What about training?

So you think you need to be a Greg LeMond to do a ride like this…not so. As I’ve said before, I’ve seen about every ability level on cross country rides. Just about any healthy individual can do it…maybe some not as fast as others, but that’s not the issue. Unless you want to do RAAM which requires you to do 300-400 miles a day, you don’t have to be fast, just persistent. Touring companies provide support on the road daily and don’t expect you to hammer to the next destination. You can ride at your own pace with one goal in mind…finish the day, then do it again tomorrow. And think of the stories you’ll have to tell at the next local bike club meeting!

Seriously, training for a ride like this is important but you don't have to kill yourself in the process. Without getting into the specifics of a training schedule, if you ride comfortably 150 miles a week and can throw in a couple of 200-300 mile weeks before you show up, you'll have no problem with a normal cross country ride that averages 65-85 miles a day. Ride regularly during the week and do back to back long days on the weekend to get used to consecutive long days in the saddle. The bottom line is, the more you ride before you get there, the better you'll feel on the ride...especially the early part of the ride. People who don't get enough training have tough days for awhile until they get used to the daily grind.

Probably the best advice I can give you after you start the ride is to not go too hard at the beginning. Give yourself a few days to get accustomed to the long days in the saddle. You'll be doing 400-500 mile weeks on the ride so give yourself a few days to get used to that kind of mileage. If you get too tired early in the ride, it's very hard to recover daily. On the first day, you will have adrenaline pumping rampant and it will be easy to push too hard. Well, you are used to pushing through a 65 mile ride at home. But remember, you are not at home. You have to ride again tomorrow, the next day, and the next! Take it easy until you get a feel for how your body is reacting for a few days. I see it every year, especially on America by Bicycle's Fast America ride which averages over 115 a day. These folks are mostly strong cyclists and they have no trouble pedaling out a century in less than 5 hours. They explode out of the motel on day 1 and hammer out the first day...127 miles. Stories fly about how strong so-in-so is...but how is so-in-so doing on day 3? Many of these "hammers" are dragging by then. So squelch the testosterone (that goes for you women too) and back it off a notch or two especially for the first few days until you get comfortable with the pace, the daily mileage, the operation, the food, and the dynamics of the group, etc. I've had numerous people write me after the ride and state that they wish they'd taken more time to get to know other people and to see more of the country. Too many of them just put their head down and hammer to the next meal. It's a long trip, slow down and enjoy it. You and your body will be glad you did.