Alpine Audax 2013 - so who's in ?

[MichaelB]

I'll be tackling it for the 1st time in 2013 after threatening to do it this year.

I'm entered for the 140km for 2 reasons. The main one is that once the big hill is climbed (Mt Buffalo), then it's all downhill from there, and 2nd, it's the similar length (but not as steep) as one key climb I want to do in eurpoe in a couple of years - Passo de Stelvio.

Lastly, 6 - 7 hours in the saddle is long enough for me.

Who else is going and what length are you doing ?

Any hints/tips for the 140km ?

Any guide as to what the total climb distance is for the 140km ?

Thansk, and see ya there next year

Hoping to have my new bike ready to go for it too !!!

[sblack]

Hoping to do the 200, will be my first as well.

Sent from my MB526 using Tapatalk 2

[grantw]

Yes, I'm in for the 200 this year.

I road the 140 a few years back and it's the toughest of the shorter options imho. Think there's about 1700m on the 140km, maybe a bit more.

[VRE]

I did the 200 in 2011, and signed up for the upcoming 250 (gulp) .

[chucknitro]

Back to do the 250

[jules21]

250 again! hint: it's not much harder, if at all, than the 200

[Semar]

First effort. Going for the 130 km. Feel like a wimp now after reading these. Maybe train up and see what happens.

[MichaelB]

Yes, I'm in for the 200 this year.

I road the 140 a few years back and it's the toughest of the shorter options imho. Think there's about 1700m on the 140km, maybe a bit more.

Why is that ?

[grantw]

Why is that ?

Buffalo

Apart from being a little bit longer it's the timing. On the 140, once you're on Buffalo, you've already been up both sides of Tawonga and it can be getting quite warm. By comparison the 130 sees you through to Falls after only one side of Tawonga and in the relative cool of the morning.

[MichaelB]

OK. Makes sense. One other reason to do the 140 for me, was that once the big climb is done, its down hill from there

With the 130, to climb Tawonga after doing a big mountain seemed a hard slog.

I'll find out soon enough whether it was a smart move ......

[grantw]

They are both challenging rides to be sure. Though as you've said, its all downhill from the top of Buffalo, and the descent is great

[__PG__]

Am considering doing the 130km. It does seem that the harders part of the ride would be the last ascent of the Tawonga gap, as the initial road out of Mt Beauty is very steep with a few nasty hairpins.

[jules21]

Am considering doing the 130km. It does seem that the harders part of the ride would be the last ascent of the Tawonga gap, as the initial road out of Mt Beauty is very steep with a few nasty hairpins.

the last climb is always the hardest

[ausrandoman]

Any hints/tips for the 140km ?

My two cents worth.

Preparation
Include high intensity hill repeats in your training. Find a hill you can ride up in about 5 - 10 - 20 minutes. Ride up it fast, but don't strain against a gear that is too high. You should be panting for breath at the top. Coast down, repeat. Do however many repetitions add up to about 40 minutes of climbing. Do this twice a week. If your thighs aren't sore the next morning, you didn't try hard enough.

On the day
- Don't get carried away with enthusiasm on Tawonga Gap. Save your energy for Buffalo.
- Use the easy section from Tawonga Gap through Bright to the beginning of Buffalo as rest and recovery. You can eat, drink and recuperate on the bike while still covering ground so you can keep your stop in Bright short.
- Buffalo is hardest in the first half and for a short distance near the top.
- Enjoy the atmosphere at the Buffalo checkpoint, chatting to the people who overtook you on Tawonga Gap then couldn't keep up the pace.

[ausrandoman]

I'm up for my fourth A.C.E. Last year, I was faster than than my second attempt, which was faster than my first. I'm wondering if my time last year was my limit or if I'm capable of shaving a little more off.

Being in my late fifties means that the day will soon come when I will be slower no matter how much I train.

[sblack]

Include high intensity hill repeats in your training. Find a hill you can ride up in about 5 - 10 - 20 minutes. Ride up it fast, but don't strain against a gear that is too high. You should be panting for breath at the top. Coast down, repeat. Do however many repetitions add up to about 40 minutes of climbing. Do this twice a week. If your thighs aren't sore the next morning, you didn't try hard enough.

Why not find a 40+ minute hill? The sustained effort of climbing without a break seams very different to me to doing short climbs with breaks in between to add up to the same length of climbing time.

[jules21]

last year i rode the ACE 250 without including much hill training. mistake. while i did some long rides - which are still necessary to get your body (and arse) used to being in the saddle for a long time - they don't replicate the intensity of hill climbing. the minute i hit Hotham with the bunch, they all left me behind as i wondered how they could push that hard so early on. i caught people later on, but i was lacking in that ability to push out decent power without going into the red. of course, a lot of those guys would have just been faster than me, full stop.

ausrandoman - that's impressive! (if it needed to be said)

[ausrandoman]

Include high intensity hill repeats in your training. Find a hill you can ride up in about 5 - 10 - 20 minutes. Ride up it fast, but don't strain against a gear that is too high. You should be panting for breath at the top. Coast down, repeat. Do however many repetitions add up to about 40 minutes of climbing. Do this twice a week. If your thighs aren't sore the next morning, you didn't try hard enough.

