So I was riding the PRL Full this past Sunday, and saw a few others attempting the route. (All who were on there, I hope you finished, and huge kudos if you did!)
This was my fifth time riding it (don’t ask, I’m not right in the head), so I thought I’d share what has helped me. Here are my top 7 tips for finishing London’s PRL Full route, which at 173km (107.5 miles) is the longest route in Zwift.
#1: Pace Yourself
It’s not a race, but it takes about two laps to settle into pace. If you go too hard, just ease off for the remaining laps.
#2: Use the Box Hill Descent Wisely
This descent is long enough to get extra fluids, eat a small snack, or run to the bathroom. If you ride this solo, this descent is your best option for taking rest breaks.
#3: Climb Consistently and Steadily
For myself, I kept my Box Hill times below 9:30; my max was 3.4 W/kg climbing. You know your limits, so climb accordingly and steadily.
#4: Time Your London Loops
Time yourself each lap (there is a counter on each of your laps as you near the banner). You may get slower each lap, but if you’re consistent, the times should be fairly close. My goal was under 29 minutes each lap.
#5: Fight Mental Fatigue
This route is basically hill repeats 11 times, so I make a good playlist that keeps me motivated. Watch a movie, play an audiobook, or just jam out.
#6: Smart Powerups
You’ll get two powerups per lap – one at the start of the lap, and one at the top of Box Hill. If you get a feather at the top of Box Hill, use it on the small riser just up the road, or the Escalator out of the Underground. If you’re feeling tired, a feather may be just the boost you need at the steep 8% section near the start of Box Hill.
Use the aero powerup on either the Box Hill descent (if you’re not resting) or on flat or downhill sections of the London Loop, as it helps most when you’re moving fastest.
The box truck (draft boost) powerup is useless if riding solo, so waste or trash it.
#7: Fueling
I can’t stomach much while riding, so my fuel consisted of GU gels, Stroopwafels, Gatorade, Reese’s Cups, and Coca-Cola (not all at once). These are my go-tos for long rides, but everyone is different, so find what works for you and go with it. Timing, again, depends on your body, which you know better than I do.
Final Thoughts
What if you’re not successful? Um, don’t worry about it! It’s a tough route, physically and mentally, so dust yourself off and try again!
I hope these tips help more Zwifters tackle this route, as I understand it’s quite intimidating for some. Don’t be scared, y’all got this! Ride on.
I took a real break after a lot of laps then I ate too much and felt lousy after
stroopwafels are always good 😆
Oh no! And yes, stroopwafels are amazing!
Thanks for the info! I am planning to ride it in two weeks (this week the Uber Pretzel is in my list) so I will have all the route badges.
Awesome! You can do it!
I broke this ride down into 4 parts, and took an off-the-bike break after laps 3, 6 and 9. Nothing longer than 5 minutes – but it helped to stretch, eat a bite and maybe reapply chamois cream. 😄 I ended up going out too slowly and had negative splits on the first 4 or 5 climbs. There is something meditative about this route, and I found it easier mentally than Uber Pretzel.
Nice plan and glad it worked for you. I agree that it’s easier to get into a rhythm on this route vs Uber. Not as many chances to rest on Uber unless you can catch a group through Tempus. Plus that last climb up ADZ in tired legs is just ugh 😅
Interesting comment about Uber Pretzel. I had always assumed that the PRL Full may be a route that I never end up doing as it just seems so boring to be doing so many lap repeats, but I get the meditative aspect and so maybe I need to rethink. I’ve done the Uber and found it a slog. The variety of the terrain didn’t seem to make it any better, so maybe PRL Full is better suited as a trainer ride, with repeats of a smaller hill? You’ve challenged my preconceptions, which is good. Thanks!
With 11 laps, I found it best to split it up mentally. Do about 3 laps, get off the bike for a few mins to stretch, do another 3 and now you’re over halfway so go change your bibs (very important), do another 3 and you’re closing in so take another short stretch break, and now there’s just 2 laps + the end so smash it home.
