Maratona How fit ?

[Mark Mc]

Hi,

Looking for some general advice, basically what level of fitness would suffice to complete the full Maratona. ie power to weight. Would a good level of fitness plus around a 3W/Kg ratio allow me to finish the full course without dying.

I am looking at setting a new target for next year, and really like the look of the Maratona next year , no way im fit enough for this year. Currently I'm still far too heavy, ~95kg, and I'm also in my Fifties, so gravity and age are not in my favour. I do however regularly cycle > 80 miles with around 6000ft climbing at weekends , but i have no real idea of how these big climbs would be for me. Biggest climbs i do locally are around 30 minutes, maybe 50 if i travel up north. I also do on average 3 short turbo sessions a week, and have a few other long sportives planned this year.

Also is there any good books that describes a good training plan (i have no structure to any of my rides/session, if the weather is good, i get on the bike)

Thanks in advance

 

[ColinJ]

I just looked at this year's full route - 4,230 m of climbing (nearly 14,000 ft) in 138 km (86 miles) - that is VERY TOUGH!

If next year's route is anything like that then I think you'll have an awful lot of training to do in the coming year ...

For example - Passo Giau is 9.9 km at an average of 9.3%; that is a long, hard climb and goes up into thinner air at the top, which would add to your woes! We have a climb near here, Otley Chevin, which is only about 1/6 of the length at that gradient but even that is a real slog.

It isn't just a case of surviving the course though - there is a cut-off time to beat too. It would be one thing to grovel round at < 10 kph average speed and take 14 hours, but the maximum riding time allowed (this year) is 9 hrs 45 mins so you would have to average > 14.1 kph (8.8 mph) and that includes all stoppages.

I wouldn't have wanted to tackle the full ride even when I was a reasonable weight and was capable of 3W/kg - I'd have wanted a bit more on top of that.

That amount of climbing in half a day would kill my back. I think you will want to be very comfortable on long rides on your bike, and do some stretching and core strength exercises as well as lots of riding.

Good luck to you, but I would be tempted to do the medium route instead!

 

[Mark Mc]

From what i believe the course is the same every year, the good thing is if you miss the time cutoff you get routed to doing the middle course which is still very tough, but would avoid the hardest 10k climb at 9%.

I would think i would be very close to taking the full time limit.

Currently up to 9 hours on bike, with max ascent of about 8000 feet, and i believe i can easily get upto 3w/kg this year......but after that would require some serious control of diet which i'm not sure that i'm capable of. Target weight loss this year is 10kg, but thats slippping even though im doing lots of cycling. Plan to lose more kgs for next year, which means i would be > 3W/kg, prob 3.5.

As i have a year in which to train, question is it achievable ? for someone my age (52) and current weight

 

[ColinJ]

It is definitely an achievable goal - I know riders in their 60s who could do it. Mind you, they are probably sub-70 kg and have been riding seriously for years.

I doubt that you would manage the full route without losing most of that extra weight but you do have a year to do that and to do the training required.

It wouldn't be so bad to aim for the full event and get as fit as you can for that but then realise on the day that it would be more sensible to switch to the shorter route.