Be forewarned: You Will Not come away from this race unscathed. You will become obsessed with choosing, testing, and carrying your gear, and you will do this up until the minute the race starts. You will perform light/battery tests in your freezer to the surprise and eventual disgust of your spouse. Your friends will tire of endless banter regarding PSI, LED’s, BTU’s, and fill power. You’ll wish for colder weather, and when it comes you’ll head for the backyard with your sleeping bag. You’ll decide between down and synthetic. You’ll get precisely one second of peace, and then the starter’s gun will go off. You will suffer heavily, no matter your pace. You will get lost, hypothermic, disoriented, confused, flatulent, euphoric, famished, angry, and always while exhausted and sleep deprived. And somewhere in there you will have your eyes opened to Mountain Bike Racing, Version 2.0.

Five years of my time well spent :-)

Thank you for sharing, Mike. It's been a while since I read stories of your adventures on MTBR, and was inspired. The last Sunday in February is etched in my mind with more meaning than my birthday or Christmas. I miss not being there.

Nice one, Kurt. Alaska for you next?

Something I put together to try and get self-supported riding off the ground in the UK. More focussed on the time-trial rather than bikepacking, but routes are of course open to be ridden however one chooses.
http://www.selfsupporteduk.net/

How about this inspiring 1000km ride around Scotland, with a mix and match of trails from Highland Trail, Cairngorms Loop, and Coast to Coast.
http://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=1026

I feel we need to move away from the existing long distance walkers routes, and define some new routes far more suited to mountain biking.

Credit the last ~5 or 6 years of unrealistic winter conditions for this, along with people planning for best case instead of worst case scenarios.

99, 00, and 01 were very similar to 12 in many ways--mas snow, mas pushing.  But Dan Bull never bothered to send out drop bags back then, so much surviving was done on doritos, snickers, coke from Skwentna.

I have to admit that personally, I just wasn't prepared physically or mentally for so much pushing. 2011 led me to believe it was a race about pedalling, with just a little pushing, so this year I chose not to train on foot, or even consider my foot system for doing so. I didn't find the weather a drama, had packed plenty of food, and had a great time on the trail. However my feet started to fall apart after 100 miles in footware I'd never tested for walking, or even worn since the race last year. And my psoas (I think), that lift my leg, became incredibly sore and movement limited. I couldn't have continued much more and the prospect of still pushing to Rohn and beyond was too much. I chose to fly out cheaply while the weather was good.

In reflection a heap of foolish decisions. I have a much better understanding of the race now, and see you need to be prepared to push all the way to McGrath (or Nome!) if necessary. Roll on 2013.

Steve a quick question when you say train your body to burn fat. I assume you meant fat that you would be ingesting rather than stored fat?

Although I've offered up some stuff about training, forums are the last place you should seek this kind of advice, including anything I write, as I've only a slight grasp of this stuff myself. If you're really interested I suggest reading some books written by people with PhDs in sports science. Ignore anything touted by energy product manufacturers - 99% of that is absolute crap. Check out the Journal of Sports Science & Medicine http://www.jssm.org for some facts.

However... the basics. I refer to stored fat (Fatty acid metabolism). You have an abundance of it, even if you're a racing whippet. Glycogen, or carbohydrate reserves are limited to about 2000 calories stored in muscles and liver. The concept is that you race at a pace where most, if not practically all, of your power output metabolises your fat store, and only a small percentage of the power output is metabolising glycogen. The fat burns in a glycogen flame, is the best analogy. Everyone from the slowest to the fastest racer is probably using the same amount of glycogen as a percentage of power output. All the rest of the speed comes from the fat metabolising engine, so it's worth training it with those base miles.

Consider the mental demands of a two hour ride. No problem. If after several hours you bonk, that is where you’ve depleted the glycogen stores and are now solely relying on the fat metabolising engine. If this engine is untrained, the speed will drop right off, your muscles will hurt, and mentally things just got ten times worse. If you're well trained and bonk, you can still ride at a fair pace and are able to tick along replenishing just enough carbohydrate with sugary snacks to stoke the fat engine. In this case a 40 minute break for a drink of Coke and some snacks and you can be back up to speed quick. However if you’re relying predominantly on the carbohydrate engine, it can take considerably more time to replenish stores and recover to output sufficient power to travel comfortably. But carbohydrate depletion has so many other bad effects on the body, that recovery becomes a completely different process. Carbohydrate depletion is also very high risk increasing the chance of illness and injury.

