Training is something which is personal to individuals, some circumstances only permit so much training, different skill and fitness levels require different training. So I’m in no way saying what I’m doing will work for everyone, I’ve no idea if it’ll work for me, only time will tell.

I’ve broken my training into 3 broad categories:

On the bike
Off the bike
In the head

I’ll try to describe what the categories are, and how I’m training for them.

On the bike.

This is perhaps the most obvious category, how do I train to physically pedal 4,000km?

I typically do one long outside ride a week, this is 60km in length commuting to work and back, so 30km in the morning and another 30km at in the afternoon / evening.

I’ve also recently signed up to https://www.zwift.com/uk/home, a virtual reality indoor cycling app, which allows me to virtually ride around various real, and fictional location. So far I’ve only fallen off the bike once because I was trying to go around a corner in app, but on rollers in the kitchen.

Zwift has been great for the simple motivation to get some exercise in, if the weathers a bit rubbish just ride inside, minimal set up, and no need to get cold or wet. There are also training plans available which I’ve enrolled in, however finding time around work, and other commitments can be difficult.

One of the things I’ve picked up on from researching ultra endurance events is that many athletes will practice "Reverse Periodisation". I didn’t know there was normal periodisation… Anyway, in cycling this is where a cyclist will train at high intensity long before an event, and reduce to lower intensity closer the event. I’m giving this a go, and doing FTP (Functional Threshold Power) boosting training currently before moving on to the more endurance training later.

Finally there are a few Audaxes and Sportives in and around Carlisle, in the spring and summer months, into which we’ll be entering the longest distances.

Off the bike.

Above has all been about turning pedals, this category is all about ensuring both myself and my bike is in a good condition to turn pedals.

I’m learning as much about bike maintenance as I can, and trying it out on my surprisingly growing collection of cheap bikes. On North Cape there could be many miles between towns where we can get the bikes looked at and fixed so self reliance will be important.

The most valuable lesson I’ve learnt here is that patience and attention to detail is important, it may be cold and raining, but taking time and ensuring a puncture patch is applied correctly will take less time than stopping to re-apply a patch 3 times.

That’s whats required to keep the bike running smoothly, but I also need to keep myself running smoothly, for me that means a good end of ride stretch routine, which will help recovery before another long day in the saddle.

In the head.

This is possibly the most important category, a bike can be fixed (or bodged enough to work), barring injury sore legs can turn pedals, but with the wrong mental attitude either could spell the end of our adventure.

One thing which I know works well for me is routine. Its easy just to do the same thing without thinking, if cycling, maintaining, eating all become routine, and can be done on autopilot it’ll be much easier to continue on.

But another issue will be dealing with negative thoughts, when it is cold and wet, it’ll be too easy just to think of it as cold and wet and miserable which would make it hard to continue. We’ll need to see the cold and the wet as part of the challenge, part of the adventure, and when the negative thoughts do come accept them, but continue on anyway. “,