Power Training in the Swiss Alps Getting ready for IronMan Florida 2007!

With just 7 weeks to go before Ironman Florida , what better way to put myself to the test than heading to the Swiss Alps. You can only bike up and down Sheridan road, Chicago's lakefront path, or the Madison IM route so many times before boredom sets in and you long for new challenges, new scenery. So, together with Richard who I knew from 2 Eurocycler Spain camps, we created a customized program with a strong focus on cycling since I needed extra leg power and confidence on optimized technique and handling skills, and off to Switzerland I went.

The camp was held in Villars, the full name of the place is Villars-sur-Ollon. That's a ski resort in the French speaking area of Switzerland, about 90 minutes from Geneva airport. The village is located at 1,300 meters (4,000 feet) altitude. You reach it after a 10 km climb through some of the finest Alpine vineyards, and the resort continues to climb to 3,000 meters (9,200 feet) for glacier skiing. Situated on a shoulder of a mountain, it is always sunlit and offers an absolutely stunning Alpine panorama with sunsets for the picture book. Although a winter resort and known for its chalet style charme, it is very busy in Summer too, features indoor lap pool, outdoor lake swimming, and even some flat terrain, if the mountainous roads are to much for you. The area with climbs such as Col de la Croix, Col du Pillon, Col des Mosses, Pas de Morgins, or the 25 switchbacks of Yvorne (see ride profiles, that beats Alpe d'Huez!!) is known among many professional triathletes from Australia and Europe who have chosen to live and train here.


       

The program went like this:

Biking
We mapped out 4 long rides that varied between 4-5 hours, 50-65 miles, and 2,600-7,200 feet climbing. On the only day that it rained, we paid a visit to the UCI world headquarter just 10 miles away and watched some upcoming cycling stars logging miles on the oval of the velodrome. In the afternoon Richard administered a lactate threshold test on an ergotrainer bike – the good news is that, as compared to a year ago, my body produces much less lactate overall, and my power output is much higher. Using this data as well as guidance from our 4 long rides, we mapped out a strategy for Ironman Florida that has me targetting a heart-rate zone between 155 and 160 bpm, and hopefully a split around 6 hrs 30 min. The mountains around Villars are absolutely spectacular. You can't go more than 50 yards without heading sharply up or down - or you go down and start in the valley to get some flat miles. But the quad and hamstring pain were rewarded with stunning views of Mt Blanc, Le Dent du Midi mountains and farmland with cowbells tinkling the air. I was also given the opportunity to test-ride (and ultimately bought) a pair of super-light Xentis wheels and a beautiful all-carbon bike that I named KoKo.

       

Running
We'd planned for 4 long runs, but ended up with 3 as I found my joints needed some rest – and besides, I was there to enjoy the charms of Switzerland 's little cafes and shoppes too! My runs were anywhere between 60-150 minutes, and I found I was slower than I'd expected – of course, climbing 1,000 feet wasn't what I was expecting either! But, like the bike rides, I found myself blissfully gliding along through forests and river streams and a house here or there, and of course, the moo-ing cows that kept me company. Richard also kept me company alongside me on his mountain bike, carrying water and energy bars, and giving advice like how better to “pendulum” my shin forward when running downhill to minimize the impact on my quads.

       

Swimming
Richard signed me up for one-on-one swim technique classes with local expert, Jocelyn, who got me to “glide freely” by the end of my sessions with him. Jocelyn's coaching, together with the under-water videos that Richard took of our sessions, really helped me pinpoint the little changes I needed to make to improve my power. Watch some of the video clips from our sessions. Let's just hope there are no jellyfish at Ironman Florida !



Program Overview and hours - click on ride profiles to review the climbs!

So, 23 hours of Swiss-mountain-training later, and I'm headed home. Re-energized for the final weeks before Ironman Florida , I can't think of a better way I could have spent preparing. With those Alps in my legs, the flat roads of Florida won't be able to stop me!

See you in Panama Beach!