Logistics

It’s likely that the event itself will place a considerable amount of physical and mental stress on your body so it’s important to be organised and make sure you have everything under control to avoid adding to this. Easier said than done I know but by looking at each area in advance you’ll be able to limit this as much as possible. How far away is the event? Can I drive or do I need to fly? What about car hire, hotels, restaurants, what time can I get breakfast from and, most importantly, where am I going to keep my bike overnight?

Once again it all comes down to advanced planning. Make sure that you give yourself enough time to recover from your travel, check the bike over and take it for a spin whilst loosening the legs up. If it’s a mass participation event then book a table for dinner at your hotel or nearby restaurant instead of taking the chance and rolling up on the night only to find everywhere is full just as your stomach starts to grumble ‘you idiot’.

Don’t underestimate how tired you may feel after the event and consider your options for the return journey to account for this. Start your recovery process as soon as you step off the bike by having food and drink available at the finish. If you’re booking through one of the official operators for the event then some of these things may already be taken care of. Don’t leave anything to chance though. Go through your own check list, align all the pieces and you’ll sleep much easier.

If you need any more advice on choosing an event then feel free to get in touch on Twitter @cottydale and I’ll do my best to help. You can find me on Google+, too.

Ride safe!

Mike Cotty