I tested Tron vs TT bike and found very little difference beyond a handful of seconds, I believe I settled on the Tron but at higher power I think the TT bike would be marginally quicker. I chose to do Z2 flats, Z3 hill, Z1 descent but never coasting.
PRL Full isn’t difficult but you just need to find ways to occupy your time. I watched like three Transformers movies in a row.
Sounds like you had a solid plan and it worked! I like using that Box Hill descent to get off the bike while my avatar descends. I rode it this time on a fully upgraded SL8 and honestly didn’t notice much difference time wise. On this route, I’m not sure bike choice matters much; just get through the dang thing 😅
If possible, try to ride it when there is a big event happening in London, the more riders out there (even if they aren’t riding the PRL), the easier the mental game, and you just might find a use for the drafting power-up.
I’m the opposite, I like to ride it when no one else is on it 😅 but yeah, you definitely increase drafting if you ride it when there are others.
Yes, other riders can end up as rabbits to your greyhound, and it disrupts your rhythm, even if you don’t intend to. Fun on shorter rides, but potentially costly on a ride like this.
The drafting benefit is tiny, as it is rare that you catch someone whose pace is so similar that you want to slot in behind them. Normally you move past the people you catch, or you are jumping on the wheel of someone who caught you and end up pushing harder than intended.
I waited for a day when I had the whole house to myself and no obligations to anyone. I also took 15-minute breaks and a proper lunch break. The later laps were mentally tough, but somehow the worst part was the flat meandering at the end.
I cannot imagine voluntarily doing that route more than once. Chapeau!
The later laps are definitely the most fatiguing for sure! Good on you for devising your plan to get through it!
I’ve tried / done this route twice, both as part of Zwift Insider events. First time was 4+ years ago, and I only made it 6 1/2 laps. Went out too hard to start, and was done.
The second time was about 1 1/2 years ago, and that went much better. A group of about 14 formed up, and we made it a point to stay together. Someone fell back? Someone else went back to help them rejoin. We’d break up more on the climb, but those that got to the top first slowed down a little early in the flat to let the group form up again. I think 4 or 5 of us completed the route, and we were all separated a bit by the last lap or so. But it made a huge difference, both from the draft, but also mentally to have others going through the same struggle. It was the most social, collaborative, friendly, supportive ride I’ve done on Zwift.
My tips? If you can get into a group that’s going a good pace for you, do it! Don’t go out too strong and blow up; pace yourself for the long ride ahead. And don’t be too concerned with how fast or far someone else is going. Your light day is someone else’s stretch goal, and someone else’s ‘never-going-to-happen’. Similarly, your stretch goal is someone else’s light day. Ride your ride, at your pace, resting or stopping when you know your body needs to do that.
Yup, pacing is so important. I led a small group from my club and it was nice having some banter and helping everyone stay on pace so they could get the badge. Most said “Welp, that was horrendous, Whit!” 🤣
It’s maybe coming from MTB endurance events where you do laps but I preferred PRL Full over the Uber Pretzel. With the Uber Pretzel it’s not clear where you’re going and it feels like you’re just randomly wandering round Watopia with the knowledge you’re going to have to finish on the AdZ (although admittedly the fourth Horseman is worse having to go through the jungle after AdZ).
On the PRL Full you get to know exactly what you’re doing each lap, you can step off on the downhill for a little break (very useful when on the rollers), I’m better motivated aiming for a certain number of laps before taking a break and I find it easier mentally just focusing on getting each lap done individually.
To keep myself entertained I only allow myself to watch certain TV series or films while riding indoors so the longer I ride, the more I get to watch. When doing PRL Full (and the other long routes) I was getting into the Expanse so rather than binge it as I have a bad habit of doing, instead I was motivated to get into the long routes so I could watch more episodes.
