An epic summer ride is an unforgettable experience. Anna Gardiner shows us how to get the most out of it
With midsummer – the longest day of the year – less than a month away, the thrill of the long and winding road beckons for many of us. Whether you’re a seasoned cycling aficionado, or an enthusiastic weekend cyclist gearing up for your first epic journey, it’s essential to prepare body, bike and mind for the adventure. That’s why we’ve put together some top tips and invaluable advice to help you achieve your goals and prepare you for your longest ride of the year.
BEFORE THE RIDE
Training for a long ride, be it an organised event or just a big day out with your friends or club mates, would ideally take place over six to 12 weeks – provided you’re already reasonably fit. This will allow you to steadily build up your endurance. But with less than a month to go until the longest day of the year – the ideal time for your longest ride – a bit of fitness cramming is probably on the cards.
No matter your current level of fitness, everyone can benefit from focused sessions, which can be done on the road or on the turbo. Two 60-90 minute sessions a week (sweetspot or FTP sessions) will bring rapid benefits even if you’ve already got a good level of fitness.
That said, longer rides are also needed to condition the body and get it used to more hours in the saddle. If your target day or event is five hours long, two or three four-hour rides in the weeks or months before would be ideal. You don’t need to ride your target time, save that for the big day. Rides of three-quarters the time will be enough to get you ready. If you don’t have a spare four-hour block, a two-hour ride early in the morning and another in the evening will bring similar benefits, just be sure to keep them slow and steady.
As well as conditioning your aerobic capacity and building your endurance, these long rides can be used to practise fuelling and hydration. What and how much food and drink you’ll carry and consume is a key factor and something worth getting right.
Incorporating regular stretching, yoga, pilates or mobility exercises, as well as targeted strengthening into a training routine helps improve flexibility and overall resilience for long rides. Focus on muscle groups including hamstrings and quadriceps (for power during pedalling); the hip flexors (for a more efficient pedal stroke and maintaining good posture on the bike); the lower back muscles (keeping them mobile so that the back doesn’t stiffen up); and shoulders and upper body (to aid bike handling and comfort). This off-bike work makes a long bike feel more comfortable and helps prevent injury. Warm up properly before any exercise
