Photo: Pixabay

Is 100km on a bike hard?

Even though biking 100km is a challenge, it's extremely realistic. It might take longer for some, but biking 100k is something that should be a doable day activity for most semiactive individuals. More than anything, it's a battle of willpower. And once you finish, you'll feel like an absolute badass.

betterhumans.pub - How to Complete a 100km Ride Even if You're Not an Elite Cyclist

Which is the best termite proof plywood?

Thus, Sainik plywood is termite and borer proof. With its impeccable performance as termite and borer proof plywood, CenturyPly offers an extended...

Last updated May 31, 2022

What can a 300 watt solar panel run?

A 300 watt solar panel with full irradiance will run a constant AC load of 270 watts, taking into account inverter losses of 10%. This includes...

Last updated May 18, 2022

Can I build my own shed?

Yes, with the right plans you can build your dream shed.

Learn More »

Promotion

How to Complete a 100km Ride Even if You’re Not an Elite Cyclist Biking 100km — and impressing your friends in the process — isn’t as hard as you may think Photo credit: Iam Anupong. Do you have a coworker who’s always bragging about finishing a half marathon? Is your best friend one of those people who runs 10km every morning? Think you can’t do something similarly impressive? Think again! Doing a 100km bicycle ride is within reach for many. With a couple of wheels, a free day, and a bit of initiative, you can feel like an elite athlete, even if you aren’t one. Don’t get me wrong: Biking is great cardio, and elite cyclists achieve superhuman levels of fitness. However, cycling has the benefit of allowing you to cruise and take breaks without hitting a complete standstill. Issac Newton is your best friend here. Once you start biking, your wheels keep turning, and you keep moving. And that beautiful little fact makes it possible for you to bike for way longer than you may expect, even if you’re not an elite cyclist. Bike Your Ultimate Elite-Exercise Feat Here’s the challenge: Bike 100km That’s triple digits — a respectably long distance even in the world of driving. It’s more than double the length of a marathon or about five half-marathons. The best part? It’s totally doable in one day. If you bike at 15km/h, you’ll finish the 100km route in just over six-and-a-half hours. Even incorporating breaks shouldn’t take your total time over ten hours. (As a point of reference, according to Google Maps, the approximate leisurely biking speed is 10mph or 16km/h.) It’s challenging enough that finishing feels hugely satisfying but not so difficult that it’s painful or unenjoyable. And when it comes to the ratio of impressiveness-to-your-friends versus difficulty-to-complete, it tops the chart. Who should tackle this challenge? I’m not an elite athlete. Not by a long shot. In fact, I’d say I’m an average cyclist. I’m an able-bodied individual in decent shape, who rides my bike leisurely a few times a week. Combined with a bit of motivation, anyone similar should be in a good position to successfully complete this challenge. Biking 100km is probably more realistic than you think. For most of my life, I’ve only biked leisurely. Two years ago I got roped along into biking from Toronto to Waterloo (120km). Although I initially thought it’d be impossible (I’d never biked more than 25km in a day), it was actually very manageable, satisfying, and enjoyable. Nowadays, I usually bike about four times a week, as a leisure/social activity or a mode of transportation. If I do intense bike workouts or longer rides, I try to give myself at least a day of rest to take care of my body (as should you). I personally enjoy bike rides ranging around the 30-50km range. However, occasionally I enjoy taking on 100k+ bike rides. Some have gone well, but some have definitely had some hiccups. The rest of this article is geared towards helping ensure you don’t make the mistakes I’ve made in the past. Although the article’s advice can be adjusted accordingly, it’s generally geared towards able-bodied individuals who do a bit of bike riding already, as it’s where my own experience and expertise lie. Choosing the Perfect 100km Bike Route So this is where you get to make your bike ride sound as “elite” as you want. Is there a town nearby around 100km away? Go for it so you can tell your friends that you biked all the way there. Is there a loop or trail in the area that you’ve always wanted to tackle? Choose a nice, scenic ride. In fact, if you’re looking for a bigger challenge, consider increasing the distance, making it round-trip, or finding a route with higher elevation! The nice thing about bike trips is they’re incredibly flexible. If you’re stuck on finding a good route, Google for 100km bike rides in your area. Other cyclists might have posted suggestions for good routes they’ve tackled. Google Maps with the bike-transportation option selected is pretty good at suggesting routes that are bike-friendly. AllTrails and Strava are also great apps for finding popular trails/routes. Choose a route with designated bike trails or lanes I can’t stress how important this is. Anyone who’s biked on busy roads without a designated bike lane knows it absolutely sucks. Constantly looking over your shoulder at honking and speeding cars and trying to avoid getting hit by turning vehicles isn’t fun. Do yourself a favor and try to find a path that travels along roads with designated bike lanes, or, alternatively, at least go along residential routes. Even better, find a bike trail. I promise you, trees are much better company than cars when you’re bike riding. Nice bike trails are honestly the best part of a good ride (that’s the reason people go for recreational bike rides at the park). Your annoyance at traffic lights when you’re driving will be nothing in comparison to the frustration of reaching a red light right when you’re about to hit an uphill stretch. How to Tackle a 100km Bike Ride Once you have your challenge, the next step is figuring out how to tackle it. And I promise you — you don’t have to be an elite athlete to achieve it. Get your hands on a decent bike You don’t need to drop $2,000 on a fancy bike with 30 gears and high-caliber wheels. However, spending all day riding the little-bike-with-frilly-handlebars-from-when-you-were-fifteen won’t be the most comfortable option either. My advice? Buy — or borrow or rent — a half-decent bike (ideally a road or hybrid bike) for the trip. Try to get one with at least a couple of gear settings. Your legs (and butt) will thank you. Consider investing in a memory-foam seat if the seat looks particularly small. Remember, you’ll be sitting on it all day. Feed your body Calories in, calories out. Your body is about to fuel a day of biking, so you should treat it well. I’m not saying to carbo-load by eating two tons of spaghetti and meatballs, but the night before, try to eat a filling meal full of protein and carbs. (The night before a long ride is probably not the best time for a light salad.) The morning of your ride, I suggest a protein-packed breakfast. In addition, give yourself at least half an hour to digest before you begin your ride. Some of my favorite preworkout meals: Avocado toast with eggs

Can you build a shed out of pallets?