Why not find a 40+ minute hill? The sustained effort of climbing without a break seams very different to me to doing short climbs with breaks in between to add up to the same length of climbing time.

The Scientific Basis for High-Intensity Interval Training: Optimising Training Programmes and Maximising Performance in Highly Trained Endurance Athletes
Authors: Laursen P.B.; Jenkins D.G.
Source: Sports Medicine, Volume 32, Number 1, 2002 , pp. 53-73(21)


European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology
December 1996, Volume 75, Issue 1, pp 7-13
Skeletal muscle buffering capacity and endurance performance after high-intensity interval training by well-trained cyclists


Exercise & Sport Sciences Reviews
April 2008 - Volume 36 - Issue 2 - pp 58-63
Metabolic Adaptations to Short-term High-Intensity Interval Training: A Little Pain for a Lot of Gain?
Gibala, Martin J.1; McGee, Sean L.2



Effects of continuous and interval training on the parameters of the power-endurance time relationship for high-intensity exercise.
Gaesser GA, Wilson LA
Department of Kinesiology, University of California, Los Angeles 90024-1568.
International Journal of Sports Medicine [1988, 9(6):417-421]



Influence of high-intensity interval training on adaptations in well-trained cyclists.
Laursen PB, Shing CM, Peake JM, Coombes JS, Jenkins DG
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research [2005, 19(3):527-533]



Improved athletic performance in highly trained cyclists after interval training.
Lindsay FH, Hawley JA, Myburgh KH, Schomer HH, Noakes TD, Dennis SC
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise [1996, 28(11):1427-1434]


etc.

[ausrandoman]

last year i rode the ACE 250 without including much hill training. mistake. while i did some long rides - which are still necessary to get your body (and arse) used to being in the saddle for a long time - they don't replicate the intensity of hill climbing. the minute i hit Hotham with the bunch, they all left me behind as i wondered how they could push that hard so early on. i caught people later on, but i was lacking in that ability to push out decent power without going into the red. of course, a lot of those guys would have just been faster than me, full stop.

ausrandoman - that's impressive! (if it needed to be said)

Well .... thanks .... but I didn't say what my time was Let's just say it was .... ah .... not so impressive

[jules21]

Well .... thanks .... but I didn't say what my time was Let's just say it was .... ah .... not so impressive

honestly i'd be thrilled if i could still put away 250km rides as i move into my 50s.. that's the goal, anyway

[oldnewby]

after much enouragement and words of wisdom, from people like Jules21 et al, I did the 130km this year. After doing a lot of other organised rides during this year, I can still say the Audax Alpine 130km is my favourite to date. The satisfaction of climbing Falls Creek, and finishing the 130 within the time limit, after only taking up riding a couple of months prior, was amazing. Great volunteers, awesome sense of camaraderie on the road, and lovely facilities (mostly cold beer...) afterwards.
I'm (rather ambitiously) thinking of tackling 200km this time around. If I get a few mates along, I may change back to 130 or 140, but I'll be there regardless.
To those asking for advice from folks who've done these rides before... take it on board. The better prepared you are, the more enjoyable it will be.
I'm already looking forward to it - whichever distance I end up doing.

PS - 250km is on the wishlist, but not just yet

[jules21]

hey oldnewby - that's a fantastic achievement to finish the 130km after only taking up riding shortly beforehand. my advice - go for the 200km! you only live once, it's a great sense of achievement. but the 130 and 140 are both great rides, so do what feels good.

i just signed up for he 250 again. can't wait!

[VRE]

hey oldnewby - that's a fantastic achievement to finish the 130km after only taking up riding shortly beforehand. my advice - go for the 200km! you only live once, it's a great sense of achievement. but the 130 and 140 are both great rides, so do what feels good.

i just signed up for he 250 again. can't wait!

Me too . I did the 200 in Jan 2011, and I've been living in Ringwood North the last year and so have ridden plenty of hills. I also bought my first road bike recently, which will make the 250 a bit easier. I'm also partway through the 7 Peaks Challenge, as part of my ACE 250 preparation.

[oldnewby]

Cheers jules, you were a big help with advice and encouragement when I did the 130. I booked my ticket for the 200 a couple of days ago, so I'm in can't wait!

[MichaelB]

I'll hopefully see you all there.

Not sure what bike I'm riding yet, but will probably be in my blue BNA jersey.

Hopefully, the heat stays away fro the Buffalo ascent at the end !!!