I may live at sea level in the UK, but that isn’t my driver in following some kind of structured training. I’m limited by time to train, and I know I can get a lot fitter using less time by applying some proven science, rather than a roll of a dice. To me it is the simpler approach. Also I can take less holiday if I travel faster and finish the event quicker, and really enjoy my time on the route. The other advantage of a structured training plan is that it continually answers the original question - "How do you decide your fitness is sufficient?" Since every weekend is a small step, it's an assessment of present status, and the opportunity is there to do something about it before moving up to the next bigger ride.

I’m bowing out of this one now. Good luck to all, whichever way you want to approach your event.

Another one here for the 300 looking for a ride to the start. Flying into Phoenix from the UK. I'll have a read through this thread in more detail later. Happy to share on car rental or something.

Cheers,

Steve

Saying, ‘you know when you’re tough enough, go out and see what happens' isn't what the guy was asking. The fact is almost 50% of the field in these races think they are ready, and then reality bites after day one. You don't have to invest all that time and money to go out there and fail in an effort to learn either. Even without the experience, there are quantifiable benchmarks to use to know you'll get a finish in your first race. Training theory isn't some sort of black art; it's really very simple and a well proven science. Sure you can go out and ride, but having some structure toward your first event will make a big difference, and you don't have to be a slave to numbers. As for mental prep, that's different for everyone, but if you're sufficiently fit and pace well, it's much easier on the mind. My only words of wisdom here are that suffering only comes from self-pity or a damaged ego. Leave those two things behind and you can find enjoyment even if things hurt a bit for while.

I'm always surprised by the lack of discussions about training on here, and so much focus on gear. Fitness is your primary concern in a finish, rather than a few lbs in weight. I've had a think and I'll share how I personally break it down into training. I'm a mid-pack racer with two Divide finishes, a CTR, and an Iditraod 350 under my belt. I'm in the middle of training again to go back out to Alaska for the 350 in three weeks, and have the AZT 300 planned for April too. I've also cycled across Australia, and have not DNFed yet in these things. I work in an office Monday to Friday for 40 hours a week, sometimes more, and training is always compromised with other life stuff. My fitness varies hugely during the year, and I have to work hard to build it up again for each event. I'm sure this is a similar lifestyle to many out there considering these events.

So this advice isn't going to get you a win, I don't know what those guys do, but if you're a rookie I think you'll gain something. First I plan the number of hours I will try and ride for each day in the event, and I mean actually moving time, not the time I start in the morning and time I stop at night. I then consider my training with respect to this volume. I think 12 hours a day is the minimum you should be aiming for in these events, so let's base this example on that, which is also my aim.

Based on that 12 hour target, I base my weekly average training volume at 12 hours, and try and stick to that starting 4-5 months before the event. I don’t focus on what it is, just try and commute and get out on the weekends for a few hours. This average is based on four week blocks, where weeks 1-3 gradually increase the volume, and week 4 is more for rest. Pretty much though it stays constant.

In the last 8-12 weeks before an event I will ramp it up, building up toward 12 hours of riding over the weekend, mostly on flat routes. I'll say do 2 x 4 hrs one weekend, 2 x 5 the next weekend, then 2 x 6 the following weekend, then go mountain biking with friends the fourth weekend so I don't go insane.

Once I have a few 2 x 6 hour rides completed at the weekend, I will start building onto these rides with some intensity, and over a shorter overall time period. During this period I will rest a bit more during the week, and listen to my body. Then I will mix it up a bit and build up toward the 12 hour ride, with say a couple of 9 and 3s, still within the 12 hours a weekend.

My final phase about six weeks out from the event is to go for a few 24 hour volume weeks, doing a couple of those before I eventually go for the 2 x 12 hour ride weekend. This is the final test, and it sets me up mentally as well as physically. Finally after that I back off a couple of weeks before the event, more by life than intent as I'm so busy with gear prep.

