{"id":1748,"date":"2013-04-22T00:58:26","date_gmt":"2013-04-22T00:58:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/crankpunk.com\/?p=1748"},"modified":"2013-04-22T01:22:53","modified_gmt":"2013-04-22T01:22:53","slug":"knowing-when-to-stop-the-63km-climb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/2013\/04\/22\/knowing-when-to-stop-the-63km-climb\/","title":{"rendered":"knowing when to stop & the 63km climb"},"content":{"rendered":"

as a firm believer in listening to my body and heeding the signs that the little grey lump encased within my skull transmits to, er, itself, i took the decision not to take part in Taiwan’s second biggest race of the season (the first being the UCI Tour de Taiwan), the AMD 2 Day Huadong race.<\/p>\n

with a total of something like 320km over two days in what looked like being bad weather (Day 2 was in fact very wet), i felt like it was going to, in then end, drain too much from my legs rather than help improve my form.<\/p>\n

it’s been a funny start to the season this year, all affected by having to take almost three months off from the beginning of October to almost the end of December due to injuries.<\/p>\n

that led me to having to pack in big kilometers from the start of January then to pick up the pace from the middle, way too soon really but with the Tour de Taiwan coming in mid March i had little choice.<\/p>\n

two wins in my first two races were a little surprising but in the Tour it was obvious that I was a little off the pace but unable to really ride myself into the race, as the signs of having over-trained were all too obvious. aching legs, a lack of power on climbs and a sore throat, not to mention a pervasive tiredness, all combined to let me know that it was time to back off.<\/p>\n

as cyclists\/athletes\/nutters (delete as applicable) we have learnt that through endeavor and dedication in training, we get fitter and stronger, so when we are going slow we ten to go to the default setting of ‘Train Harder,’ but this is, very often (unless you’ve been lazy), a mistake.<\/p>\n

an old pro once told me that it’s better to be under- than over-trained, and there was never a truer word spoken when it comes to preparation. being a little slow allows you to use the next race and the subsequent training to gt fitter for the one after, whereas if you blow a proper gasket due to having done too much, it can take weeks if not months to get over it.<\/p>\n

\"poor<\/a>
poor Frank just did not know when to call it a day<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

the human body is amazing, no doubt, and adapts to innumerable situations in incredible ways, but we have to remember that, whilst exercise may be fun to us, to our bodies it is stress. and, if you train a lot, that stress is accumulative.<\/p>\n

the body begins to respond to being overworked by sending signals to itself. we, as irrational beings (we are cyclists, remember), often tell our bodies to shut the f**k up, cos we are hard as Belgians and love the pain.<\/p>\n

sometimes that is justified but sometimes it is just plain stupid. like, stoopid<\/em> stupid. signs of an impending crisis are an inability to get a good night’s sleep, sleeping late, a sore throat and a lack of motivation. thirstiness, for me, is another, as is feeling aches in the legs from a moderate day on the bike.<\/p>\n

forget SRMs, PowerTaps, heart rate monitors and whatever other gizmos you paid a truckload for – the best and most brilliant training device\u00a0 we possess is between our ears.<\/p>\n

\"ebrain1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

the sooner we start listening to it, the sooner we can make steady improvements and get proper rest.<\/p>\n

so, after the Tour de Taiwan i took ten days off the bike. put it in the spare room and forgot about it. despite the sniffling and whimpering i heard from it during the night, i stood firm.<\/p>\n

then when i picked up again i had an easy 5 days, then started training proper again. my motivation was back and within another 5 i felt strong again. the Huadong race that i just missed is a lot of fun and i felt ok for it but something was telling me to ease back off a little again, so i did.<\/p>\n

instead i did a solid 75km yesterday with one 8km climb and a 30 minute TT section, and today i headed out to Ali Shan, a beautiful behemoth of a mountain (around 2,500m to the road summit) an hour’s drive from my place.<\/p>\n

