Preparing your mind & body
The important issues to consider when preparing for an eight-day Cycle Queensland adventure are your basic fitness and your cycling specific fitness.
You may think you are very fit if you walk or run often, but when you ride for longer distances you may soon find, by increasing soreness, that you really do have other muscles you didn't realise you had before.
The most essential aim of any training program is to set your goals and targets and to try consistently to achieve them. To train for Cycle Queensland you will need to build up your general level of cycling fitness to allow you to comfortably cover the daily average of about 62km. To do this we recommend a series of training rides of varying distances building up to 90km (the longest day we expect to have on the Ride) closer to the event. This program assumes that you are starting from zero. If you already cycle regularly then simply start at the point you are comfortable with and begin to stretch yourself.
Give our Eight Week Training program a go.
Where and when to ride
Why not join a cycling group? There are plenty of them about, everything from casual groups who do regular rides to associations who focus on touring and longer distances.
Contact your local bike shop for advice on your local groups, talk to other cyclists, phone Bicycle Queensland - just ride! Or organise riding companions. It's easier to train with friends so ask around at work or school and among your friends and see if someone else can join you on regular rides. It's hard to miss a session if you know that the other person or group will be there at the meeting point and will be disappointed if you do not turn up.
One of the best ways of fitting more kilometres into a crowded life is to combine training with your ride to work or school. Riding to work or school can be a great way of starting the working day and provided that you can find a reasonably stress free route you will feel much better for it at work and at the end of the day. If your usual trip is too short to help your fitness then simply add some extra distance, there's sure to be an enjoyable option somewhere.
Alternatively, think laterally and ride to your weekend visits or activities and then catch a lift home with friends, family or on the train (or vice versa of course). On a week day especially if you start early you can easily knock off 30 to 40kms before 8am and still have time for a quick bite and a shower before the day starts in earnest.
Come on a CQ Preparation Ride
Want to get some kms under your belt before CQ13? Why not join us on a Cycle Queensland preparation ride and learn some handy hints from our experienced ride guides. Keep an eye out here for ride details in early 2013!