A pallet wood shed is an easy way to keep wood dry and accessible. Here are the steps you need to follow to build one yourself.

Last updated Jul 18, 2020

Is a Shouse cheaper than a house?

Saves Money: While a number of factors will determine the cost of your shouse, it'll likely be less expensive than a traditional house. A shouse...

Last updated Dec 29, 2018

Promotion

Eggs and multigrain toast with peanut butter

Protein shake with chia seeds

Yogurt with granola, fresh fruit, and nuts Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate Drink water the day before you bike to prepare your body. Drink water in the morning before you get on the road. Drink constantly throughout your bike ride (if you’re not drinking every half hour … well, drink every half hour). Drink lots of water after your bike ride as well. While I personally am not a huge fan of sugary drinks during exercise, others prefer Gatorade or drinks with electrolytes. During your bike ride, that’s fine since you’re actively working out (as long as you at least have one bottle of water on you). However, before and after your bike ride, stick to water. Start early Start early. It’ll make your ride more leisurely, as you can take all the breaks you want without getting scared that you’ll run out of sunlight. From personal experience, breaks are great. Biking for long periods of time not only gets tiring — but boring. Biking 100km in a day should be relatively easy. Stretch … and stretch properly I will be honest here — I’ve never been a fan of stretching. Even when I play sports, I have to force myself to stretch. Trust me. You’ll want to stretch before this ride and after. You’re going to spend all day biking, so you can spare ten minutes to do basic quad and calf stretches to reduce your chance of injury and ensure you can walk painlessly the next day. Stretching at the beginning of your ride will reduce the chances you’ll get hurt (or pull a muscle) when riding. Once you finish your ride, you’ll probably feel the soreness in your legs as well. Even if you don’t, do yourself a huge favor: stretch. Immediately after your ride, stay mobile. Walk around, and do dynamic stretching. Don’t do static (stationary) stretches until your heart rate has slowed down. There are many amazing stretches. I normally adjust my stretching depending on which muscle groups are most sore, but here are some of my favorites: Some dynamic stretches: Reverse lunge with twist (10x per leg)

Glute bridges (20x)

Lateral lunges with arm reach (10x per leg)

Leg swings (10x per leg)

High knees (1 min) Some static stretches: Standing straddle stretch (1 min, alternate legs)

Quad stretches (30 sec per leg)

Cat-cow (1 min)

Hamstring scoops (1 min)

What to Bring on Your Bike Ride I’ve learned the hard way what things you’ll regret not bringing (and bringing) on your bike ride. I’ve done the not-so-fun work of being overly thirsty and walking to a bike-repair shop, so hopefully, you won’t have to. Two bottles of water (at least) The last thing you want is to be dehydrated during your ride. You’ll be sweating and working hard, so you’ll definitely need lots of water. Take a sip of water at least every half an hour. It’s hard to hydrate once you’re already dehydrated, so be proactive. If you can, bring at least one bottle with accessible drinking (such as a squeeze or sip bottle) If you like cold water, pack one of your bottles entirely with ice. By the time you get to it, it will have melted to be cold water A bike kit and pump I strongly suggest you invest in a bike kit with a pump to do quick tire repairs, and learn how to use it. It’ll only cost few bucks, and it’s super light to carry. And it’ll all be well worth it if anything goes wrong with your bike along the ride. Trust me. I learned that the hard way when I got a flat tire when biking to Waterloo, and we had to walk 10km to the nearest Canadian Tire to repair it. (Quite frankly, we were lucky that it was only 10km — considering we biked on trails, it could’ve been a lot worse.) Energy-packed snacks Energy bars are your best friend. You’ll be burning a lot of calories, and you never know when you’ll be getting a bit hungry. Granola bars and PowerBars will help keep your energy up, and they’re extremely convenient. They’re light, compact, and completely wrapped, so you don’t have to worry about washing your hands. If you’re planning on stopping for lunch, select a destination ahead of time. Food locations may be sparse along your selected bike route, and good planning will prevent you from taking a large detour. Earbuds (preferably wireless) This one is completely optional, but some music or podcasts might be welcome entertainment for the long ride. On a long ride, boredom is not your friend, as it’ll just remind you that you’re tired. Make sure to only keep one earbud in — more specifically, only use the earbud that’s further from the road so you can hear passing traffic. Remember, safety first! Consider downloading a few podcasts and preparing a few playlists in advance. Switching between music and podcasts or between different genres will help split up the ride and will prevent you from getting bored.

betterhumans.pub - How to Complete a 100km Ride Even if You're Not an Elite Cyclist

Do I need a concrete base for a log cabin?

A flat and level concrete base is the ideal log cabin foundation, but if you already have a paved or decked area that you want to place your cabin,...

Last updated Jul 12, 2018