3 and 5 Dams Challenge - Training Week #10

Welcome to Training Week #10.

If there is one thing that helps motivate us to tackle the next week in training, it's a positive result from something we have worked hard to achieve. In my case, it was the weekend's racing while for others, it may have been a milestone ride or stealing a long-held Strava KOM from a peer (you know I mean you, Scotty). Whatever your achievement, it can truly lift your spirits and inspire you to work harder to get yourself to the next level. It can help rid your head of negative thoughts and get you in the right frame of mind when it comes to the 3 and 5 Dams Challenge. This week, I challenge anyone following this blog and training guide to achieve a milestone or breakthrough ride and your best opportunity is likely to come during the weekend rides. Go for a sprint win during your group ride or climb a personal best number of vertical metres. The feeling of satisfaction is the best fuel that I know of to keep going when things get hard.

Once again, for some of the longer and harder rides during this training block, I'd advise you to pack some gels and/or a banana or two to help you get through and definitely two bidons of water or hydration mix to keep you well hydrated and to help stay off any cramping - not just for when you venture out into the hills for longer rides, but also for some of the mid-week sessions. Another good one to pack in your jersey pocket are Fruit Crash-ups or Power Pulps from SPC (you can find these pouches of energy at any IGA). These come with a twist-top cap so you don't have to consume the entire thing in one hit. Simply have half, re-cap it and put it back in your jersey pocket until feel you need it again. If you like them, Fry's Turkish Delights are a good source of sustained fuel that you can have before a ride and top up as you go.

This week will be tough once again but if you've been following and completing this program (or similar) you should find you will be able to complete it. I hope you enjoyed your introduction or revisit to "The Coombe". It's a tough little climb that can condition you to hard work in the hills without having to do the long slogs up Welshpool Rd and the like. If you haven't managed to get there yet, The Coombe is situated on the river over in Mosman Park. If this is too far away for you, then substitute the session for one on Mount Street. We've also replaced the Wednesday strength session with an endurance session to help with completing the ride north along the freeway during the last stage of the Dams Challenge.

Also, don't forget to come into AvantiPlus Cannington on Tuesday, 11th March at 6pm for the 3 and 5 Dams Challenge Information Evening. If you can't make it down for this one, there is a second evening on Tuesday, 18th March at 6pm. These evenings will give you a chance to pick up some vital, last minute information regarding the event and to meet some fellow riders.

As usual, for the 3 Dams riders, I have combined both experience levels into the same training program as whether you are a novice or you have ridden the 3 Dams event before, you should be working to the same level to be ready in time to complete the challenge on the day. For the 5 Dams riders, there are separate programs that largely incorporate the same efforts but with slightly longer and harder rides for experienced riders.

Week #10 - 3 Dams (Novice & Experienced)
Mon	RE riding, no hills (1-2 hrs, easy riding)
Tue	Intervals. Complete 5x45s sprints up Forrest Drive in Kings Park (a bit further up the climb). Start just out of the corner leading into the climb. Go as hard as you can for the 45 seconds which should take you up around the first bend. 4 mins recovery between efforts.
Wed	Endurance. This session requires you to keep a significant power level for the duration of an hour. A good place to do this is between the roundabouts of Bruce St/Melvista Ave in Dalkeith and the one at the end of Victoria Ave in Claremont. Complete as many of these repeats (out and back) as you can in 1 hour of hard riding. This should help you complete the last ride up the freeway of the Dams Challenge when it's hard to maintain focus.
Thu	"The Coombe" (See map). Use the ride out to Mosmon Park to warm up (use a bit of effort). Complete 5 repeats of this climb riding up to Bay View Tce as quick as you can. Recover on the descent (slowly). When done, complete a vigorous ride home to finish off. If you can't get to The Coombe, complete 2 sets of 4 Mount Street climbs as described in Week #7. You will likely feel fatigued during this due to the previous day's effort.
Fri	RE riding, no hills and keep the session to about 1 hour only.
Sat	Hills. This week, try to ride 100kms with as much time in the hills as your can. You should not be able to hold a conversation whilst on the bike as your breathing should be high enough to prevent it.
Sun	More hills. We are looking for around 1000 metres of vertical climbing so you can either do this around the larger suburban hills (e.g., Kings Park, Reabold Hills or Mosman Park) or get out to the foothills up Welshpool Rd and into Kalamunda. Try for a circa 2.5 hours here.

