AllAboutRides Posted July 12, 2018 Posted July 12, 2018 Anyone else doing the race next year? Let’s start chatting about the event leading up to race day in 2019, share ideas and tips for training! I’m doing my firts one so don’t know if must be nervous or excited, but for know I’m EXCITED!!! Good luck everyone doing this event next year.
Uncleslow Posted July 16, 2018 Posted July 16, 2018 Junk miles is a waste of time. Do proper 3-5 hour MTB rides twice a week and 3x interval / power days. Add one or two days with some core training. Easy week every 4 weeks. Learn to hydrate -biggest killer at Epic, and eat proper food. No goo. Service your bike 100% before ride and replace everything. Amazing how many mechanical break downs you see. Why save a few bob, when you have spent plenty to ride? Prepare and make life easy. Book laundry. Hygiene everything - I recon biggest rider drop out is due to the germ factor! Take it easy on the prologue. It is a long race. I would recommend a few proper stage races before - i.e. Tankwa or similar (TT is now 4 days, Cool.). Lastly, taper off two weeks prior to ride. Most important thing you can do!
AllAboutRides Posted July 18, 2018 Author Posted July 18, 2018 Junk miles is a waste of time. Do proper 3-5 hour MTB rides twice a week and 3x interval / power days. Add one or two days with some core training. Easy week every 4 weeks. Learn to hydrate -biggest killer at Epic, and eat proper food. No goo. Service your bike 100% before ride and replace everything. Amazing how many mechanical break downs you see. Why save a few bob, when you have spent plenty to ride? Prepare and make life easy. Book laundry. Hygiene everything - I recon biggest rider drop out is due to the germ factor! Take it easy on the prologue. It is a long race. I would recommend a few proper stage races before - i.e. Tankwa or similar (TT is now 4 days, Cool.). Lastly, taper off two weeks prior to ride. Most important thing you can do! Awesome! That's some good advice thank you. Are you riding next year?
Tatt Posted July 18, 2018 Posted July 18, 2018 It is an amazing ride, you will learn a lot about yourself.. Besides the very good advice above, try and get the flu jab as soon as the new one is out, or develop a serious case of OCD and don't touch anything for a few weeks before and during the race! Stop and take photos, you will ride in places you will most likely never see again. Look after your backside, if you can't see any cream on your saddle, you haven't used enough.. If me and my partner overtake you, it means you are in the bottom 10 of the field... Tom
FirstV8 Posted July 18, 2018 Posted July 18, 2018 Junk miles is a waste of time. Do proper 3-5 hour MTB rides twice a week and 3x interval / power days. Add one or two days with some core training. Easy week every 4 weeks. Learn to hydrate -biggest killer at Epic, and eat proper food. No goo. Service your bike 100% before ride and replace everything. Amazing how many mechanical break downs you see. Why save a few bob, when you have spent plenty to ride? Prepare and make life easy. Book laundry. Hygiene everything - I recon biggest rider drop out is due to the germ factor! Take it easy on the prologue. It is a long race. I would recommend a few proper stage races before - i.e. Tankwa or similar (TT is now 4 days, Cool.). Lastly, taper off two weeks prior to ride. Most important thing you can do! This is a perfect schedule to follow . The training in kilometers can be set according to your current fitness level but keep gauging and keeping a record of your training . Hygiene is a big factor when away from home so make sure to not skimp on it . The type of food you normally eat , stick to it build up your immune system . As suggested do few smaller stage races to get the feel of it , long days in the saddle , eating later than normal times and sleeping in a tent on a unfamiliar mattress .Good luck .
MarcL Posted July 18, 2018 Posted July 18, 2018 Anyone else doing the race next year? Let’s start chatting about the event leading up to race day in 2019, share ideas and tips for training! I’m doing my firts one so don’t know if must be nervous or excited, but for know I’m EXCITED!!! Good luck everyone doing this event next year.HiWelcome to the biggest adventure of your biking career.Uncleslow is right on the money. I have finished 2 and the first one I was over prepared (read expensive) and for the second I was complacent and under prepared (read suffered!!!) My tips are:Hygiene is a must. I lost my partner this year to the bug. Hand cleaner all the time. Take off gloves at water points etc.- Laundry service is worth it- Drinks service not worth it in my view- Eat real food only - no gels- Massage service is worth it- Bike serve worth it - I used Knipe Racing and Louis is fantastic!!! Quality training is more valuable than quantity trainingDo the Tankwa trekDon't get sucked into a race, control your pace and keep your HR in Zone3 as much as possible.Go Tubless and if 1X go with smaller ring than you normally use. Make sure your bike is tip top (fully serviced - Knipe racing) with new chain, brake pads, tyres and sealant before the start. If you use Strava (or Training peaks) you need your Fitness and Freshness (CTL on TP) to be at least 60 but preferably closer to 80 before the start. Enjoy the adventure.
