Day 5, look alive! In today’s Wahooligan Tour stage, get ready for a twist with our very own version of ‘over-under’ intervals. It’s a whirlwind session focused on MAP, so stay laser-focused and power through!
Looking for a little extra motivation? We’ve got a special prize waiting for the largest team out there.
Don’t forget to tag @wahoofitnessofficial on any of your Tour related social posts.
Wahooligan & Sufferlandrian Route: The Model They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And through the bleeding eyes of Sufferlandrians, what could possibly be more beautiful than the sharp, saw-tooth profile of the workout you see before you? Full of gorgeous, shapely, shimmering blocks of yellow Maximal Aerobic Power (MAP) efforts interspersed with mercifully brief and slightly inadequate recoveries, it’s a real stunner.
But you know what’s even better looking than this alluring workout? You (after you’ve completed the workout, that is). Originally designed by our Head of Sports Science, Neal Henderson, for his professional athletes, The Model is a beautiful portrait of MAP brutality. It’s one of those sessions that you think you can’t finish, but always somehow do. It will leave you breathless, feeling all tingly, a bit confused and lying in a blubbering heap. It’s a look. It will also deliver a nice boost to your fitness that always looks and feels good.
A true love letter to the beauty of professional cycling, The Model features a banging soundtrack and thrilling footage from both the men’s and women’s pelotons. With its eclectic design, effects, and graphics, you’ll find yourself unable to tear your eyes away from the action on screen (assuming you can lift them from your stem).
Remember, you have 50 hours to complete each stage. As long as it’s still today’s date anywhere on earth, you’re golden. Check out the Tour Challenge Page for details on stage open and close times.
You never ride alone.
Ride with us! Join VIPs and Davis Phinney Foundation staff on Zoom at 9 am MDT (Boulder, CO USA) during the Tour - add this zoom link to your calendar to participate.
In 2016, Stephen Jackson had already completed 5 stages of the Tour of Sufferlandria, when he decided to combine the remaining stages with an additional 5 videos and turned this event into his Knighthood attempt. He tracked his progress using Zwift. He did this all while raising funds for the Davis Phinney Foundation.
This was his schedule:
Angels 2015 (KoS Video 1)
There is No Try (KoS Video 2)
The Wretched (KoS Video 3)
The Best Thing in the World (KoS Video 4)
Revolver (KoS Video 5)
Do As You’re Told (ToS Stage 7 and KoS Video 6)
A Very Dark Place (ToS Stage 8 and KoS Video 7)
Nine Hammers (ToS Stage 9 and KoS Video
Power Station (ToS Stage 10 and KoS Video 9)
Violator (ToS Stage 11 and KoS Video 10)
Accompanied by other Sufferlandrian riders, he successfully completed the first ToS and KoS Double and gloriously earned the title Sir Stephen Jackson.
Sir Stephen recently passed away after a vehicular accident. He will be missed.
This stage was pretty tough, even dialed down to survival mode.
I’m on a dumb trainer and spinning up for these short intervals seems to take about half the interval to set on the target. Then not nearly enough rest.
I’ve been doing all the stages so far early in the window. This gives me tomorrow, Thursday as an off day from the Tour.
Instead I will be running in some hills for a Leap Year Hash.
Then, back on schedule to finish Stages 6 and 7 Friday and Saturday.
It’s supposed to rain Saturday, so a nice convergence of a day to ride inside.
So hard to ride inside in SoCal when we can ride outside easily 340+ days a year.
Yeah Stage 5 hit hard…not least as I rode it straight after 4b…the power ramps really hit tired legs and I counted 2.5 “spirals of doom” (the last one I refused to let the pedals stop, so RPM became about 3). Anywho, that monster is out of the way, refuelled with some more Tartiflette and feeling much better this morning. Not sure how Downward Spiral is going to feel, I’ve avoided doing that one for some time…
Focussing on form was key yes, and controlling breathing, as the fatigue & HR really build through the 4 sections. Alex from the DPF team (ex pro rider, colleague of Davis’ if you don’t know him) was suggesting a technique of standing for the first 5 secs of the effort (to build the power) then sitting & hanging on - during Cash Register. I tried this in The Model and it helped me. The recoveries seem so short though - d*mn the Minions.
For whatever reason (ISLAGIATT…) I chose to ride The Model while the DPF/Wahoo team were riding round the lakes with Sir Standalot, and I think the sight of me chewing stem put the fear of GvA in them. All the best today with it guys, it’ll be fine…
I was dreading The Model, but it turned out ok… Turned into one of my favourites, even. So much emotion, the touching dedication at the start, the well-chosen, high quality racing footage, the highlights reel at the end.
I agree about the model. It was released during TOS 2022. The footage is a 2021 race.remember face masks and no crowds on the road.
I hope they decide to update or remaster the older videos like they did to recharger.
New race footage on top of the same workouts could go a long in keeping the subscribers.
Thanks for posting your review of the Model. After yesterday’s experience with Stage 4, I’m a bit nervous about this one. Will work on my mental prep before starting and focus on form and breath.
I’ve yet to start Stage 5 in honour of Sir Stephen (RIP) but as a lark, I suggested to the Citizens of Sufferlandria that if I could get my DPF donations up to $500 from $290 I’d completely shut up on the forums for a full 24 hours. With a single donation from @Heretic that goal was met! He’s permitted a wee bit of a delay to encourage even more fundraising so, I am here to inform you all of the 2nd part of my challenge, which was to raise $750 at which point I would TRIPLE my forum output. There’s a bit of a catch there though so please read here for the deets.
Hard but not too tough.
Had to fit this ride around some other demands
No great problem.
BTW I have a spectator this year.
Harley our Cocker Spaniel lies on the bed mostly, but does not interfere with the cycling. He is now used to me cycling , I have classic fm playing, while I listen to the ride on earphones
Brilliant! We have two cats (Ragdolls) this year, and they follow me everywhere…until the pedals start turn on the Tacx, and the Wahoolamibob fanfare blares out of the speakers, at which point they run & hide under the sofa.
…and, to be honest it wasn’t bad…it was the essence of awful. However, I do always think with this one that if the blocks were the other way around, with the longer intervals at the end instead of the start, maybe it would be called The Ledom, then it would be impossible and I would avoid like the actual plague.
My legs are telling me no more but unfortunately as there are still 3 Stages left…MORE MORE MORE!
