A Single-Day Taipei to Taichung Challenge (150km): What I Learned

Why Taipei to Taichung

I was once riding the high-speed rail past Taichung, idly watching the scenery out the window, when a thought suddenly popped into my head: “How long would it take to cycle this?”

I looked it up. Depending on the route, riding from downtown Taipei to Taichung is somewhere between 140 and 160 kilometers. At the time, my longest single-day ride had been 110 kilometers, so pushing to 150 would be a real jump.

But once that thought took root, it wouldn’t leave me alone.

I trained for about six weeks, building my long-distance rides up from 110 to 130 kilometers to confirm my body could handle extended time in the saddle. I planned the route along Provincial Highway 3, avoiding the heavy truck traffic on Highway 1, passing through Zhunan and the Miaoli hill section before entering downtown Taichung.

Setting Off at 4:30 AM

I chose a pre-dawn start for a few reasons: to avoid Taipei’s morning rush hour, to cover most of the distance before the hottest part of the day, and honestly, because I just love the feeling of riding in the early morning.

At 4:30 AM, the road toward Xindian and Wulai was almost empty. Streetlights cast the pavement in orange, with the occasional truck roaring past — otherwise, just silence. I switched on my rear and front lights and set off into the dark.

That feeling of “the world hasn’t woken up yet, but I’m already on the road” is one of my favorite moments in long-distance riding.

0–50km: Finding My Rhythm

Coming out of the Taipei Basin, I entered the Taoyuan plain. The sky began to lighten and traffic picked up. This stretch of Highway 3 isn’t especially exciting, but the steady road conditions let me focus on settling into a rhythm.

I kept my power in the middle of the aerobic zone — not too fast, not too slow — trying to conserve energy. My fueling strategy was to eat every 45 minutes, and whenever I ran out of water I’d stop at a convenience store, use the restroom, and stretch a bit.

By the 50km mark, I felt surprisingly good. My legs weren’t heavy, my heart rate was steady, and my mind was relaxed.

50–100km: The Test of the Miaoli Hills

Once Highway 3 enters Miaoli, the terrain starts to roll. There’s no single steep climb on this stretch, but the string of gentle rises drained my energy much faster than I expected. Combined with rising temperatures as the sun climbed higher, by the 80km mark I’d already changed shirts once (in a convenience store restroom) and taken in extra electrolytes.

This was the stretch where I hit my first real mental low.

Somewhere around the 85km mark, on a climb, I suddenly felt an overwhelming wave of fatigue — not just in my legs, but throughout my entire body, even my mind felt heavy. I pulled over, took a sip of water, ate a salt tablet, closed my eyes, and took a few deep breaths.

After about three minutes, I wasn’t fully recovered, but I felt a bit better. I told myself: “Just keep pedaling. Don’t think about anything else.” Then I got back on the road.

100–130km: Finding My Groove

Past the 100km mark, something strange happened: my legs actually felt less tired.

I later understood this phenomenon is sometimes called a “second wind” — once the body fully shifts into fat-burning mode, some riders experience a relatively easier stretch. Between 100 and 130km, my speed was actually about 2km/h faster than it had been between 75 and 100km.

As the route moved from Miaoli toward Taichung, the view began to open up. The hills gradually gave way, and the plains spread out ahead. The sky had a thin layer of high clouds, the sunlight wasn’t too direct — good weather for riding.

I started to think: Taichung is just up ahead now.

130–150km: The Final Stretch

In the last 20 kilometers, my legs were heavy and my seat was uncomfortable, but I had a clear sense of purpose. The Taichung skyline appeared in the distance, growing closer and more familiar with every kilometer.

I entered downtown Taichung at 2:30 in the afternoon — roughly 9 hours after setting off, including all my stops. I found a park, parked my bike in the shade of a tree, sat down on a bench, and finished off the last half-bottle of electrolyte water.

My bike computer read: 151.4 kilometers.

In that moment, there was nothing particularly dramatic about how I felt. Just a very deep exhaustion, sitting quietly alongside an equally deep sense of satisfaction.

A Few Practical Tips for First-Time Long-Distance Riders

• A pre-dawn start is well worth it — it lets you avoid traffic and the hottest part of the afternoon
• Past 100km, the mental game matters more than raw fitness
• Pace conservatively through the Miaoli hills — don’t burn out your legs in the first 50km
• Carry two spare inner tubes and make sure your repair kit is fully stocked
• Fuel earlier than you think you need to — don’t wait until you’re already hungry to eat

Related Reading

• Taipei to Taichung Cycling Route: A Complete Guide to Riding Between Cities
• 10 Days Around Taiwan by Bike: A 1,000km Journey of Self-Discovery
• Planning Your Own Round-Taiwan Race Route: A Five-Day Cycling Trip Guide
• Day One of the Island Loop: Leaving Taipei, Panic, Doubt, and Finding a Rhythm