!#7# Make Your 100 Mile Bike Ride Much Easier and More Enjoyable

!±8± Make Your 100 Mile Bike Ride Much Easier and More Enjoyable

First, always remember that there is power in numbers. In other words the more people you ride with the better. Having more people in your group will give you motivation to keep riding, plus you can all take turns pulling at the front and let others ride behind in the draft. This can save substantial amounts of energy that will be needed in the later miles. More people will also give you more people to talk to and keep you from becoming too bored.

The second thing you can do to make your ride a whole lot easier is to make sure you eat some real food during the ride. I know some people insist on living off of energy bars and Gatorade while exercising, but during a long ride some real food can go a lot further. I recommend stopping around the 45-50 mile point and grabbing some lunch style food such as a sandwich or a couple slices of pizza. Having some real food, and not just energy bars, will make a real difference.

Third, don't underestimate the power of sugar and caffeine. Both can really stimulate your system and keep it going. Sugar is helpful for keeping your blood sugar level and to keep you from hitting the wall. The caffeine is a natural stimulant of course and can help sharpen both your body and mind. So keep the Mt. Dew on hand and maybe stop for a quick espresso around 75 miles or so.

Of course you want to follow the general rules for long endurance riding. Make sure you keep water on hand at all times and don't wait to be thirsty to drink. The same goes for your food too. Once you feel your energy drop it's too late. So keep the calories coming in at a steady pace (about 200 each hour) once you have ridden about 20 miles.

In the name of long distance riding, it always pays to be prepared so I highly recommend using a good sized hydration back pack. These packs are great because they can carry more water, more food and more supplies. The more prepared and stocked you are, the easier the ride will be.

Be fit and live free,
Matt Schifferle