2010 Argus Cycle Tour & Giro del Capo

[Bram_on_Madone]

Thanks for the tips - I'll definitely hit the summer fun rides hard.  Should be able to pick the average speed up now that I have reseeded to a better start group.

 

With work, training and social commitments I don't know how I'm going to find time for 10 hours of sleep though - I struggle to squeeze in 6 hours at the moment...

[Woofie]

mmm.... you really need to up that sleep a bit.

You will see what I mean when you start hitting the tar for a race once a week.

If your body cant recover between sessions you actually make yourself weaker.

 

 

[PeterM]

Do you guys know of any social groups in southern suburbs training together for next years Argus? I'm doing it on a tandem again next year and would like to do a 3h20....

 

@Saudiq - I am in the southern subs as well but I also struggled to find a training group. That's why i do most of my club riding in the Tableview/Durbanville area. When i ride by myself I do laps around the Rondebosch common and then go up to Rhodes Mem; or "do"Simonstown etc. 3h20 would be my aim as well.

 

@Woofie - thanks for the great 'n detailed info. Very much my line-of-thought as well. Planning to do some serious training during the next few months as we are staying at home for Xmas. The "weight" and not being dropped by your race bunch (on hills and during low energy spells) are presently my main issues.

 

I really, really like doing the Argus. It is a great event and our national benchmark. 2010 will be my 3rd one.

[Reg Lizard]

Woofie: I am now more convinced than ever that you are a PPA rep

 

Does seem quite tough if you plot it like that!  I have been hitting around 3 hours for the recent 100km fun rides and what's the point of setting goals if they are not (almost) impossible!

Dont give up hope Braam.
I took a quick sneek peek at your results now.

Lets see what the 12 weelk program thing entails.
Maybe it will include some "miracle drugs"

Also' date=' if you want to do really well at the argus, you need to then get your @ss down to the races happening this summer.
Make a mental choice that you are not going to fall off the group no matter what happens.
You need to get your body used to race pace, riding at 40km/h. Pushing over the red line on climbs.
If you cramp up on hard races, this is the only way to stop cramping.
You need to get your body used to that abuse.

To be very honest.
I dont know how "wonderful" this 12 week thing is going to be anyway.
I can bet you that you would be faaaarrrr stronger if you had to do all the races and use the rest of the week to do recovery rides only.
It takes your body a few days to recover from a maximum effort so 1 race a week with 5  recovery rides of 1-2 hours long will make you a machine.
Out of racing season you can do harder stuff in the week because you are never going to hit that intensity on your own.

Also remember that the harder you are training the more you need to sleep. So for the next few months adjust your lifestyle to try to get more than 8 hours.
Read a thing little while ago that pro athletes benifited more from getting 10 hours a night!
I have a small baby so broken sleep for me is a way of life, but I can feel the immediately feel the toll that it has on me.

[/quote']

[Woofie]

 

 

 

[Drinks@Brawn]

Woofie

Very interesting scale of time. I am hitting 32/ 34 km ave at last few races. I am busy with training programme, hoping to the Summer races flying.

 

 

[Minion]

Some sub-3 facts for the 2008 Argus:

 

Of the 28,315 officially timed finishers, 1721 finished under 3hrs.

 

6 people in I group were sub-3, noone starting after them made it (although some were within a minute or two)

 

A sub-3 gave an 18 seeding index.

 

An 18 seeding index is roughly a 2:39 for 2009 Dome2Dome, 2:55 for 2009 Telkom Satellite and 2:44 for 2009 94.7.

 

 

 

[MaxUmis]

Thank you for crushing all my big dreams Edman

 

Cr*p... so I'll have to aim sub 3h30... just like the 94.7...

 

 

 

Good info though... MaxUmis2009-12-10 09:04:18

[Saudiq]

Anyone have some training tips for tandem riders to complete the Argus in 3h20?

[RaceChick]

Would love to do this Argus but not this year,

 

will be watching how all you guys are doing on that day.

 

Good luck with all the training.

[Minion]

 

Thank you for crushing all my big dreams Edman

 

Sorry

 

I think, the critical part for a sub-3 is your starting group. To some extent, a good group will pull you along, even if fitness isn't up to scratch. On the other hand, you need to be seriously strong to finish sub-3 in one of the later groups.

 

Why don't you change your goals a bit? Rather than aim for a 3:30, aim to come in the top 10 of your group or something like that.

 

[Colin H]

This will be my first one, hope to break 4hrs after 3.44 for 94.7

[ErikV]

Anyone looking to swop an entry? I missed the entries, but would like to ride. Let me know by DM.

[Drinks@Brawn]

Anyone looking to swop an entry? I missed the entries' date=' but would like to ride. Let me know by DM.[/quote']

 

Contact Cycle Tour office in January and ask about substitution. I think it is only done in Febuary.

[MaxUmis]

 

Thank you for crushing all my big dreams Edman

 

Sorry I think' date=' the critical part for a sub-3 is your starting group. To some extent, a good group will pull you along, even if fitness isn't up to scratch. On the other hand, you need to be seriously strong to finish sub-3 in one of the later groups.Why don't you change your goals a bit? Rather than aim for a 3:30, aim to come in the top 10 of your group or something like that.[/quote']

 

 

 

mmm... I already have a "top 10 in starting group" tik on my list (6th in group UU of the 94.7 )... And a sub 3 hour ride on a 97km race (2h46 in the Bakwena)...

 

The logical next aim should be to chat up a cycle chick in a race, but I doubt the GF will like that very much...      

 

 

 

What are you okes aiming for in this Argus?

[riaanb]

 

Some sub-3 facts for the 2008 Argus:

 

Of the 28' date='315 officially timed finishers, 1721 finished under 3hrs.

 

6 people in I group were sub-3, noone starting after them made it (although some were within a minute or two)

 

A sub-3 gave an 18 seeding index.

 

An 18 seeding index is roughly a 2:39 for 2009 Dome2Dome, 2:55 for 2009 Telkom Satellite and 2:44 for 2009 94.7.

 

 

 

[/quote']

 

Interesting analysis Edman. I couldn't make it to Argus in 2008, but i have been informed that those were the best conditions in years and thus also the best times. Could you have a look at other years like 2006 or 2007?