It is always interesting to discover one's limits, and something of a skill to recognize when you've hit them. I discovered mine most recently (this is not an isolated occurrence) at about 4 PM yesterday half-way up the Col de la Madone.
I'm trying to prepare for a six day event in which the distance travelled and metres climbed each day are what I would call a big day out. One day, OK, but six in succession? So the focus of my preparation is to put several hard days back to back. Yesterday was the fifth day in a row, and an afternoon ride up what has become something of a trade route up the Cols of Eze and Madone. It started well enough up Col d'Eze but despite hydrating and refueling well, about halfway up the Madone someone turned the lights out: weak legs, couldn't get the heart rate up past 150, wanted to be somewhere else etc.
So I continued to the top, turned around and headed back to Nice to watch Australia's magnificent ("brave" is too condescending a word) performance against Holland.
The risk of over-training comes with the territory of all endurance sports. Quite apart from reduced physical performance I can also recognize the symptoms of poor quality sleep, mild stomach upset and general irritability (moi?). The remedy of course is to take it easy until normal service resumes - so it's an easy cruise along the Promenade this afternoon before watching England and Uraguay go at each other this evening. Then we'll see how Friday turns out.
For the record, distance covered and metres climbed over the last five days = 378 km and 6,000 metres; distance to cover and metres to climb in the six days of Le Tour de Tour = 473 km and 11,000 metres. So I'm just about on target for distance and - oh - only 5,000 metres adrift for the climb :).
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