rpw1977

My buddy and I are coming from Idaho to do the event. We are both signed up for the Gran route. I have been riding consistently since spring. I have been averaging 100-120 miles a week......with probably 3000 ft of climbing per week. My longest ride to date for this year is a 62 miler with 5500 ft of climbing. I feel like I have my nutrition locked down for long rides. The area that I climb ranges from 4000 ft elevation up to 7500 ft elevation. I am hoping that training higher here in Idaho may give me a slight personal advantage in LGF.......being at a lower elevation.
I hope that I have done enough to be ready. My goal is to finish under 8 hours.
Any thoughts or words of wisdom??

dcf

have you received any response (from other sources?) on your gran fondo question? If not, I can give you some feedback (but I'm a "medio" rider, not a "gran")

todman007

I'm surprised no one has piped in here regarding your training efforts for the Fondo. It sounds like you have trained correctly and at distance for this event. The Fondo has lots of climbing, but that is relative to where you live. I'd say Idaho has enough climbing to replicate what you will find here.

My thoughts on the Fondo are as follows ( having done the Gran 2x and the Medio route in training numerous times, I live here); Good- you'll be in lots of company so can gauge your effort as the day progresses. If you haven't seen the route profile, I think it is available on some of the mapping sites, if not the Fondo web site.

The rest stops are well stocked so you shouldn't run out of anything. Weather will be cool in the am, cool on the ridge near the ocean, warmer in the inland side of things heading toward SR to finish.

Sonoma county roads are narrow, rough (watch for potholes) and not well designed or accommodating to cars and bikes at the same time. Keep you head up and eyes wide open for your safety. There will be a lot of riders of all abilities and fitness on the ride to proceed accordingly.

The day you pick up your package/route material, ask questions at the festival and hopefully someone there will get you dialed in. Good luck out there.

cccorlew

Insert EPO, Lance Armstrong related joke here. Mention Big George in same post.


Seriously though, sounds like you are ready. Enjoy!

jimxyz

I wish I could help you but this will be my first time as well. I was averaging similar miles to you up until about 3 weeks ago, and I felt ready - although now I am getting nervous. I have done comparable rides - Mulholland Challenge, Breathless Agony and Hearbreak 100. LGF looks to have similar climbing profiles - maybe not as many vertical feet, but some good climbs in there. I am wondering how steep and long some of the sections are as those 10+% runs tend to zap my energy quick. I wish we could start earlier than 8, as the cutoff at Cazadero is at 11, so you have 3 hours to do the first 30 miles - which isn't a huge challenege, except the mass start may take some time to actually get moving on down the road, and I'm slow! haha

bigbenaugust 

I've only done the medio three times ('09, '10, and '12 with the gravel-grinder option), but it sounds like you will be fine.

The mass start will take forever unless your name is Levi or Patrick (Dempsey). Last year, it was a solid half-hour for us medio-intermediate/advanced people to get going. I rode 10mi to the start from a rental house in Sebastopol and was all warmed up, then cooled off waiting for the start.

Just be patient and have a good time with the whole spectacle. I would have done it this year, but I moved away.