What To Know About Going On A Long Outdoor Ride With Your Bike
Perhaps you’re finally ready to bike that little bit longer, or you’re already an avid long-distance biker but always seem to find yourself running into problems. Below we have put together a guide that lets you know some of the common obstacles that can come about during a long bike ride and how to overcome them.
Endurance Is Key
Going the distance is all about stamina and endurance. If you push yourself to go all out at the beginning of your journey, you’ll find yourself utterly defeated before you hit your goal. A manageable gear with a higher cadence will allow you to give your muscles a break, and as a result, you’re still covering distance, just in a more energy-efficient way.
An excellent way to build your endurance in preparation for a longer ride is to interval train twice a week leading up to the big day, and this can be anywhere between 30 seconds to 5 minutes. By doing this, you’re not only building your aerobic system but also recruiting fast-twitch sprint fibres, which will help with fatigue over time.
Be Prepared For A Spanner In The Works
From road rash to bike crank removal, the outdoor wizards at https://www.thrillappeal.com have made sure that you’re provided with everything that you need in order to have the smoothest journey possible. Although it is likely that you will have prepared yourself for a seamless ride, it doesn’t hurt to have some essentials on hand such as Money, your ID and the tools to fix a flat or two.
Manage Those Aches And Pains
There is no doubt that some pain and discomfort will take place during your journey and so small actions such as rolling your shoulders and flexing your wrists will keep the blood pumping, muscles moving and help avoid any potential injury whilst your body is resting afterward. If you find yourself cycling down a clear stretch of road, reach a hand across your back and between your shoulders, and then switch hands. This should give them a good stretch.
Your Diet Is Important
Not only should you be eating to keep your body going during the bike ride, but you also need to make sure that you’re eating things that will help your body to repair itself afterward. Hours before you head out on your journey, you need to do what is known as ‘carb-loading,’ and it is exactly what it says. You need to make sure that you consume a large amount of carbohydrates to allow your body to release the sugar throughout your journey slowly.
To get an idea of how much you need to ingest beforehand, during and afterward take a look at this fact: A cyclist can burn up to 6000 calories per 100 miles! Because of this you need to make sure that you bring fluids and energy packs along for the ride.
The Wind Can Make A Difference
Powerful winds are enough to make you wrap your coat around you whilst on foot, so imagine how much more it will affect you on a bicycle. Any headwind that is faster than 15mph could be seen as too intense if you’re a beginner cyclist. If you’re battling a tailwind on the other hand, then you’ll be facing the opposite issue and may end up going faster than you intended.
Regardless of the way the wind is blowing, you will have to keep your wits about you in order to remain safe throughout your journey. If it becomes too much and you’re still close to home then turn back. If you’re a little further away, then you can either wait it out, hop on public transport or begin walking home.
It Can Be Overwhelming
If you find the thought of a long bike ride intense, try breaking the journey up into three equal segments. This can also help you to pace yourself. The first segment can be seen as a warm-up, moving at an easy and steady pace. The second section should be where your muscles begin to kick in and you should feel your heart rate increasing and lastly, that final stretch should be when you use everything that you have left in order to experience that feeling of completion.
If prepared for correctly, a long outdoor bike ride can be a rewarding experience. With the information provided above, there is no doubt that you’ll be able to face it head-on! Remember that these things can take time to perfect so don’t feel disheartened if you don’t get there right away.
