Five Things I Do Consistently to Manage My Training Load in Ultra-Cycling

Distance is cumulative.

The further you go, whether in training, racing or life, the more you accumulate. Alongside the incredible experiences and adventures, you also accumulate stress and fatigue.

There’s a term for this: allostatic load. It’s the cumulative effect of the demands placed on us by life, physically, mentally and emotionally. And those demands don’t come only from what we’re doing today. The effects of past experiences can influence how well we cope with what comes next.

Somehow, I missed the memo.

Alongside the obvious training and racing load, I was less aware of how much I was accumulating through caring for sick family members, the ups and downs of a day job, loss and grief, moving home and relationships. 

I think we can all relate to the sheer volume of life events that delight, challenge and sometimes disrupt us.

When it all becomes overwhelming, it can be difficult to recognise when we need to slow down or stop.

Here’s something worth remembering:

Stress + rest = growth.

Cumulative stress without enough recovery does not lead to growth. Quite the opposite in fact.

Over the years, I’ve learned to pay more attention to the demands I’m carrying and to manage them more deliberately. Here are five things I do consistently to help me perform to the best of my ability, in life and ultra-cycling.

1. Mindset check

I do a weekly mindset check.

Where do I feel stuck? Where am I flowing? What can I do to get unstuck? How can I support what’s working well? What stories am I telling myself? Which ones are building my confidence, and which are undermining it?

I take my time with this. It’s not a box-ticking exercise. It’s a performance one.

Sometimes, we need to recognise what’s holding us back before we can do anything about it.

2. Personal rest

Less multitasking. More single-tasking.

Rest, for me, is often gentle productivity, often in my workshop. For you, it might mean stopping completely. Neither is right or wrong. The important thing is finding your own sweet spot and making time for it consistently, without feeling guilty about it.

Close the door if you have to!

3. Daily nutrition

Nutrition is cumulative too.

I’m lucky here because Jill looks after this part of our life. Consistently eating nourishing, uncomplicated food supports my body and mind and helps me recover from the demands I place on them.

I also eat regularly. Leaving long gaps between meals can affect my energy and concentration, neither of which is particularly helpful when you’re making decisions under pressure.

It’s not about getting every meal perfect. It’s about giving your body what it needs, consistently.

4. People check

I surround myself with people who genuinely support me.

Not everyone needs to help me, and I know I won’t always see eye to eye with the people around me. That’s life. But I try to minimise unnecessary friction and avoid letting disagreements or conflicts accumulate when they could be addressed.

Granted, I’m better at this on two wheels than on two feet, but I’m learning. And I’m better for it.

The people around us can make a significant difference to the load we’re carrying. It’s worth paying attention to those relationships.

5. Picture check

Sometimes the big picture is overwhelming. Sometimes the details are uninspiring.

Over time, I’ve become better at recognising when I need to lift my eyes towards the next horizon and reconnect with the bigger purpose, and when I need to bring my attention back to the next mile.

Both matter.

If all I can manage today is one mile, then one mile it is. I’ll make sure I feel good about moving forward rather than beating myself up for not doing more.

There’s a time for looking ahead and a time for concentrating on what’s immediately in front of you. Knowing which you need is part of managing the load.

Forward is also cumulative

Endurance has taught me a lot about accumulation. The miles add up, but so do the demands that come with them. And the same is true of life.

We can’t always control what lands on our shoulders. We can, however, become better at recognising what we’re carrying, understanding when we need recovery and making adjustments before the load becomes too much.

These five things don’t eliminate stress, and I don’t get them right every day. They’re simply practices I return to because I’ve learned how much the small, consistent things matter.

If this old road warrior can keep learning, so can you.

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Training for ultra-cycling is about more than the miles you put in. It’s about understanding how to manage the demands of training, recovery and life so you can arrive at your start line ready to perform.

If you’d like to bring that experience into your own preparation, train with Joe and build an approach that works for you, your goals and the demands of your event.