Training Taper for the TDR?

Boreas Pass May 29th

I hope to get in at least 4-6 additional ‘easy to moderate’ 25 to 70 mile rides between now and when I hop on the plane. Actually I would do quite a bit more but unless I want to ride late at night my time/work will not allow.

But this brings me to questions about tapering before the big event.  I don’t think classic taper protocol means much if anything for the TDR.  Sort of along the same line as training for a classic race-fitness ‘peak’ means little for the TDR.  The long TDR is different enough from shorter races that much of what works so well for those shorter/max effort races doesn’t translate 100%.  A strong base fitness directly translates, but I question if a classic peak or a typical 1-2 week taper means anything for the TDR.

In 2010 I was very concerned about ‘starting slow’ during the first few days so I got in some truly hard riding on the day I departed for Banff and once more on the drive up.  Worked well as I got a great start and did not need to ‘ease into’ the big miles.  I hit the ground running; I felt my body was still fully acclimated to the ‘hard push’ with no lag ramping back up.

Because I am flying to Banff this time around and what with boxing up the bike and such I will not be able to replicate my 2010 routine.  So I plan to approach my first 3 days TDR days a bit differently.  Basically I hope to use a little more ‘soft pedal’ early on but yet try to extend the actual time in the saddle. 

Ya, Ya, I know--It’s all just mental gymnastics at this late date, but hey it gives me something to distract myself with.

More off topic pictures for this blog episode:

I had to be in Silverthorne CO for work and afterwards had the chance to ride the TDR route from Frisco to about 1/3 the way up Boreas Pass.  Just an easy spin of about 25 miles on bike path and up a gentle ‘railroad grade’ climb.

Boreas Pass is still closed to motorized vehicles but pretty dry up to about 10,700ft where I had to turn around due to time.