Preparing for Szeged 2024: My Training Journey
Getting ready for this kind of bike tour was quite an adventure in itself. When the idea of this trip first appeared, I was already engaging in many of these sports, but goal-setting was the ideal opportunity to focus and structure my training. I knew I needed a comprehensive approach to build strength and endurance, so I started mixing up my workouts to target different aspects of the required fitness. This meant doing more of what I was already engaging with and pushing myself with new challenges and routines. It was time to get serious about preparing for Szeged 2024.
The training for Szeged 2024 made me realise something important about myself and my body: I might not be the fastest swimmer, cyclist or runner, or I might not be able to lift hefty weights nor ride the spinning bike with the most resistance possible, but at some point, I realised what I was actually good with: endurance. Even though I wasn’t the fastest swimmer in the pool, I was the swimmer who could swim the most without taking breaks at the start of the lane. My running pace is not record-breaking, but I could easily run over 10k without feeling excessively tired. My riding speed might not be the highest, but I can maintain a constant speed and cadence for long distances.
Realising this significantly contributed to another crucial aspect to consider for this kind of demanding challenge: mental fitness. During the preparation, It became clear that the actual goal of the training (at least for me) was to find a balance between mental and physical fitness, which I approach as the connection between mind and body. I don’t intend to sound esoteric, but at some point during the journey, I realised I had been treating my mind and body as two separate entities, causing a considerable disconnection between what I thought I could do and what I was performing. I treated my will as something alien to my body without realising it is intrinsically related to it at a cellular level. Bridging this (somehow artificial) gap was something I aimed to continue doing. Not because I have learned about this disconnection, and I’m currently taking measures to reconcile myself in mind and body means that I have accomplished it. This is a life-long journey, and I’m happy I’ve undertaken the very first steps.
I do have an example I use to remind myself about this connection: breathing. It was somehow a revelation to me that you can learn how to breathe and also exert influence over other bodily and mental functions „only“ through the act of inhaling and exhaling. Controlling the influx of air into my body can not only drastically reduce my heart rate after a demanding HIIT interval, but the right balance of letting air in and out has also proven to have a powerful soothing effect when I feel anxious or stressed. Nobody has taught me to breathe; I have learned to breathe by embodying myself here and now and listening to my body. As a physical exercise where breathing requires an actual technique involving timing, position and volume, swimming has significantly improved my pulmonary capacity and made me aware that breathing is much more than a physiological process.
HIIT Spinning Sessions
I joined a spinning studio about 8 months ago and have been going regularly three times a week. These sessions are intense and really push me to the limits of my cardiovascular capacity. The 45-minute workouts, with their mix of all-out effort and short recovery periods, get my heart pumping and my legs rolling. They are tough, but I can feel my strenght and fitness building up with each session.
Rowing and Weightlifting
To balance things out, I stuck with my usual weightlifting routine at home, especially when I didn’t have time for a bike ride, run, or swim. I’ve always enjoyed lifting, so it was a perfect fit for my schedule. As for rowing, I bought a rowing machine last summer and started using it twice a week to warm up before lifting. Rowing has been a total game-changer – it works so many muscles and boosts my endurance without stressing my joints. This combination of lifting and rowing has really helped build the overall strength I need for those long days on the bike.
Swimming
Swimming became my go-to for cross-training. I aimed for 2-2.5 kilometers three times a week (mostly crawling). It was perfect for improving my lung capacity without the impact of running or biking on my joints. Plus, it was a great way to let my muscles recover while still getting a nice workout in.
Biking
Of course, I spent a lot of time on my bike. I mixed in short, intense rides (25-25 kilometers) to work on speed and power. Every now and then, I’d tackle a longer ride, around 120 kilometers, to simulate the endurance required for the tour. These sessions really helped my body (especially those special parts in contact with the bike) get used to the different paces and distances I’d face on the actual tour.
Running
To top it all off, I started running about three months ago, even though I used to absolutely hate the mere idea of it. Now, I can regularly do 5-10 kilometers. Surprisingly, I’ve found it to be a nice exercise. Running has really boosted my cardiovascular fitness and leg strength. It’s a nice change of pace from biking and has definitely helped with my overall endurance.