The roller-coaster ride during the Algarve cycling week!
Your spoilt for choice with Algarve cycling training although I think it was my most taxing ride for the week, itâs a little more challenging, the views are varied, and the isolation is unreal.
Itâs Day 5 of my Algarve cycling training week, I was looking for a BIG week and I certainly have had it, my legs hurt, Iâm feeling exhausted, but the encouragement from the ride leaders at Practice Bicycle is amazing. To accomplish the challenging week of rides, the cycling support, I have felt like a Pro!
It’s all in the detail
You donât have to have a big understanding of cycling training, although a simple piece of valuable equipment called the Heart Rate monitor (which I didnât use prior to my week cycling in the Algarve) made so much more sense during the weeks rides, with the testing terrain and what was happening to me on my bike, thanks for detail number 1.
Detail number 2; itâs not a race this is real training, there is no keeping up with anybody, as I was re-assured it was âmy week of challengesâ.
Detail number 3; the rides are all brilliant in different ways, from the ocean to the hinterland to their âlittle mountainsâ but my favorite for the week was the ride over Alto do Corchas.
Start at an easy tempo riding out of Portimao over the River Arade towards the little fishing village of Parchal passing the tiny white washed village of Estombar. The views start to change as the landscape in the distance look like little ârolling golf ballsâ. Weâre climbing now, nothing like the French Alps, they call it the âAlgarvian Alpsâ the bumps, continue and before we know it weâre on great cycling roads used for the early season professionals at the Volta ao Algarve Bike Race that takes place each February. Itâs easy to forget about the discomfort and enjoy the panoramic viewsâŠso many from the climbing to the descending, small streams to dense forests, views in every direction, I feel on top of the world.
Itâs always a good time for a cafĂ© stop, before we really hit the âroller-coastersâ! What an unbelievable ride full of perfect challenges!