Training “To Ride NZ”

82 days until I start

Shouldn't you start training for this?

This is what I kept getting asked. And it is a fair question, so thank you for your support.
But, me peeps! I’ve been training for 30-odd years, so I’m good. I’ve also been eating some donuts, but who counts those? Calories in Calories out right!

How do you train for a 3000km ride? The simple answer is: Start by riding your bike.

Seriously, start riding and do it often.

I think it’s a load of rubbish that you need to be super-fit-elite to ride a very long distance, like 3000km. Because I’m not.

In my opinion, there are three levels of bike fitness.

1. Can ride a bike (aka, anyone)
2. Can ride a bike far (Enthusiasts)
3. Can ride a bike very far, and very very fast. (aka Elites like Coach Zeno. Check out his site www.zenorides.com)

I’m more of a level 1.9 – 2

When we first did the Motatapu a few years back, our goal in training was to ride up to 40km with no issues. It was a test to see if you could keep a good pace and not be exhausted by the end of said 40km. And then it was a bonus if you were not sore the next day.

Before we even considered doing the Motatapu, riding 20km was a lot of effort. Now, after so many years of riding things, getting better each time. 100km is Bah; it is only 100km; whatever – get it done.

150km is a fair effort for me, and 200km is WTF. Is that even possible on a fat bike? That’s where I am right now.

If I were a road cyclist (on my 2kg $25K+ bike), 200km would be like, Bah, it is only 200km – whatever, losers.

My longest ride in a day was 160km from Te-Anau to Invercargill.

I am facing back-to-back days of distances between 80 and 150km, so she’ll be right! Whatever, I’ll do what I can. It is just riding!

When you regularly do 
something physical, 
your body and mind get
accustomed to what 
you are doing. 
The more you do it, 
the better 
you get at it. 
- who said this 
famous quote? 
I bloody did. 

• The more you lift weights, the stronger you will get, right?
• The more shit food you eat, the fatter and unhealthier you will get, right?
  See how that works.

For backpacking, the more frequently you ride, the more capable you will become on your bike. You will build up to be able to ride further over time. 

Your body will take time to adjust to what I call “your on-bike environment”: Your body position on the bike, how your bike rolls, how it handles for you, and how your seat feels underneath you.

So, in summary, for bike training. The only direct training I do for the bike is to ride it. Anywhere I can.

I don’t do purposeful interval training sprints, Swift rides, hill climbs, races, or anything else.

I go for a ride. How easy is that to do? – very easy- my tips are gold-thank-me-later.

There are other types of 
training, —Gym Training, 
which I do five times a week.

I’m not saying you have to do gym training to be able to ride 3000km.
But, by doing so, will help your general prepared fitness overall and has immense health and longevity benefits.

What I will say is An endurance style of training would be beneficial for long-distance biking. 

I’m not doing any leg presses or specific machine isolation work. I don’t even use that type of gym equipment. I don’t do circuit training or any fitness classes of such.

What I am doing day-to-day is a functional fitness style of training, which I do at Snap Fitness. That is Olympic Weight Lifting, Gymnastic work, body weight movements, and running—training under Fatigue but with good program structure. You could coin it CrossFit Style, well, sure, whatever. It is not at an affiliate, but it is the same methodology I follow, and it is great because it simply works. 100%

I like to call it “Moving with Purpose.” especially in my old age.

One other thing I do weekly is Broga @ Health Down South. Which is Simply Yoga for the Guys. (Sorry, Girls, you got your Yoga things)

I think of BroGa as “Stretching with Purpose,” and we all know that most males need to stretch more. 

Forty-five minutes once a week is awesome! (not enough, I know, but at least it is something.)

So there you go. Hopefully, that has covered training prep. 

It hasn’t because I haven’t told you the well-guarded (but public) secret.

Everybody says that once you start biking the TA route, it starts hard, but then you get fitter as you go, and it becomes manageable/easy.

The secret is now out and boy it Sounds all super exciting to me!

Stay tuned; the next post 
is going to be about Bike Prep.

In this next post, I will write about my Bike Seat because having a good bike seat is the magic answer to biking longer. And I’m not talking about any cheap seats, either here. My seat was rumored to be about $300.

 If you want to do this stuff, you must get that straw out of your wallet and buy the good stuff. Your body, but more your backside, will thank you for it. And you will live longer. (I don’t know if you will; I just added that for a dramatic ending to this post.)

Chow!

 

 

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