Bupa Challenge Tour 2014 SURVIVAL TIPS! For Long Distance Rides.

Here are some more cycling tips below. Follow me on strava here

Im 36 and NEVER had a drivers license. Here are some things Ive learned over the past 300 000km...

cycling tips

*Drink a litre of water before breakfast each morning.

*Get a power meter. Climb at 1-3watts per kg if you want to be strong ALL day. I use the Stages Cycling Power meter as most of my bikes are shimano or sram equipped.

*Drink enough water during the day so our urine is clear and at least 10times a day. If its yellow or straw, we need to drink more.

*Eat unlimited amounts of your fav carb sources. Be it rice, potatoe, corn, millet,pasta etc. Snack every hour or 2 on something high carb, low fat like butter/marg free jam sandwichs, dried fruit, fresh fruit. Carb up to keep up. Many people undereat carbs and get heaps of fatty stuff and then wonder why motivation drops. Its all about keeping daily glycogen stocks high. Real high! I find that fruit is the ultimate fuel before, during and after exercise so thats my staple everyday of the year.

*Eat 10g of carbs per kg of bodyweight as a daily minimum. Even on recovery days. When exercising for over 1hr, eat 1g of carbs per kg of bodyweight per hour.

*Keep fatty greasy food away and keep high carb meals in bucket sized bowls to stay.
High carb,low fat vegan/fruit based raw vegan diets best serve athletic function.



*Mark your seat post and handle bars to make sure they dont slip over time and give you knee/back issues. Use a white out pen.

*Get fitted up before you go by a good bike fitter. Use the white out pen again. Mark your cleats too if your using clip less pedals.

*If your riding a mountain bike, get some 'ergon grips'.

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*Get out the saddle every few minutes for a few seconds to let blood flow be proper. I learnt this riding from Adelaide to Perth. Its 2800km and virtually flat for 2100km of it.

Your gonna have moments when you want to scream. 99% of the time this is cos we are undercarbed/dehydrated/underslept. So when we want to freak out, just carb/drink and rest up for an hour. Cry if you have too, but dont let it get in the way of eating more carbs, drinking more water or having a nap.

*Remember that they call head winds head winds cos its just in your head how you decide to feel about them. I see a stiff head wind as a fitness builder vs a day wrecker . Its just a choice in the moment.

*Remember that the journey is the gift, not the destination.

*Remember that happieness is ONLY experienced in the present moment. Not when you get some food, not when the rain stops, not when stop for the day..happieness is just a choice in the moment and only experienced NOW!

*Get heaps of rest. Eat lots of carbs before your hungry, drink water before your thirsty. Take lots of photos. Talk to lots of people. Make days to remember the rest of your life. Be in the moment. Be nowhere on the road to nowhere.