{"id":410,"date":"2013-04-29T12:02:38","date_gmt":"2013-04-29T12:02:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/davidandkathryn.com\/blog\/?p=410"},"modified":"2013-04-29T12:02:38","modified_gmt":"2013-04-29T12:02:38","slug":"mallorca-holiday-certainly-not-a-training-camp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/davidandkathryn.com\/blog\/2013\/04\/29\/mallorca-holiday-certainly-not-a-training-camp\/","title":{"rendered":"Mallorca Holiday, certainly not a training camp"},"content":{"rendered":"

I have just returned from a week in Mallorca with K. \u00a0It was so nice to get some sunny weather and we felt we both needed a break.<\/p>\n

One nice extra aside to a trip to the\u00a0Balearics\u00a0was that I would be able to get a bit of cycling in that I’d not been able to manage with the awful weather we’ve been having. \u00a0I did some research and Port de Pollenca seemed a good spot and had a good cycle hire shop<\/a> in walking distance from our chosen villa. \u00a0So for 4 of our 7 day holiday I booked a titanium Van Nicholas bike with a similar spec to my Boardman (no way was I putting that on a plane) for about \u20ac80. \u00a0K also had a bike for the middle 2 days so she could do some riding too.<\/p>\n

Just north out of the town there’s a nice climb – about 4K up around a few hair pins at a fairly steady 6% and then a slight more windy version back down the other side. \u00a0There are hills like this in Wales but nothing on such a smooth bit of road and not with 100 other cyclists on the climb at the same time.<\/p>\n

\"formentor\"<\/a>
Port de Pollenca to Formentor<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I had a go at it on the first day and was pleasantly surprised to find I could complete it without killing myself and the fact that I was overtaking far more people doing so than were doing the same to me. \u00a0Indeed on my first go at the descent I was overtaken by more people than on the way up – to say it was a nervous descent would be an understatement. \u00a0That first day I rode 42K in 2 hours<\/a> and then a 6 run off. \u00a0I always struggle to run in the heat and that’s one of my biggest concerns come my events.<\/p>\n

The next day I did 2 shortish rides including the above climb before another ride with K. \u00a0I’d gone faster up the climb on the first day but I put that down to it being at a busier time and me having more hares to chase down- however I did continue on up the climb on the horribly pot holed infested road (the white squiggle on the above pic). \u00a0Another run in the evening including a 10 minutes threshold effort. \u00a0Day 3 was my go at a longer flatter ride so I got 60K in in just over 2 hours<\/a>. \u00a0The coast road is pancake flat and smooth and I was able to ride much faster than normal. \u00a0I really enjoyed this ride and it felt enjoyable rather than just training. \u00a0I’d have loved to be able to spend a couple more hours out enjoying the roads.<\/p>\n

The final day was to be my toughest ride which would be the full trip to Cap Formentor. \u00a0This was entertaining and the numbers<\/a> don’t tell the story. \u00a0The road isn’t as smooth when you do the full route and part way along there’s a tunnel which in the middle third is pitch black – not too bad on the slow up hill but I don’t mind telling you that it was downright terrifying on the way down – you’re going fast enough to have a spill and are just aiming at an arch of light at the far end. \u00a0Cap de Formentor itself finishes with a nice hairpinned climb up to the lighthouse where there is a nice cafe and a plethora of cyclists. \u00a0A nice one even lent me a multitool so I could sort out an issue with a slippy saddle and a wobbly bottle cage. \u00a0The final day after the bike went back was a hot 10k or so and that felt like quite enough.<\/p>\n

After that we went for a drive and headed up (and down) the famous climbs to Lluc and Sa Calobra. \u00a0I want to return just to have a go at these myself when I’m a bit more cycle fit and preferable a bit lighter. \u00a0Sa Calobra is something like 24 hairpins in a 10K stretch.<\/p>\n

Other things of note from the trip<\/p>\n