HOW TO MASTER A MULTI
Expert advice on how to keep riding on back-to-back days
01 Conquer the logistics
● Every multi-day ride has unique logistical challenges. The Haute Route features pro-level support, including in-race mechanics, post-race massages and hotel accommodation. DIY tours or self-supported trips require more planning, but you can adapt your route and stay in campsites. Will the event organiser transport your kit each day, or will you need to add panniers? Will you get in-race food, or do you need to plot feed stops en route? Do your homework in advance to avoid any shocks.
02 Crank up the miles
● Riding 60-140km on back-toback days can be challenging, so focus on your stamina in training. Start with slow endurance mileage, then crank up the interval and hill sessions as the event draws nearer. “Start base training five months prior to the challenge and do more specific work two months before it,” suggests coach Richard Rollinson of CPT Cycling ( cptcycling.co.uk). “Generally aim for a 15% increase in training load each month.”
03 Double up your sessions
● The cumulative load of riding back-to-back days triggers unprecedented levels of fatigue. It can be hard to accept that after the first day you will never feel 100% fit. But there are ways you can prepare. Going for a ride on a Saturday and a Sunday will get your legs used to exercising when fatigued. Commuting to work by bike also conditions you to ride on back-to-back days, and encourages your body to recover more quickly.
“DO YOUR HOMEWORK IN ADVANCE TO AVOID
ANY SHOCKS. WILL THE EVENT ORGANISER
TRANSPORT YOUR KIT EACH DAY?”
04 Pack like a pro
● Packing for a multi-day race is a skill in itself. Work out what tools, snacks and clothing you will need for the weather and challenges ahead. Don’t forget the small details, like washing-up liquid to keep your manky water bottles clean as the days tick by, as well as plasters for cuts and blisters. After consecutive days in the saddle, even simple tasks can feel mindbendingly arduous, so pre-arrange your snacks and kit into quickaccess daily grab bags.
05 Perfect your pace
● During the multi-day ride, stick to a pace you can sustain tomorrow as well as today. Going too deep will leave you suffering the next day. Remember that organised events often feature cut-off times, though these are usually generous: the Haute Route requires a minimum average speed of 16kph. “Use a way of recording your effort, such as a power meter or heart rate monitor, and follow a pace you can sustain,” says Rollinson.
06 Be smart with fuelling
● Fuelling for a multi-day ride is crucial: any calorie depletion will mount up as the days go, leaving you exhausted. Eat and drink consistently before, during and after your ride, and be clever
07 Smooth style
● During your multi-day ride, maximise any drafting opportunities to save energy, avoid riding solo into headwinds, and don’t battle the course in meaty leg-sapping gears. “Especially on climbs, back your pace off, bearing in mind the energy you will need for the days ahead,” says Rollinson. about your calories: drizzling olive oil on your food offers a simple energy boost, and calorie-rich smoothies are easy to digest. And don’t forget to feed your immune system: you can skip your veggies before a one-day race, but fruit, veg and salad is vital to keep you healthy during a draining stage race.
08 Blend high and low tech
● Bike computers are brilliant for multi-day rides, helping you to plan for the day’s route, manage your cadence (8090rpm is best for energy efficiency) and tick off the kilometres each day. But don’t ignore low-tech tools either: sellotaping the day’s profile – complete with feed stops and the location of climbs – to your handlebars is a useful strategy.
09 Recover quickly
● On any multi-day ride, rapid recovery is essential. So pack earplugs and an eye mask and avoid caffeine post-ride to ensure a good night’s sleep. And if you have room, pack some recovery tools too: a 2017 study in the journal Sports Medicine found that compression garments can enhance next-day cycling performance, and a review in Frontiers in Physiology found that foam-rolling reduced perceived muscle soreness by 6%.
10 Manage your mind
● A multi-day ride will trigger every emotion, from fear and boredom to joy and exhilaration. But this tsunami of emotions is what makes multi-day rides so special. Two-time Tour stage winner Jens Voight would scream “Shut up legs!” to fight the pain. Remember that pain is temporary but memories of your multi-day adventure will last forever.
“AVOID RIDING SOLO INTO HEADWINDS, AND DON’T BATTLE THE COURSE IN MEATY LEG-SAPPING GEARS”