Ultra Rider: In Search of the Ultimate Long Ride RSS

Biking is one thing. Bicycling 100 miles is entirely another. But what about the bicycle ride that last all day and all night? At some point, you cross a line and at that point, cycling, becomes ultracycling.

This blog chronicles the story of a guy, his bike and a strange obsession with finding the outside edge of his personal limits.

In this chapter, having broken the UMCA record, recovered from a bone-crushing crash and achieving a top 15 finish at the inimitable Furnace Creek 508 we find our hero grappling with the realities of completing a 100km foot race.

For the complete story, follow this link, and read from the back to the front. The story won't make anymore sense when you've finished, but at least you'll know as much as the rest of us.

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Dec
27th
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Still riding…

Getting out for a ride this time of year can be a real challenge. The weather in Toronto doesn’t lend itself to high quality long distance rides. I’ve stabled my road bikes for the winter and I’ve started riding my 2004 Giant Iguana mountain bike on the roads instead.

I last got out on Tuesday December 23 for a short ride - only about 10k in total, but the intensity of the snow made it feel more like 30k. Lots of slipping, sliding and seated climbing. It was a real blast actually. The lack of traction really drew out a lot of my weaknesses and forced me to concentrate on a solid spin, loose arms and strong focus on the road.

This evening, I’m working out the final details of the next 18 weeks of my training plan leading up the The Next Big Ride. I’ll share details shortly.

Also, I’m half-heartedly considering taking a trip down to Sebring, mid-February to participate in the Sebring 24 Hour Race. If I can get a crew together that’s willing to drive down with me, I’m pretty sure that I’ll be going. I’ll post more when I know more. I’ve sent out some feelers to potential crew, and whether or not I participate is up to them - I can’t do this one by myself!

Still running - did an awesome 15k yesterday - tons of hills, lots of snow and plenty of energy. I’ve been doing most of my running cross-country, so it was interesting to get back to a well groomed road. I’m definitely a lot faster and my fitness is way up from 8 weeks ago.

Posted at 18:37 - Comments (View)

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