If any of you are feeling inspired by my Spinal Ride goals to complete your own long distance ride, here are a few tips to help you train.

First off, it is important to note that a long distance ride will require endurance training beforehand, especially if you are new to the sport.  During your preparatory training, you will need to push yourself in order to assess your abilities and gage how you should move forward with your workouts.  You want to be properly prepared for your ride so you can have a good time and avoid injuries.  Now here are some specific things you can do to get ready!

Set a goal

If you don’t know where you are going, you can’t really figure out what you need to do to accomplish your goals. Decide first how far you want your ride to be, and when you want to complete it. Giving yourself some structure will help push you farther.

Build your aerobic capacity through interval training

By including weekly interval training into your workouts, you will build your endurance so you can last longer on your ride without getting tired. Going on long training rides is still an important part of your preparation, but intervals will help take you to the next level. You can even use your handcycle or bike for interval training by going top speed for a full three minutes, taking it down to a slower, even pace for three minutes, and then continuing this cycle for 30 to 60 minutes.

Push yourself

In order to see faster changes in your riding performance, try to push yourself to 85-90% of your max heart rate twice a week in your workouts. Once you hit your mark, try to maintain that level for 10 minutes and then rest for two minutes.

Increase flexibility

Be sure you are warming up and cooling down properly before and after your workouts! This is a very important step to help you avoid injuries. Complete each of your workouts by stretching so you can increase flexibility and reduce muscle stiffness.

Don’t give up once winter hits!

If you live in a colder climate, you may find it more difficult to get some training time in. After all, it is quite a bit easier to just be outside on a sunny day and take a ride.  However, don’t let the colder weather discourage you from your goals! If you don’t want to brave the winter with an outdoor training session, find something you can do inside to keep up your strength and endurance.

The fundraising for my Spinal Ride event is in full effect so if you want to donate, know of a business that may want to sponsor, or have a rich aunt looking to help out a good cause, either leave a comment or email me at Kris.sanford7@gmail.com. You can also donate through the donate tab on www.spinalride.com .