Diaries of an Aspiring Ultra-Distance Cyclist: 9 Things I Learnt from my Debut Year in Ultra-Distance Cycling

2021 challenged me in a lot of ways; injuries & Covid cancellations mainly. However disappointment is only a disappointment if you allow it to be so – really its an opportunity to learn, develop & grow. Here’s 9 things I learnt from my debut year in ultra-distance cycling, which I wish I knew before I started.

1. Bike fit is everything. I learnt this the hard way. You can get away with slight misalignments when riding for a few hours at a time. These nuances amplify when you’re riding 20+hours/day on successive days. I thought I could get away with it on the Dales Divide, with it ‘only’ being 600km over 2days. I didn’t. I bent my saddle rail at 75km in & rode another 400 before the pain meant I couldn’t go any further. Stop & take time fix things, it pays dividends in the long run – if not, it’ll only catch you up later. Just this Saturday I gave up a training day to spend time with Matt Hallam & get my bike set ups right for this year – frustrating to give up what would be a ‘big ride day’, but deep down I know its 100% a worthwhile investment.
2. Know your bike. You have to be your own mechanic. Your bike is an extension of you when it comes to ultra-distance racing; just as you know when something isn’t right with your body, you have to recognise that with your bike. When something inevitably breaks, sods law says it’ll happen at the most inconvenient place or time. Help could be a long way off. Obviously you can’t carry tools & spares for every eventuality, but there are a lot of things you can carry & can learn how to fix. Lockdown provided the ideal opportunity for me to learn how to build & fix my own bikes – not only does it mean I know every detail & every rattle, I now know how to fix it. I’ve also fettled my bikes with repair in mind… *internal cable routing*.
3. Know your body & know your limits. Have a strategy and don’t get caught up in a race too early on. I was absolutely guilty of this on the Dales Divide – I set off too fast, I was expending more effort to keep up with the race leaders than they were; they were riding faster & lighter set-ups, whilst also having previous race experience & knowing what they’re capable of. It cost me big time on the second day. But we all have to start somewhere & sometimes the only way to learn is to do. By contrast, at All Points North, I didn’t even check the tracker till around 800km – I was focussed only on my own race & not what others were doing – it worked, I completed.
4. Pack what you can live without, not what you need. Ultradistance racing requires a different mentality to bikepacking. Bikepacking is a fun excursion, to be enjoyed – whereas racing the primary objective is speed & efficiency. If you pack multiple layers, you’ll be debating and faffing with which layer to wear – if you simply have a warm & waterproof layer, the choice becomes easier. Similarly, if you’re only going to use something once, is it that essential, or could you live without it? This is something that’s very subjective, now having been in 2 different races, I feel much experienced & knowledgeable in what I can and cant live without.
5. Riding fast doesn’t necessarily win races. Overall average speed > average moving speed. I rode the 950km(ish) All Points North at an average of 24.5kph, a total ride time of 39hours – quicker than those in front of me on the leader board, yet I finished 4 hours behind the winner. Why? Because my stopped time was over 10 hours. Admittedly this was all part of my strategy, to ensure I didn’t damage my knee again – but still, the tortoise and hare theory holds true.
6. Inefficiency is really what you’re racing against. Stop once for resupply – and do everything else at the same time. Keeping momentum & rhythm is so important. Faffing about with a resupply stop, then a toilet stop, then a layer change, then a navigational issue is frustrating & momentum-zapping – much better to have one 20 minute stop, than three 5 minute stops.
7. Its all in your head. There’s absolutely no way you can complete an ultra-distance event if you don’t believe you can. When you tell people how far you’re going to ride at the weekend or on a race, the first reaction is usually one of shock, followed by the question ‘why?!’. Sure, its tough & it does take a lot of motivation, but once you’ve accepted this & visualised in your mind that you can do it, then that’s the hardest battle won. I found once a race starts, my mind becomes fully focussed on the task at hand; external distractions fade away & actually doing the race becomes so much more straightforward. Its just a bike ride at the end of the day!
8. Your optimum body weight is the one you feel best in. This is a very personal one & something I just want to get off my mind really! I’ve been overweight & I’ve been underweight – Neither are good places to be, mentally or physically. Underweight is particularly bad as an endurance athlete – I had a perception that to be an athlete, you had to look like an athlete – you know, stereotypically ripped to shreds. The reality of that is unsustainable. I felt drained, constantly anxious about food & training – a bit unable to just enjoy things. In all honesty, I always feel strongest & at my best on a bike when I have bit of insulation – when I’ve allowed myself to enjoy & not worry so much about the nice things in life. I’ve come to accept everything in moderation is absolutely the best way to be. I’ve been amazed how much stronger I feel when I’m content & not putting myself under unnecessary pressure – my training data proves this too.
9. Return on investment; do today what benefits you tomorrow. One of the main things I learnt from my debut year in ultra-distance cycling is something that holds true when in all aspects of life, as well as training & ultra-distance riding; results come from consistency, not one-off efforts. Best to do a little bit everyday & watch the little 1% steps add up. When I have a decision to make during training periods, the main consideration is the impact it’ll have on tomorrow. The primary example – If I don’t eat well, drink enough water or sleep well, that’s going to have a negative impact on my mood & therefore ability to train to my highest potential the next day. It’s the same on an ultra-distance race; if I try to save time by not stopping to sleep or eat as planned, that’s unlikely to have a positive effect in the long run. Its important to look after yourself & your kit. Sleep or rest may feel like time wasted in the present moment. It’s not, its time well invested. Think 24 hours later when you haven’t slept for 40 hours. You’ll be running on fumes, going slow & mentally hating it. Once things hurt, it’s hard to make it stop. If something is broken, fix it. It only gets worse.

A lot of these things I learnt from my debut year in ultra-distance cycling sound pretty obvious, especially now I read it back to myself. But I guess sometimes its easy to dismiss new information through beginner naivety & enthusiasm. I’ve learnt a lot of these things the hard way – but thankfully, once you learn it for yourself the hard way, its not easily forgotten!