Yes, I am heroic, I am inspirational, I am a survivor. Finishing the tour with Attacker, deliberate or not (I assume it was deliberate) and hearing that song come on at the end was a fitting end.
The tour is for everyone. It really isn’t a race, we all finish at the end having ridden for the same amount of time. Forget your numbers compared to others, it’s tough for everyone.
Eat, drink and rest. This is not a week to try and lose a few pounds. If finishing the tour is important to you, focus on finishing.
I only got through the week because of mental toughness. I only got through some sessions because of mental toughness, and in some cases, I only got through some intervals because of mental toughness (I’m looking at you 9 hammers!).
I did everything at 100%, but that was tough. I hit every target except some of the low cadence ones, I could only drop down to 55 when they wanted 50 - the fear of the spiral of death meant I wasn’t prepared to risk it. In Attacker, from interval one when it said stand, I shouted at the tv “NO”. I told myself I was being strong and telling it what I was going to do (mental toughness?). I did stand, but only to give my backside a rest, not because I wanted to stand.
Take advantage of the 50 hour window. I started early so I could build in a rest day if I needed, or if life just got in the way. It wasn’t needed, but having it there as an option helped.
The community is very supportive. Come for the training, stay for the community.
Good luck to everyone still working through the tour and I’ll see you again at next years tour.
I can’t imagine heading out for a ride a the moment. I clocked just over 201 miles and my legs are cooked.
I’m amazed at the numbers others are churning out in the live streams. Casually pedaling away at 250w for the recovery part of the ride, and then MAP sections at close to 400w. To me, that is insane and I’m delighted if I manage 250w for my MAP. At least I know we all suffer the same.
To all those who started, even if they did not finish, to all who finished, however they finished:
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
I just finished the focus option (< 100% targets on some stages). It has been a very tough tour this year, but I am very proud to have finished
Congratulations on having finished the all the ToS stages at 100% and thanks for your thoughts.