Week #10 - 5 Dams (Novice)
Mon	RE riding, no hills (1-2 hrs, easy riding)
Tue	Intervals. Complete 7x45s sprints up Forrest Drive in Kings Park (a bit further up the climb). Start just out of the corner leading into the climb. Go as hard as you can for the 45 seconds which should take you up around the first bend. 4 mins recovery between efforts.
Wed	Endurance. This session requires you to keep a significant power level for the duration of an hour. A good place to do this is between the roundabouts of Bruce St/Melvista Ave in Dalkeith and the one at the end of Victoria Ave in Claremont. Complete as many of these repeats (out and back) as you can in 1 hour of hard riding. This should help you complete the last ride up the freeway of the Dams Challenge when it's hard to maintain focus.
Thu	"The Coombe" (See map). Use the ride out to Mosmon Park to warm up (use a bit of effort). Complete 6 repeats of this climb riding up to Bay View Tce as quick as you can. Recover on the descent (slowly). When done, complete a vigorous ride home to finish off. If you can't get to The Coombe, complete 3 sets of 3 Mount Street climbs as described in Week #7. You will likely feel fatigued during this due to the previous day's effort.
Fri	RE riding, no hills and keep the session to about 1 hour only.
Sat	Hills. This week, try to ride 120kms with as much time in the hills as your can. You should not be able to hold a conversation whilst on the bike as your breathing should be high enough to prevent it.
Sun	More hills. We are looking for around 1200 metres of vertical climbing so you should get out to the foothills up Welshpool Rd and into Kalamunda. Try for about 3 hours here.

Week #10 - 5 Dams (Experienced)
Mon	RE riding, no hills (1-2 hrs, easy riding)
Tue	Intervals. Complete 8x45s sprints up Forrest Drive in Kings Park (a bit further up the climb). Start just out of the corner leading into the climb. Go as hard as you can for the 45 seconds which should take you up around the first bend. 3mins recovery between efforts.
Wed	Endurance. This session requires you to keep a significant power level for the duration of an hour. A good place to do this is between the roundabouts of Bruce St/Melvista Ave in Dalkeith and the one at the end of Victoria Ave in Claremont. Complete as many of these repeats (out and back) as you can in 1 hour of hard riding. This should help you complete the last ride up the freeway of the Dams Challenge when it's hard to maintain focus.
Thu	"The Coombe" (See map). Use the ride out to Mosmon Park to warm up (use a bit of effort). Complete 7 repeats of this climb riding up to Bay View Tce as quick as you can. Recover on the descent (slowly). When done, complete a vigorous ride home to finish off. If you can't get to The Coombe, complete 3 sets of 4 Mount Street climbs as described in Week #7. You will likely feel fatigued during this due to the previous day's effort.
Fri	RE riding, no hills and keep the session to about 1 hour only.
Sat	Hills. This week, try to ride 140kms with as much time in the hills as your can. You should not be able to hold a conversation whilst on the bike as your breathing should be high enough to prevent it.
Sun	More hills. We are looking for more than 1300-1400 metres of vertical climbing so you should get out to the foothills up Welshpool Rd, Pickering Brook (Patterson Rd) and into Kalamunda. Try for at least 3 hours here.

This is a hard week and the subsequent weeks will continue with this. Be sure to take the recovery time between efforts seriously and you will need to take it easy on Monday and Friday. Make sure you are packing enough energy and hydration to help you through the efforts.

Be sure to perform some stretching before and after your rides to ensure muscles are appropriately warmed up prior to riding and relaxed afterwards. Take sufficient fluid with you on the bike for the expected duration of your rides. For example, longer rides may require two bidons while just one might suffice for shorter, less difficult rides.

Regards, Charlie.
Ride Ambassador

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