How to survive a long day in the saddle

Tips and tricks for doing a long ride

A long day in the saddle is relative. An hour felt long when I first started cycling. When I did my first 100 miles, that felt like a lifetime; now, I’m doing 200k+ rides. So, this applies to whatever feels “long” to you and what stage you are in your cycling journey. Many of my tips below are from experience—I often get them wrong! I hope they help you enjoy those long days out in the saddle.

Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.

Preparation is key ahead of a long ride.

• Know what route you want to take. Ideally, have it planned out on your Garmin (see my planning routes blog)
• Consider where to stop for supplies (water, food, rest) and toilet stops within that plan. If you are riding in remote areas, you may need to be more planned; if not, you have options you can choose along the way. One mistake I have made here a few times is forgetting that many cafes, toilets, pubs, etc, are not open early in the morning, so think about that if you are setting out at sunrise!
• When I first started longer rides, I would always also have a “get out” plan, so if I was struggling, not feeling it or having problems with the bike, there was always a shorter route back or a train station I could get to – or worse case, calling a taxi (that has happened once or twice!)
• Make sure your bike is in good working order – breaks, tyres, chain, gears, no rattling, etc., and you have your tool kit with you (see my blog on tool kit)
• Prepare the night before what you want to take on your ride:
  • Water, nutrition and your toolkit.
  • I always take my phone and bank card and have at least £20 in my purse for emergencies.
  • What you plan to wear
  • Breakfast before your ride
• Think about what you want to take on your bike.
  • A toolkit is essential.
  • On a long ride, you might want an extra bag for a battery pack, additional food, and hydration tablets.
  • Everything else can go into your pockets.
  • Don’t worry if you feel like a carthorse – I often do!

What to wear

Check the weather forecast for the day you are riding; if it’s a long day, note the start temperature, midday and later temperature, as that can vary wildly. You might be at 10 degrees in the morning and over 20 degrees by afternoon!

You can then dress appropriately but also take any additional gear you need. Layers work well, so think about what you can add and take off as the weather changes; I would typically have something like the following:

1. Bib shorts or tights
2. Base layer – summer or winter
3. Bib top – short or long sleeves
4. If the weather looks to change, I may also wear arm warmers if I have short sleeves; these can easily be rolled down and put in my pocket or bike bag.
5. I always take a rain jacket on a longer ride, not only because the weather is unpredictable, but if you must stop for any reason, it’s a good extra layer. I have one that is light, packs down small and fits in my pocket.

Fuelling on the ride

How you drink and eat can be the difference between performing well or even finishing your ride.“Bonking” is a thing, and you want to avoid it – I’ve had meltdowns and tears just because I haven’t fuelled right on a ride (a blog to come on this!).

Everyone is different, so you’ll need to figure out what works for you. But once you start clocking over 50 miles, you must very seriously manage your fuel intake. If you are depleted, you’ll know about it. The general recommendation is to eat every hour. I find that every 1.5 hours work on a ~100-mile ride, but longer than that, something every hour works. Everyone has their own tastes; how they digest food varies, and how comfortable you eat as you ride. Here are some options to consider. Please read my blog on what has worked for me.

1. Electrolytes in your water to help with hydration, caffeine and energy (you can get electrolytes without caffeine)
2. Energy and/or protein bars
3. Bananas
4. Savoury snacks for carbs and salt – sandwiches, crackers, nuts, pastry, cheese
5. Sweets – jelly babies, boiled sweets, and many cycling fuel brands do “chews” as well.
6. Gels – for a quick intake of energy
7. If you are lucky enough to stop at a café, a cake and coffee are always winners.

Training your mind

On a long ride, you will have mentally and physically challenging periods, but the brain usually starts playing up before the body does. Everyone is different, so learn how your mind works and try to work around it. I always struggle just after halfway, and the last 10-20km feel like an eternity.

The other challenge is the monotony, as hours in the saddle can get boring, and you might find yourself talking to yourself or singing – but whatever works for you, do it!

As I’m training for a long distance, I’ve found that listening to some music has helped. I’m conscious that I still need to be aware of everything happening around me, so I’ve found that to combat this, I have one earphone in my left ear (curbside) on low volume. I can still hear everything around me, but I do have sound in my ear to distract me. I’ve found this has helped immensely on long rides, particularly the ride's second half.

Cycling is also a chance to switch off. I’m not so good at that, but it has created headspace, and some of my better ideas from work or personal have come from time on the bike – so I see it as an opportunity to do that too.

Lastly, I will take many different routes and add new places. This will help distract you and make the time go by as you discover new villages or spot new wildlife along the route.

But I can’t lie; you will have “darker” moments on the bike. Times when every minute or kilometre feels like a lifetime, every incline feels like a mountain. But it passes, and having a vision of the finish line helps – you’ll get there and feel great accomplishment because you are strong.