How to Properly Pace Any Cycling Event

There are 6 kinds of pacing strategies for endurance sports. Learn about each one and when to use it. I also go into how to use a power meter and heart rate monitor to pace properly.
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The studies I used in this video:
link.springer.com/article/10....
journals.physiology.org/doi/f...
www.thieme-connect.com/produc...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fu...

[@nopets]

I use Beast Mode Power Gain in the _caffeinated_ cupcake flavor and allow caffeine levels to dictate my pace.

[@wdadwawdadawdwdwa4133]

"gear related advice" every bodybuilder knows the meaning behind this , it is injectable beast mode :D

[@ianfurqueron5850]

WWBHDD?

[@iiLouixie]

Brett Williams You must be riding buddy of BHD

[@brianmessemer2973]

A fellow Cam Nicholls fan, I see. 👍👍 I instantly recognized all the Cam shots 😁

[@ScrapKing73]

With both cycling and running, I’ve always aspired to an even pacing strategy. Usually with success, too. It seems to be what comes most naturally to me, physically and psychologically. I don’t seem to have an inclination to start too hard. If anything, I start slightly too easy as I settle into what my mind and body are capable of that day, and then pick up the pace slightly as I learn what I’ve got the legs for that day.

[@twowheelslater7112]

Most the 3 hour races you got to go almost flat out for about 10 min then try and settle into a fast paced first lap not because you want to but because you will get passed by ultimately slower riders that you will have to again burn matches to pass later. after 10 miles you can settle in stay steady till the last 10 miles then just try not to die. For me going all out the last 10 miles ends up about with pretty consistent lap times. I guess that's sort of parabolic pacing.

[@poochie8208]

Great topic, and one that is really easy to mess up. I planned my last event last year around an even paced strategy, 5 min into it I went all Backwards Hat Dylan and did 90% of my FTP for the first 3 hours, the remaining 4 were done at a brisk 150 watt pace, with extensive hard coasting efforts.

[@SR77SR]

Thank you so much for adressing the hills/headwind pacing strategy. I've been meaning to ask you about it for some time now given that there's somewhat of a controversy regarding this topic in the triathlon circles with most coaches recommending even power throughout your bike leg, regardless of terrain

[@nicolorosazzaprin1401]

I am so grateful for the amazing work you are doing. Thanks!

[@spork1125]

Thank you bringing this research to your audience. I am (hopefully) riding in my first timed cycling event this year, a 100 mile Gran Fondo with 9k feet of climbing and 4 timed sections. Pacing strategy was a mystery to me because I didn't think a "variable" pacing strategy was legitimate. This video confirms this and I can now use this strategy with confidence!

[@dougedmundson1580]

Thanks Dylan for another great video. It makes sense to me that working harder on a hill or into the wind results in a faster time. As aerodynamic drag grows exponentially with velocity, increased energy expenditures see bigger gains at slower speeds.

[@Svartez]

Thanks for making this video, as a runner pacing is a high concern for me, I didn't realise there are so many strategies and I definitely learnt something. I think the actual pace you select within the strategy is super important in getting the execution right. Like if you pick too high a pace for the even pacing strategy and have to slow down then you ended up doing the bad strategy of positive pacing.

[@jimmalone5851]

Very good Dylan ! I have always suffered from too much excitement at the start, going too hard and blowing up in the middle, then struggling to finish.

[@robbchastain3036]

This is an excellent explanation of these pacing strategies, Dylan, and I do see how they've been applied in all sorts of races, just that I never knew them as positive or negative or parabolic or whatever. But I did experience several of them in my handful of years of road racing and my one fun season of BMX racing--fun because I was no sprinter and you had to be to get to the first giant berm in front. And not to quibble with your list, but wouldn't there be a name for your top-10 Kanza strategy--maybe freeform. Or when time stands still on the porch as you await fellow competitors for merriment to the finish.

[@autokanada]

I almost suffocated with my lunch when I saw this "see.... I knew IT" !

[@joomzb]

Brilliant work bringing all the literature together. I wonder if any research is being done on multi-day ultra endurance events, for example bikepacking races. It'd be interesting to know how much a hard 600km first day affects performance on the rest of the 2 weeks.

[@TriathlonDan]

Very interesting Dylan, whilst I prefer to just ‘send it’, in ironman it’s all about the pacing. I mainly do hilly events and so use the harder into the wind/hill method. It’s dangerous having a higher VI when you have to run a marathon afterwards but it’s faster so long as you don’t put yourself in a hole 🤷‍♂️

[@wdadwawdadawdwdwa4133]

Research is not always perfect, so I'll follow backward hat Dylan's advice and Dutch yours

[@joelbah1]

Thank you. Great video. I learned a lot.

[@s-ultracycling]

Very informative. Thanks. Perfect for my cross state record coming up

[@nl_2652]

“Social facilitation” - so cool! Even more than drafting that riding in a group helps ya go faster/longer!

[@johnbouttell5827]

Dear Dylan, I hope I survive long enough to test your pacing strategies.Thank you and take care. John

[@xristos1250]

Please do a video on cyclist efficiency and how we can improve it. Cycling efficiency like litres of oxygen for given watt output. Thanks and congrats for the videos they are super good quality!

[@kneelherbz9776]

Thanks for this vid it helps a lot

[@JeremyBenfield]

Great info!

[@bestvideos4ever1]

thanks Men ! i have done cycling today with 70% HMAX, done awesome, i am not tired, not like usual where i need 2-Days to recover ! What an awesome advise ! Thank you )))

[@satrombo]

Hey Dylan, love you videos and how you incorporate science behind it! I have a race next month that is a 4 day MTB Stage event, where the stages are a 10 mile prologue, then 39/5500, 30/3000, and an unannounced stage 4 route that is between 10-30 miles. Would you use a pacing strategy that is the same for all four days, intentionally go easier on one stage to save for a future stage, or something else? First time for me to do a stage event like this, your help is appreciated!

[@steveeglintine]

Thanks Dylan

[@edrcozonoking]

Strategy may trump pacing due to peloton dynamics and who your competition is. My strength is power/weight not outright power so I typically have to go hard at the beginning of a road/gravel race to stay in the draft. When a long steep climb comes along close to the finish I'll throw the hammer down to try and drop the powerful but heavy riders.

[@EpicEvolution]

In mtb racing sprint right from the start also helps pass riders that will slow you down on technical singletracks. In Russia we call these guys "cross country skiers" - very fast on smooth terrain with lack of technique. If you stuck in such a slow group good strategy is to keep calm, save energy and wait the moment to overtake

[@RobFinch1971]

I kept hearing pacing tragedy instead of strategy. For time trials I planned to ride even power throughout, but will now try to ride harder into headwinds and up climbs and have an even average power overall.

[@sapinva]

An on-off strategy works best for me. A rest after each 20-30 minutes to eat, drink and get my heart rate down. Can do that up to 5-6 times and stay fairly fresh. Steady state just kills me, regardless of the effort level.

[@0kojack0]

Haven’t watched this yet so it might answer my question in the video...... I’ll watch it when I get home from work. Always wondered I there’s a ‘rule of thumb’ in terms of ftp % when racing longer rides. For example, over 2 hours = 80% ftp, 4 hours = 60% ftp. It’s probably gonna be cancelled but I have a long mtb race in Austria this July and I’m gonna ride it to power..... what power I have no clue 😂😂😂 I know fuelling is important on longer races but anything over 2 hours at ‘race pace’ is well and truly into the unknown for me. I don’t wanna bonk 6 hours in 😂

[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

Different people can handle a different percentage of there FTP for different lengths of time. Take a look at your power duration curve.

[@agousby]

Pacing??? Pacing???? Is that really the most important thing to talk about? I need BHD to keep me informed about the medicinal properties of Hypergain Beast Mode Weight Gainer in the cupcake flavor with regards to our current self-isolation lockdown.

[@Phil-dx8rw]

Beast mode cure everything..... A Beast is far more powerful than a mere mortal and immune to all illness

[@poochie8208]

Apparently Covid-19 can't catch you if you are leading the group ride the whole time, so just gotta go all-out the whole time and it'd be fine

[@discbrakefan]

Reading this in backwards hat voice is great 🤣

[@eastonsones7850]

Hey Dylan, I really like your videos! And I was wondering if you went to college and if so what you studied. I ask because I am looking into being a exercise therapist.

[@immanuelndungu9632]

Great videos. Could you do a video on how to improve peak power and then the time you can sustain sprint power? In my plan i'm doing 6 second sprints atm in an aim to increase max power, then in a month or so i will increase the sprints to 12-15 seconds to be able to hold sprint power for longer durations. Is this ideal? It makes sense in my head but probably doesn't lol

[@aounjose]

The All Out "strategy" seem to be what most people do in Zwift races, and I tell you, if you dont latch on to the first group in the first few seconds of the race, your chances of catching them later are slim.

[@tehArcher]

They could neutralize the starts so that everyone gets up to speed before the attacks go. Since attacks go and everyone is stationary I feel its much easier to get that huge gap at the start

[@rpdole]

I find that aspect of Zwift “racing” particularly vexing as I’ve never been in a race irl where folks were hitting 350W for 10 minutes.

[@markp.7345]

What makes pacing even harder is that most of those riders get disqualified because they signed up on lower categories, so you don't really know who you're competing against!

[@aounjose]

Mark P. Really? I didn’t know they got dq? Why do they let them sign up for a lower category in the first place???

[@1carusjohn32]

@@aounjose zwift actually warns you that you may dsq if you are riding in a lower cat. I think in some organised events you can be kicked out although it has never happened to me. The 'partner site' zwiftpower.com holds all of the race results. It shows the order of results for each category for all riders, plus the order of results with all of the cheats disqualified. The main problem is that you dont know who is going to be dsq when you are racing. All of the front of the lead groups in most cat c races seem to get dsq. Winners are often b cat guys sitting in the lead group relatively soft pedalling to keep their w/kg within the categoey limits. They are gonna be way quicker than an actual cat c rider leading the second pack on the road for the same power output. Fair strategy would be to sprint of with the fast boys and if the w/kg are above cat after 5 mins then ease of after a while to settle into the next group who are likely to be in the correct cat.

[@nottyR6]

I do RB training with a powermeter plus MTB and then I do some XC races, maybe 6 per season. No power meter on the MTB so I always struggle to pace just on heart rate as my heart rate gradually increases over a 2/2.5 hour race. That said, at least I do pace when most competitors seem to follow the positive pace strategy.

[@krisbowditch827]

Mine is all out.. then drop out works out every time bh Dylan swears by it 😀👌

[@neillungerer1794]

Howzit Dylan, thanks for another great video. Have you tested a 20min threshold climb by doing one starting out below TH and doing another test later on starting out above TH and if there's any difference in the avg power in the end? I know some people do it starting out hard and then just dropping slightly over the 20min and get amazing numbers (that has been my method too) and some start out with a number under what they are aiming at and then up the tempo on 2nd half? I've never tried that method but would be interested to give it a go.

[@yumyumhungry]

Interesting that "Variable Pacing" which is what most people do when trying to do even pacing without a power meter and is more efficient than staring at the power meter at having a constant output.

[@pointbreak2811]

I like using the boiling frog a.k.a. negative pacing. Put a frog in boiling water, it will immediately jump out, but put a frog lukewarm water and slowly increase the temperature, the frog will stay comfortable and be cooked to death. It seems to take me a while to warm up I guess.

[@brandonconway4860]

In races with crosswinds you need to go hard at the start to avoid the doom line.

[@bobqzzi]

Nice video

[@stevenpriefer5039]

I would love to learn how to learn what your power pace should be based on your FTP. If you are doing a century what avg power percent of your FTP should you be focusing on.

[@markhumus-js7xz]

Funny to see @CamNicholls footage of Caleb Ewan being used at 10:30 - good video though :)

[@krisbowditch827]

Love blitzing it on zwift for first ten mins, to whittle down the numbers, hate when people get a freeride in the group. Those riders create a boring race( plus no training gains either 🙈) , so get rid of them early, so a group of 2-8 riders can battle it out .. Also had my best results with this strategy 💪💪💪💪👍👍👍

[@Dutchandstuff]

Seeing as there are no races any time soon should we take out all high intensity intervals from our training plans for the foreseeable future?

[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

That’s my next video! Stay tuned.

[@vegyburger4588]

Thats makes sense, just focus on Everesting or something solo

[@moparkev1]

Dylan Johnson you sir are brilliant! Your content is amazing! Thank you for all you do 🙏🏻

[@ivancajka732]

Im runing the Zwift Granfondo training plan

[@henri2101]

I have never joined cycling event but when i see another cycler that is behind me or front of me i just go allout to try dropping the cycler usually it is so intense i reach vo2max zone that is currently between 370-380 watts

[@jacobmaldonado3951]

Backwards hat Dylan showed up at Sea Otter 2023

[@uknowbass]

Most riders who hold 250 watts up a hill don’t continue to hold 250 watts downhill. Very difficult to hold a consistent power pace especially while changing gears downhill

[@loneoceans]

Thanks Dylan for the informative videos. I wanted to ask if you could consider making some videos about these two topics which I think may be interesting: first would be about altitude training - have you done it before for races, what sort of advantages it has, how long it lasts, and what can non-pros do if they wanted to improve their performance before a race with a short altitude training 'camp'? Second, about cramps during racing - how can one prevent them, how training may affect them, and perhaps some advice you may have from your own experiences. Thank you!

[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

Planning on covering both of those!

[@18MRpsi]

Always a great content. **KUDOS ... Are you able to do a "recovery week" segment going through whether to cut volume and increase intensity or cut both volume & intensity all together? Also do they actually take a full week or do they differ to each individual. Lastly is it an all out z1 week? Or should we still be doing z2 sessions? Thanks love your work

[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

Thank you! Yes, I plan to do a video on that.

[@18MRpsi]

@@DylanJohnsonCycling perrrrrrrfect 🙏🏽

[@jthepickle7]

ALWAYS, ALWAYS stay within yourself. If they blow past you on the hill, stay within yourself and catch them later. This, for me, has worked in real life not sure if it works against a TV set.

[@thepatternforms859]

How do we use power meter to pace a long hilly race with grades steep enough to force you out of the saddle into max efforts? Is the power meter useless here?

[@jakegimoto2658]

Training: coach, how many percent of maximum heart rate during the endurance pacing / training?

[@nickw6175]

come on is there any better feeling of seeing some riders blast past you at the start and reeling them back in just before the finish !

[@RevelCris]

im dead @ going all out at this weekends Charity century LMAO i know exactly the type of people who do this

[@grego8527]

The variable pacing studies that looked at how best to pace yourself on hills were very short distance races. I don’t believe what works in a 10k time trail would hold true over 100, 150 or 200k races with lots of hills as the use of power over endurance distances should be different than the use of power over short sprint races/time trials.

[@jaxonbatten2215]

Hey could you do a video on the benifits of beets or lack of in training and performance😁

[@caspian21]

Jaxon Batten Dwight, is that you??

[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

Planning on it!

[@topcat304]

In a past video, you mentioned that for Endurance races, you stay below a certain power zone on the climbs and above a certain power zone on flat sections. I might be confused but I believe you said stay in zone 2 (?Endurance)on the flats and stay below zone 4 (?stay in tempo) on the climbs. Please correct or clarify this for me.

[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

Depends on the distance and your ability but generally high zone 2 (endurance) on the flats and zone 3 (tempo) on climbs for ultra endurance races.

[@topcat304]

@@DylanJohnsonCycling Thanks, those are the races I do (4 to 10 hours). Basically, you are trying to stay under your threshold (when possible) on the climbs but making sure you are pushing close to tempo (upper endurance) on flats. :)

[@robinmacandrew103]

This is the info I was after. Using HR to pace a race… 🙏

[@PatrickvonMassow]

Is an 100% all-out pacing from start to finish always the best approach for a 1 km track TT? Doesn't the fact that it takes an amateur ~70s instead of ~60s make a difference, leading to better results with a little bit of pacing for amateurs? Otherwise, I imagine the level of fading to be too extreme during the last 10s.

[@garthly]

One issue I have on long runs (about 4 hours) by heart rate monitor, is that I find once I go up into zone 4 it is virtually impossible to bring my heart rate down. I generally try to keep in zone 2 as long as possible, but once I hit a hill it goes up and stays up. Is it a good idea to try to get it down again, or should one just accept it is going to be high from then on?

[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

I’d try to keep it in zone 2. Perhaps plan a flatter route if possible.

[@philiphookham8135]

Hi Garth, I've found it really helps to stay out of HR Zones 4 & 5 during the first 10 to 15 mins of a ride. Going hard during the "warm up phase" badly impacts my performance and heart rate recovery for the rest of the ride. This is an issue for me as I live at the bottom of a steep hill, so I've learned this the hard way. Your HR recovery "problem" may have a different cause but I agree with Dylan, stay in Zone 2. I'd just add "especially during the warm up phase".

[@sdhaskell]

off topic question - kinda - do you use a PM on the MTB?

[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

Yup! I use a quarq.

[@flyingpig3674]

So what pacing strategy should I use for a 24hr MTB marathon on a 15km long loop - Le mans race style?

[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

It’ll end up being positive but the closer you can get to even the better.

[@jcdoh7669]

@@DylanJohnsonCycling Positive means starting at 80% drop to 50% eventually is better than maintaining a 60-70%? may b 70% uphill or headwind kind of

[@jasonosunkoya]

Races all cancelled, do I scrap the vo2max intervals and go back to long base rides

[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

Short answer: yes. I plan to do a video on this.

[@richcook5658]

WWBHDD meaning?

[@cycletron510]

Hey, it was good info. I hafta say it was a little long. I did relate with my own training and race style, which sucks!

[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

Which pacing strategy do you usually use?

[@Foster_B]

Dylan Johnson I just sprint until I throw up, and I’ll never change

[@agousby]

@@Foster_B A true BHD devotee. Never let them steal your spirit young one.

[@quest5581]

For 100+ mile events, I usually go with the positive pacing strategy to take advantage of the group for the first 40-50 miles, or as long as I can hold on. After this point, the stronger riders pull away, and I am usually riding solo for the remaining part of the race. This was the case at last years DK 100 as I spend more too many matches for the first 50'ish miles. I've gotta learn to pull back at the beginning to be able to stay on the gas during the latter. Always a challenge during the race.

[@carlosgomezzzzzzz]

Depends on the event

[@Mejaymz]

I use an "even" race strategy. I try to average my power as much as possible according to my power curve. I race 3-4H MTB

[@notreally2406]

Why is it "negative" pacing when you start slow and gradually go faster? And why is it "positive" when you start fast and gradually go slower ? Let's get those changed

[@investireocaminho33]

👏

[@cypriano8763]

because of drafting, if you dont make the selections, how are you ever gonna see the front of the race again.

[@MaGrath_Gibbons]

Hey Dylan I was wondering if the Zwift training plan single track slayer is a good plan??

[@fernandoalvarado4923]

Mountain biking in a Third-World country, my pacing strategy depends on whether I come across dogs, bulls or goats 😅

[@discbrakefan]

Is First still a thing?

[@Bootcampmia]

👍🏻

[@Requiredfields2]

The reason running world records are set with negative splits is because they're world records! Everything goes right.

[@bosschu]

where's your hat?

[@matthewjohnson12]

Who makes it 5 min on an all-out start, except for BHD

[@markbishop9140]

I thought for sure this was going to delve into some real science on how many steps to take forwards and back as you fret and worry before a race? I'm not sure what I just watched.

[@graeme8934]

like 👍

[@ridercanada1]

But in a mountain bike race, you have to ride hard for the first half because everyone else is and you will get passed . Good luck repassing all those people in the single track in the second half.

[@jimmalone5851]

Social facilitation ??? I guess that means excitement ? LOL

[@BGRANT777X]

A non British cycling channel! Is this legal?

[@fabulous-sport-outdoors]

Speaks too fast.. finding hard to keep up with what’s said. Good knowledge though!