Two riders, one goal — surviving the Gran Fondo. Follow Dave and Aubrey as they dust off the bikes, confront the turbo trainer, and ask themselves what they've signed up for.
I've done it. I've actually entered. The confirmation email is sitting in my inbox like a ticking time bomb. A Gran Fondo. Me. The bloke who gets winded walking up the stairs to the office.
The plan is simple: ride more, eat less rubbish, and try not to think about the 3,000 metres of climbing. I dug the bike out of the garage on Saturday — both tyres flat, chain looking like it's been dipped in treacle. Spent more time cleaning than riding. Managed 45 minutes on the turbo before my legs staged a formal protest. This is going to be a long few months.
So Dave talked me into this. Or I talked Dave into it. Either way, we're both committed now and there's no backing out — we've told too many people.
Week one was about setting a baseline. I did a quick FTP test on Zwift and the number that came back was... humbling. Let's just say there's plenty of room for improvement. On the bright side, the gravel bike is in decent shape from last autumn, and I've decided not to wing it this time — I've hired Andy Roache of Watts Up Performance to coach me through this properly.
Andy's put together a six-day-a-week training plan that is, frankly, terrifying to look at on paper. It's a mix of interval sessions, mobility exercises, and endurance rides — all designed to push my endurance, prepare me for the hills, and ultimately get me through the race in one piece. Whether my legs agree with Andy's ambitions remains to be seen, but at least I've got a proper plan this time rather than just making it up as I go.