MEASURED SUCCESS

Helping you avoid going out too hard and too fast, we share our top tips to pace yourself…

LISTEN TO YOUR BODY

The thump of your heart in your throat; back muscles that need stretching; a craving for salt – all these things and more inform your effort levels and nutrition status. A one to 10 scale of perceived rate of exertion is a great way to simplify this – try to avoid sitting above six out of 10 in terms of effort to save something in the tank.

TECHNIQUE AND EQUIPMENT

A cassette with a 28-tooth sprocket on the back is a must for most sportives, along with either a 34 or 36-tooth small chainring at the front, depending on how strong you are. If you’re fairly new to cycling, check your bike’s not sporting a 39 front and 23-tooth rear or you may find you’re walking more than riding during your chosen event.

MENTAL PACING

Breaking the event down into smaller chunks is a great way to maintain motivation. Whether it’s 15-mile sections, to the next feed station or the distance to the local shops and back, completing several shorter rides rather than a single massive one is easier to get your head around.

CHECK YOUR DATA

If you’ve got a GPS cycling computer, look back through training rides building up to your event, focusing on distance covered, elevation climbed and average speed. If you’ve been unable to break an average speed of 14mph, there’s little point in setting your sights on averaging 18mph on the day. Be realistic in your expectations and mindful of the terrain you’ll be encountering.

KNOW THE ROUTE

Taping a route profile to your stem or, better still, uploading the event route to your Garmin to view a real-time profile, can make a massive difference to preparing for climbs and pacing your efforts.