Preparation

Hello,

Today I want to tell something about preparing for the climb. A lot of you will say we know this already but maybe for some is this new and help full.

1. Choose the right gear on your bike. This means take care that you can go as light as possible. If you have a to heavy gear your muscles will explode on the way to the top. For those who never climbed before and so have no experience I would suggest a triple on your bike or a Compact crank with 27 at the backside.


2. Listen to you body. If possible use a heart rate meter. Theoretically your max. heart rate is 220 - your age. This is a something that you can do for a short time. You should stay about 15 % below your max to reach the top. This is just theoretic, you should try it before going to the Mont Ventoux at which heart rate you can keep riding. For me is this 165/min. above this I can not normally talk anymore. But this is different for everybody.


3. Make as much kilometers as possible (miles is also ok) and if you have the possibility to climb some hill's use this, this will help you to experience climbing.


4. Take care that you are fit en healthy when you start the climb, so don't drink alcohol before climbing and take enough rest before. Celebrating is for after the climb!


5. Take a good meal before the start, and take some food and drinks with you during the climb. Food: Bread, Candy bars, Bananas. Drinks: Water, Energy drinks (Extran or Isostar) two bidons should be enough, when it is very hot you would need some more. (we can provide you from the car)


6. Warm clothes, even when it's warm you will cool down during the way back down. A raincoat because if you are wet you will cool down very fast in the wind on the mountain.


7. Wear sunglasses even if it is not sunny. The insects that you will meet uphill will wait for you until you get down. Can you imagine to get a wasp in your Eye by 60km/h or faster?


8. Watch out for test driving BMW's and Mercedessen, the mountain is also a test road for those cars and the road will not be blocked for this.


9. Take you mobile phone with you and putt some numbers in from people who can help you if you get in trouble. There will be several cars with supporters on the hill.


10. Don't over do your self, being part of is more important then the time. Remember in the summer in average ones a week the rescue teams has to get a person down after an accident. This is the last thing we want!

I was last week with my Cardiologist and as I already new he said that I have to go back to the hospital for surgery. Probably this will happen in Germany again and maybe already next week or the week after. I should have enough time then to recover to join you all to France. I will of course leave my bike in my garage. Even if this hurts quiet a lot.

So if you do not see any updates, I probably will be in the hospital or recovering.

I still do not have a little story from everybody. What is it, who sends me something about himself, it doesn't cost so much time and this helps me to keep our weblog alive?