Summer Holiday Survival Guide

A week or two of sun, sand and sea needn't-eat into your cycling performance. Witha little planning and know-how you can entertain the family and maintain your hard-won fitness. Dr Josephine Perryshows you how...

Tickets? Check. Passport? Check. Credit card? Check. Bike? Ummm… OK, not all of us manage to sneak our bike box on to the train or plane when we’re heading away on the annual family summer holiday. But what if you have a big race coming up soon after you get back? How can you stay supple while cramped in an aeroplane seat? How will you keep to your racing weight when the breakfast buffet beckons every morning? And how can you maintain your form without your beloved bike? We’ve sought out a selection of experts to help you stay fit while you’re staying away.

Some riders and coaches believe it is best not to ride while away and instead make the most of your enforced time off the bike. Cycling blogger Tim Wiggins (life in the saddle.cc) regularly travels overseas for work, and he advocates using the time away as rest.

“If I know I’ve a week of meetings somewhere overseas coming up, I put in a big week of training before I leave, and then use the week away as a structured rest break.”

For those of us who use cycling as much for mental well being as physical fitness, the prospect of a whole week or two off can be unappetising. The added pressures of keeping the family entertained or working away from home can make you long for your bike more than usual. Sports psychologist Professor Andy Lane of Wolverhampton University believes that, if exercise helps you de-stress, it’s better to keep it in your schedule — albeit in compressed form.

“Shorten the session and go out early, then you can still spend time with your family, having already got in your stress busting hit.”

So, whether you prefer to sneak in a couple of rides or banish all thoughts of the bike, here are eight strategies from our experts to help ensure you stay healthy, fit and enjoy your time away.

1 Pack a picnic