The Cape Town Cycle Tour is Africa’s most iconic cycling event. Which is why I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to participate in the 40th annual race, taking place on the 12th of March 2017.
I’ve ridden the 2014 Cycle Tour; a wind nightmare! I’d be cruising 80km/h coming down Chapman’s Peak, and suddenly I’d get this wave of wind rushing down the mountain, which brought my speed down to 20km/h! I had to pedal hard, downhill! Ultimately, the sections of the route that I should’ve freewheeled; I had to pedal out. As you could imagine, I was absolutely pooped when I came to the final 20 km of the race.
This year, I said to myself; “I absolutely must train for wind; rather be prepared.” So I sat down and drew up my training program, specifically for working those muscles that work so hard in wind. So far, I’ve experienced an increase in my endurance; for pushing through wind at a higher speed and keeping that speed all the way.
The Plan:
If you’re seriously pressed for time during a week to train, don’t worry. That’s something me and you have in common. That’s why you’ll find my training program fairly manageable in terms of time.
| Day: | Training: | Intensity: | Length: |
| Monday | Road Ride | High | 60 min |
| Tuesday | Gym | Core + Arms + Back Workouts | 20 min |
| Wednesday | Road Ride | Medium | 60 min |
| Thursday | Gym | Cardio = Run + Core workouts | 30 min |
| Friday | Rest Day | ||
| Saturday | Road Ride | High | 3-5 Hours |
| Sunday | Rest Day | ||
If you’re wondering whether I follow specific program for nutrition, then the answer would be no, but only because I haven’t seen the need for it my life. If you have a nutrition program feel free to share it with me. I’m always interested!
That’s all from my side. Stay tuned for a “CTCT race day tips” article coming soon!
