Last Minute Training Advice for 1st Race

I am doing my first road race in a week and a half and I'm trying to decide what kinds of rides I should be doing until then. Most of my efforts this year have been focused on training for the event I'm doing the following week, which is a timed century with 8,500 feet of climbing. Heartbreak Hundred. So, I have been doing a lot of climbing and long miles. I have included some interval rides and one lactaid threshold ride. I did a century last weekend with 6,000 feet of climbing. At this point I feel as ready as necessary for Heartbreak and want to focus more on the race than the century. (Which Dh says will help me more with the century than doing another big long climbing ride this weekend.)

The race is Panoche Valley Road Race in Hollister, Ca. It is a 40 mile out and back with some climbing. I am NOT good at climbing and fully expect to be dropped when the real climbing begins at about mile 11, but hoping for the best. I am good with descents and flats, so crossing my fingers that I can catch up to the pack after the climb. Dh did this race last year, so I am fairly familiar with what to expect.

Last night I did a fast paced club ride with some climbing. (My fastest time yet. :D )

Today I did a Tempo ride, which was recommended by a coach to Dh (who is also doing this race ... followed by Heartbreak). I did three 15 minute intervals at a 65-75 cadence and at about 85% effort. Might get more input from this coach, but wanted to see what you guys had to say as well.

I intend to take tomorrow (Thursday) off and do an easy ride Friday. Not sure what to do on Saturday.

For Sunday (or could do Saturday) my husband is recommending a hill climb that simulates part of the climb in the race ... a 3 mile climb at about 6% grade. So I'd warm up and ride that 3 mile section as hard as I can, and then recover and hopefully do another hard 3 miles. I have done the section he is talking about many times as part of about 20 miles of constant climbing, but never just 3 mile intervals at race pace, so this will be a different kind of challenge and one I'm sure I need to do. He is doing this training ride as well and we're doing it Sunday because our club is doing the longer version of this ride that day, and we were going to do that part with them. However, I could do it on Saturday if it makes more sense, and something else on Sunday.

Not sure what to do after that. I want to get as much training in as possible to help me with speed and climbing, but obviously don't want to over do it and not sure how to taper. The race is the following Sunday, the 23rd.

Thanks for any input!

Jen

I assume that actually going out to train on the course isn't an option...

What about hill intervals?

Sounds like the other advice is pretty good. During the race, try to stay near the front and avoid people that look nervous or can't hold a line.

Best of luck!

How long will the climb in the race take you (in minutes)?

It's a bit late for this, but try doing some efforts to boost your FTP (functional threshold power). You've already done some longer intervals (3x15'). Try 5x5' at 105-108% over FTP. (Your FTP is your hour power, so maybe hit an effort that you could sustain for a 20-30min TT if you're going by RPE or HR). 1' rest. This is key (the 1'). You can also do 4x8' with 2 min rest, but these are done around FTP or a little below, but not above. You obviously have a great endurance base and can handle the mileage. Now it's time to teach yourself how to quickly recover after hard efforts that come from accelerations during a race.

On another day, do hill repeats on that climb you have that's close to the one you'll see at the race.