Hampton Barringer Luzak has held a variety of positions in fields as diverse as sales and feature-film casting. She also has experience in marketing and real estate. Beyond her professional interests, Hampton B. Luzak enjoys leading an active lifestyle by engaging in summer sports such as cycling.
A long bike ride is about 20 miles for people of average fitness. How far you can ride will depend on your cycling experience, type of bike, the terrain, and your level of physical health. For intermediate cyclists, 40-60 miles would be a long ride. For advanced cyclists, a long ride would be 70-100 miles.
One of the ways to manage a long-distance ride is to divide the ride into two sections. Taking a break half-way through can restore the rider’s energy levels, making the second half easier than it would have been. It also helps to pace oneself. The tendency is to ride too fast in the first part, which can lead to burning out, making the second half a real grind. Also during the ride, cyclists should change their hand placement regularly and shrug their shoulders occasionally for 5 to 10 seconds to relax their neck and shoulder muscles.
Another way to ensure a successful ride is for cyclists to limit their protein consumption before starting out. Proteins take longer to digest than carbs, and can add to the body’s workload. Eating a variety of grains and fruit before riding helps renew the body’s glycogen levels faster.
