Saint Lary Soulan Pla dÁdet : Strength Hills
Tried to check into the new hotel in Carcassonne on Monday noon...they lost my booking!! No panic, I slept in the car for a couple of hours, supermarket car park. When Minnie was done with the walled Cite we moved on to Saint Lary Soulan.
As it turned out we parked our car on the side of the course in town and a quiet little spot (at night anyway, but not last night, a concert). We ate pizza for the fifth straight night, drank nice red wine and marvelled at the fountain and the every changing colours and volume of thrust into the night sky.
At 4am I temporarily misplaced the car key. We spent an hour looking for the little thing. Having found it we went back to sleep in the car and woke up to the sound of people racing to the shops open at 830am.
Up the mountain. I ran along the course and after 2km started the ascent of Pla DÁdet, 10km at 9% average gradient starting at 800m asl, rising to 1680m asl. It was a leisurely run up hill. I was taking photos of parapenting, the camping cars lined on the route (not many, nowhere to park), saying bonjour to the French, bravo to the Spanish. One bravo went to Mr Spanish riding Orbea and dressed in full kit, passing me as I took a photo. That was it, game changer. Next minute I was at just below my maximum threshold some 15-20 metres back. For me it wasn't a race...I had no intention of passing him. I just sat there and relaxed, running at around 4:30/km, faster on the flatter sections, slower on the steep pinches. The image doesn't show a false flat just after Soulan or the downhill in the 8th kilometre where I got to.
We travelled in convoy for the next 6km. He could sense me there and tried to drop me on the flats several times. I just ran my tempo and he came back to me...eventually he cracked. The pace slowed so much I was nowhere near threshold. I stopped, took a photo of my Spanish friend and let him ride off, just 2km shy of the summit. I retraced my steps back down the mountain slowly but faster than I went up. 97 minutes for the morning. Another 17 minutes in the afternoon.
Minnie and I took a sky gondola back to the top a few hours later 5 euro each and a bargain. We walked around, took in the views and back down on gondola again.
In town we found tv outside a bar and watched Michael Rogers grab a win on Bagneres de Luchon. Then a second run, more pizza and wine.
Today is just plain crazy all over town and on the mountain. Two bus full of Gendarme left for up the course at 7am. I ran an easy 60 minutes this morning, another 30 or so will be done after the tour. Big screen tv in town. Still tempted to do Gondola to the top for the vibe or escape the vibe down here.
Maybe Pau for the start tmoz. I am more tempted straight on to St Emilion.
Sitting on 130km+ for this week but wishing for more speed work. Will have to wait until I get home as usual.
As it turned out we parked our car on the side of the course in town and a quiet little spot (at night anyway, but not last night, a concert). We ate pizza for the fifth straight night, drank nice red wine and marvelled at the fountain and the every changing colours and volume of thrust into the night sky.
At 4am I temporarily misplaced the car key. We spent an hour looking for the little thing. Having found it we went back to sleep in the car and woke up to the sound of people racing to the shops open at 830am.
Up the mountain. I ran along the course and after 2km started the ascent of Pla DÁdet, 10km at 9% average gradient starting at 800m asl, rising to 1680m asl. It was a leisurely run up hill. I was taking photos of parapenting, the camping cars lined on the route (not many, nowhere to park), saying bonjour to the French, bravo to the Spanish. One bravo went to Mr Spanish riding Orbea and dressed in full kit, passing me as I took a photo. That was it, game changer. Next minute I was at just below my maximum threshold some 15-20 metres back. For me it wasn't a race...I had no intention of passing him. I just sat there and relaxed, running at around 4:30/km, faster on the flatter sections, slower on the steep pinches. The image doesn't show a false flat just after Soulan or the downhill in the 8th kilometre where I got to.
Minnie and I took a sky gondola back to the top a few hours later 5 euro each and a bargain. We walked around, took in the views and back down on gondola again.
Today is just plain crazy all over town and on the mountain. Two bus full of Gendarme left for up the course at 7am. I ran an easy 60 minutes this morning, another 30 or so will be done after the tour. Big screen tv in town. Still tempted to do Gondola to the top for the vibe or escape the vibe down here.
Maybe Pau for the start tmoz. I am more tempted straight on to St Emilion.
Sitting on 130km+ for this week but wishing for more speed work. Will have to wait until I get home as usual.
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