Tour Divide 2019 Preparation and Planning Thread

[bon]

Seems like a good time to start the '19 TD thread. My calendar year continues to be based around the TD start. Can't seem to get this event out of my heart and mind!

[spottedowl]

Nice!  I'm sure it is starting to occupy a few minds.

Attached is a little chart I made last year in preparation for 2018 (before I went OTH in late April and broke a few vertebrate, amongst other things) that I used to understand the balance between speed (mph) and riding time.  Now that my training has been reset to ground zero, I'm thinking of a training approach that will help find the right balance for me.

Anyway, I thought someone might find it useful.  I think it is agnostic to how you define moving time, could be either start to end of a day, or just actual spinning time.

Cheers

[mymilkexpired]

@bon I feel you, I've spent the last few weeks mapping out my life over the next 9 months affording me the opportunity to make an attempt in 2019.

[taprider]

Attached is a little chart I made

I don't understand your graph
where does average moving speed come in?

[spottedowl]

@taprider

yeah, not super intuitive and the legend isn't labelled.

Each coloured curve is an average moving speed in mph, ranging from 6 mph for the top curve to 12 mph for the bottom curve.   I know this is about 8 mph for me, so to hit a target date of 20 days I'd have to ride for 17.1 hours/day.  If I improve my average speed to 9 mph, moving time drops to 15.2 hours/day for a 20 day finish.  Or alternatively, if I thought I could ride about 17 hours/day averaging 9 mph, I could target a finish time of 18 days.

It's obviously over-simplistic, but I found it useful to understand scenarios in thinking about a race plan.

[bon]

@bon I feel you, I've spent the last few weeks mapping out my life over the next 9 months affording me the opportunity to make an attempt in 2019.

Good company here.
Finished my Cordillera submission Friday. That really got my heart going for June!

[schillingsworth]

Any chance we can get this thread title changed to 2019 TD Planning?? Save the Race Discussion thread for the actual event.

See you there next June!!

[bon]

Any chance we can get this thread title changed to 2019 TD Planning?? Save the Race Discussion thread for the actual event.

See you there next June!!

I'm not seeing an option for that unfortunately.

[richpips]

We've started planning for this once again, though we've not made the start line yet.

We won't make the GD but will do an ITT starting in July.

[Snowbd2u]

TD vet here, definitely in for 2019. Yes!!! Wondering if I need the new maps or will the updated amendments work still? Not sure if the route before elkford is going to be in play again for this year or any other changes to the course other than warmsutter.... 2014 doesn't seem that long ago but I guess it has been!

Also, good luck to everyone starting to prepare, its awesome!

[eec]

@taprider

yeah, not super intuitive and the legend isn't labelled.

Each coloured curve is an average moving speed in mph, ranging from 6 mph for the top curve to 12 mph for the bottom curve.   I know this is about 8 mph for me, so to hit a target date of 20 days I'd have to ride for 17.1 hours/day.  If I improve my average speed to 9 mph, moving time drops to 15.2 hours/day for a 20 day finish.  Or alternatively, if I thought I could ride about 17 hours/day averaging 9 mph, I could target a finish time of 18 days.

It's obviously over-simplistic, but I found it useful to understand scenarios in thinking about a race plan.

I just came off the Black Hills Expedition, going into it with a definite plan on average speed and distance per day. All I can say is that whatever plan you have, throw it out the window. I'm looking at an attempt at the TDR next year, and while I will have a loose training plan, I'm not going to show up at the start with any thought of maintaining a certain speed and/or a certain number of hours per day. It's going to be day-to-day, ride as long as I can, hard when I can, easy if I have to, with the goal of finishing.

[flyboy]

I just came off the Black Hills Expedition, going into it with a definite plan on average speed and distance per day. All I can say is that whatever plan you have, throw it out the window. I'm looking at an attempt at the TDR next year, and while I will have a loose training plan, I'm not going to show up at the start with any thought of maintaining a certain speed and/or a certain number of hours per day. It's going to be day-to-day, ride as long as I can, hard when I can, easy if I have to, with the goal of finishing.

eec, correct. That is how it will pan out. Some days you will feel strong and ride 20 hours and others you will struggle to manage 10 or 12. The main thing is to stay focussed, accept what you can do that day and just don’t quit! You will have to come back again in 2020 otherwise.

[jcmuellner]

Curious. Is the FB group & bikepacking.net/forum the only sources for current TD info now? The old TD site is out of date and no longer maintained, but people keep referencing it: https://www.tourdivide.org

[dskunk]

Curious. Is the FB group & bikepacking.net/forum the only sources for current TD info now?

It would certainly appear that FB is going to be the best source of info. I'd prefer if it was this site.
I am showing up for next year's TD (2019). I feel overwhelmed and under prepared, and I've been down the route twice before.
The start of cold weather here in Ontario always reminds me of what TD can throw at you.

[jcmuellner]

It would certainly appear that FB is going to be the best source of info. I'd prefer if it was this site.
I am showing up for next year's TD (2019). I feel overwhelmed and under prepared, and I've been down the route twice before.
The start of cold weather here in Ontario always reminds me of what TD can throw at you.

Thanks Dave. The BP forums are good, but just having the current basics with links on the web site to this board and FB would make it more seamless. Am also considering 2019...but first bikepacking in NZ for a little more warmth!

[bon]

A friend of mine just had his leg amputated from the knee down and I am about to undergo extensive surgery on my abdomen. Anyone else planning to line up in Banff with a disability or health hurdle? Though I would prefer to not have had the disease that caused my mid-section surgeries, I can't express my gratitude for the opportunity to ride TD. It's always glorious and I look forward to #3.

[woody]

Curious. Is the FB group & bikepacking.net/forum the only sources for current TD info now? The old TD site is out of date and no longer maintained, but people keep referencing it: https://www.tourdivide.org

FWIW - Not sure if the fb site you refer to is the same or not, but this was brought up early in last years planning thread.
http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/ultra-racing/tour-divide-2018-race-preparation/msg91324/#msg91324

[davew]

FWIW - Not sure if the fb site you refer to is the same or not, but this was brought up early in last years planning thread.
http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/ultra-racing/tour-divide-2018-race-preparation/msg91324/#msg91324

a very memorable post from 2017. It was a joy to read it then as it was again now.

[bon]

Curious. Is the FB group & bikepacking.net/forum the only sources for current TD info now? The old TD site is out of date and no longer maintained, but people keep referencing it: https://www.tourdivide.org

This site should be the best source for information, especially new information, since RD Matthew Lee is here and supports this site. Happy to answer any questions.

[axelman]

Any advice on what bike computer to use. I am looking for a backup if my gps fails. Looking for a good quality, non rechargeable, wireless computer. I would love something that I could do heart rate with for training purposes but its really not necessary. Has anyone had any luck replacing their computer with a gps watch for the race? Then again, that requires charging.