How do you pace yourself on longer rides to avoid burning out too early?

One of my best mates has coached me for almost 10 years now, Ken Buckley. He’s always drilled into me to start SLOW and EASY. Keep the heart rate and power down. Yes, the terrain can dictate this again but it’s important to not burn matches unnecessarily. I’m definitely someone who needs some time to warm up. It can be a day or two on some races and trips. My first ‘proper’ ultra was the first edition of the Silk Road Mountain Race in Kyrgyzstan which when it started felt like a precession out of town. Everyone was laughing and joking with no idea what was to come. I think a lot of people get quite wrapped up into the excitement of it all. I’m usually one of the very last people to actually start just because I find those starts a stress that’s not needed. I think it’s better to ride your way into it plus it’s quite motivating to start catching people. Make sure you take it steady and keep the food coming in. You’ve got to keep the fire going. 

Can you recall a time when your pacing strategy either backfired or really paid off?

The first time I took part in the National 24 Hour TT I completely and spectacularly blew up maybe 12 hours into the race. I went out too hard, I think from some level of arrogance. I ended up pulling out, cramping, and getting very sick. I learnt a lot from that. In terms of perfect pacing, I generally think I have managed to pace my 3 finishes at Badlands well. I remember Badlands 2022 I caught up with some mates in Almeria and we all ended up staying in the same accommodation that night. They had planned to get up super early to make the most of the cooler temperatures. I said to them I was going to get up 3 hours later and catch them. I did after about 150km I think and we all rode to the finish together. That’s where my slightly competitive side knew what the plan was and I fuelled it well staying incredibly focused on what I wanted to do, which was catch my mates Alvin and Sean.

What insights and data do you pay most attention to?

I have always used power and heart rate at every cycling event I have ever done. Although I think I probably use them mainly as a metric to make sure I keep a lid on things until I don’t need to. I would never say I am a slave to the numbers and I do often go by how I feel which I think in the events can be useful. But for training, having those tools ultimately allow you and my coach to be able to follow any growth and progression, to be able to see where there’s gains to be had and what kind of sessions seem to be working best. I also have an alert set up on my bike computer to alert me when to eat and drink. It’s such a simple tiny thing to do but it just reminds you to keep the fuel coming in, especially when you are tired and these things can slip very easily. Often it’s hard to come back from a proper hunger flat so make sure little and often will keep you going. 

What’s your go-to fuelling strategy during long days and how do you stay ahead of energy dips?

My mate founded Styrkr and I have been using their products since day 1. I met Christian on the first Badlands I did and we ended up riding together quite a bit and you gain special bonds with people in these events. We both know what we went through to get to the end of that edition which I’m adamant is the hardest one to date. That race was Christian’s first major test of Styrkr as to if it worked as an idea and concept and I’m proud to say it did and it’s been awesome to have been a part of that journey. I think the things people often forget is the importance of real food. Rely on the ‘space food’ when places are closed and when you can’t get anything but try and get some real proper food in as often as possible. The big one for me is making sure I have carbs in bottles but also salt tablets as well. I don’t think I realised how much salt I lost until I did a sweat test so always putting in a salt tab into my bottles has helped a lot with that, especially as Styrkr do some big salt tabs with 1000mg and 500mg salt. If the energy does dip it’s a time to think about a bit of caffeine. This could be a gel but also a coffee, Coca-Cola or something like that. Don’t rely too heavily on it and save it for when it’s really needed. 

How do you bring fuelling into your training?

Practice what you would need on race or event day and make it a habit. I train eating what I would on an ultra or a big multi-day trip. I try to have around 100g-150g carbs an hour on longer training rides  which is a lot but it just seems to work for me. The British Cycling recommendation is 1g carbohydrate to 1kg body weight. So say you are 85kg, aim for 85g carbs an hour. We are seeing pro riders taking on 200g plus an hour now so the science in this is continually evolving and changing but the important thing to take from this is to practice everything before any big goal. Nothing new on race day. That way your body knows what to expect and you can be confident in your plan. 

What is your fuel of choice?

I mentioned Styrkr above but also some other good things to have depending on where you are and what’s available are, roast potatoes, pringles and salted peanuts, even a sandwich for something savory (so much sports nutrition is sweet so it’s good to change that) fruit, especially oranges and bananas. I like oranges as they are a great palette cleanser. Similar with Lemons. Anything citrus based is a great way to freshen up your mouth after a lot of sweet stuff. In terms of sweet things, Aquarius (it’s an electrolyte drink that comes in blue cans you can only seem to get in Spain), Haribo, Oreos and peanut M&Ms (they don’t melt!). It’s important to keep the carbs coming in but also make sure salt and some protein at the end of the day if you can. 

How do you stay motivated during the toughest moments when fatigue hits and there’s still a long distance to go?

Remember, suffering is a choice. We are lucky to be able to do what we do. To see what we see and experience it how we get to. Remember it’s a privilege to be able to do this adventure and how lucky you are to see the world this way. It’s always what I remind myself when things are getting rough.

