So tell us about your A Race for 2019

My A Race for next year is a 3 day MTB Stage race held here in Zambia. It is about 250km with about 3500m of climbing, mostly on single track with some sections on Jeep track and dirt roads. It is deep in the heart of the African bush and finishes on the banks of the Zambezi River with prize giving and drinks on an island in the middle of the river while the sun sets over the bush. Hippos, Elephants and Crocs all around!

I did the race this year, and loved it, but next year I want to go all out and really give it horns. I am following SSB Mid Vol, then will move onto Short Power Build, then onto X-Country Marathon ready for the first weekend in June when the race kicks off!

Here is a link to a summary video of the race, check it out!

I also have links for videos of Day 1, 2 & 3. If anyone is interested in them, I can post them as well…

So… tell us, what A Race are you training for?

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LOTOJA! It’s a 200+ mile one day race with about 10k feet of climbing. It starts in Logan Utah and ends in Jackson Hole Wyoming. I rode it for the first time this year and loved it. I’m looking to up my game. Hoping for a sub 10 hour finish next year conditions permitting.

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ORAMM

I wish I could say it’s something as cool as a 3 day race in Zambia like yours, but this full day of pain in Pisgah National Forest is my crew’s annual tradition. It’s a great day on the bike.

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My A Race is the Marji Gesick 50 in Marquette, Michigan.

I’m not the typical TR user. I very recently quit smoking with the goal of finishing that race. I enjoy technical trails and it always looked like a fun race (in a this sucks kinda way). After talking to some friends that have finished it (and some that DNF’d) I decided that it’s something I really want to do and am making long overdue lifestyle changes to make it happen.

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My A Race for 2019 is the Tour of Cambridgeshire Gran Fondo

https://www.golazocycling.com/Tour_of_Cambridgeshire/Tour_of_Cambridgeshire_Cycling_Festival_UK.php

If I make the age group cut, I’ll have the opportunity to represent my country later on in the year.

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I went to Zambia a few years back and stopped by Lilayi to see the elephants. Beautiful country and no doubt some excellent riding!

Yeah, its a great place! All three stages of 1Zambia starts at Lilayi, the last stage ending down in the Zambezi Valley, absolutely spectacular riding!

I registered for the Marmotte Granfondo Alpes (174km, 5000m/d+) which takes place in July. The sportive features three HC climbs (Glandon, Galibier and Alpe d’Huez).

http://www.marmottegranfondoseries.com/epreuve.php?C=1

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Looks like we’ll be riding the same event. I signed up for the full Trophee de l’Oisans, which is basically 4 events in a week (2 granfondos and 2 time trials):

  • 30/06 La Vaujany Cyclosportive 175km
  • 03/07 Le Prix de Grandes Rousses 40km
  • 05/07 La Grimpée Look Alpe d’Huez 13km
  • 07/07 Marmotte Look Granfondo Alpes 174km

Good motivation to drop some weight and cross a few famous Cols off the bucket list :wink:

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A lot of things still need to fall into place but hoping it is Leadville MTB 100.

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Very nice plan. Did the Marmotte already once in 2011. Good event, fantastic scenery - Great memories!

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After doing my first sprint tri this year, I’m planning on doing the UK Triathlon 1/4 distance in June.

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WORS Battle of Camrock in Wisconsin. The (only?) race that pays out for the Cat 2 Comp category. Course has a nice flow to it and you start/finish on an uphill. YAY

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Well the plan is to do the Stagecoach 400 bike packing route. 385 miles 30000 ft of climbing self supported in 5 days or less. Main goal is to finish even it takes more than 5 days. I have done it before but several things have happened during this ride where I couldn’t finish. A couple major mechanical s, some injures. I came close a couple years ago and made 300 miles but had to drop out because of injury. It happens in March sometime they don’t give a set date until its a couple month away. So hopefully in nov/dec I can find the exact start date. So i can make plans to get time off.

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Leadville 100

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I have two ‘A’ races planned for next year, one of which is not cycling:

  • Henley Royal Regatta in July - 2000m rowing event. The goal is just to qualify! Attempting this event will depend on how our early season goes. We’ll be targeting national level regattas in the build-up to see where we’re at. We won a bunch of regional races this year but this will be a big step up.

  • Paris-Brest-Paris 1200k in August. I have done this 3 times (07, 11, 15 - it runs every 4 years). '11 and '15 I rode on a fixed gear bike, and '15 I entered the fast group (80h time limit) and did a PB of 76h44. This was my first year of TrainerRoad and I took up rowing the following month. This has made my cycling performance more inconsistent, the demands of rowing 1000m regatta races are different. I will need to get back to the kind of FTP I had in 2015/2016 (up to around 275W at 75kg) in order to be able to target the 80h group again and not come unstuck. I’m likely to use gears this time and try to get closer to 70h, maybe even under.

PBP also requires qualifying rides - 200km, 300km, 400km and 600km events need to be completed as well.

Training for both these events has started. Winter season training at the rowing club in parallel with doing sweet-spot and endurance work in TrainerRoad and getting some longer rides in when I can.

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Salzkammergut Trophy (MTB)

Tour des Stations Ultrafondo (Road)

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I’m waiting on all of the XC schedules to pop up for 2019, so I’m in a bit of a holding pattern. I’ll most likely race as many XCO events that I can, and then maybe do a 3 day Haute Route event towards August.

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The A race for the spring is Liege-Bastogne-Liege long course (154km, 2700m - maybe the full 274km, 5200m if training tracks), and now I want to do the Granfondo Alpes (thanks @atkroll ) in the summer. :joy:

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Mallorca 312
312km of closed roads 5000m of climbing. TR really helped for the 2018 event. Looking to have even more fun in 2019

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