not cotton) are a good idea. you may wish to invest in a pair of cycling over shoes. These, as the name suggests, fit over the cycling shoes (with a cut out for the cleat). They are usually water and wind proof and contribute enormously to comfort in cold or wet weather. another winter favorite among experienced cyclists is waterproof socks. These are available from outdoor activity shops. in warm conditions coolmax socks are probably the best bet.

The following training programmes assume that you are healthy and reasonably active. If you suffer from or have suffered from any health problems consult your doctor before undertaking any training programme.

last Week of feb 2012

Week 1cycle 1 X 60minutes flat, 1 X 30minutes flatour objective this week is to complete as much of the one hour spin as possible without stopping. for this reason you should choose a flat route and take it easy. keep the effort level low. you should be able to talk comfortably and not be gasping for breath. keep the gears low so that the pedals are easy to turn and your legs are moving at comfortable cadence. speed is not important. neither is the distance you cover. We are only interested in time spent on the bike. it is ok to freewheel down hills as it could be dangerous to pick up too much speed and you are going to have these minor rests on any spin. What we are trying to avoid is stopping to sit down or lie down for a prolonged period. leave at least one rest day between the two spins.

Starting Training

for participants beginning training at the end of february/March

ok so you’ve gone out and bought your bike and clothing. you’ve set up your bike so that you look and feel comfortable on it. now it’s time to get on with the job of training for the event. so fill your drinking bottle with water, take a spare tube and tyre levers (and of course your mobile phone), get your bike out of the shed and you’re ready for the off.

it is a good idea to plan your route before you set out and to let someone know where you are going and when, roughly, you intend to be back. for your first spin don’t be too ambitious. Plan a flattish route that will take you no more than an hour to complete. forget about the mileage in the early days of your training. it is the time spent on the bike that is important. The muscles have to become used to operating in the way and position that is dictated by the bike. no matter how fit you are in other sports, it will be a new challenge to your body to cycle continuously for a considerable length of time. keep your gears low (easy to push) so that your legs are rotating smoothly and easily, not pushing hard and slow.

The early spins serve to get your muscles and nervous system used to the repetitive action of cycling and thus become more efficient and economical.

Week 2cycle 1 X 75minutes flat, 2 X 30minutes flatTwo increases in workload this week. We have gone from 1 hour to 1hour 15min on our long spin and we have added a second half hour spin. if possible leave at least 48 hours between spins. again this week the emphasis is on cycling continuously. of course you will have to stop at stop signs and traffic lights but we won’t count these as they rarely provide a significant rest. remember to keep the pace and gears low. Try to relax on the bike. Think of rotating your legs in a smooth action rather than just pushing down on the pedals. you should also practice using your gears, getting the feel of the various ratios. Try out each of them to see what they feel like and to give yourself confidence in changing them. only change the right hand side or the left hand side in any one change. if you try to change both right and left at the same time you may knock the chain off.

Week 3 cycle 1 X 90min flat, 1 X 45 min flat, 1 X 30 min flatWe have increased our long spin by 15 min again and add 15 min to one of the shorter ones. remember to keep the pace easy on all of these spins. continue to practice changing gears. Try to find a gear that allows you to pedal at approximately 70-80 pedal revolutions per minute. if you have a cycle computer(or a watch) attached to your handle bars you can calculate your pedaling rate by counting how many times you right knee comes up in 10 seconds and multiply by 6. Practice drinking while you cycle but do so on a quiet, well surfaced road as it requires you to remove one hand from the handle bars.

Week 4 cycle 1 X 60min flat, 1 X 30min flatThe main function of this week’s training is to provide active recovery. That is why the volume of training is reduced on the previous week. it is a good idea to include a recovery week such as this every 3-5 weeks. This allows the body to deal with any cumulative fatigue and gives it the opportunity to recover and adapt (making you fitter). With this in mind you should make sure that you keep the pace very easy on the two spins this week.

Things To WaTch ouT for in The firsT MonTh if you have not been cycling regularly you may get some aches and pains on starting the schedule. These aches and pains can occur because the body is not used to the action and position of cycling. for this reason it is important to start very gently and to do short spins. a sore bottom is the most common discomfort that is experienced by new cyclists. using good cycling shorts and specially made creams or Vaseline (as on P10 above under clothing) will help prevent or reduce this. usually this is no more than discomfort. in some cases a boil or pimple can occur. it can become very sore and may be caused by bacteria so making sure that you wash your shorts after each use and not hanging around in them for protracted periods after cycling is a good preventative measure. if you do develop a boil you should visit your doctor or at least speak to a pharmacist. another common area to give problems initially are knees. knee pain is usually caused by too much too soon.

Prevention is much better than cure so follow the advice above about starting gradually no matter how enthusiastic you feel. if you do develop knee pain (it could be any one of a number of conditions) rest for a few days. use those days to check your saddle height against the formula mentioned above under cycling position. a saddle that is too low is more likely to give knee problems than one that is too high. you could also try using lower gears (easier to push) as constantly working against a high resistance can lead to knee problems. if your knee problems persist then a visit to a physiotherapist is required. hands can also suffer discomfort in the early days of training. This could be due to too much weight on the hands. Try adjusting your position by raising the handle bars and/or moving them forward. neck soreness is also often as a result of having the bars too low (as the muscles at the back of the neck have to keep the head pulled up so that you can see where you are going). discomfort in the back may also be solved by experimenting with your cycling position. if you are changing your cycling position, do so in very small increments over a period of 2-3 weeks. again if pain or discomfort persists see a physiotherapist.

and pedal at a slightly lower rate than normal (65-75 pedal rpm) while working a good bit harder than normal is ideal. The trick to hill climbing on a bike is to start easier than you think you should be going. lower your gear before you start up the hill. as you continue up the hill you will find that fatigue accumulates and by the top you are working quite hard. if you set out hard at the bottom of the hill you will more than likely end up walking before you get to the top. on the hill your breathing should be strong but not gasping. you should be able to talk but only just. The other 2 spins this week should be easy and flat.

Week 6cycle 1 X 120min, 1 X 70min flat, 1 X 30min with hillsThis week’s focus is on smooth pedalling. on your 70minute and 30minute spins spend 2-3 periods of about 5 minutes being conscious of how you pedal. Think about rotating the pedal rather than just pushing it downwards. consciously bring your foot up from the bottom of the stroke and bring it forward over the “6 o’clock” position. Think about keeping your upper body still but relaxed. use a low gear for this so that your cadence (pedaling rate) is approximately 85-100 rpm. do this on a flat, quiet piece of road as it will take some concentration.

Week 5cycle 1 X 110min flat, 1 X 60min flat, 1 X 30min with some hills.This week the introduction of hills is a stimulus to the body’s powers of adaptation. for your hilly spin pick a route that has a hill that you can ride up (not too steep) and that will take you approximately 4-8 minutes to climb. a longish gradual climb that allows you to sit in the saddle

Week 7cycle 1 X 130min flat, 1 X 90min flat, 1 X 30min with hills.The two longer spins have increased again this week. Because of this you might find it necessary to do them on consecutive days (saturday and sunday). This should not be a problem at this stage provided you recover well. you can assist recovery in a number of ways. keeping hydrated during your spin will mean that you recover quicker than if you allow yourself to become dehydrated. eat during your longer spins as this prevents you running down your energy stores which will not be easily restored if completely emptied. it is important for recovery to eat soon after training. ideally you should eat a snack which contains approximately 4:1 carbohydrate to protein within 40 minutes of finishing your spin. another recovery technique which can help avoid injuries is stretching. This should be done after your spin (when warm) and should involve all the major muscles groups. remember to start gently! don’t forget to do the pedaling technique exercises as you did last week.

eaTing on The Bike With 2 hour plus spins a regular occurrence from now on eating and drinking on the bike becomes more important. as we are not racing plain water is fine as a drink. if you wish you can use one of the many sports drinks which are designed for use during exercise. These are particularly important if you find it difficult to eat while cycling as they will provide some energy as well as replace lost fluid. eating on the bike needs to be practiced. This is because it takes a bit of skill to get something out of your rear pocket, open packaging, take a bite of the food, and replace the packet into your rear pocket while travelling along at maybe30kmh. it is also important to experiment with the food you use to see what suits you best. foods that you may enjoy normally may disagree with you when taken while cycling. as a general guide whatever food you take should be high in carbohydrates, may have some protein and be very low in fat.

Week 8cycle 1 X 60min flat, 1 X 40min flat.another recovery week and a chance to let the body’s adaptive systems deal with the hard work you’ve put in the last month so take it easy and get lots of rest. group ridingBy now you should be comfortable and competent on your bike to take part in group spins. riding in a group provides support, moral, mechanical and physical. it can turn a training exercise into a very enjoyable social occasion. More importantly, it allows you to travel further faster for less energy output. sharing the pace making at the front of the group reduces the time each individual rider has to work at pushing through the air. riding behind another rider can save you up to 25% of the energy you would need to ride at the front at that speed. The effect is greater at higher speeds or in strong headwinds.

There are a few important points that will make the experience of group riding more enjoyable and safer.• always ride with your head up, looking

ahead of the rider in front of you. This will allow you to react to road hazards and changes of direction and speed.

• stay relaxed but alert with your hand closed on the handlebars near the brakes.

• ride slightly to one side of the rear wheel in front of you to allow you somewhere to go if he/she should stop suddenly.

• ride two abreast unless this causes traffic difficulties.

• always shout and/or indicate potholes, parked cars and other road hazards as those behind may not be able to see them.

• never stop or change direction suddenly as it could cause those behind to collide with you.

• signal your intention and tell those behind you before you slow down, stop or move from the group.

it is considered good practice among cyclists to rotate turns at the front of the group. This is normally done by the leading rider on the outside passing the leading rider who is on the inside (kerbside). The outside leading rider then moves to the inside leading position. The 2nd placed rider on the outside then follows through into the front position on the outside and is now alongside the person who was leading him/her. now the whole outside line has moved up one place. at the back of the inside line the last person moves out to join the outside line and fill the vacancy left when the line moved up. These changes can take place from every 100m in difficult conditions to every 5-6 km in easy conditions/paces.

