Subject: Feedback Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:19:35 -0700
Hey,
Now that the dust has settled, wanted to give you some feedback about
the training programme for the Tour!!
As you know, the aim of this project was to ride the route of the 2009
TdF in the same time frame as the pro riders. This meant that we would
have to be in a condition to cycle consecutive 200km days.
In preparing for the project, we needed to develop a training programme
that did more than focus simply on sitting on a bike. The conditioning
programme you devised was critical in 3 key areas:
- Building muscle strength
- Extending muscle range
- Developing muscle stamina
A further personal challenge for me was the desire to lose a 'bit of
bulk' before the ride. In the past, the endurance events I have
undertaken have required bulking up to some degree to overcome muscle
wastage. However, with this project I felt it was essential to lose in
the region of 7-10Kg. I was a bit concerned that this would result in a
loss of power and strength.
Outcomes I will not pretend that every day of the Tour route was a walk
in the park from a physical point of view, but I was surprised at how
well my body responded to the challenge. To a very large extent, I put
this down to the programme you devised. To my mind it achieved 3
essential outcomes:
- I remained injury free
- I used my muscles effectively and efficiently
- I was able to maintain power & strength outputs at a lighter body weight
On reflection, the programme had other positives. It provided both a
quantifiable measure of progress over time during training (with all the
associated mental & emotional benefits) and a welcome, beneficial,
contrast to time on the bike especially on cold/wet days when it would
have been easy to skip a session!!