The beginning – finding ultra cycling

It started with this book.

https://road.cc/content/review/endless-perfect-circles-ian-walker-277969

Well not specifically the book, but an interview about the book.

Listening the Cycle Station Podcast, Ian Walker recounted his journey from normality to ultra cyclist extraordinaire - breaking the record for fasted crossing of Europe on a bike, North to South, in 2019.

Listening in October 2020 I was already slightly addicted to websites, podcasts & youtube videos on the topic of bikepacking & ultra cycling. The adventurer side of my brain's interest piqued by what bikepacking had to offer - cycling, camping, nature, coffee. However, the competitor part of me always thought about the extreme end of the scale. When the distance is increased, timing or tracking is added, and fun becomes obsession.

This is how I found myself down a black hole of UK long distance cycling legends such as Mike Hall, Emily Chappell, James Hayden & Josh Ibbett. The same black hole led me to events such as the Transcontinental Race, Tour Divide and the Silk Road Mountain Race.

My fascination with the people and races tended towards other aspects of ultra cycling; what type of bike is the best? what is the lightest kit? what homemade hacks can I make to help? how long could I cycle for? what is best to eat? how much sleep do I really need? what is a saddle sore like? These questions were running through my head every time I went to sleep throughout the month of December.

This is how I found myself in the first week of January 2021 searching for an ultra cycling event to enter. My criteria were:

1) Adventurous – I liked the off-road nature of many events,

2) Timing – late spring or early summer would be best to allow training time and daylight,

3) Accessible – relatively easy to get to, free spaces and unlikely to be cancelled due to COVID.

Three events hit the mark - The Italy Divide, French Divide and the Great British Divide. The lure of the French Pyrenees & Italian Alps, 1 euro espresso (Italy!) and sunshine in particular were very strong, but in the end logic prevailed. Navigating airports with a bike is not fun, we might still have travel restrictions at the time of the Italy Divide, and if it all goes wrong getting home from the north of England is easier than from Troyes.

So, between 31st July & 14th August 2021 I will be somewhere between Canterbury and Skye, slogging my way through the British countryside and praying it doesn’t rain on the Great British Divide.

If I survive to the end it will be really interesting to look back at these posts to see the things that worked – the training, the kit, the preparation rides, the food choices. If I don’t get to the end, then no worries, I will have found the exact mile at which I hate cycling. And a train back to Bristol isn’t too difficult!