The best advice about getting into ultra-distance cycling I found was to basically just make your own “events” and collect valuable experience right away. You don’t need to (and probably shouldn’t) look for a race if you haven’t done a fair number of long days in the saddle yourself. There are plenty of routes out there, and it’s best to do them at your own pace, when it suits you and without any pressure first. That’s the way to build a solid understanding of the basics like navigation, camping, nutrition, pacing, and dealing with the unexpected.
What do you need?
To be fair, you can save a lot of trial and error if you read up on some basics before you head out for the first time. When it comes to the basic gear you’ll need for an overnight cycling outing, you can check out our previous article that goes into a lot of detail.
When it comes to nutrition, cooking, packing, and route planning, you can check out our series on backpacking. That will get you started. What else do you need? To be honest, I couldn’t tell you because I’ve never completed an ultra-distance event myself. But I’m certainly interested in doing so, and I collected a lot of interesting opinions from people who are very accomplished in this discipline. I will let them speak instead.
Anyone can do it
“The wonderful thing about ultra-endurance is that anyone can do it. Look at those who have achieved inspiring things in the ultra-endurance world. There’s no commonality in terms of body shape, age or background. If you have the passion and the want to push big distances, you have to go look at yourself in the mirror and say: That’s me, I can do that. I’m a big lump of a rider, I’m really tall, I’m over 90 kg. Anyone can do it.” – Mark Beaumont (@mrmarkbeaumont)
Understand the pressure points
“The most important part is to have realistic goals. Some people can enter the scene aiming to be among the fastest right away, while others need time to grow. Find out if your goal is to finish, be in the top 10 or reach the podium. Once you assess your abilities, work towards those goals and prepare. If you’ve never spent 18 hours in the saddle, do it at least once or twice to see how your body reacts. Understand the pressure points on your hands, feet, and saddle. Emulate what you’ll do during the race. Being realistic and well-prepared is key.” – Sofiane Sehili (@sofianeshl) for KS Suspension Newsroom.
Handling navigation and eating
“Losing time on a lost route is one thing, but the frustration that builds over time is the main concern. You’re just so tired all the time, so when little things go wrong, it magnifies over the days.”
“Don’t stop eating! Part of ultra-cycling is eating and eating often. It’s a job. Setting nutrition reminders was a huge deal for me. Between the navigation on my wrist and a reminder to eat every 30 minutes, it likely saved me a few hours overall.” – Daniel Connell (@dirtydanbikes) in an interview for Coros about his top 10 Tour Divide finishes.
Try turning negative energy into positive
“You have to love cycling or it’s not worth spending long hours on the bike. Be prepared to suffer a lot, to experience pain, hunger, thirst. Many things will go wrong, from being unable to find food to bad weather conditions. Try turning negative energy into positive. The moment you focus on the things that go wrong, you’ll start going crazy. Just give them a place in your mind, but don’t pay too much attention.”
“You also have to be okay with solitude. Most people go out cycling with friends and are rarely without company for long stretches of time, so when they are completely alone in an unsupported race for the first time, they suffer more. After three or four days of being alone, your mind starts playing games with you, especially when it’s dark at night, with nothing to look at and no one to talk to. You have to be strong enough to handle those moments of solitude.” – Kristof Allegaert (@allegaertk) for Outside Magazine.
An eating competition
“If you want to be competitive in this kind of event, every minute counts. You just rush into a gas station or a supermarket, load your pockets with food, and continue riding. Ultra-cycling is more like an eating competition. You are eating all the time. I always try to carry as much food as I can on my bike.” – Sherry Cardona (@sherry.cycling)
You can do more than you think
“It’s much easier than you think, and you’re capable of much more than you think. Every time I’ve done it, I’ve surprised myself with how much I could do. When speaking with women, 90 % of their questions and concerns tend to be around the risk and safety elements. People have been told the races are really risky, so everyone believes that it’s a big issue, but in reality, it’s just 0,5 % of the race.” – Emily Chappell (@emilyofchappell) for Outside Magazine.
