Complete Sufferfest noob here (but long-time cyclist). Did my first Full Frontal test on Friday, and a 50-mile group ride on Zwift on Saturday. Got through stages 1a/1b and 2 at 100%. However, the 9th hammer of stage 2 was tough. The last 10 seconds almost got me as my cadence dropped towards the finish line.
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Stage 2 suffering is over now!
I both nailed it and got nailed at the same time.
Every early MAP hammer left me with the feeling that it was my last one; yet I kept targets well till the start of H8 when my cadence dropped to 60-70 throughout the first part of H8. I managed to kick my cadence up back to right number and I was back on track till the end of H8 and throughout āsomething allegedly called a recoveryā but then H9 started and after 20ish sec my cadence dropped to 70ish and it stayed like that till the end of H9. Got nailed by cadence hammer.
The stage was done in ERG mode, so I managed to keep power target; I nailed it!
Newbie to ToS, I was wondering why āregular 100%ā is called Nuclear. Silly me! And it is after stage 2 only! Still going to keep it that way.
H8:
H9:
Nailed (it):
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Surely thereās a rule that any cake pictures incur a fine.
That fine is cake for everyone
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Birthday Twin! Itās mine too.
I donāt need cake, GvAās ever so thoughtful present of 9 Hammers is sweet enough.
Just about hung on for the 9th but hang in there I did. First time I think Iāve got through the whole thing, the plan slightly reduced the numbers but Iāll take it.
On to the one that we donāt talk about tomorrow.
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Iām lost, nine hammers? Where?
The only hammer I saw was Thorās.
I did have some success with the mantra āThere is only one hammer!ā to get me through this. Iām considering experimenting with turning off the graph of power targets too so I can better focus on the current work and nothing else.
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Nine hammers. Like punishment. But worse.
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As a Sufferfest newbie, I had never done Nine Hammers before. And on the Focused option, I survived. It was brutal and beautiful. Iām counting that as a huge win for the day.
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Got through the whole valley. Cadence cracked on 9, but kept it above 60, so Iāll consider it a win. Last time I ended in a death spiral. And Iām on week-old 4DP numbers, so maybe Cobbler is the new Primers?
Looking forward to seeing everyone at the Tavern after finishing stage 2!
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Completed Nine Hammers! The first time I tried a few weeks ago the 7-9 Hammers were just too much. Came back today w/ new resolve and the āget me throughā option got it done. Really happy about that and a real satisfying feeling. Did better on the low cadence and steady states Hammers vs. the high cadence VO2 max. Some enjoyable snippets - the rider getting that cold coke; the rider waving for his support care to get him something, and what was with that swipe by one rider at another at the beginning? Looking for a yoga session now.
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So, I did Half Monty on Friday last week and saw some great improvements (Yes I understand this is not advisable for ToS). I was proud when I finished stage 1 as I felt I verified my new numbers.
And then there is stage 2.
Every time I got knocked down, I got back up and kept fighting. Today was an excellent opportunity to work the mental side of suffering. This may be one of the ugliest workouts I have ever performed on TheSufferfest, but strangely, one that I am proud of too.
Oddly, I am looking forward to tomorrow as I want some revenge on Fight Club! (my legs donāt agree with my mind, but the mind always wins!)
Congrats to all for suffering through today!
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@titanicus kudos for not giving up! Iāve got my hammers after work tonight and Iām going to use that as inspiration when the going gets tough
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I think you are meant to crack on this. I donāt take it personally. Did it at 100%, hit the āspiral of deathā in the 8th and 9th hammers. Waited a second, finished them. I have done this video several times, and I have literally not the slightest idea what the footage is in the last 2 or 3 hammers.
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Yes - as to cadence falling in later hammers. Me too!! Well done on the finish. Happy Suffering!!
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Nine Hammers done in Brooklyn! Ow.
Ugly, but done nonetheless. Some plummeting cadence on Hammers 8 & 9.
Valentineās Day wine the night before. Not recommended.
Hammer 4 was a lovely oasis in the desert. Oddly.
And I now have some urgent need to move to Michigan.
Onward. You all are very inspiring.
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Nine hammers is so damn hardā¦
Even on Focused option, Hammers 8 and 9 are impassableā¦
Maybe doing the Tour straight after work isnāt a good idea.
Ok, next !
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In the name of GvA! My fitness is definitely not where it was just 3 months ago. I did Nine Hammers at 80% as the second video of my KOS back in Nov and while it was tough, I was never in danger of failing.
Today was not that day.
I did Stage 1 early so I was able to use Feb 14 as a rest day. Spoiler: It didnāt help.
I did hammers 1 & 2 at 100%. My legs gave out with 1 second left in hammer 2.
So I dropped to 90% for hammer 3. Agony!
Then I dropped to 85% to begin hammer 4, but with 1 minute left I dropped it down to 80%.
I then managed to finish the rest at 80%. Even then I still barely managed to hang on til the end of 5, 6, and 9. Every extended MAP effort was excruciating.
Iām glad that ās done. Now I can look forward to stage 5.
[gratuitous fight club joke]
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It was during Hammer Nine at lunchtime I was wondering why Iāve gone for the nuclear tour optionā¦
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In the 1950s there was a big effort in the atomic tech world to develop effective nuclear cannons.
Little did they realise that their work would become totally obsolete - they simply had to wait until today and be hit with 9 NUCLEAR HAMMERS!
Done & dusted. My cadence came right off 30 seconds from the end before managing to hit the end strongly, but ERG mode @ 100% throughout and no breaks. Even if I say so myself I am pretty damn pleased with that!
Good luck to everyone else and see you on Wednesday. 'cos, you know, we donāt talk about tomorrow, right? (Though Iām secretly looking forward to Lizzie beating me up over and over againā¦)
Lee
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