Author Topic: Time To Taper?  (Read 3254 times)

Time To Taper?
« on: 22 July, 2019, 09:32:33 pm »
What's your training regime with less than 4 weeks to the event?

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Time To Taper?
« Reply #1 on: 22 July, 2019, 09:37:22 pm »
Generally take it pretty easy with a week to go and get lots of sleep. Shorter, sharp efforts before that.

One time I started PBP more sleep-deprived than when I finished (courtesy of work). That was a long, slow, difficult ride bouncing against the time limit.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Diesel

  • or Richard
Re: Time To Taper?
« Reply #2 on: 22 July, 2019, 09:41:38 pm »
I have found in the past that backing off activity too far has coincided with me picking up colds and illnesses.

Last year before my big ride I didn't change my regime too much, just took it a bit easier although I did quite a hard club ride 7 days before and that seemed to work better for me.

Re: Time To Taper?
« Reply #3 on: 22 July, 2019, 09:50:50 pm »
Well we've just rode 800km over 3 nights as the days are simply so hot here in Spain. I'm thinking now we should cut out the longer rides and concentrate on club rides and shorter hilly rides. Just looking for advice.

bairn again

Re: Time To Taper?
« Reply #4 on: 22 July, 2019, 10:15:24 pm »
one more audax this coming weekend then nothing more than about 50 miles after that until about a week out.

Im focussing on getting plenty sleep and cutting back big time on caffeine and alcohol as well in the final month. 


Re: Time To Taper?
« Reply #5 on: 22 July, 2019, 10:20:49 pm »
Currently doing a FTP builder programme on Zwift, 1 hour efforts. 
Off to spend a week diving the WW1 German Fleet in Orkney on Friday. 
Then a DIY 200 for RRtY when I get back followed by plenty of rest and kit fettling.

zigzag

  • unfuckwithable
Re: Time To Taper?
« Reply #6 on: 22 July, 2019, 10:37:41 pm »
i will do a ~800km comprising of 70-100km rides (full gas) in the next two weeks, then a week of short (1-2hr) flat out efforts up the hills and a week of taking it easy before the event.

rob

Re: Time To Taper?
« Reply #7 on: 22 July, 2019, 10:39:35 pm »
Need to recover from this weekend first.

Re: Time To Taper?
« Reply #8 on: 22 July, 2019, 11:01:56 pm »
Just done a 400k overnight this weekend. Doing 600k next week over 3 days then tapering for 2 weeks on a beach in Spain!  ;D

phil dubya

  • It's a fast bike, but the engine's knackered.
Re: Time To Taper?
« Reply #9 on: 22 July, 2019, 11:02:02 pm »
Now the school holidays are here I can cycle commute again. For me this is 50km a day which I find builds my strength nicely.  I'll stop cycling from Wednesday before PBP for acouple days off the bike. 

I've a 200k & 100k for first 2 weekends in August. I may ditch the 100k.

I'll keep the core / stretching / physio rehab exercises all the way until I leave for Paris.

Re: Time To Taper?
« Reply #10 on: 22 July, 2019, 11:43:19 pm »
My preparation has been unusual this year as I’ve only done 30 bike rides, but the average distance is 250km. I am definitely tapering now after the Mersey 24 at the weekend but still plan to ride a 200km on each of the next three weekends before heading to France.


Re: Time To Taper?
« Reply #11 on: 23 July, 2019, 03:12:50 pm »
Need to recover from this weekend first.
How did you get on?  Was it as good as the comp records suggest?  I was sincing for you and my clubmates on Saturday with the amount of wnd

Re: Time To Taper?
« Reply #12 on: 23 July, 2019, 03:39:30 pm »
Carry on riding as normal, this year is no different to any other year!!!

simonp

Re: Time To Taper?
« Reply #13 on: 23 July, 2019, 03:41:40 pm »
Racing in a coxed 4 this weekend then try to sharpen up with some shorter harder stuff and a few longer rides at the weekend.

Only tapering for a week.

rob

Re: Time To Taper?
« Reply #14 on: 23 July, 2019, 08:49:06 pm »
Need to recover from this weekend first.
How did you get on?  Was it as good as the comp records suggest?  I was sincing for you and my clubmates on Saturday with the amount of wnd

Large PB and club record. Conditions good. There’s a more thorough thread over in the racing section.

Re: Time To Taper?
« Reply #15 on: 23 July, 2019, 08:58:27 pm »
setting off tomorrow night on 1,000 km DIY to check LLEL* route for next year, and hoping to raise a few quid here

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/laidbackrich

London - Land's End - London

Alex B

  • Headwind specialist
    • Where is there an end of it?
Re: Time To Taper?
« Reply #16 on: 24 July, 2019, 08:00:04 am »
What's your training regime with less than 4 weeks to the event?

Try to maintain fitness by training hard until one week to go (in my case that means mixing up hard turbo sessions with longer easier outside rides), then have one easier week. Avoid the de-training effect of any audaxes.

I am intrigued by the TrainerRoad guys' view that tapering is more for racers; for endurance events you should pretty much train right into them.

vorsprung

  • Opposites Attract
    • Audaxing
Re: Time To Taper?
« Reply #17 on: 24 July, 2019, 10:01:32 am »
hhhmmmhhmmm well

Usually I would leave 10 days between a big effort (ie riding 300km+ or a time trial) and the start of an event
But last PBP I had rather more time taking it easy as I had a minor knee strain and this seemed to work ok
I am 8 years older now but at a similar level of fitness.  I weigh about 4Kg more  :-\ and it's not all muscle :)

The literature on tapering says restrict yourself to very short - but fairly intense efforts - during the days leading up the event

Probably what I will do this time is a 300 on the weekend of Aug 3rd, short blast on Thursday/Friday and then don't ride for a bit.  Getting to Paris I am riding 180km from Dieppe during Friday.  I'll be doing that at a relaxed pace ( I hope...but reading Yanto's recent post....:) :D  :o :P )

Hopefully this should see me at the start line in a fit state to zip along at a good pace. 



Re: Time To Taper?
« Reply #18 on: 24 July, 2019, 10:03:04 am »
Weather the way it is, time to torpor has taken hold here.

simonp

Re: Time To Taper?
« Reply #19 on: 24 July, 2019, 11:10:39 am »
What's your training regime with less than 4 weeks to the event?

Try to maintain fitness by training hard until one week to go (in my case that means mixing up hard turbo sessions with longer easier outside rides), then have one easier week. Avoid the de-training effect of any audaxes.

I am intrigued by the TrainerRoad guys' view that tapering is more for racers; for endurance events you should pretty much train right into them.

I don't know. Going into PBP with a lot of fatigue could be tough. I'd rather have fresh legs at the start. Particularly in the A group.

Interesting stuff here: https://www.peakendurancesport.com/endurance-training/training-structure-and-planning/form-tapering-works-best-sports/

Phil W

Re: Time To Taper?
« Reply #20 on: 25 July, 2019, 10:55:33 am »
Doing a solo hilly 300 with a 10pm start tomorrow.  Thankfully it's forecast to rain. Then I'll just continue what I've been mostly doing since end of qualifiers, which is reasonably hilly routes of 2-3 hours, a few times a week.

Tapering is all about losing fatigue whilst keeping as much fitness as possible.  So how long you taper and by how much depends how tired you're feeling from your current level of riding.

Tapering doesn't necessarily mean sitting on the sofa eating pizza for three weeks.