Have you ever experienced a time where you have been unable to keep going? If so, what did you learn from this experience?

I think the worst and scariest time was last year during my 4th Badlands. Unfortunately I didn’t finish that edition as I got struck down with heatstroke. Quite early on in the ride I knew something wasn’t right. I was struggling to eat and keep fluids down. Struggling to cool down and had terrible headaches. Going into the first night I was sick several times with hot and cold shivers. I was with a small group of riders and I told them to carry on without me as I was just so slow. I didn’t know what was happening but I knew something really wasn’t right. The problem was that I was in the middle of nowhere in the desert so the only real option I had was to try and get to the next town. In that situation the body starts to go into survival mode, get to somewhere safe and then make the decision. Luckily for me I know the route relatively well in Badlands but it does change every year slightly. So I knew roughly where the next town would be and also what the section is like after that town. I spoke to one of my mates who was in the army and he said very quickly it sounded like heatstroke and stressed I needed to get somewhere safe, cool and in the shade. I think that’s when it hit me that it was quite serious as he said something along the lines of ‘I’ve lost 3 friends who have died from heatstroke. I don’t want it to be 4.’ I guess I had not ever really realised just how serious it can be and I don’t think in the UK we really understand the impact it can have. I eventually got to the next town, maybe 250 or 300km into the race and pulled the pin. Knowing what was next helped me to make a smart and mature decision before things got progressively worse. I learnt a lot from this experience, mainly to listen to my body sooner and remember that no race or event is ever worth long term health issues. All of this experience meant I took a bit of time off and allowed myself to recover before doing the Granguanche Trail (A MTB race across the Canary Islands in November/December) where I felt great. It was much more of an experience as I don’t often race a MTB but it was rewarding knowing I was recovered and over what had been a tough 2024. Long and short. Listen to your body. We only have one. 

What’s in your jersey pockets for a long ride?

Do you have any practical packing advice?  I always have a small Le Col Zip Wallet which has my cards, some wired headphones, a valve extender, some cash, keys and some stickers in it in one pocket. The other will always have my phone and the last usually has snacks of some form in it. Usually arm warmers, a lightweight jacket and gilet so if I need to layer up they’re easy to get to and not bulging the pockets. I almost always wear ARC Cargo Bib Shorts as I love the extra pockets - I usually bring a camera with me. In terms of practical packing advice. Refine how you pack your kit. You can fold up bibs in a certain way to make them compact if you are putting them in a bike bag for example. Like I mentioned before, try things out. Nothing new on event or race day. 

How do you adapt your kit for changing conditions across long days in the saddle?  One thing I insist on doing for long days out is wearing gloves. I know it’s not for everyone but it helps with a bit of extra padding and grip. I broke both wrists a few years back and the grip that they help to provide has been a big thing for me. The important thing though is layering. Know what options you have, what fabrics your kit is made from. Use things like merino on fresher days for example. Merino is also great for staying clean. The ARC Lightweight Rain Jacket is also a great all rounder piece of clothing, especially with the hood that fits snug over your helmet when it gets truly biblical.

What’s your favourite piece of kit for long road rides? Tough one to answer that! I think a good quality set of bib shorts can make or break a bike ride. Something like either the Hors Categorie Bib Shorts plus a comfortable jersey like the Hors Categorie Jersey really do make those big days out better. I really like the Lightweight versions in the Hors Categorie range, especially on hotter summer days. I also think a good top tube bag like the ones Tailfin make are a great way to be able to hold more supplies to reduce having loads in your pockets.

What’s your favourite piece of kit for long gravel rides? The ARC Cargo Bib Shorts are some of the absolute best out there. Super comfortable, loads of pockets. (There’s bonus ones on the back I sometimes forget about!) In terms of something not clothing related I recently did The Traka 360 in Girona on Argon 18’s new Dark Matter. I played a tiny part in the development of this bike so I’m a bit biased about it of course but it really was an absolutely incredible tool for the job, especially how I have built mine up with Fox 32 TC suspension forks and 50mm Schwalbe RX PRO tires. I’m sure we will have many big adventures together!

Finally, what’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given by another rider?

It wasn’t something I was personally told but it’s something that has ended up being a bit of a rule for me: ‘Remember the Rule of Thirds’. I first heard Greek-American Olympican Alexi Pappas talking about this. She was a runner who competed in the 10,000m at the 2016 Olympics. The "Rule of Thirds" as it relates to Olympians, refers to a principle of embracing the highs, lows, and okay moments in the pursuit of a significant goal. It suggests that one-third of the time you will feel amazing, another third will feel okay, and the final third will feel terrible. Recognizing and accepting these fluctuations is key to mental resilience and ultimately, success. Another rule I was told was the ‘1% Rule’. Basically all those small incremental changes to your lifestyle that make you that 1% better. For me it’s things like my diet, getting more sleep in the lead up to an event, having a haircut before I travel. Some of these are placebo of course but it all adds up to me looking and feeling good before I start which I believe helps me ride faster and further.