The ability to successfully accomplish long-distance cycling often comes down to careful consideration and planning, besides physical readiness. This type of cycling requires a high level of endurance, which we need time to develop. If you have some long-distance cycling event in mind, you need some time to prepare properly, especially if you haven’t got a training base fitness. In this case, you need more time to build up your endurance and get in condition. The distance of such events can vary from those of 200km to those that last for a few days. There are some useful tips to follow when it comes to preparing for a long-distance cycling event. For starters, you should set your riding goals and get started. Obviously, the choice of bike and gear as well is very important. We mustn’t forget that we also need to maintain our physical fitness throughout the whole year. And when it comes to training, we should start slowly, divide our training into intervals and also add some weight to the training. We should also eat right. Take a look at some tips on how to build your cycling endurance.
1. Set your riding goals & get started
Keep in mind that everybody can achieve goals with careful planning and proper training. You just need to set your riding goals clearly, as they can differ for everybody. First of all, you should have short-term goals you wish to achieve in every training but you should also keep in mind some long-distance goals that you want to accomplish overall. It’s important to divide those long-term goals into smaller ones, which you can accomplish on a weekly basis, for instance.
2. Choose your bike carefully
Before even starting with your training, you need to consider your bike and ask yourself a few questions. First of all, is your bike suitable for what you want to achieve? If not, it’s time to go bike shopping, a bike is the only and the most essential equipment for you on this endeavor. For example, if you have a commuter or mountain bike, you can use it to cross up to 50km. However, for longer rides, it would be more suitable to own a road bike. You can start by searching online for road bikes for sale and opt for the one that’s most convenient for you.
3. Gear up
Long-distance rides require special gear and clothes as well in order to be comfortable. For example, it would be good to wear some quality cycle shorts that have a seat pad, which will make the ride more comfortable for you. It will surely allow you to ride for more hours. What you also need is weather-specific clothes such as a jacket, gloves, overshoes, leggings and a jersey. These would make it easier to go on your ride even when the weather is bad. Even though this might seem unnecessary, it’s actually proved to be very helpful.
4. Maintain your physical fitness
When it comes to your physical fitness, you need to maintain it at all times. If you’re living a life that contains doing some sports or going to the gym, then the transition to cycling for long-distance events will surely be easier for you. This is essential in the sense that if you’re already physically fit, you can focus more on other key aspects such as proper diet and adapting to cycling life, including camping, different temperatures and cultures. So, to prepare well, it would be a good idea to start with some sport, besides building up your cycling training.
5. Start slowly
This goes for anything that we start training: we should start really slowly to allow our body to get used to it. Building up your training gradually will help you in injury prevention. So, the more time you give your body to prepare, the better for you overall. Long-distance rides are usually low intensity, but they last for several hours. Hence, you need to train your body for that. You can start by let’s say, riding for one hour, and then slowly add half an hour more every week, for instance. And eventually, you’ll come to the desired riding duration, and your body won’t suffer any consequences.
6. Add some weight into your training
After you’ve started and got into form, it’s time for adding some weight to your training. Training experts and professional cyclists suggest loading your bike with old books and cycling uphill for a few hours at least once a week. Even though it seems unusual, it has been proved as a successful approach. You can put the books both on your rear and front panniers. The whole philosophy of this, some would call unorthodox approach, is to make the training harder than the tour itself. This is a perfect way not only to build endurance but also strength, which is also necessary.
7. Divide your training into intervals
Interval training is key as a preparation for your long-distance ride. It would be best to include 2 to 3 interval training during a week to help you in building your endurance and aerobic capacity. Perhaps you can combine it into commuting to work, it would be ideal. A typical interval would normally include a few quick bursts of speed combined with recovery periods.
8. Allow your body to recover
Recovery is also an important aspect of every training we should neglect. It is as important as the training itself, so make sure that you allow your body to recover before continuing with training. If you keep on riding even though your body hasn’t recovered, you’ll burn out quickly. Ideally, you need two days to recover and not ride your bike, or to just ride at the lowest intensity. The recovery period is crucial for your body to repair itself and adapt to the training you’re putting it under.
9. Improve your core strength
A strong core is what’s needed for a better and more comfortable ride, so we mustn’t overlook that. People who don’t have a core that’s strong enough usually experience back pain triggered by riding. So, improving your core strength will help you in your endurance when it comes to long-distance rides. Also, there are lesser chances of injury with a strong core.
10. Eat right
In order to be able to endure long rides, we need to eat well and keep ourselves hydrated, as it is the basis of everything. Remember to fuel up before the rides and to make some breaks for refueling along the way. Try out different foods and find the ones that are the most suitable for you. It’s important to eat before, during and after the ride as it helps in muscle recovery.
If you follow all these tips and prepare thoroughly for your long-distance ride, you are sure to enjoy it and get great satisfaction from it. You’ll feel better both physically and mentally after trainings and achieving your goal.