I start any race slowly, and stick to a circadian rhythm. I know how tired I'm supposed to feel at the end of the day, and still be able to recover for the next. I learned that through training remeber, and during the event isn't a time to experiment with changes. There is no point pushing out a 16 hour ride, or 12 hours over brutal terrain if you can't recover from it by the next day. Consistency is the safest approach until you learn more about how your body responds. Don't be afraid to back off a bit to stay on top of things, especially calorie intake and hydration.

True that about the heart rate monitor, Erik. I did spend years using one for training and recovery, and it is a very useful tool for learning those perceived exertion points, or zones. I even trained with a power meter for a while, along with getting gas analysis and blood lactate tests. All good stuff for learning more about training theory until it becomes more natural and you learn how to read your body.

In multi-day riding it can all fall apart when it comes to refuelling, and there is a lot to learn about the foods that agree with you, and how much your digestion can handle when exercising all day, while also increasing daily calorie intake. Training for your first multi-dayer can be as much about learning body management and recovery, as it is about being able to turn the pedals all day. Hence doing the big rides back-to-back is important.
 
Yes, the idea is the ‘base miles’ of long and moderate intensity develop the fat metabolising engine. You need to be on the cusp of increased breathing. It is better to work with the rate of perceived exertion scale, rather than heart rate zones, because as you get fitter (fat burning), the heart rate (power output) for this metabolism point will increase, therefore you would not be training efficiently if you stuck to a specific zone during this phase. Flat miles on a loaded bike are the best way to develop this engine in my experience.

I start my base training by working up to the 6 hour ride. This is a good length ride to get the body releasing the right hormones that make adaptions. I base a lot of my rides around 3 hour blocks, in duration of 3, 6, 9 and 12 hour rides, since I feel my body responds most effectively after these three hour periods. As I build up the duration, I will stop to eat good meals and rest well during these long rides. I need to replace the calories. But as I get fitter, I can push on for longer without so much food or rest. Once you’re riding 6 hour rides on consecutive days, loaded on the flat without a long break and meal stop, you’ve built a solid base. It’s then time to start increasing duration, then intensity with larger climbs, then reducing the stops and rests.

I guess a lot depends on how much you're willing to suffer, how much time you've got for the event, and what YOU want from the ride. Finish, win, holiday, experience, people, etc. Pushing beyond your limits in your first race is a high risk strategy if you don't know how your body is going to respond. Over exertion will increase your chances of getting sick, or an injury. It will also probably spoil your enjoyment if you're hurting.

To expand a bit on my words Erik posted, I mean 100 dirt road miles, with about 10,000’ of climbing over that distance, or about 10-12 hours riding on a loaded bike. Divide miles, not CTR miles. Doing one day of that won't really tell you much about where you are for a multi-day race. Doing two will give you a better understanding, and you will learn a lot about fuelling and looking after yourself. However I would also say follow the recovery and body management into day three aiming to test the legs on Monday morning too. If you're still feeling strong, you've found the right pace and won't deteriorate as the days progress in the event. If you're destroyed on Monday morning, it's likely you're on a downward curve and haven't found the right balance for you. Once you've done a few of these events, you will learn your own indicators of preparedness from your training rides.

What you're trying to do is train your body to burn fat and not carbohydrates. To get to a point where you can output a good power level from metabolising fat, only tapping into the carbohydrates stores you can replace daily. Carbohydrate depletion not only makes things mentally very tough and the miles slow, but it suppresses the immune system and other body functions, including digestion, making things a whole lot worse.

Steve

One crazy idea I think. If you have a plan, a bail-out option, to quit, you probably will. It's the last thing I would advise even considering. Especially as it sounds like you’re not sure you’ll finish. I can't imagine anyone has really struggled getting themselves back home (That would be a better question to ask). Instead, why not spend your planning time learning how to think on your feet and deal with those random situations that occur. That’s what tackling the Divide really needs, flexibility. You cannot foresee and plan for every eventuality, like an exit from every mile of the trail, but you can be prepared to deal with just about anything and solve problems.