Week 9 cycle 1 X 130min flat, 1 X 90min with hills in last 30min, 1 X 30min hilly, 1 X 30min flat.following our recovery week we are increasing several aspects of our training this week. While the maximum time on the bike remains the same, the number of sessions per week increases from 3 to 4. on our 30min hilly spin you can increase the steepness of the hills you include but do try to find ones which you can ride sitting and which take 4-8minutes to climb. on the 90min spin include some hills in the last half hour and again these should be ridden while sitting in the saddle and pedaling smoothly with a still upper body. as this week coincides with the May bank holiday, you could try ridding 3 of these spins back to back. The best way to do this is to start with the 130min spin, followed by the 30min flat spin and finishing your long weekend with the 90min spin.

Week 10 cycle 1 X150min flat, 1 X 120min with hills towards end, 1 X 40min hilly, 1 X 40min flatThis week sees an increase in time in all of the 4 spins. The effort level in the longest of these spins should remain low. you should be able to talk comfortably most of the time. By way of contrast on your 40min hilly spin you can put in a bit more effort so that you can only get a couple of words out at a time and you are breathing deeply and rapidly but not gasping. ride the hills sitting in the saddle as stated above. however this time try using 1 gear higher than you normally would. so if you normally changed down at the foot of the hill to the 3rd sprocket this time stay on the 4th sprocket and try to deal with the extra resistance without moving the upper body about. your cadence will decrease but that is ok. concentrate on rotating the pedals rather than simply pushing them down. your cumulative time doing this kind of strength endurance work should not exceed 12 minutes on this spin. This is a very effective strength endurance exercise. as such it is probably best to have a rest day immediately after it.

Week 11cycle 1 X170 minutes flat, 1 X130 minutes with hills in 2nd half, 1 X 40 minutes hilly, 1 X 1 hour flat.our long spins continue to increase this week with an increase in one of the shorter ones also. continue to do the long spin at an easy pace and do the same strength endurance exercise as last week on the 40 min hilly spin. if you are feeling adventurous this week you could try participating in one of the leisure cycling events which cycling clubs all over the country organise. These are usually referred to as “sportives” or “randonnes”. They are non-competitive touring events which are generally run on scenic roads which are marked (and/or for which a route sheet is provided). feed stations are provided along the way and a back up vehicle for mechanical mishaps is commonly on call. details of these events are available on www.cyclingireland.ie or www.irishcycling.com These spotives or randonnes can be used for covering your long spin from now on if it suits you. This is by far the hardest week so far so be sure to pay attention to recovery and rest.

Week 12cycle 2 X 90minutes flat to rolling, 1 X 40minutes flatanother recovery week this week so take it easy on all these spins

Week 13cycle 1 X 180 minutes flat, 1 X 130 minutes with hills in 2nd half, 1 X 1hour flat, 1 X 40 minutes hillyWe have finally hit the magic 3 hour continuous figure. achieving this level means that if you continue to train you will be at a level that you can enjoy the 5 days of cycling to Paris rather than simply enduring them.

Week 14cycle 1X 120-180minutes flattish, 1X 100min with hills in 2nd half, 1X 1hour flat, 1X 40min hillyWe are now in the tapering phase of our training. from now on we will be bringing the time on the bike down to allow recovery and adaptation to take place. We will be giving the body some other shorter, sharper stimulus to maintain the gains we have got and hopefully get a few more.

also this week take advantage of the reduced schedule to check over your bike or have it checked over and serviced in a good bike shop. Pay particular attention to cables which become corroded in bad weather and should be replaced regularly. it would probably be a good idea to fit new tyres as you are lightly to have had a considerable amount of wear and tear on your current set. a blow out can be inconvenient normally.Brake blocks should be replaced if they show any signs of wear.have the bike shop check your chain rings, cassette and chain for wear. if you have your bike for a year or two and have been following the schedule it is likely that these components will need replacing.

Week 15cycle 2 X 90min rolling, 1 X 40 min flat –rolling in the last 30minutes of one of the long spins pick a place about 8-12km ahead and time yourself to see how quickly you can get there. your pace should be brought up gradually over the first km so that you don’t start too fast and end up not being able to sustain the pace. This is a little top end training that will stimulate the adaptive processes. But do remember that you are on open roads and keep your head up and wits about you. This hard riding should last no longer than 15 minutes. When you finish it lower your gears and drop your pace to very easy for 5-10minutes before stopping to allow a gradual cool down. This exercise can be repeated on the 40 min spin. Make sure you have at least a rest day between the two hard sessions. get plenty of rest this week. Pay particular attention to getting to bed early. it is important not to be tempted to do any more than this. at this stage your training is done. adding extra at this stage will not have any benefit as the training effect will not have time to take place. in fact it will simply tire you out and you will go into the event itself un-recovered. The idea of the tapering period is to allow the training effect to take place and to allow you to be fresh going onto to the event. now less is more so it’s time to relax. enjoy the trip!

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The ORM Dublin to Paris Cycle Challenge 2012