The Importance of Cross Training for Ultra-Distance Cycling

Cross training is one of those things we all know we should probably do, but ultimately never actually do! A lack of motivation for bikes right now is my main motivator for writing this, but ultimately, the importance of cross training for ultra-distance cycling cannot be understated.

Those of you who follow my social media channels will have seen a drastic drop off in the amount of riding I’ve done lately. Quite a few reasons really; boredom, repetition & lack of motivation – added to the increasingly worse standards of driving on the roads in the UK. After my head injury last year, all I could think about was how desperate I was to get back to riding long distances again. Now, 12 months later (with a fully recovered head!), I have little mojo for riding bikes. It’s weird.

I’ve always liked road riding as it can be done from my front door, without having to drive to a start point. The compromise is that means riding the same roads all the time. When riding for 2 hours, it means the same lanes – even when doing longer rides, it means using the same lanes to get to the start point. I had a bit of an epiphany lately, which hasn’t helped this conundrum; I ride for exploration, not just training. I like to see new places with the satisfaction of having got there under my own steam.

Initially I tried to combat this by mixing it up with some really high intensity, full gas stuff – the kind where its end of season, I don’t have any more goals to focus on, so let’s empty the tank. That was fun. Then I went away to the US – It was even darker, wetter & colder when I got back. A bit of jetlag & a bit of my diet not being optimal added further hinderance to my motivation!

The other realisation I’ve had this year is that whilst my body was aerobically fit & well-conditioned to riding bikes in 2022, it wasn’t great at much else – I found myself picking up injuries, especially joint injuries, as a result. Muscular imbalances have always been problematic for me – I guess its problematic with any aerobic, rhythmic type movement. Whenever I go to the physio, I’m always reporting tightness in the same areas – right hamstring & IT band.

I guess further confirmation to this theory is that I notice problems when switching bikes – my road bike position is different to my mountain bike position. Not drastically, but different enough to notice. Saddle height is a constant – but everything else is ever so slightly different. So even with saddle height being the same, the angle at my hips is different due to the difference in headset height & reach – as well as my saddle fore/aft position in relation to the bottom bracket. We’re talking miniscule amounts here. But over the course of hours doing the same repetitive movements, the body notices it.

As we near the end of the year, a year in which I’ve primarily focussed on recovering from a brain haemorrhage, my focus is now shifting towards returning to ultra-distance racing. My quest is now not only to regain my fitness levels, but build some strength & resilience along with aerobic fitness. I’m now working with Rich Rothwell at Advance Cycle Coaching, where its becoming increasingly obvious that variation in movements (running, strength & conditioning work) is what I’ve been missing.

Time on the bike hasn’t been as accessible to me in recent months either. I find we go through swings in life; admittedly, 2021 & 2022 were obsessive years in terms of bike riding. Whereas 2023, for the large part, I wasn’t riding – so I had to find something else to fill that gap. My work has become more captivating this year; in terms of what I’m doing & who I’m doing it with. That’s no bad thing, we just go through these phases where focus shifts more in favour in certain things. So yeah, more time spent working only leaves me with 2hours for ‘leisure’ – which to me, doesn’t really justify getting the bike out as half that time is spent cleaning it at this time of year!

See my problem?!

I follow a lot of running people on social media. I told myself I’d fallen out with running, but really, I’d just fallen more in love with riding. I do still enjoy running, but it’s always been that ‘reserve sport’. As I’ve been so infatuated with ultra-distance racing, I haven’t done much (if any!) in recent years. Like anything, if you don’t use it, you lose it. My hips really don’t like running at the moment – I can only assume due to my cycling condition; the range of movement & impact is not what I’m used to. Perhaps that’s why I’m easily injured.

Between speaking to my coach & my physio (aka people who know better than me!) the penny has well & truly dropped around the importance of cross training for ultra-distance cycling. So, in short; running is not only been an antidote to my lack of motivation for bikes – its part of the adapted training philosophy. I’d like to get physically strong & more resilient this winter, whilst managing a time constrained schedule.

Goal for this winter: get strong, maintain aerobic fitness.