How to Train and Fuel for a Long Distance Bike Event
As we hit peak summer months, that also means peak training and events for a lot of people. Whether you’ve been riding bikes for decades or just getting into the sport, there is always something to learn about training and fueling. And whether you care about setting a new personal best or not, we all want to feel good on the bike. Below are the key takeaways on how to set yourself up for success the rest of this year.
Tips for Long-Distance Bike Races
Long-distance bike races challenge endurance, strength, and mental resilience. Whether you're tackling a century ride, a gravel grinder, or a multi-day stage race, proper training is key to success. Here are five essential tips to help you prepare effectively.
1. Build Endurance Gradually
Start with a strong aerobic foundation by riding at a moderate pace for longer durations. Gradually increase your mileage each week by 10-15% to prevent injury and burnout. Consistency is key to building the stamina needed for race day.
2. Train for Race-Specific Conditions
If your race involves hills, practice climbing. If it’s on gravel, spend time on similar terrain. Simulating race conditions in training helps you prepare mentally and physically for the event, ensuring you’re ready for any challenges.
3. Fuel Properly with Nutrition and Hydration
Long rides require fueling strategies to maintain energy levels. Products from Tailwind Nutrition and Pungao can give you the proper calories, electrolytes, and hydration to help keep fueling easy while on the bike.
4. Incorporate Strength and Mobility Training
Cross-training with core exercises, leg workouts, and flexibility drills can prevent injuries and improve overall performance. Incorporate yoga or stretching routines to maintain mobility and reduce muscle tightness. Staying hydrated is a key factor in your workout success. We recommend having high-quality hydration handy to keep your hydration game strong during regular exercise. Some of our favorites include: Tailwind, Pungao, and Beam Minerals. We know everyone has different preferences and each of these is a different way to stay hydrated, but can all be effective.
5. Prioritize Rest and Recovery
Allow your body to adapt and rebuild with adequate rest. Incorporate rest days, active recovery rides, and quality sleep into your training plan to avoid overtraining and fatigue. A well-rested body performs better on race day. Recovery Mix from Tailwind also helps with keeping your body fueled, hydrated, and (like the name implies) recovered so you can take on whatever your training has in store for you.
Fueling Tips and Strategies:
For most endurance athletes, the sweet spot is:
50-75g (200-300 calories) of carbs per hour. This can be obtained in a variety of ways including endurance fuel from Tailwind, honey from Pungao, or real food options such as sweet potatoes and other foods with natural carbs and electrolytes.
This gives you complete fueling solutions that covers carbs, electrolytes, and hydration.
When to Use More or Less
Fueling should be flexible and customizable. Here’s how to adjust:
Go lighter (100–150 calories per hour) for easy workouts, hot conditions, or shorter durations. Go heavier (up to 300 calories per hour) for longer efforts, colder temps, or when you’re burning more energy. Most importantly, you want to be consistent throughout your training and event days and keep an even amount of carbs and calories each hour.
Train With It First
Always test your mix during training to find what works for you. Every athlete is different, and dialing in your fueling routine can help you avoid bonking, stomach issues, or hitting the wall on event day.
Final Thoughts
Training for a long-distance bike race takes dedication, patience, and a well-structured plan. By focusing on endurance, race-specific training, nutrition, strength, and recovery, you'll be well-prepared to tackle your race with confidence. Happy riding!
We are lucky to work with a bunch of high-level endurance brands that will help support each of our rides this year. Tailwind will be providing their Endurance Fuel (a complete mix of carbs, electrolytes, and hyrdration), Pungao will be providing their new take on gels (a gel made of 100% natural, raw honey-based fuel formulated for strength, stamina and everything in between). Beam Minerals will also be onsite at Tour of the Moon and Tour de Vineyards showcasing their mineral based hydration products. You are by no means required to use these products in your training, nor in our events. However, these are very high quality products that we believe in and recommend trying them out prior to event day if you plan to utilize them during the event.
If you are interested in trying them out:
Use code RideCollective2026 for 20% off your order of Tailwind.
Use code TRC15 for 15% off your order of Pungao.
Beam Minerals currently has a sitewide summer sale.