DieselnDust Posted July 18, 2018 Posted July 18, 2018 Might be there, might not. Depends on whether I can buy an entry closer to the time having been unsuccessful in the lottery. Husband of my wife's pal rode Epic 2018. Had an "Epic" March.Rode tour of Good Hope as final prep, then sub3'd the Argust and then tackled the Epic after a weeks rest. His CTL was over a 100 before the prologue. This tells me two weeks of taper isn't necessary. Also CTL isn't indicative of your relative fitness, just that you have been consistent in raising your fitness from your starting point. I'd be more inclined to say that you need a PTW of >3.0W/Kg and a positive TSB (your form or freshness). I appreciate everyone will have different ideas on this so lets hope this part of the discussion flourishes. All good advice above especially the hygiene bits. He gave me some good tips on bike maintenance, riding kit, nutrition etc. I'm definitely in the natural food camp.
V12man Posted July 18, 2018 Posted July 18, 2018 I am having fomo.... got an entry over the weekend and giving it away to one of my ride group... Will perhaps reconsider in September/october.... depending on my partners health status at the time.
jcza Posted July 18, 2018 Posted July 18, 2018 Another case of FOMO here. Advice, there's already plenty. I see guys mention CTL of 60. Do you even train bro? I would aim much higher than that. Do a big block in Dec/Jan of 5 days, similar to race distances so you know what to expect. Sabie or Dullstroom is perfect unless of course you're in the Cape. Tankwa is fantastic prep after which you should be race ready. I ate gels for 8 days and nothing happened to me so I guess you can eat what you like. Solid food in the final 2 hours of the stage won't help much, so maybe worth considering something else. The rest you know, wash hands often and enjoy the ride.
AllAboutRides Posted July 18, 2018 Author Posted July 18, 2018 What is CTL and what do you guys consider as junk miles?
V12man Posted July 18, 2018 Posted July 18, 2018 What is CTL and what do you guys consider as junk miles?Chronic Training Load. Any ride where you dont have a specific goal or training load is junk miles. Fine to go and practice skills but not training - on the other hand 4 x 20min at 120% FTP is also junk*... just for different reasons... ???? *your ftp is wrong...
Uncleslow Posted July 18, 2018 Posted July 18, 2018 Awesome! That's some good advice thank you. Are you riding next year?Did 2018. Friends doing 2019. Had a great coach, and learned to ride clever rather than waste time. Of course distance and time is important, but it is a fallacy that you have to do mega hours - and road is junk miles, including SBR etc. I used a power meter, HR and IF and finished in style. Best thing is the taper and rest periods - as well as the sensible diet. You will do fine!
AllAboutRides Posted July 18, 2018 Author Posted July 18, 2018 Did 2018. Friends doing 2019.Had a great coach, and learned to ride clever rather than waste time. Of course distance and time is important, but it is a fallacy that you have to do mega hours - and road is junk miles, including SBR etc. I used a power meter, HR and IF and finished in style.Best thing is the taper and rest periods - as well as the sensible diet. You will do fine!Congrats on finishing the 2018 Cape Epic. Also looking to get a coach so recommendations welcome! What was your training plan like? Hours per week ect.
jcza Posted July 19, 2018 Posted July 19, 2018 Did 2018. Friends doing 2019. Had a great coach, and learned to ride clever rather than waste time. Of course distance and time is important, but it is a fallacy that you have to do mega hours - and road is junk miles, including SBR etc. I used a power meter, HR and IF and finished in style. Best thing is the taper and rest periods - as well as the sensible diet. You will do fine!Strong statement there uncle that road is junk miles, I respectfully disagree. Building base and riding tempo on road is invaluable for MTB racing.
WIPEOUT 1000 Posted July 19, 2018 Posted July 19, 2018 Make sure that you have the right partner. It is really important that your goals are aligned.
AllAboutRides Posted July 19, 2018 Author Posted July 19, 2018 Chronic Training Load. Any ride where you dont have a specific goal or training load is junk miles. Fine to go and practice skills but not training - on the other hand 4 x 20min at 120% FTP is also junk*... just for different reasons... *your ftp is wrong... Where and how do you get your CTL? Is it really that important to train according to that info?
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