THE FOCUS RIGHT NOW
BUILD THE ENGINE.
Sixteen weeks out, your job is volume. Forget intervals. Forget Strava. Build the aerobic engine that every later phase sits on top of. 80% of your time should be in Zone 2 — conversational pace, nose-breathing territory. If your base phase feels easy, you're doing it right.
THIS WEEK'S ANCHOR SESSION
THE LONG Z2 RIDE
One 3-4 hour steady Zone 2 ride per week. Flat to rolling route. Cadence 85-95rpm. Heart rate below first ventilatory threshold the whole way. This is where your mitochondrial density grows.
EVENT INTEL
WHAT THE WICKLOW 200 ACTUALLY DEMANDS
The Wicklow 200 is Ireland's classic mass-participation sportive — 200km across the Wicklow Mountains with 3,500m of climbing. Starts and finishes in Greystones or thereabouts, runs in early June.
KEY CHARACTERISTICS
- ✓Five named climbs including Sally Gap, Slieve Mann, and the Shay Elliott
- ✓Weather can shift from baking to cold rain inside an hour
- ✓Cut-off times at checkpoints — pacing mistakes end your day early
- ✓Long valleys between climbs demand steady aerobic fitness
- ✓Mass start means the opening 30km can drag you into the red
COMMON MISTAKES
- ✕Going too hard in the first 50km in a pack surge
- ✕Underfueling on Sally Gap because it's 'only' the first big climb
- ✕Pack light thinking 'it's June' — expect wind and showers
PACING
Think of it as two 100km rides stitched together. Target heart-rate ceiling on Sally Gap (climb 1) that's 5-8 beats below your sportive threshold. If you feel comfortable at the 100km mark, you paced it right. If you're already hanging on, the back half will be a grind.
FUELLING
80-100g carbs/hour for 200km is the realistic target if your gut's trained. Start fuelling within 45 minutes. Cafe stop at the 140km feed zone is a strategic checkpoint, not a recovery break — keep it under 20 minutes.
KIT
Rain cape stashed in the jersey pocket. Compact chainset for Shay Elliott unless you're built for hills. Double-bottle plus one refill at every stop — Irish weather dehydrates you even when it feels cool.
WANT THIS BUILT AROUND YOUR FTP?
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