After stage 2 I was seriously questioning whether i’d make it all the way, and was properly fearing the final stage.
But as we’ve gone on, i’m feeling quite good - today’s stages pushed me close to the edge but i still had something left in the tank.
So, weirdly, i’m now positive - and excited - about Attacker and Defender. I know it’ll be a 105% kind of effort. I thought I wanted to hit 105% every day until i broke, but in reality, the stages have told a perfect story as shown by the Strava training intensity:
Stage 1: 83 (tough, but with fresh legs, it’s what we’re here to do)
Stage 2: 69 (we’re not messing about; it’s the ToS after all)
Stage 3: 55 (doable - back in the safe zone)
Stage 4: 59 (doable - back in the safe zone)
Stage 5: 41 (admittedly felt like 50% of stage 1, so, a bit of a recovery day, really)
Stage 6: 67 (ramping it up, feeling great, feeling positive)
Stage 7:
i’m also drinking and eating like a horse (including sound effects), upped my protein and am sleeping as much as I can (7 broken hours/night due to a mini-human).
Don’t get me wrong - this isn’t a walk in the park (my FF is 6 training weeks old), i’m just sayin’ that the “easier” sessions in the middle have been a great design decision to ensure a schedule that people can complete and feel great about themselves.
My legs are still attached after Norway today (that was Suffer-fun-tastic!), so I’m going crazy and will try to go LIVE (technology permitting), for Stage 6. You can tune in over on Twitch (https://twitch.tv/trimomma) at 4:30 PM Mountain Standard Time, Friday Feb 19).
I can’t promise any antics like some of my fellow Sufferlandrians, but a hello or a cheer would be most welcome!
I too am eating and drinking like a horse, upping protein, and aiming for 8h sleep/night!
It’s actually kind of great and I hope to try keeping that practice up post tour.
Kicked to pieces n Norway yesterday. Half-battered by Who Dares and now totally mullered by The Cure. I’m rapidly reading the UCI rulebook looking for a dog-walking exemption.
What an awesome mix of vids. Who Dares suits me but pushed me on tired legs. Very close to cramping throughout The Cure but those short efforts mean you can mentally keep pushing for ‘just one more’.
Legs not looking forward to tomorrow
Who dares? : wow. the “go back to threshold” after the first sprint of the Flanders! I know the workout quite well, but I swear I’ve heard the Evil Laugh Had to use a few MTP tricks to keep digging.
The Cure : Turbo weaknesses with ERG mode again, sometimes ramps up 5 seconds too late (“come on I want to suffer”), sometimes gives you only 4 seconds of recovery ( again, I’m starting to question my mental sanity)
Oh that hurt more than Norway … still keeping the settings nuclear but only just clinging on to my FTP target in Who Dares after hitting the sprint numbers. The Cure was better … only one day to go!
tough on the butt this one! These double headers are too much for my poor wee hams
…and those doughnuts in The Cure are almost the hardest part of it to endure in their physical absence. I’ll have to see what I can do about that this afternoon…
My legs felt so heavy at the start of Who Dares, despite the extra eating and sleeping I’ve been doing. Also dealing with a niggling pain in my left ankle. But, the legs woke up and came through in good form. As a very new member to Sufferfest and this community, I’m glad I got in before the ToS started; it’s been a wonderful gateway!
Well, life intervened and yesterday turned out to be a rest day, so I thought Stage 6 would go smoothly…
My legs thought otherwise, though (perhaps not cooperating after the rest day?), and Who Dares felt tougher than usual. I didn’t have any trouble hitting the power numbers, but I just couldn’t get my cadence up at all. Drank a lot of water. The Cure was a thrash, no other way to put it. Started out trying to do it in ERG mode, death spiraled after the second 20 second interval. My Kickr Core was not happy with the 10 second recoveries (although I am certain I have done it before in ERG mode). Switched to Level mode, and things went a lot more smoothly, although I just did “fly and die” for each interval- power numbers way over the target, and then generally dropping. Stood some of them. The tempo sections after each set were worse than usual too.
Anyway, I survived (barely) and have managed to do everything at 100% so far. I was hoping to finish today, because I am planning on a long outdoor fatbike snow/gravel ride on Sunday, but it’s looking like I will have to finish tomorrow. Probably better in the end- it is hard to get in 2 hour rides before work!!
I am SO looking forward to getting off my trainer and getting outside!!
I’ll admit, I was really dreading today after feeling so flat after Norway (and general lockdowny life, and a distinct lack of sleep) yesterday but I absolutely LOVED stage 6!
I think today was my fave stage. Still at nuclear, I’m pootling along on who dares wins (one of my favourite rides), again thinking "this probably shouldn’t be this enjoyable, maybe my numbers are wrong, is this cheating?!? " then BLAM - the cure hits me like a sock full of bowling balls. Very well done to whoever curated this year. That’s the second time this week I’ve questioned my numbers to then be smashed back down a peg. I will still be doing full frontal once I’m nice and rested though, I feel like this week has definitely improved my fitness (though that could be the endorphins talking right now)
SOOOO ready for tomorrow to finish strong, today has re-buoyed my spirits! Now whos got those doughnuts…
Favourite day so far. I will definitely be joining those 2 sessions together again in the future. I know it’s tempting fate but I’m feeling stronger every day and the Nuclear dream lives on … of course I also appreciate that probably means I’m due a FF soon!
but SOOOOOO appreciate your support when I ride! Thanks hun!!!
Had to use a few MTP tricks to keep digging.
day 6 completed and still in nuclear mode !