I definitely agree with you! I’ve done Uber twice and you really have to pay attention to pacing. With the PRL you do know exactly where you’re at each lap. Sometimes on Uber you can catch a group through Tempus to get a break, but not always. Totally understand where you’re coming from!
I know someone who leads a 100km C ride on the Saturday then does the PRL Full for a warm down on the Sunday, you might know her Whitney 🙂
I used my ghost rider, both at the climb and the lap to have a constant pace from lap to lap. Also gives you something to focus on when you do that long ride all alone.
I tried to be 1-2 sec faster each lap and each climb => 20 PRs as “mental motivation”. That, however, only works when you have the “right pace” from the beginning…
Great article. Great time. Good observations. Interesting.
I have a lot of history with this route. I bought a Tacx and immediately tackled the most difficult one – this route. Just a few months after buying it. Without even finishing the “Mega” or “4 Horsemen” routes. The longest route I had done before that was less than 3 hours. I took two half-hour breaks for lunch. But it was still very difficult, especially my knees and butt hurt. I was very tired, but when I got the “100 miles” badge and finished 11 laps and was heading to the finish line, my trainer broke down. It was a Tacx Neo Bike, and due to overheating, the pedals were slipping because of the lubricant. There were only a few kilometers left to the finish. In about an hour, I disassembled and repaired the trainer. I removed the excess lubricant. But I couldn’t continue the ride; the ride was over. I was upset, but not broken. In a couple of months, I completed all the long routes. Then I returned to “PRL F” and completed it, also with two breaks, but a little faster than the first time. I also didn’t experience knee pain anymore, and it was easier. It took me 6:58, including stops totaling 1 hour. That was in 2023. In 2024, I became stronger and completed a new challenge – Everesting. In 2025, I returned to all the long routes and set myself the goal of completing them in race mode, without stopping. I chose a race, and my friends also participated in it. I dreamed of riding faster than 5 hours. I understood that it was possible, but it strongly depended on the group and drafting. I was lucky – my time was 4:57.
https://www.strava.com/activities/14029374700
I’ve known of a few people whose internet connection went out towards the end and their ride was over…..glad you got back out there and did it! I’ve always done it solo, so my times are never going to be faster unless I’m with a group, but that’s ok…..it’s still a helluva an effort. Congrats on getting it completed and getting, the time down too!
I wish that there were group rides for this Route and the Uber Pretzel. I am a strong 52 year old woman that would love the support of knowing that I am not alone. I am also the person that chats up ADZ. . .just to keep me motivated. . .
I led Team Giant Uber Pretzel badge hunt not long ago. We’ve also done PRL Full badge hunt too. With it being outside season for most now, it’s more common to see these badge hunts in the winter. Just keep your eyes peeled!
I will keep a look out for such events in the future!
I did a solo effort on PRL Full – I was in my mid 50’s.
I changed my Zwift name to include “PRL_Full” when I was riding the PRL Full. I got a lot of encouragement and support from other riders out on the course.
I’ve seen people do that too! And you’re right, people do respond positively towards it with encouragement and ride-ons.
I am also in my 50’s. I really need to eat properly as my sugars seem drop.
I’m 46 and a bit on the hypoglycemic side myself. I’ve always been this way though; high metabolism. I can go around 3 hrs on a ride before I need to eat. I usually go for easily digestible carbs as I can’t stomach much while exercising. I drink Gatorade, which helps too.
I “completed” this today, I say completed as my Zwift crashed at the bottom of the descent on the last of 11 climbs. 160 km in. When Zwift connected again I was off the PRL course and no matter what I did I could not get back on. I was averaging 25 minutes 30 seconds per lap and at 4 hours 43 minutes and 46 seconds at the crash.
Oh no! I’ve read where this has happened to a few. It happened to my husband when he was getting the “hot head” badge around the volcano. He had to do it again. Super frustrating! I ended up hardwiring my internet into my computer. However, that doesn’t help if Zwift itself crashes.