Preparation
My introduction to ultra races was a steep learning curve. In 2022, I took on Dales Divide – a 600km mountain bike race. I quickly discovered that my preparation was not optimal, and it nearly prevented me from completing it.
One thing I quickly learnt is that you must control the controllable – something my dad always tells me. During my first event at Dales Divide, I learnt a lot about being prepared for every scenario and ensuring you don’t get caught out by the elements. It’s about adjusting to find a new comfort level when things don’t go to plan or conditions worsen. This could be shelter you’d marked out on the route or resupply points that you typically wouldn’t need but become necessary if circumstances change.
As much as you can prepare for every scenario, there is always something new to consider during each race. That’s where your mental resilience comes into play. During ultra-distance events, which can span multiple days, there is never a guarantee of how your body will react. You can have down moments, both physically and mentally, despite adequate preparation. This is when you need to adjust and adapt your plan and not let changes get you down. You think: “OK, the situation has changed, I need to adjust in the moment.” It’s about accepting the situation and figuring out the best way to continue safely.
Execution
Execution is what you train for – it’s where you put all the hard work into practice, and you can take confidence from your preparation. I like to set achievable and reasonable goals, whether that’s hitting certain times for checkpoints or being in a particular position during a race.
I like to approach a race with a positive mindset: if things are going well, you’re simply ahead of schedule; if things are tough, you’re still on track. This allows room for the adjustments that will inevitably happen during a long challenge. It puts your mind at ease and reinforces a strong, positive feeling when things go well, which enables you to push on.
When you’re spending many hours on the bike, it’s important to maintain your physical health at the highest level possible. This is where fuelling comes in – keeping your body stable during harsh conditions. This could mean hydrating well, finding shade when needed, stretching when you stop to refuel, and understanding when you need to sleep. It’s often not worth pushing through and putting yourself in danger, especially on technical descents or tough sections. The danger of pushing through when needing rest is that it can take you to a place it’s hard to come back from. Making these important, strategic decisions can sometimes allow you to go faster when you learn when to reset your mind and body. You learn more about yourself and these decisions with every event you complete.
Reflections
Each event offers the chance to reflect on what you could do differently. You learn more about your body – both its limits and its capabilities. There’s a fine line between pushing through tough situations and pushing yourself too far. Each rider realises the things they need to get through these events mentally and physically – whether it’s a podcast to listen to or stopping at a certain time of night for a sleep. I often find it helps to call loved ones to take myself out of the intense challenge and divert my mind from harsh conditions or a particularly tough section. You also learn the fuel that works best for you – whether you can handle lots of nutrition products or prefer spreading your intake across bars and restaurants with proper food.
Last year, I completed my biggest challenge to date: the Atlas Mountain Race – 1,310km in 5 days and 23 hours over some really harsh mountain bike terrain. I noticed I really began to struggle after day four, having surpassed double the amount of hours I’d ever ridden in any previous event. I learnt how important it is for me to have a shower and a kit change to feel refreshed.
This year, I completed Race Around Rwanda – 1,000km in 87 hours. I noticed that my body has become acclimatised to long durations on the bike, and I don’t get as overwhelmed mentally as I have previously. I now find comfort on the bike, knowing I have everything I need with me, and the bike has become my safe place.
Next, I take on Dales Divide again in early April, returning to where it all started. I’m going to put everything I’ve learnt over the last four years of ultra races to the test, seeing if I can improve on my previous time of 45 hours.