How to train for an ultra-endurance cycling race

If you love solo miles and have distance in your legs, lungs and heart, I bet you’ve got it in, and on, your mind too.

Ultra-endurance cycling is a special kind of pursuit. I know, because I’ve been doing it for a very long time.

But the ability to cover big distances doesn’t automatically translate into race miles. And if you decide to enter an ultra-endurance cycling race, you want to be as prepared as possible, don’t you?

Because… you’re an ultra-cyclist now.

Step over the basics at your peril!

The basics are basic when it comes to ultra-endurance cycling but too many folks step over them, resulting in injury, sickness, and demotivation.  Don’t be one of them!

First and foremost, you must respect distance. Distance will find all your weaknesses and exploit them mercilessly.

So, give yourself ample time to prepare.

Whatever the distance, you’re going to need a strong core. It doesn’t have to be fancy. I do all my core body work on the floor at home, but I do it consistently five times a week. Do pay special attention to upper back and neck. Shermer’s neck is a relatively common condition that affects ultra-cyclists, and it entirely preventable if you do the work.

Talk to a bike fitter about an ultra-endurance set-up but be cautious because most facilities do not understand the nuances and needs of ultra-endurance cycling. Finding the balance between aero and comfort takes time. 

The bottom is, you have to be able to stay on the bike. Sounds basic I know, but if you reach a point where you can’t sit in the saddle, hold your handlebars, and keep your feet clipped in, you’re going nowhere.

Consider gearing, clothing and general equipment. Of course, this will be relevant to the race that you’ve chosen. 

Please make sure that you study the race profile carefully.

Hint– a hill at 75 miles is not the same hill at 400 miles. Fatigue, sleep deprivation, and weather exposure are all part of ultra-endurance racing so remember that when you look at the course profile in the warm comfort of your living room.

Know yourself – what kind of ultra-cyclist are you?

It’s important to know if you’re a ‘completer ‘ or a ‘competer’ as this will impact how you approach your training.

If you’re beginning your ultra-endurance journey, you are most likely a completer. 

You want to complete the distance in the best time possible. Essentially, this is a meaningful, personal challenge,

If you’re a competer, you’re aiming for the podium or a high place finish. You’re in the business of distance at speed.

So, which one are you?

Don’t make this ultra-endurance mistake!

Many would-be ultra-cyclists don’t make the start line because they went too heavy on volume too soon. It leads to injury, fatigue, a depressed immune system, and an inability to recover.

Remember, volume by itself won’t get you to the finish line within the cut-off time, you also need a certain amount of speed, and a race plan.

Ultra-endurance racing is about managing distance, speed, fuel, weather, sleep deprivation and multiple other factors over the entire route. This starts at mile one and ends at the finish line. See why that race plan is critical?

Your training must be a dedicated process of change, in which you become better suited to all of the above.

That’s going to take a variety of different training loads.

Training principles for an ultra-endurance cycling race

Training is meant to elicit fatigue. In fact, it’s designed to exceed your threshold of fatigue just enough to cause a positive training adaptation. 

Adaptation occurs as a survival mechanism. 

When you train, you apply a calibrated load, which rings alarm bells in the system you are applying that load to. Those systems are response based. They adapt with specificity so that the next time that particular load is applied, the system can better deal with it. This is performance progression.

For ultra-endurance racing you need a strong skeletal system. You also need to be able to sustain speed over distance within your aerobic zones and below your anaerobic threshold, the point where lactate and hydrogen ions rise steeply in your blood and muscles causing a sharp decrease in performance.

The sweet spot is where distance, sustainable speed, and the ability to fuel the effort come together.

Aerobic zones and your anaerobic threshold

There are a couple of ways to determine your aerobic zones and your anaerobic threshold. You can either visit a specialized laboratory or you can conduct a 20 min home test on a smart trainer called a functional threshold power (FTP) test.

My preference will always be a specialised laboratory. An accurate blueprint of your current aerobic and anaerobic physiology means that you, or your cycling coach, can calibrate specific loads, which results in specific adaptations. Adaptations like shifting your anaerobic threshold upwards and building power in your aerobic zones.

That guarantees progression!

Structuring your training week

Obviously, this depends on what time you have available. But, regardless of time, every hour of training should be specific. 

Sessions that are designed to move your anaerobic threshold upwards are intense, but they are shorter. Often, they are done on an indoor trainer. I typically schedule these at the start of the week, followed by sustainable efforts below threshold as the week progresses.

There should be a steady decrease in intensity as the week progresses so that recovery, an area driven by nutrition, can keep up with your training load.

The higher volume, lower intensity, sessions are usually scheduled for the weekend (or whenever you have time). Once again recovery is a priority as these days tend to be back-to-back.

Monday is usually a rest day, and for many folks I suggest another day off, usually in between the intensity and volume sessions. 

Recovery and adaptation go hand in hand, which Jill will write about in the next blog.

It’s a race of exploitation

The goal of an ultra-endurance cycling race is to exploit your weaknesses but also show you your strengths.

At a certain distance, there is no place to hide. 

This is the appeal – you want to discover who you are under this kind of pressure. 

You’ll find that you can redefine your limits and break through barriers that you thought were impossible – it’s both epic and rewarding to do so. 

But you have to earn it. 

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I’m Joe, an ultra-experienced cycling coach for athletes who want to perform over ultra-distances.

I work both with completers and competers.

Go ahead, set up a zoom call, fill in our contact form, or email me directly at Joe@barrultra.com, and let’s talk about your ultra-ambitions.