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This is Topic: La Marmotte - 174km cycle, 5180m ascent
Following are the News Items published under this Topic.
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Warning this report rambles madly and goes on and on, a bit like the Marmotte itself.
If you want to see the route, and what value for money you got for your sponsorship money, just head to this link where you can play the whole route, and watch my heart-rate hit the roof: Click here for the Route Player
Then watch the last two videos of us ascending the Galibier, and you'll get some idea of how knackered we were at that point :)
Note: It just leaves me thank Roddy for talking me into this craziness with his "It will be a laugh" line. Thanks also to John, TC and Mike for the organising. Thanks to the guys at Geoffrey Butler Cycles for helping this novice with the great Plant X bikes. And of course Dee for putting up with all the training rides! Also thanks to all the spectators at all points along the route. It really made the occasion, and the encouraging support was fantastic. Lastly thanks to all generous sponsors who managed to help me exceed my target and raise £2,138 for EveryChild, with hopefully a few more late donations to trickle in (hint hint)
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Almost wiped out after crash descending Galibier, almost boiled due to 38c heat up Alpe D'Huez, but now back home with silver medal after conquering the Marmotte :)
Full update to follow soon, thanks to all who generously donated to EveryChild.
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On Saturday the 4th you'll be able to see my progress updated live on this website (My entry number is 148423, but my race number is 6032 which is the one I think you need to use)
And now you will be able to see video near-live (3 mins after passing) at three spots (Valloire / Bourg d'Oisan / Alpes d'Huez) here. The video may be near-live, but I'll be going at a snail's pace so you get plenty of time to see the agony :)
Just starting to panic somewhat now.
Forecast is 31 C and 40% change of rain & thunder...
I've uploaded the course GPS route here: GPS route
Note: Updated to add links to tracking and near-live video
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 Cycled in & out of work all last week. On Saturday I did my last training ride to Geoffrey Butlers bike shop in Croydon to get my free first service for the bike.
So the bike should be all go for the big race. Not sure about the rest of me though!
Unfortunately I spent the rest of the weekend doing paperwork. OK, well I did manage to go to Chantal's bbq birthday party, but apart from that it was all boring paperwork. Might just make the filing deadline
I just hope the time spent wearing Chantal's thigh length kinky boots doesnt affect my cycling... or that she has any photos of that. Even worse the barbie was also my last beer until the Marmotte is over. Not sure where I'll get my carbohydrates from instead...
This week I'll actually have to find some time to figure out what I need to take, pack my bike box, drag it from Epsom to work, and take a proper look at the actual course I'll be riding.
Will fly out Thu after work.
Reached 88% of the target now, see here; thanks to all those who have helped me reach it.
Wish me luck for Saturday,
Menno
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 70% of the target and only a few weeks to go! If you haven't yet, you can help me reach the target here. Thanks to all of you who got it to 70%, EveryChild will be well chuffed.
Things have been super hectic lately, so not had time to update my exciting training blog. But in a word, cycling! All free time has been cycling :)
Two weeks ago, along with my cycling buddies from work and some fellow Marmotters, I successfully completed the HighClere sportive. That was a long time in the saddle, almost 8 hours and after 205km it was nice to see the finish line. But with heavy rain predicted all day, thunder & lightning all night and pouring rain while we drove there, we were really lucky it stayed dry, apart from a short spell of hail.
The route climbed 2500m, so not a bad training ride for the Marmotte. Since then I've just been cycling into work as much as possible.
No other training rides planned yet, but not long to go, and after all this cycling I think I did slightly underestimate how much training was involved to even attempt the Marmotte!
PIctures to follow soon.
Rides done in Switzerland can be seen at the below links, any excuse for a new gadget :)
Day1 (includes half km from velodrome next day, as I was figuring out how to
reset the route...)
Day2
Day3
Day4
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