Intro
With about two years left to prepare for the Race Around the Netherlands in 2026, it might seem like I have plenty of time, but the journey ahead still feels long. As an avid dot-watcher, I’ve often wondered how my heroes manage to cover such incredible distances. How did they begin? What did their training look like? Since it’s not easy to find these insights online, I’ve decided to start documenting my own path. My goal is to reach a level where I can ride around 200 km per day for 3-4 days in a row, in roughly a year. It feels daunting and almost impossible, and honestly, I have no idea how to achieve it yet. But I keep returning to the wise words of Kev (cap 159 during RATN 2024): “there’s no substitute for good old saddle-time.” So, let’s get some of that—and figure out the rest as we go along.
Gear
As some of you may know, I recently upgraded to a Trek Domale SL 6 (size 54). My old bike, which had almost 21,000 kilometers (about 13’050 miles) on it, has found a new home with an aspiring cyclist (don’t worry, there’s a brand-new drivetrain on it). I packed my Apidura Frame bag with a Nitecore power bank, my keys, my phone, and a small snack. In the Tailfin, I stored my bicycle pump (Crankbrothers Klic – yes it’s expensive but worth the money), a lighter jacket, a raincoat, and a lock.
Here’s a look at my cockpit setup. I’ve got Rose Attack aerobars, and I use a Garmin eTrex 30x for navigation. I recently purchased an eTrex 35t, but the battery life is just awful—only about 6 hours on a set of AA batteries. I can’t deal with that, so I’ve decided to find it a new home.
The ride
I decided to keep it simple with an 85k loop starting from home. We woke up at 5:30 AM, had some breakfast, and I rode with Marco for the first 5 kilometers of his commute. As I followed the Rhine River, I enjoyed some beautiful sunrise views along the way.
I had planned the route in Ride with GPS, but once again I forgot to delete the elevation data 🥲. It’s not a huge issue—navigation works well—but it means I get “High point” or “Low point” notifications about every 5 kilometers instead of my own waypoints, which would help me track my progress.
After about 30 kilometers, I stopped at a small bakery for a quick break, picked up a sandwich, and was back on my way in just a few minutes. Unfortunately, the sun decided to hide behind the clouds after I left Bad Säckingen, making the temperature drop significantly.
I expected heavy traffic since it was a Monday morning, but the opposite was true. The cars were generally sparse, and drivers were very cyclist-friendly. I had to take a detour through the center of Laufenburg because of road construction.
I rode to Laufenburg along the Swiss side of the Rhine, and after crossing the bridge, I made my way back to Basel on the German side. I have to say, the German side is much more beautiful—mostly because there’s a dedicated cycling path (EV15!) where cars aren’t allowed. I enjoyed several kilometers of solitude in nature, encountering only a few people walking their dogs. Apart from the occasional chirping of birds, it was quite peaceful.
Speaking of sounds, one thing I noticed early in the ride was the complete absence of any noise from my bike. I’ve grown accustomed to the usual rattling, but the new Trek Domane is as quiet as can be. No matter how bumpy the road was, it didn’t squeak or rattle—just the sounds of birds and the wind rushing by. Wonderful!
Around Bad Säckingen, about 55 kilometers in, I started to feel a bit hungry, so I looked for a bench to sit down and enjoy the sandwich I had picked up earlier. Ever since cycling the Eurovelo, I’ve noticed a change in my metabolism. I used to get hungry every couple of hours and had to eat something to avoid hypoglycemia. Now, I start to feel hungry after about 6 hours, but it’s never severe enough to make me feel unwell. I’m not sure if this change is due to the distance of the EV15 or my shift in diet, where I’ve been avoiding ultra-processed foods (if it has ingredients I don’t keep in my own fridge, I skip it). I’m still figuring out nutrition for ultra-rides. While I can get by on Haribo and Dextros, I’ve noticed I feel much better with some wholesome food in my system.
After leaving Bad Säckingen, the clouds began to clear, allowing blue skies and sunshine to return. I took another “Petra-break” to swap my warmer jacket for a lighter one. I call these breaks “Petra-breaks” because I tend to stop frequently to adjust my clothing—something I know I can improve on in the future. For this ride, I was caught off guard by the temperature difference between Basel and Laufenburg.
At around 70 kilometers, I crossed the Rhine River for the last time. This is my favorite spot for taking pictures because the view is stunning. It was also at this point that I started to feel a bit of muscle strain in my right shoulder—something I’ve dealt with since I first began cycling. Fortunately, my intercostal neuralgia didn’t flare up and I was able to finish the ride without much problems.
The stats
- Total distance: 86 kilometers (53 miles)
- Total time: 5 hours and 3 minutes
- Total moving time: 4 hours and 29 minutes
- Total stopped time (Petra-breaks!): 34 minutes
- Average moving speed: 19.2 kmh (12 mph)
- Calories burned: 1456
Conclusion
That wraps up my first training ride! Here are a few things I plan to change for next time:
- Remove elevation data 🤦🏻♀️—such a rookie mistake!
- Cycle a bit further. Despite some shoulder discomfort, I wasn’t tired when I got home.
- Address navigational errors: I had to backtrack about 50 meters after missing a turn, but other than that, it was smooth sailing.
As always, keep the rubber side down and I’ll catch you at the next one!