73km Adventure race taper advice.

The Noble Nudge

Hi,
Just looking for tapering advice from the experienced please...
Finished 12 weeks of training 3 weeks to the big day and need to cut down gradually...

To give you an idea of the last week,
Mon.. Day gym weights strength work.....evening 7 mile flat run,
Tues..Day core, stretch & roller work....evening 50km hill cycle 700m climbing
Wed..Day gym weights strength work....evening 7 mile hill run,
Thurs..Day core, stretch & roller work....eveneing 50km hill cycle flat out
Fri...day gym light weights...evening off
Sat... 7 mile hill run 50km hilly cycle straight after....
Sun...rest

Any ideas of what distance I should be knocking down too.
Feel tired to be honest...

Any tips for getting used to cycling in runners again... I put back on ordinary pedals...feels weird

Peterx

The Noble Nudge wrote: »

Hi,

Any tips for getting used to cycling in runners again... I put back on ordinary pedals...feels weird

A big toebox in the pedals will help. You want the ball of your foot over the spindle of the pedal otherwise you end up using your calf muscles too much and you need those for running. Do all your cycling from now on in the toe clips.
Take a couple of evenings off, visit family/friends, chill out a bit. Keep active after that or else your body will go into hibernation. Short sharp stuff to keep you ticking over but not make you mentally tired. Make sure your bike is good working order and had good tyres/brake pads on, it would be a shame to lose time with a mechanical or a puncture after getting your body in shape.
And enjoy the race, that's what all the training was for

lgk

As an alternative to toe clips, the Bagaboo straps work well.

The Noble Nudge

lgk wrote: »

As an alternative to toe clips, the Bagaboo straps work well.

Any idea how long from ordering to delivery??
They are based in Hungary I take it and its coming from there not China??
Thanks

lgk

OnTrack in Christchurch sell them. €20 I think.

The Noble Nudge

lgk wrote: »

OnTrack in Christchurch sell them. €20 I think.

perfect worth €20 for the investigation as I climb out of the saddle a lot

Enduro

Just make sure whatever you get that you'll be able to release quickly in a crash. Cages without straps work well for me, adding a bit of grip for the upstoke without holding in too tightly. Looking at those bagaboo yokes, I wouldn't ride any off-road terraine with them. So it all depends on the race you're doing. If it's the one in a week or two in a county near Dublin then you'd be fine with them. If it was GF I'd avoid, as the risk of broken limbs would be too high.

The Noble Nudge

Enduro wrote: »

Just make sure whatever you get that you'll be able to release quickly in a crash. Cages without straps work well for me, adding a bit of grip for the upstoke without holding in too tightly. Looking at those bagaboo yokes, I wouldn't ride any off-road terraine with them. So it all depends on the race you're doing. If it's the one in a week or two in a county near Dublin then you'd be fine with them. If it was GF I'd avoid, as the risk of broken limbs would be too high.

Yes that's the one I'm doing...
Was looking at cages without straps but could only find plastic ones...

The Noble Nudge

Enduro what about tapering the training lad???

Oryx

I don't see any bike-to-run sessions in your examples, in your shorter taper sets it might be worth doing one or two sessions that involve running off the bike. It will really help you make that transition during the race.

As mentioned, keep sessions short but put in bursts of hard effort to remind your legs what they have to do. I would also spend time rolling and stretching your calves, they will suffer most with a hilly course.

lgk

Enduro wrote: »

Just make sure whatever you get that you'll be able to release quickly in a crash. ...Looking at those bagaboo yokes, I wouldn't ride any off-road terraine with them.

I, and one of the other lads on our team wore them on the Beast last year, they're very easy get out of when you need to...even on day two when the legs are tired!

The Noble Nudge

Oryx wrote: »

I don't see any bike-to-run sessions in your examples, in your shorter taper sets it might be worth doing one or two sessions that involve running off the bike. It will really help you make that transition during the race.

As mentioned, keep sessions short but put in bursts of hard effort to remind your legs what they have to do. I would also spend time rolling and stretching your calves, they will suffer most with a hilly course.

Ah I've them that's just last weeks training.
Have to say this hanging round is harder than the training itself

glasshopper

did the taper work ??
glad I brought my hat. hailstones lashing the side of my head on Djouce.

The Noble Nudge

glasshopper wrote: »

did the taper work ??
glad I brought my hat. hailstones lashing the side of my head on Djouce.

I don't know still tired after been beaten by a hurricane.......
Felt rusty starting out but did a good few PR's in it......:cool:
Top 50 was the aim and was well within that so happy out.
Still would love to know how the winner did it under 4 hours:eek: