We caught up with HydraPak athlete Hillary Allen following her recent multi-month trip to Europe, where she focused on training and competing in both cycling and trail running events. She shared her essential gear, how she prepares for long adventures, and offered advice for those looking to take on their own cycling journey.
How do you manage a schedule as a multi-sport athlete?
One of my favorite things about being a multi-sport athlete is the freedom it gives me to explore new places on two wheels and by foot. Since I am based out of Boulder, Colorado, it’s easy for me to train and switch between the two disciplines based on the different races I have scheduled.
This year, I designed my summer race calendar to focus on training and racing in Europe, targeting all of my major races (both on bike and on foot) overseas.
What advice would you give to someone planning their first long distance international bike adventure?
Planning a European biking adventure can be overwhelming, but it is definitely worth it. My advice would be to plan and prepare, that way there are no unexpected variables. Water can be the main limiting factor in planning a long day, or multi-day adventure, so being confident in your filtration system and gear is key. If you’re curious to try a longer bike adventure abroad, the Breakaway+ Squeeze bottle has to be on your list. You won’t have to be as reliant on towns for water stops and can refill as you go. I would also recommend trying out your hydration system at home, or on a local adventure, to make sure you have your kit dialed, and then pick a destination and go for it! Traveling with a bike can feel overwhelming, but with a good bike bag, and a little bit of patience, it's always worth it once you go for that first ride in a new place!
Tell us about how you plan for traveling overseas with a bike?
The preparation for traveling with your bike can seem daunting, but I try to create a packing list that is simple – essentials only. Of course, first and foremost there is the bike. Since I was planning to be gone for 3 months, I decided to bring 2 wheelsets so I could effectively have 2 bikes. Sometimes in Europe, gravel is not an option (it can be more mountain biking), so I always bring a pair of road wheels and slicks (road tires) along with my set of gravel wheels which have my wider, gravel tires. Additionally, I pack my flat tire repair/tool kit, a mini hand pump, 2 water bottles (one being the Breakaway + Squeeze bottle), a bike bag (usually I bring a top tube bag), my hydration vest with a Velocity reservoir, and a GPS tracking device. This is usually the basic set up I will use for a race or a long adventure ride.
What does your hydration plan look like on these long rides and in different climates?
Every place I’ve ridden has been distinctly different, as far as terrain, temperature and accessibility. And although I’ve used the same basic kit every time I’ve gone out on an adventure ride or race, the one thing that changes is the amount of water and food that I need to bring with me, and how to plan for water stops along the way. Water is the most important factor to consider, since I can normally bring enough snacks to sustain an all day adventure.
When riding in Europe, I always have a hydration plan in place before heading out on a ride.. The first step is to find existing water sources on the route - both Strava and Gaia are great resources for identifying local fountains or rivers and streams I can filter water from. Depending on the length of my ride, I will map out 2-5 refill points along my route and always make sure to refill my bottles (or top off my reservoir) when I reach these points – especially in the heat of summer.
In Europe, I always play it safe and filter everything along my route - this includes both the rivers, streams and the local fountains that draw water directly from mountain sources. Using a filter at all my water stops is especially important as it keeps me from getting sick. I use HydraPak’s Breakaway+ bottle because I am filtering my water and don’t want to worry about getting sick. This squeeze bottle has a 0.2 micron hollow fiber filter which removes most common water-borne bacteria, such as cryptosporidium and giardia.
Traveling and discovering new places is one of my favorite ways to prepare for a race. There is a bit more planning to do as far as a packing list and route finding each day, but breaking up the monotony of training, by training in a new place every day, and meeting new people along the way gives me more energy than it takes away. Although my primary sport is trail running, I also compete in long distance gravel cycling and cross-country mountain bike races. I broke up my race calendar this year racing the two different disciplines of both cycling and running, focusing my training load specifically for each style of race.
