1. Pack more food than you think you’ll need. Carrying an extra gel that goes unused is not a hardship when the alternative is spending 3.5 hours wishing you had more food while looking at trash on the side of the road to see if it contains any scraps.
2. When you stop at a water fountain, test to see if it works before chugging the last of your water.
3. Bring money. There is never a bad time to have $5 in your pocket, especially when you are an hour from home with no food or water.
4. Use the ‘pull your bibs to the side and squat’ method only if you want to soak your shorts and glove in pee.