So, this ToS has terrible timing for me. Day one - Sunday coincided with the final XC race of our local club series. Which I don’t just race, but also organise and to the track marking for. So, I was on my XC bike for around 3 hours (including 1.5 hours at race pace). Then I came home and did ToS stage one. Another 2 hours on the bike.
The day after ToS Stage 7 there is a local once a year time trial hill climb. Described by Richie Porte as one of the toughest time trials around. 20km climbing around 1000m. I really enjoy this race and want to be good for it.
According to intervals.icu I am currently well into the red, and according to my legs I am certainly feeling that way. I did The Model today - skipped 2nd and 4th sections, and ran the rest at 65%. It was still hard.
With the race only 4 days away, I am considering options:
continue ToS for the next two days at greatly reduced intensity, and do stage 7 rides after my hill cimb race (thanks to the 50hr window)
continue Tos and skip the race
abandon ToS and hope that I can recover in 4 days for the race
I am doing my best with recovery - eating well, and trying to sleep (not as easy with a 2yo who crawls into bed in the middle of the night, and a 6yo who if she wakes to wee needs me to help get her back to bed).
This seems like a deeply personal decision about how to prioritize goals that will have little impact on the rest of your life. The stakes are low. Pick and suffer accordingly.
I’m going to reflect back on you and I think you’ll know the answer: What is REALLY most important to you? Is it the ToS or the hill climb race. It cannot be both. So, you have the honourable option of leaving the ToS Peloton for your “A” event of the year (aka, Mount Sufferlandria) or dropping your “A” event and staying with the ToS Peloton. By now, you know what I would suggest, but that could be taken with a pound of salt. (Hint: Badges mean very little when you have the opportunity to kick ass.)
Thankyou Sir James.
Part of my concern is whether I will recover by Sunday even if I don’t ride.
But you are right - I am leaning towards the climb as a preference.
Tough call! No matter how easy you do the ToS stages, it’s still time turning the pedals. Some of that can count as recovery, but it’s not going to be perfect preparation for the hill climb. Good luck with the decision and the race!
So I binned the ToS and hit this instead. This photo was taken about half the way down from the race to the top.
1h14 for 21km and around 1200m of climbing. About 3 minutes slower than last year, but i was pretty fatigued. Even more so now.