\"Ali<\/a>
Ali Shan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

with a hill climb up it on May 5th, i decided to tackle the route, a 63km climb that is 90% up, heading up into the rarefied air above the clouds. luckily i just missed the rain and the cold and had a wonderful ride. i’m not a natural climber but i somehow have convinced my head that these climbs are actually time trials, just, with a dollop or three of extra gravity, which helps pass the kilometers.<\/p>\n

anyway, legs feel fine now, i’m tired but not wasted, and all good for the next week of training and the stage race the week after in Thailand.<\/p>\n

less, as they say, sometimes really is more.<\/p>\n

crank on.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

as a firm believer in listening to my body and heeding the signs that the little grey lump encased within my skull transmits to, er, itself, i took the decision not to take part in Taiwan’s second biggest race of the season (the first being the UCI Tour de Taiwan), the AMD 2 Day Huadong race. with a total of something like 320km over two days in what looked like being bad weather (Day 2 was in fact very wet), i felt like it was going to, in then end, drain too much from my legs rather than help improve my form. it’s been a funny start to the season […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40955418,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","wpupg_custom_link":[],"wpupg_custom_link_behaviour":[],"wpupg_custom_link_nofollow":[],"wpupg_custom_image":[],"wpupg_custom_image_id":[],"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[943],"tags":[30682906,767233536,767233535,682637,1493],"class_list":["post-1748","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-training","tag-ali-shan","tag-climbing","tag-cycling","tag-overtraining","tag-recovery"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2OfoS-sc","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":22171,"url":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/2025\/04\/28\/world-masters-games-taiwan-2025-80km-race-route\/","url_meta":{"origin":1748,"position":0},"title":"WORLD MASTERS GAMES TAIWAN 2025 \/ 80KM RACE ROUTE","author":"Lee Rodgers","date":"4\u6708 28, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Route for the 80km race at the upcoming World Masters Games.","rel":"","context":"taiwan cycling","block_context":{"text":"taiwan cycling","link":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/category\/taiwan-cycling\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-04-28-at-8.29.12-PM.png?fit=847%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-04-28-at-8.29.12-PM.png?fit=847%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-04-28-at-8.29.12-PM.png?fit=847%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-04-28-at-8.29.12-PM.png?fit=847%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7606,"url":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/2020\/11\/12\/the-taiwan-kom-challenge-a-reflection\/","url_meta":{"origin":1748,"position":1},"title":"The Taiwan KOM Challenge \/ A Reflection","author":"Lee Rodgers","date":"11\u6708 12, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"It's something that brings me real joy and a sense of fulfilment, helping to organise and promote the Taiwan KOM Challenge. When I first started working on the race back in 2013, in just its second year, the event was not known much at all outside of Taiwan. 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- that's\u2026","rel":"","context":"chartreau","block_context":{"text":"chartreau","link":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/tag\/chartreau\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/558319_500190329992400_259914232_n.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/558319_500190329992400_259914232_n.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/558319_500190329992400_259914232_n.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1497,"url":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/2013\/03\/13\/cranking-up-the-results\/","url_meta":{"origin":1748,"position":4},"title":"rack it up","author":"Lee Rodgers","date":"3\u6708 13, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"no complaints so far with two wins from two races, though my love handles are still begging to be pinched, no doubt about that. seems the fatter you get off season the more stubborn the last remnants of the winter load become. proper crusty squatters, these lumps are, entrenched for\u2026","rel":"","context":"crankpunk racing","block_context":{"text":"crankpunk racing","link":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/category\/crankpunk-racing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/r0015488.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/r0015488.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/r0015488.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":21421,"url":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/2025\/01\/04\/new-taiwan-kom-challenge-2025-training-plans-available\/","url_meta":{"origin":1748,"position":5},"title":"NEW TAIWAN KOM CHALLENGE 2025 TRAINING PLANS AVAILABLE","author":"Lee Rodgers","date":"1\u6708 4, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Yes, pre-written training plans at a great price, to get you ready and willing for the Taiwan KOM Challenge!","rel":"","context":"crankpunk coaching","block_context":{"text":"crankpunk coaching","link":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/category\/crankpunk-coaching\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Screenshot-2024-08-20-at-3.25.47-PM.png?fit=923%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Screenshot-2024-08-20-at-3.25.47-PM.png?fit=923%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Screenshot-2024-08-20-at-3.25.47-PM.png?fit=923%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Screenshot-2024-08-20-at-3.25.47-PM.png?fit=923%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Lee Rodgers","author_link":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/author\/crankpunk\/"},"rttpg_comment":2,"rttpg_category":"training<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"as a firm believer in listening to my body and heeding the signs that the little grey lump encased within my skull transmits to, er, itself, i took the decision not to take part in Taiwan’s second biggest race of the season (the first being the UCI Tour de Taiwan), the AMD 2 Day Huadong…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1748","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40955418"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1748"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1748\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16801,"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1748\/revisions\/16801"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1748"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1748"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1748"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}