Getting peak performance for the peak of Mt Ventoux

stats of the week: run 29 km, cycled 104 km, gym 3 h

With temperatures climbing up into the high 30s, getting into peak shape for next Sunday’s half marathon is definitely a challenge. On late Sunday afternoon, we drove up to Chalet Reynard by car, and I jogged and hiked the 6 km to the summit to get a feeling for the great day. Even up there, it was still pretty hot (mid-20s) while down in Malaucène it hit 37°C. I managed an average pace of 8:27 min/km, with about 17 minutes of running and 35 minutes of power walking. My goal for the race is to keep an average pace under 10 min/km so I can finish within the time limit. I’m still not sure if I can pull it off, though.

Meanwhile, festival season is in full swing. On Friday we headed back to Orange to check out the Jazz Festival, which ran from Thursday to Sunday with two stages going twice every evening. We saw a singer with a really talented piano player, but honestly, we weren’t blown away by the vocals. So we skipped Saturday’s visit and opted to watch the final of the European U21 Football Championship instead. With a bit of bad luck, Germany lost to England, but they played really well. It was great entertainment.

There was also another event in Mollans this weekend: an art exhibition featuring 17 artists, each showcased at a different local venue. It was a great opportunity to visit the old olive oil mill, and we even got to step inside some private homes what was really interesting to see. The whole event was beautifully organized and brought the village to life for three days.

Photo: Close to the finish at top of Mont Ventoux

Hills and Music

stats of the week: run 24 km, cycled 134 km, gym 3 h

As my Mont Ventoux Half Marathon approaches, I’ve started incorporating hill runs into my training. The local climb up to La Garrigue offers about 80 meters of elevation gain and has the advantage of being almost entirely shaded. Since I’m a late riser, I now have to start my runs earlier to beat the heat. Even at 9 a.m., temperatures are already around 23 to 25 degrees Celsius. In the meantime, I’ve increased my workout to four ascents, totaling approximately 360 meters of elevation gain within 9 km of distance.

On the social side, it was a week full of festivals. On Thursday, we enjoyed an evening in Orange at the Fête de la Danse, and on Saturday - like everywhere in France on June 21st - it was time for the Fête de la Musique. We listened to a choir in the old church in Mollans, which was truly glorious. Afterwards, we drove to Buis, where we saw the same band we had enjoyed two years ago. They were just as good as ever, playing their energetic Celtic music. The accordion player was absolutely outstanding - at the end, he even pulled out a bagpipe!

The guitarist turned out to be our former neighbour, who had moved away and left Nikita the cat behind. I told him that the cat is doing well and sometimes even lives in our house now. He seemed a bit embarrassed—which, to be honest, was exactly what I was going for.

The scene in Orange before the town hall:

The choir in Mollans church

Celtic music in Buis les Baronnies

In Mollans, the bridge bollards appear to be toppled at least once a month—it’s almost a routine by now

News from Mollans

stats of the week: run 12 km, cycled 144 km, gym 3 h

My legs - and in fact, my whole body - were still feeling the effects of last weekend’s hill race. C also hasn't fully recovered from the injuries she sustained in her bike fall. So it ended up being a rather leisurely week. Still, I managed to enjoy a lovely ride with fellow cyclist Captain Ahab, who is spending his holidays in Mollans with his wife.

Meanwhile, our village is gradually becoming livelier as tourist season approaches. Some changes haven't gone unnoticed. The bar on the other side of the river closed abruptly and without warning. Rumor has it that the owner decided to give up. The outdoor furniture has already vanished, and word is that The Bistro has been listed with a real estate agency.

On the bright side, the local Hotel Le Saint Marc is now opening its bar to the public in the afternoons, from 2 to 4:30 p.m. - conveniently during the hours when Bar du Pont is closed. The hotel has also started offering Italian ice cream, and its restaurant is now open to the public for dinner. Unfortunately, the only vegetarian option remains the usual Ravioli Dauphiné - my sole choice at nearly every local restaurant. For a more refined vegetarian meal, we’d have to travel all the way to Avignon, which is about an hour’s drive for us.

How has Col le Debat got today's altitude? Captain Ahab is a well versed photoshopper. 

Cafe du Centre at Villedieu: Another place to have Ravioli.

No veggie option at Vinsobres.

Back in the game

stats of the week:  run 23 km, cycled 177 km

It was my fifth time participating in the Traversée des Dentelles in Gigondas, and for the first time, I opted for the 11K distance. It turned out to be the most beautiful route yet - even more scenic than the half marathon - thanks to its idyllic trails winding up and down the hills, evoking an almost alpine atmosphere.

The only unpleasant surprise came just before the finish: after returning to the village, we had to climb countless steps up to the castle and then descend back into the village. At that point, my thighs completely gave out. To make matters worse, I was overtaken by a fellow age group runner just a few meters before the finish line.

Fortunately, the results revealed that he was younger than me - and I ended up winning my age group by just over a minute. Even more satisfying: I finished 166th out of 547 runners. It really feels like I’m back in the game.

Cycling career not yet over

stats of the week: run 16 km, cycled 177 km, gym 3 h

The big event of the week was riding the Gran Fondo Mont Ventoux on Sunday. To be honest, I thought I was done with this race after having done it four times by 2023. But then I saw the new route the organizers had planned for this year - and suddenly, I wasn’t so done after all.

The new course goes right through our home village of Mollans and over the much-loved Col de Fontaube. Then it winds its way through Aurel and Sault. The “piccolo” route is just 78 km with 2,100 meters of climbing - not exactly easy, but definitely gentler than the old one. So of course, I signed up again. Resistance was futile.

The weather was perfect, the ride was a joy, and I was actually pretty happy with how I did. I finished smack-bang in the middle - 295th out of 536 - and came 27th out of 57 in my 65+ age group. Okay, full disclosure: the field wasn’t exactly top of the league. Mont Ventoux tends to attract more casual cyclists on the shorter route, while the hardcore athletes go for the long, punishing ones. But hey, my finish wasn't too bad for a 72-year-old.

And now? Well, after Sunday’s fun, I’m starting to think my Ventoux career might not be over just yet...