Training Log Archive: kido

This was SO AMAZING. Ride from Santa Eulalia to the top of L'Angliru for the Vuelta stage 20. I have heard this climb described as "the inferno" and "one of the hardest climbs in Europe", and it didn't disappoint. 12.5km at 9.8% with sections of 23%, with heaps of switchbacks and amazing views. It was pretty gradual to about the 5km mark, where the wind had blown down the entire media / VIP set up - the weather was a bit dicey but the rain held off. From there it just seemed to get steeper and steeper - and if it weren't for the cheering of the fans lining the roads (and quite a few helpful pushes) I don't think I would have got up it. Great atmosphere and so much fun to have everyone yelling "Vamos! Vamos!" and waving their flags / ringing their cow bells in encouragement.

Did take quite a long time to get up, with quite a number of stops, but didn't have to walk any today. Got pulled off the course by the police about 300m from the top so went afterwards and finished the climb. We had planned to also do the Cat 1 climb before this but I'm VERY glad we had to change our plans due to road closures.

Good race to watch today - this climb pretty much ruined the peleton so there were riders coming through for about 30 minutes. Got see El Pisterolo attack to win in his final grand tour - special moment. Everyone looked wrecked but Contador's speed was astounding.

Again I struggled a bit on the steeper downhill bits on the way back, but not as much as Wednesday. Bit frustrating as we got caught in the team car convoy so lots of stopping and avoiding and dodging the fans walking back down.

C • Spain 7

Decided to have a sightseeing day today as the Vuelta was a bit awkward for us to get to. Drove to Fuente Dé, doing the classic tourist thing of following the road which Google Maps did not recommend, but was shown as 7min faster. Turns out a large portion of the road was an extremely dicey dirt track through some truly astounding mountain meadow / valleys - we pressed on pig-headedly as it was a long way back around, but it was pretty stressful!

Turns out this "road" was one of the main Fuente Dé hiking trails, which we found out after catching the cable car up to the top of the mountain from Fuente Dé town. Oops!!

This run was one of the most amazing I've ever done - ridiculous views, and very tough going, with much of the trail being little more than scree. I guess the mountain runners do this sort of stuff regularly, but I think it would take some getting used to! Great fun, would have liked to go a bit longer, but worried about Kyhil again, he was in a bad way today and sadly didn't get to enjoy the views so much.

Jog from La Molina (tiny town about 10 min drive from our campsite) following a route recommended by the guy from reception - except I took a wrong turn and ended up climbing / scrabbling / falling along a "track" which I don't think has seen a human foot in a good couple of years. Still, got to see a cool hollowed out limestone waterfall and some amazing mountain views.

Starting in Barcenillas and climbing the Collada de Carmona (4.8km at 7.2%) and Collada de Ozalbans (6km at 6.6%) (both Cat 3), then return to Barcenillas, for Stage 18 of the Vuelta. Didn't split up the activities today but had a decent break in the middle, probably an hour or so. We had planned to also do the next climb, the Collada de la Hoz, but Kyhil has been a bit off health-wise and didn't feel up to it.

Nice gradual climbing today, some lovely mountain meadow views. Got to see a slightly spread peleton as there was an attack shortly before they got to us.

Ride from Solares to Los Machucos (HC climb) including the Puerto de Alisas climb (Cat 1) to watch the Vuelta España! The Puerto de Alisas was a nice gradual climb, 10km at about 6% I think, but Los Machucos was off the scale, 7.2km at 8.7%, with a few sections at 28%.

I'm sad to say there were two sections of about 200m and 300m which I didn't make it up - had to get off and walk like a chump. I was carrying a full backpack (will not repeat that mistake), and I don't exactly have compact gearing - I think Lopez stated later that he was running a 34-32 so I don't feel so bad about not being able to get the pedals over. Lots of mountain bikes doing it easy with their triples.

I rode to the top of the climb which was just after 1km to go, then zoomed back down to about 1.5km to go where there was a sick view of the previous two switchbacks. The peleton was super streched out - Contador causing trouble as usual and Froome having a bit of a struggle. Can't believe how fast / easily they get up the climb.

The return journey back to Solares, climbing the back of Puerto de Alisas, which was perhaps a bit longer than the front side but still nice and gradual. The descent down Los Machucos was terrifying for me - I've improved my descending a lot in the last few years but 28% gradients on wet, crappy surface (at times cement) roads, with thousands of other bikes and people walking down, was a struggle. Tired legs by this point!

Travel day. Left home at 7.30am, arrived at our campsite in Picos de Europa at 11.30pm. Long day!

Very tired legs, but need to do the miles. Could have done with a flatter one, but don't really have that option when running from home. Quite a plod / shuffle for much of the run.

Up Porter and on to Burbage, along the path below the edge, then turned around and came back the same way. Had hoped to link up Porter, Burbage, Stanage, Redmires and Rivelin but it was going to be a bit too long.

Warm up before the tri, Garmin was on my bike so I don't know how far.

Swim Leg of Leeds MacMillan Tri, at Roundhay Park. Slower than in years past, but better than I'd expected, to be honest. Not a huge field - only 35 women in total in all age groups.

Cycle leg of Leeds MacMillan Tri. The first half was great, I felt really strong - but unfortunately it was a tailwind and largely downhill. I did take a brief detour when I missed a sign, turned down the wrong road and lost maybe 30s. The second half was brutally hilly, and the "nice calm weather" in the morning went away, so it was also very windy. Felt extremely tired at the end of the ride.

Run leg of Leeds MacMillan Tri. This was a fun run leg, hilly and nearly all on grass - Victoria would call this "cross country". Regained a bit of energy halfway through the first of 3 laps. I won!

C • Speedy! 4