2007 El Tour Training Rides

El Tour time will be upon us before you know it. This year, El Tour will keep basically the same route as last year with the counter-clockwise route around the city. The exact route will be available later this fall from Perimeter Bicycling.

This year again, GABA will be providing training rides to help you get ready for the big event. The training rides will start the weekend of September 9th, and will continue through the weekend of November 12th. The rides will start with a distance of 35-50 miles and steadily increase each week to 90 miles the weekend before El Tour. This year, we will continue to offer shorter route options for those who will be doing the shorter El Tour routes.

The training rides are designed to gradually increase your riding distance and endurance, familiarize you with the El Tour route, let you practice your ride strategy and ride with others who are at your riding skill level. With the exception of the 2 centuries which are fully supported with 3 or 4 sag stops well-stocked with great food, there is no cost for the training rides.

This year, GABA will again offer 2 starting locations: one at the NE corner of Grant & Silverbell on the west side of the city, and the other one at Udall Park on the east side. Details of the rides will be in the GABA monthly newsletters and on the GABA website at www.bikegaba.org.

Some of the maps in the following table are in Adobe Acrobat Format (PDF). You must have Adobe installed in order to download them, click HERE if you need to install Adobe first.

Note: The alternative longer rides for each week are optional - they may or may not have an official leader depending.  They are included here as a resource.

Perimeter Bicycling is expecting over 9,000 riders this year! Early sign-ups are already coming in. Check www.perimeterbicycling.com for sign-up info and entry forms. Note when the registration fees go up, sign up early and save some money.

El Tour XXV will be a special ride. If you’ve thought about doing El Tour before but couldn’t quite convince yourself to take the plunge, this is the year! If you’ve done one of the shorter distances in the past, consider moving up to a longer distance, or even to the 108-mile event. The GABA training rides will provide an excellent opportunity to get yourself in shape over time, and for you to evaluate your capability for the event of your choice.

Perimeter Bicycling’s El Tour de Tucson is one of the finest century rides in the country. You’ll find it difficult to find a better supported ride anywhere. There’s nothing quite like cruising through intersection after intersection with police officers holding back the traffic just for you. The camaraderie shared with your fellow riders is special and not soon forgotten. In case you were wondering, the majority of the riders are not from Tucson, but hail from across the state, the nation or from other countries.

Proper training is a critical prerequisite to a successful and enjoyable El Tour experience. It’s key to start early and slowly build your mileage base to the point you can comfortably ride 60-80% of the distance you plan to ride on El Tour day. If you can ride 100%, that’s a bonus, but the excitement and support on El Tour day will help carry you the extra miles beyond your normal training ride distances.

It’s very important to experiment with foods and fluids during training, not on El Tour day. Trying out a new energy bar or drink on El Tour day can lead to a very unpleasant experience.

As you’re training, try different combinations of snacks and drinks. Make a note of how you feel and how they affect your energy level. If they don’t work out for you, try something else. Remember, there is no magic formula that works for every rider. If your snack or drink doesn’t taste good to you, you’re likely to avoid it just when your body needs it most. Proper hydration is, of course, an absolute must. If you go out for a 4-hour ride and don’t have to urinate somewhere along the route, you are not properly hydrated. Low fluid and electrolyte levels can rob your body of much needed energy and endurance, and could make your El Tour experience an unpleasant one.

So get ready to start putting in the training miles. Come join us for the training rides and we’ll see you at the start line at sunrise on November 17th!