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word of warning Angry Doc is very very hard
Well with the Angry Doc just around the corner I have been thinking about the angry doc a bit lately.
from the two previous times I have raced this it has hurt me big time. Cramps were my biggest enemy.
Now its not like I don't do much racing so I know a bit about pacing myself and training, I thought i would give a couple of words of advice to help people get through the day.
Firstly pacing; The first 50km of this race is not to bad, the trick here is to not attack the first lot of climbs too hard. Lots of people will go out way way to hard at the start of this race. ( I will be off and walking some of the steeper climbs, on SS though). You are better off to walk these bits and try and save something in the legs for the 65km to 85km part of the race. at this point there is a lot of climbing and some great fast single track to enjoy at the same time. If you get to the last drink station feeling Ok you should be alright. Be warned the lead up to this last drink station is very very hard!!!
Secondly food. Make sure you have enough electrolyte drink to get you through . Aim for 700ml per hour of racing plus a spare 500ml just in case. you also want to be have about 60 to 70g of complex carbs per hour. For me this means no drink with sugar in them!!!! I use Hammer HEED and Perpetuem. Also carry some cramp tablets with you just in case. Dont rely on the feed stations as they tend to water down the drinks so you are not getting as much electrolyte as you might think. (I fell into this trap last year).
Thirdly, Make sure your bike is sorted for the race. If you are not confident in checking your bike over for the race get your LBS to do it. word of warning though DO IT A COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE THE RACE!. a couple of reasons. firstly the bike shop could very well be busy/booked up which means your bike might not even be able to get looked at. Secondly if you do need something fixed replaced it can take time for stock to be ordered and arrive if they dont have it in stock. and thirdly if they replace brakes pads, cables etc it is always good to have a bit of time to bed them in before you have to rely on them in a race.
Here is my blog from 08 (my first Doc and first 100km race)
http://nobmob.com/node/6264
Here is the discussion about last years race
http://nobmob.com/node/7875
read through the blogs to get an idea how tough the race is.
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Gav - you're scaring me!
I too have done a bit of racing in my time, but never the Doc.
I dont normally get nervous about races (I follow the old 'train hard, race easy' motto), but I am shitting it!
Unfortunately, I have a habit of going out hard and hanging on - this strategy may need a rethink for the doc.
Thanks for the post though - I have my weekly hill-rep session tonight, and this will provide greater focus!!!
Hey Ants, where do you do your hill reps? What sort of vertical/distance do you do?
Great post Gav, agree with everything you say.
There is a very good reason I didn't get tickets for this race this time. The second time I did it I remembered the first time I vowed never to do it again
ok Rob - I'll share some secrets... its not for the fainthearted though...
all Eastern Suburb based. All with a "turn at the top and roll down" recovery. Normally road bikes, but has been done on MTBs.
3x Dover Road (all seated, no getting out of the saddle under any circumstances)
after the third, ride easily to the bottom of the hill at Watsons Bay
3xWatsons Bay - all standing - (not sitting allowed) at the top, immediately into seated maximal time-trial to roundabout
after the third, pedal easily to Wentworth road (Vaucluse)
3xWentworth - first half seated into 2nd half maximal standing effort.
All told (with 30min easy warm-up and 20min loosen off) its 2hr 15mins of riding, but only about 50km covered.
Vertical ascent - not sure. Its not really about that, given the effort levels. They are all ridden pretty much 'full on'.
They each simulate different climbing stresses on the legs, and different muscles used. Remember - a lot of the time people dont get dropped on the hill itself, they get dropped just going over the top. This is due (in part) to the group ride mentality of stopping at the top of the hill to wait for stragglers. Dont do that, ride on for another 50m and then wait.
For you Powertap / WKO+ users out there, the session last week had a TSS (training stress score) of 180.
Im only doin the 50k, and this post has me worried.The LBS has been slow gettin parts for me , and with the recent wet tracks, i haven't been on the bike for too long.Hmmmmm....so....here's my plan...................PANIC....!
This is where I screwed up last year. I started in a wave of riders that was way too fast. I got caught up in the moment and busted myself in the first 50km. I rode every hill and was passing people walking thinking 'what's wrong with them?!' 2nd 50 the cramps really kicked in and I was in a world of hurt. That lead up to the last drink station was the longest 10-15km ever.
My number one tip is to also pace yourself. I can't stress this enough.
at about 35 degrees, and one of the first hot days of the summer, so no acclimatisation. Made it that much more difficult. It's still going to be tough getting up the hills, but at say 25 degrees, life will be a little more enjoyable. I'm only doing the 50 tho'...
as when I was down there in early june I was a little disappointed in the state of trails- badly rutted in some corners or very sandy which made the trails hard to keep momentum!!, but then again I might just be spoiled cause I live in Newy & can ride Awaba as much as I can!
@ants: your hill reps sound nasty. I don't like the sound of all those rules about not sitting, not standing, etc, etc.
It's like medicine though - if it tastes bad it's probably good for you
it hurt - just home.
800m of climbing.
Medicine indeed!
To cure any slowness.
Sleep now!
@supagav what do you use for cramp tablets?
http://www.hammernutrition.com.au/prod-endurolyt...
Hi PS, I use Endurolytes from hammer nutrition. I just empty them into my water bottle at the start of the race and then take a couple more about half way. I used to suffer from cramps very badly and this method has seen me through some very hot races last summer when cramps tend to be worse.
there are plenty of products out there that work. the oral spray is also meant to be very good. I am yet to use it though.
In last years race I was stuck on the side of the track unable to move at all. ALL of the muscles in my legs were cramping at the same time. A rider came passed and gave me a few of his salt tablets (they tasted SO bad, like eating salt really) Im not sure what brand they were but they sorta helped. I never really recovered from the cramps though and I lost a lot of time. I have never be in so much pain because of a bike race before!
I use these http://www.saltstick.com/ for the fact that they are a capsule so you don't get any salt taste at all.
I use magnesium phosphate tissue salt tablets. Work for me.
http://www.martinandpleasance.com/_webapp_125001...
I haven't suffered from any cramps since last years Angry Doctor. 12 months pain free and hoping to keep it that way. Touch wood.
My secret is to use a HR monitor and never let your HR get above your lactic threshold. If you're working too hard, ease it back a bit. I purposely run >80% HR throughout any event. I also take Magnesium everyday in the week leading up to a race. Then double dose the night before and again in the morning. I don't carry salts or electrolytes with me but I do carry a bottle of Perpetuem that contains everything else I need (if it's good enough for Gordo and the Elites then it must be good right?). I also top up with a few bananas and Gu's along the way for good measure.
Last years Doctor was nuts! it was waaaaaay too hot and I overdosed on electrolytes during the race and it ripped my legs off! Now I know what to expect this year things will be different and cramp-free.
Only 3 weeks to go, see you there!
Phil
Email from AROC
Supagav's advice is spot on. After the 2008 AD I decided to take it easier in the first 50km. I let people pass me and tried to think of the race as a fun day out riding great single track rather than a race. I got into a train in the single track and didn't try to pass many people until the hill before the first water stop. As a result I was 8 minutes slower in the first 50km but felt great in the second 50km with a lot less cramping and my overall time was much better - faster compared to both the previous year and a "negative split" ie second half was faster than first half.