8 spicy tips for going long, the right way
It’s the time of year for many Australian athletes: post XCO/DH nationals and post break, it’s time to get back in the saddle and embrace the miles in search of form for the upcoming domestic marathon or gravity enduro season. Days are cooler, and it’s more feasible in many parts of Australia to spend more hours out and about during peak daylight without the oppressive heat of a mid 30-degree summer day to contend with.
That being said, there are ways to maximise your chance of success and training gains when heading out on a big day.
Make a plan
Simply deciding to go for a long ride can become a bit stressful and undirected if you simply leave home without a plan in the knowledge that you are supposed to be pedalling around for 4hrs, x amount of kilometres or whatever training metric or duration that’s prescribed. Long rides are great opportunities to explore new places, but have a plan before you head out, willy-nilly, and get crushed with decision fatigue and end up pootling around aimlessly.
2. Map apps are your friend
For the more adventurous amongst us, heading on a long training ride is a thrilling adventure into the unknown, but at the same time, when heading remote, there is always a very real risk of getting lost or injured without knowing where you truly are for help to arrive.
Enter the GPS map. There are several GPS map apps available, working even without reception on your phone. These can be incredibly helpful especially if paired with a keen understanding of topo markings. If you’re not sure about reading topo maps, it’s a great time to get acquainted. But a map won’t save your life which leads me to…
3. Get a phone with half decent service
If your phone service carrier starts with a V and sounds like “Codabone” then you’re probably not in luck. Telstra service is much further reaching in remote parts. If you’re in a group, make sure someone has a phone with half decent coverage, and for extra long trips, take a spare battery charger (especially if you’re relying on an app for GPS mapping: finding sattelites chews battery power!)
4. Hydration
Lest I say it? It may not be peak summer but a lovely warm winters’ day in Australia can still sit around a balmy 25 degrees, which is nothing to sneeze at if exerting yourself in this temperature for 5+ hours. For adventure’s sake, I take around 10% more than I would usually require for a 2hr ride/per hour of duration. Allowing a bit of a buffer for misadventure. It’s always, ALWAYS going to be better to carry the extra weight of slightly too much water than run out with 2 hours to go.
5. Snacks
The very best part about going on crazy 4, 5, 6+ hour endurance adventures is BY FAR the snacks. I mean, I am not that fussed about eating muesli bars or energy gels. They DO NOT excite me (If they excite you, then you’re a sicko).
But seriously, you have a leave pass here to eat BULK CALORIES. Some studies suggest that the trained gut can tolerate up to, and in excess of 100g/carbohydrate per hour with multiple carbohydrate sources, which is EPIC. That’s a lot of gels and it’s probably a good idea to test your tolerance to this level of carbohydrate before pressing send in your big event.
But for those of us without a taste for gel, it’s the perfect excuse to indulge in the occasional treat. Planning a cafe stop at an opportune time is always a good way to rekindle any flailing morale, and the brownie doesn’t count when you’re riding 6 hours (ok it kind of totally does….)
A good pro tip if going long with other is take extra snacks. You can always be someone’s guardian angel by waving a jelly snake at them when they’re mentally and physically done.
6. Tool Kit
Packing sensibly is always a trade off between weight and convenience, but I will always pack a multi tool that covers the bolts required on my bike, as well as a chain breaker and quick link. For crazy remote or long rides, it never hurts to have a derailleur hanger in your pack, as well as the obvious tube and CO2/pump or tyre plug.
7. Safety Kit
Look it’s going to seem pretty controversial saying this, but I don’t generally travel with a full first aid kit. You know why? Most people don’t have any idea how to use it, and those who do, know how to make do in an emergency with what you have. Exceptions include a snake bandage and perhaps a space blanket, which I reckon are pretty fair-dinkum. You can use many things to stop bleeding, and splint stuff, and in the end you have your phone with above average reception to call emergency service if you get stuck.
8. Relentless Positivity
Many things that may seem impossible are proven not to be, if the attitude is on track. Sure, there are times when excessive optimism could find you in trouble and you actually just need to give up trying to find the super secret track you wanted to ride down but now it’s been 4 hours and you’re all out of snacks and water and you need to go home. As an hypothetical example….of course.
But being relentlessly positive can assist with getting through even the most grim of sensations; and when you’re riding for a long time it’s likely you will experience the rollercoaster of emotional highs and lows that accompany the physical and mental feat of a big day out. Check in with yourself if you’re feeling low: have you drunk enough? Eaten enough? If all the must-do boxes of feeding and watering have been ticked off, it’s time to get relentlessly positive.