10-steps to preparing your body for riding hard several days in a row

Whether it's training, a cycling holiday, a multi-day sportive/challenge event or even taking in your first stage races; riding hard for several days in a row is a new challenge you need to prepare for (Photo: Brendan Culleton)

More cyclists than ever are taking on multi-day sportive events and this new challenge needs some specific preparation if it is to go according to plan, writes cycling coach Aidan Ryan.

The preparation tips our man sets out here can be put into practice by anyone planning to ride their bike hard for several days in a row, even when training.

Whether it is a holiday, a training camp or a charity challenge; the next frontier in the growth of cycling appears to be the multi day event.

The Dublin-Paris, Mizen-Malin, Atlantic-Mediterranean and Paris2Nice are just some of the many multi cycles to have become much more established in recent years.

The attraction is understandable. Moving from one end of the country to the other through your own physical efforts is rewarding in itself.

But when you add in perhaps some of the iconic cols of the Grand Tours; you have physical challenge, the thrill of climbing on the same route as the pros and the adrenalin of the descents.

All this as you pass through stunning scenery.

So how should you prepare for that week away riding in the sun?

Over the past few years the experience of guiding over nearly 1,000 riders on multiday events in Ireland and Europe has led to the “distilling out” of the following tips for sportive riders.

Before the Event

1. Train

The fitter you are, the more you will enjoy the time on the bike.

Stiffness and soreness may be acceptable after a big one day ride but they are not welcome when you have to get up next day and ride another 130km in the hills.

If your muscles, tendons and joints have been well conditioned by gradually increasing training volume, the inflammation that causes stiff sore legs is less likely to occur.

The best training you can do for this type of event is to ride your bike for several hours at a steady pace - one at which you can talk - over a variety of terrain.

In the initial days of training you should not worry about speed or distance. These variables will increase naturally as you become fitter.

Your main concern should be to gradually increase the time for which you can ride continuously without a rest.

When you reach the point in your training that, when you get up in the morning, you have no ill effects from the training the day before, introduce back to back training rides to prepare your body for the daily riding.

Riding your bike outdoors is the best training as the more time you spend on the bike the more competent you become in bike handling skills.

You won’t get this from a turbo-trainer or spin bike.

If you can’t get out on your bike then the spin bike or the turbo can be a less than ideal substitute. They would certainly be preferable to general gym work.

It is difficult to replicate the duration on the indoor trainers.

So it is best to do turbo or spin bike sessions at a higher intensity with intervals as would normally be the case in a spin class.

In the last week before the event, cut back on training. This will allow you to recover and be fresh for the event it self.

2. Skills

Improve your skills. Learn to be comfortable riding in a group by joining your local club rides. You should also try to gain competence at descending and be capable of eating and drinking while riding.

Learn how to deal with a puncture and always carry tyre levers, tube, pump/gas inflator and multi tool.

3. Heat

Prepare your body for warmer locations by overdressing while training in Ireland in the two-three weeks before departing.

Make sure to drink plenty of water/electrolyte drink.

4. Lose Weight

If the event is any way hilly you will find it easier with every kilo you drop.

You can do this by changing things in your diet such as eliminating processed food and alcohol.

It can cost you a lot of money to get the weight off your bike down by a few hundred grams. You can save money by giving up alcohol and lose multiples of that weight.

5. Clothing

Invest in at least two good pairs of cycling shorts. Skip the flashy jersey or carbon bottle cage in favour of extra spending on your most vulnerable contact point.

What could be a fantastic experience can be turned to misery by a sore posterior.

Pack plenty of cycling gear. This is what you will spend the most time wearing.

You will encounter a wide variety of weather conditions and temperatures if you are venturing into the high mountains.

So you will need to have a pocketable rain jacket, arm warmers, leg warmers, gillet, hat, over shoes and extra jerseys.

On most of these events the post ride dress code is very casual so you won’t need much by way of “civilian” clothing.

Fit new cleats if your current ones show even a slight sign of wear.

6. Bike

Get your bike ready for the event. It should be in perfect working order.

Take it to a good bike shop where the staff are cyclists and tell them what you are intending to do.

You don’t want to have problems on the road and you won’t be very popular with your group if your mechanical problems are constantly holding everyone up.

Fit new 25C folding tyres. New tyres are less likely to puncture than old worn ones. The fatter 25C is a little more comfortable and slightly more puncture resistant than 23C tyres.

Avoid superlight racing tyres as these are more vulnerable to punctures.

And while a puncture may be inconvenient normally, on an Alpine descent in a group of riders it could be seriously dangerous.

Fit new brake blocks. A couple of days riding over mountain roads may finish off a worn pair.

Fit two bottle cages and a under saddle pouch containing spare tube, tyre levers, multi-tool.

You will also need some means of inflation, a mini pump fitted securely to the bike or a gas inflator which may fit in the saddle pouch.

Ensure that your gearing is suitable for the event. For most multi day sportive events a compact or triple chainset is the most suitable.

Your cassette should have a wide range of gears with the emphasis on the low end to make the hills a bit easier.

If you are planning to upgrade or buy a new bike before the event remember that comfort and durability are more important than speed and stiffness.

Choose wheels which are light but suitable for your weight.

Conventionally spoked hand built wheels on high quality hubs will ride comfortably and can be as light as many of the factory aero wheels.

They have the added advantage that a broken spoke won’t prevent the continued use of the wheel and replacement spokes are easily got.

Avoid wheels with a carbon braking surface. In wet weather they require special braking skill.

Find a saddle that you are comfortable with. Remember you are going to be on it longer than most racers.

So what maybe be a great racing saddle may not be so good for the sportive rider.

Sportive riders spend more time on their sit bones while racers need to get as flat a back as possible leads to rotating the hips further forward and the pressure being on different points.

A good bike shop can help you with this but do this research well in advance. You don’t want to be sitting on a new saddle for the first time on the first day of the event.

If you regularly experience pain or discomfort on your training rides in your posterior or in any other part it may be due to your position on the bike.

Under these circumstances a bike fit from an experienced bike fitter or coach would be a good investment.

During the Event

7. Pacing

Pace yourself intelligently with the following days in mind. Think of the Grand Tour contenders.

They don’t go all out on every stage from the start. They spare energy for the crucial stages.

Dig too deep on day one when the adrenalin is running and you are feeling competitive and you will pay the price on the following days.

8. Eating and Drinking

Always eat a good breakfast. Eat and drink whenever you can.

Think of food as fuel for riding the bike rather than something which can pleasure the senses. If it happens to taste nice think of it as a bonus.

Try to eat something with some protein content within 20 min of finishing the days ride. This greatly helps recovery.

Remember to keep sipping on your bottle as you ride along. The hotter it is the more you should be drinking.

Alcohol does not aid recovery and can contribute to dehydration!

9. Stay Healthy

Remove your bottles from the bike each evening and wash them thoroughly with hot water.

The bacteria present in road dust just loves traces of energy drink.

Some gentle stretching done after the ride helps recovery.

10. Protection

Put on a clean pair of cycling shorts each morning and don’t spare the chamois cream.

Wear high factor sun-cream to protect you from the sun. Wear sun glasses to protect your eyes.

Wear a helmet to protect your head. Wear mitts to protect your hands in case of a fall. Cut palms could prevent the otherwise fit rider from riding their bike.

Put you phone in a plastic bag to protect it from sweat and/or rain.