Alphalegacy

Hi,

I am doing the Everest Challenge in the 4s this year. Anyone else doing it? What kind of training should I be doing to be able to finish the race? Thanks!

Daniel

robncircus

My team had a large presence last year and probably will this year. The training starts about now, building to multiple 10k feet climbing days. Do some work on Baldy or if you can get out to Big Bear to train at elevation when possible. The key is climb, then climb some more. Good luck.

merlinextraligh

or you can just ride a lot on flat ground at sea level

Terror_in_pink

PM me your email address. I will forward it to my guy. He has raced Everest since 2007 and taken 3rd GC (and I think one stage) two years in a row.

Good for you. It's a beast of a race. Long punishing climbs.

Walter

My "climbing loop" has about 1100 feet of gain. So if I do that 30 odd times?

merlinextraligh

I've done EC twice. The biggest climb around here is 60 vertical feet. You could do that 250 times, then repeat the next day. but it still wouldn't be the same.

The key is to 1) train for the amount of time you're going to ride, and

2) train to produce the amount of power you need to produce.

It's all about power to weight ratio and sustained power. So you need to do a lot of training at threshold pwoer for extended periods.

If you have long climbs to train on that helps; if you don't you have to force yourself to put out that same power on the flats.

Ben FR

I'm in

banerjek

Each day of the EC is really no worse than some popular megacenturies with 15K feet of climbing. The catch with the EC is that you have to ride like that two days in a row.

Walter

My tongue was up against my cheek...

ericm979

yes... but also compared to say the Death Ride 1) it's a race 2) the climbs are longer 3) they go to a higher altitude and 4) there's that nasty steep part at the end of each day.

For me the key is to eat right. I've gotten it wrong a few times and not been able to finish. But its a beautiful race.

I have a bunch of race reports, mine and links to other people's, on my blog (below)

banerjek

All true, but it appeared that the OP was treating it as a ride and a number of participants do.

I think pacing is key. For me the trick was to do day one as slowly as possible so my legs still felt good for the second day. Otherwise you really suffer on that final climb.

Alphalegacy

I live in San Diego, so do Palomar a lot? I usually race crits but I'm trying to do EC to elevate my fitness for next season. And the EC's just epic.

banerjek

That's a good way to go. Keep in mind that for you, the challenge is going to to figure out your pacing while you put out sustained power.

There is a huge difference between spending several hours even on a big climb and the ride you're contemplating. Taken by themselves, none of the climbs are that big a deal. The catch is you have to do so many of them.

brian416

How do the aid stations work during the race, Do they do bottle hand offs to the riders or does the kinda stop so people can fill their bottles and then get back to racing?

Are Carbon clinchers safe to bring for the race or are the descents too techical for them?

I'd love to do this race, it sounds like a painful/awesome race.

ericm979

It depends on where you are in the overall race. Leading riders in earlier fields are more likely to get bottle handups. If there's no handup you stop and fill your bottle(s). They put the water containers near the road so you don't have to get off your bike and walk 20 meters like at a century. If there are any racers around you they will probably stop at the same time. Sometimes leading groups (like 3-4 riders) will decide to make a stop together but that's not normal for other riders. You can always try to negotiate a stop. Chances are you'll be on your own, working with different people at different times in the race. You're allowed to work with riders from other fields.

I've used mine and they have not exploded yet. The descents generally aren't super technical, at least in my opinion.
Yes, it's both.

ElJamoquio

Descents aren't super technical. Even I can do them.

brian416

I need to get some time off work and figure out how to make this race affordable to do, It sounds like an epic race.

merlinextraligh

I'd agree the descents aren't very technical. Lots of long relatively straight sections. I wouldn't be too concerned with melting carbon clinchers. We used just regular rim brakes on our tandem with no overheating problems

banerjek

You don't even need to think about feed zones if your goal is just to finish. They'll assume you want to move fast (and most riders do, this being a race). However, a few number of riders actually stop and hang out for a little bit.

The descents aren't bad at all. Roads are reasonably smooth, wide, and straight. Freezing your ass off near the top is a much bigger problem.

I had the most fun of my life on my bike at the EC and that's saying a lot. If you love climbing, you should try it at least once if you can.

number1dane

EC is a great race, i think overall well run. The feed stations are very frequent and while bottle hand ups certainly are possible I briefly stopped to 'shop' around the numerous selections of bars etc but the volunteers at the feed stations are great they will ask you what you want and you can shout that out or simply hand over your bottle and they will fill that while you get food etc. I relied 95% on the feed station food only bringing 2 bottles of Perpetuum and a big bagel.
Pacing is always key in an ultra endurance event, the first climb all too many try to hang on to the super fast guys and find themselves later not finishing the race.
The other equally important thing is fluid and nutrition, if you do not eat and drink correctly it is not easy to do such a long race.
Recovery is the 3rd important thing, you need to have a good recovery plan. Eat rest etc since you will come back next morning again for another round of the same.

I live in NYC and hence do not have access to lengthy climbs - but since it's all about sustained power that can be trained anywhere, including simple hill repeats.
This year my work schedule is not cooperating with EC - but I will be back in 2012. This is a race/ride that anyone should try at least once. You learn a lot about yourself and your limits. And the scenery in the Sierras are simply so amazing, not found anywhere else in the US

brian416

After adding up costs, it'd be around $1500 for me to do it including the flight, car rental, motel, etc. A bit too much for a weekend of racing at this point in my life. I'd love to do it someday though.

esammuli

Besides Palomar I'd suggest heading out to Pine Valley and hit Pine Creek/Sunrise Hwy/Kitchen Creek.

Vireo

um...this is not an ultra endurance event.

number1dane

Ok I stand corrected Everest Challenge is only an ultra endurace event if you like Vireo are planning on doing the whole thing in ONE day! After all EC is just two hard consecutive days on the bike!

number1dane

In preparation for EC last year I attended a camp which basically covered 2 of the 3 climbs each day of the camp. If you're not from the area attending the camp is great since you do not have to worry about support, food and water. I flew directly into Mammoth Lakes airport.
Even if youre not planning on doing EC the camp is great riding in the sierras and a lot of information about endurance events:
https://www.cyclingcampsandiego.com/H...iningCamp.html