Originally Posted by
robbyville
unlike last year I know that I'll be able to complete the first day... it's how I'll be on the second that has me scared witless!
You'll be fine the second day. It's all about pacing the first day, nutrition and recovery.
Resist the urge to hammer Day 1, finish it with something left in the tank and Day 2 will be easier.
Eat and drink regularly on the bike.
Really focus on eating and drinking the last hour of Day 1. This is the start of your recovery for Day2. Lot's of riders stop eating and drinking toward the end of a long stage thinking they'll just make it up at the end. This is a bad mistake for a stage race, or multi day hard tour, because your digging a hole. Again, recovery for Day 2, starts in the last hour of Day 1.
Consume a good serving of carbs in the first 15-30 minutes off the bike on Day 1 ( Recovery Drink, Chocolate milk, cereal, whatever you have) Your body stores muscle glycogen more effectively in that window.
Rest. Keep your feet up. Never walk when you can stand. Never stand when you can sit. Never sit when you can lie down.
Continue to eat and drink. Have a water bottle with you at all times and sip on it regularly.
Get a massage if you can.
That's pretty much the Cliff Notes version of the Chris Carmichael approach to surviving stage races. It got me throug 6 consecutive 100 mile days of climbing in Colorado.