My word it's hot...

Just back in Singapore from Shanghai where it was 37 degrees C, I got into our office this morning looking like I'd been under a shower. Fortunately, it's a little cooler here at a mere 28 degrees, probably cooler than it's been in the UK from what I'm hearing.

Did 75m last Saturday with Anza at an average of 20.1mph.... bloody hell ! It was tough, loads of testosterone, one guy off after losing-out in a battle of wits with a motorbike, not injured just shaken. Got knocked-off the bike on Sunday last by a local, I'm OK, it was slow, but the back wheel needs repair, again !!

Been reading the other Etape training blog sites with interest. As an Etape novice in 2007 I was terrified of being swept-up. 2007 was the toughest Etape ever and remains so in my opinion, it was 199km and 5,100m of climbing over 5 Cat HC and Cat 1 climbs. The cut-off was 12h:30m, I finished in 10h:45m having burned nearly 10,000 calories. Only 4,600 finished out of 8,500, I was about 3,230th. It was over 30 degrees on the Col de Port de Balles where the asphalt was melting. This particular climb resembled a battle zone with unfit French riders throwing-up left right and centre.

2008 was a whole different story, the day before it rained, the day of the event it rained... all day. It was only 179km with 3,200m of climbing, 2 x HC cat climbs and 2 x cat 4 climbs (bumps). Such was the repute of the 2007 Etape, they were taking entries at the start village the day before and only 7,700 entered. The rain made the roads lethal, there were cyclists everywhere coming off it was very slippy. I recall hitting a 90 right in Lourdes and about 25 riders all slid across the road and hit the kerb. Col de Tourmalet was tough, longer than Ventoux, slightly slacker at 7.2%, but it was -2 degrees C at the summit. The descent was terrible, freezing cold, slippy, dangerous. Hautacam was no better. I'd lost the will to live by the time I finished at the summit queuing for the controlled descent. It was still tough, slightly further down the field than 2007 due to my marathon training for New York and London thorough 2007 and up to April 2008.

This year will be very interesting. Much more structured training than either of the 2 previous years, much more mileage. Save for the disruption of moving to Singapore, it should on paper be a walk in the park.

Very few Brits who have put in the training will be anywhere near the broom waggon. There was a guy from Ireland with us last year riding what was almost a hybrid. He was fit, but not endurance bike fit and he made it with minutes to spare at the bottom of Hautacam before they closed the ascent.

Reading the training blogs of Simon and Karen, I think they will both be in front of me. They will have nothing to worry about. Now it's time to enjoy it. I'll be in the gym every day for short bursts with a 45m sprint set for early Sunday morning in 30 degrees as my last ride pre-event.

Fly back to the UK on Wednesday night next week, can't wait to see the family again before departing to France.. they think I'm mad !

Take care those of you riding, the next one will be after the event......