Hey Kurt, I've got a busy enough calendar getting over to the US races, to be planning races over here as well- I have an Alaska addiction, and am about to book a flight to do the AZT 300. 'Can I fit the CTR in too???' In truth, I'd love to see a 400-500 distance in Scotland. It's a seed in my mind, but I've a lot of reservations about sticking my neck out to organise something of that distance as a group start in the UK. It would attract too many entrants, and over that kind of distance, it would be difficult to avoid crossing more populated areas, and I would worry about someone official noticing. People really like to complain over here, especially pedestrians against cyclists. It'd be hard to avoid conflict with a bunch of racers tearing up the Great Glen Towpath on a sunny weekend. It would need a lot of thought and planning... but maybe someone else I know will step up. We will see...

Aidan Harding is putting together an England-Wales-England something next summer.
http://www.aidanharding.com/ewe/

I’ve set-up a little 184mile (300km) self-supported event in the Scottish Highlands for the weekend of the 5th May 2012. It covers some pretty tough terrain with a bit of hiking, plenty of fords to cross, and dramatic mountain scenery. The Cairngorms Loop uses different trails to travel twice around the central Cairngorm Mountains, taking in some of the best wilderness mountain bike trails in Scotland.

http://www.cairngormsloop.net/


The Cairngorms National Park is Britain's largest National Park, and contains Britain's highest and most massive mountain range. Five of Scotland's six highest mountains are within the Park. It has a unique range of landscapes from huge granite oucrops to Ice Age sculpted glacial valleys. The land above 600 metres is the largest area of arctic mountain landscape in the British Isles.

Check it out and drop me a mail if you’re interested. Numbers are limited to avoid unwanted attention.

I've been thinking about this one lately too. Why does the Grand Canyon death march hold such appeal to me? Just figuring out logistics from the UK getting to the start and from the finish. Also wondering whether doing the ITI in March and AZT in April is a good way to have used nearly all my annual leave in the first four months of the year...

Steve Wilkinson

I once rode Sydney-Perth (head wind every day) solo, and despite the flies, have a soft spot for grand touring in Oz. I hope to go back someday, with a similar set-up to you, and fast tour through the middle.

I found out about this race a while back, and have had a little dialogue with the race director.
http://transozbikeride.com/
Although it isn't mountain biking so doesn't totally fit the bill, it is bikepack ultra-racing. It really has my interest and would be a good challenge. If the stars align and I could get enough time off work...

While I'm talking about biking in Australia, this needs a mention too:
http://www.wildworks.co.nz/csr/route.php
Some great opportunities for tough routes out there.

Thanks for the responses guys. I figure having two lights is essential, especially in a race where a considerable time is going to be spent moving in the dark. I didn't have any lights that are designed for repleceable lithiums batteries, so I've made a couple of new purchases, a bike light and a headtorch.

For my head I've gove for this, which uses 2xCR123 lithiums
PT Apex Pro

And for the bike, the Spark uses 2xCR123 lithium also
Exposure Spark

So, I seem to have got myself entered in the Iditarod 350 for my winter holidays. I pretty much have the kit list sorted now, but I can't figure out what lighting to go for.

What do you guys use who've raced before?
Do I need something with a remote battery pack to keep the batteries warm? How does the cold effect battery life if not?

I was thinking about the Princeton Tec Apex Extreme

Do I need something on the handlebars too?

I appreciate any experience, thoughts and ideas. Thanks.

There's a note from Scott M on the Tour Divide 2010 thread somewhere saying that when he leaves Banff, he'll put a SPOT dot on the TD Leaderboard for him.

Check out Steve (???Wilkinson???) ride report from last year. He had a bit of a tough time mentally before the start but says that he couldn't and wouldn't have done it without the other guys there.

You're right, my mind wasn't in the right place last year. I think I wrote something like 'I don't think I could have faced getting dropped.' At the time I didn't think about it anymore than that. I think it's very unlikely I would have ever quit, only injury would see me do that, but riding in company made sure I didn't ever have to question it.


It is probably more than chance that my two trips down the Divide have mostly been in the company of other racers. It's my holiday, and I want to have fun first, times second. Also, after I rode across Australia solo years back, I vowed never to do something like that solo again. However I plan to return to the Divide and ride on my own in 2011.

Do the organizers ever go out and check on a rider if there spot hasn't moved or they haven't heard from a rider in awile?

No, that could never be practical on the scale of the race with regards to distances and duration. The organizer is Matt Lee, who is up front racing himself. The Tour Divide is all about self-support. Tour Divide just provides a framework, set of rules and principles, for you to race under.