I run a front brake only, 2 standard dropbar levers, only 1 with a cable. That has been fine up to 600 km so far. There aren't many long descents in my part of Oz. The Great Dividing Range isn't the Alps.
If you can't comfortably use the drops, why are you using them, particularly on a long ride? Lift the bars a bit and use all the positions, you'll want to do so sooner or later.