An experienced and hard-working bikepacker will usually be ready and able to go on an adventure at any time. To build and maintain such form you need to ride all year round, and train as you intend to race – if going solo, by all means do some of your riding with others, but make sure to test yourself and your equipment alone.

On self-made adventures or with friendsyou will not need to be more fit than your usual level as curiosity and the pleasure of the journey will be a sufficient motivation. But these can often be used to build the base for more physical adventures.

For sporting events it is, of course, necessary to increase fitness and power. Identify the most difficult event in your calendar and arrange to train for it specifically at least four months in advance, gradually increasing the distances with each outing. Your body will adapt to this particular endurance effort and before the event itself you should be ready to complete one ‘acclimatized run’ that simulates as close as possible the target event itself.

A rough outline of the season might go something like this : during winter, it’s good to do regular outings of 200 km and even include some camping to refine your cold weather bivouac skills. From March onwards, participate in Audax type events which will help and motivate you to increase the distances from 200km to 500-600 km.

From May, push for one or two trips of more than 1000 km, either self-made like our series of adventures Due North & Due South, or organized, like the Chilkoot Born to Ride. During all these winter and spring outings, riding on the road will help refine your bike set-upand your lists of what to pack for each particular adventure. With training comes experience and knowledge.

July is time relax and enjoy the simple pleasure of cycling. Ride smaller distances - a few 100 km outings, let's say no more than once a week. At the end of July you should be in good form. The memory of the long efforts will be engraved in the body, your bike and equipment well-honed from previous adventures, and you should be rested, ready for the big challenge. All is left is to do battle over the 4000 km of a Transcontinental Race, for example.

Finally, if you are smitten by this practice and it becomes a long term habit, it is a good idea not to relax too much after your big event. Too much of a break and you will find yourself back near zero. So continue to organize a bivouacs with friends, long days on the road and keep things ticking over into the winter. Because next season always comes around quickly!

See more from the Ultimate Bikepacking Guide to plan the trip of a lifetime.