I’ve raced road bikes plenty. I’ve raced MTBs too. I’ve done enough cyclocross races for a lifetime. And the gravel races I’ve done have been fun. I’ve even done an Hour Record on the track.
What I’ve never done, though, is attempt a race I wasn’t sure I could complete. So, this year (fingers crossed), I’ll get the chance when I take on the TransAtlantic Way bikepacking race in Ireland. Starting in Derry and finishing in Kinsale near Cork, this 2,500-kilometer event hugs the wild western coast of Ireland.
There’s a starting line; there’s a finishing line. And then there’s me, deciding how long each day can and should be, when each “stage” starts and ends, finding food and accommodations each and every day. I haven’t been this excited about a race in a long time. (My excitement actually started as soon as we recorded An Introduction to Ultra-Cycling, Bikepacking, and Randonneuring, with Matt Roy, Nick Legan, and Jose Bermudez.)
Which is a bit odd since I’ve never felt I was built for ultra-endurance endeavors. All the more reason why I’m excited about it, in a way, because I get to explore how to train and prepare (and geek out on gear) to take on something new, and then share all of that with Fast Talk Labs members.
Bikepacking isn’t for everyone, I’m certain, but I can’t think of a better way to learn about myself as an athlete than to take on something slightly bigger than I’m comfortable with. Let’s redefine the possibilities.
What am I most looking forward to learning?
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How to effectively train my ability (both physiological and psychological) to ride through fatigue
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How to pace an ultra-event
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How to cope with the inevitable aftermath of such a big effort
I have some other goals for 2021 that should help me train for this one big event, things like a century ride every month of the year (and often quite a few more than one per month, and often much longer than 100 miles per ride). I also want to do some weekend excursions with consecutive long days, bivying overnight. Maybe I’ll convince @jana or @ryan or @trevor to join me.
Stay tuned for more highlights (and possibly lowlights) as I detail my training and some of the underlying principles that I hope will help me get from Derry to Cork in fine form.
— Chris Case, Cofounder of Fast Talk Labs