GrainBrain

... That wasn't really appropriate ... After my double I didn't even look at my bike for a week and I love cycling. The last 15 minutes felt as long as the previous 13 hours.

The longest I've done so far is a double century, and it felt so different compared to my many other centuries. However Mark Beaumont believes shorter, harder rides provide better training for long distances.

I've found that if I want to ready myself for a goal the distance or time isn't as important as re-creating the fatigue or issues I might encounter. Knowing how your body responds and how well you mentally react.

I'll set my alarm very early once and awhile to start riding at 2am or 3am. Helps me understand how I do when foggy and cranky. Sunlight is a very powerful signal for your body to wake up - without it you're kind of still sleeping. When I've done these early rides I've completely spaced out for a few miles or missed a turn. I'll ride a common route I've done many times, and one morning I stopped and had to check my phone, because I missed my turn and nothing looked familiar - and even though I had gone five minutes past my turn it didn't register. I just suddenly realized I had no idea where I was - that's a scary feeling because what else didn't I notice?

Riding 50 miles hard without food to get that 130 mile bonk feel. I almost wrecked once at 100 miles because my blood pressure suddenly dropped and I almost (almost!!) passed out. Just saved it in time.

Props to you guys doing short loops. 30 mile loops wouldn't be awful but seeing the same thing every 45 minutes would not be fun. No way I could do a 12 mile out and back 12 times.