For our training we used a heart rate based program supplied by Polar (www.polar.fi). These programs allow you to design and measure your training based on heart rate intensity and time spent in these intensities. Distance becomes less important when using a program like this as the main objective is to achieve the time targets at the specific heart rate intensities. An advantage of partnering with each other is that our heart rate profiles and abilities are similar. This made the training easier and will hopefully allow us to perform in a similar way in the actual event.

Our HR profiles are as follows: 

We have essentially been preparing for the 2005 Cape Epic since before the 2004 Cape Epic. We knew that we would enter the 2005 event and hoped that we would get an entry. In July when the entries opened we managed to secure an entry and began training . In total we did about 12 months of non specific Cape Epic training, followed by 7 months of specific Cape Epic training

Non Specific training
Our initial preparation was to train for and do as many one day mountain bike races during the 2004 season. Specifically the Drifter series which made up the bulk of the races. In this time we went through essentially 3 x 12 week training programs similar to those shown below. This training is quite different from that required for The Cape Epic. Training for 1 day races requires a fair amount of anaerobic stamina (70-80% of max HR) and lactate training (80-90% of max HR), approximately 15% and 10% respectively of total training time. This conditions the body to sustain extended periods (3-4 hours) of high activity with a heart rate around 80% of max. 

Specific training:
Training for an ultra endurance event on the other hand requires virtually no stamina or lactate training, with all the training time being spent in aerobic endurance (50-70% of max HR). This is basically base training which consists of long rides 5 hours plus at low intensity to build up endurance to cope with 8 days of riding in a row. In The Cape Epic the goal will be to keep heart rates below 70% of maximum so that fatigue is minimised and the production of lactic acid is avoided.

The first program was a 12 week 10 hour wee program from September to December

The end point being a self organised training camp in mid December. The training camp consisted of 4 days of riding in a row with minimum distances of 80km per day. We did this in and around Johannesburg and Pretoria as follows

The second program was a 16 week 15 hour program from December right up to the race date on April 2

During this program we also did a spinman training camp in Dullstroom where we did two days of riding as follows:

A good measure for our progress was a route that we setup to as closely as possible simulate a day on The Cape epic. The route went from Northcliff in Johannesburg out to Hekpoort in Broederstroom and back again. We did this route 3 times, there was a noticeable improvement by the third time when our heart rates were lower and we felt much better and recovered more quickly.

A summary of our total training effort a week before going into The Cape Epic is

Click below for the two Polar reports of our training summaries: