Europe Cycling Tour Training

Physical fitness, I have come to discover, is something of a demanding master … the more you train the more pressure you put on yourself to have to train.

With my planned Portugal to The Netherlands cycling tour now just eight weeks away, I am doing everything I can to get my fitness into peak condition.

While I have always prided myself on keeping relatively fit, being fit enough to tackle 75 days of cycling through some extremely tough conditions (including going over the Pyrenees with 25 kg of gear on the bike) is definitely more than enough incentive to stay fully motivated.

But when is too much training too much? Should I just concentrate on riding the bike, or should I also do weight training, fit ball and other various strength exercises as well?

Basically in the end I have just gone for it and done the lot. Time permitting I am cycling 200 to 300km per week, plus I am trying to get in 3 to 4 weight and fit ball sessions per week.

The end result is definitely a huge improvement in my fitness, but also in a tendency to get niggling injuries. But then again it's nothing a regular visit to the chiropractor (thanks Lara) and massage therapist (thanks Ashley) can't get right. In the end it's only a small price to pay to be able to put myself in a position to complete such a huge cycling trip. 

The thought of successfully riding the 4000 km or so from the south of Portugal to Amsterdam certainly keeps me motivated and even looking forward to the next training session – even despite the oppressive Gold Coast humidity over summer.

In many ways I guess I have always wanted to have something to train for… I think I have found it!!!!!!!!!!!!!