This blog will (hopefully) document a long bike journey. That journey will take me from being a commuter, to long-distance audax, to ultra-distance racing. It will also have some day-to-day stuff thrown in, maybe and perhaps some comment on some of the kit I use; Garmin, Wahoo, tyres, lights and other stuff. Maybe.
The dream, is to ride The Transcontinental Race, or TCR for short. The race itself is anything but short; previous routes stand at 3200km to 4200km long and start in northwestern Europe, finishing up in southeastern Europe. The main point of this blog is to document the journey from commuter to ultra-distance cyclist. If I manage to gain entry to TCR, that journey will also be documented.
There is no fixed route but riders must visit a number of checkpoints along the way.
The race is unsupported, so that means that riders need to take everything they need with them, such as tools for repairs. Food is bought along the way and sleeping at the side of the road is not uncommon. Riders are not allowed to rely on friends, family, or other riders in the race. Anything they buy along the way must be available to any other rider in the race.
So that is the goal. What do you think? Do-able? I hope so.
I will need to train myself physically and mentally in order to compete. I am not a super athlete, I have never really been competitive, I smoked cigarettes for nearly 30 years, I can’t navigate very well, I panic when things don’t go to plan, I worry a lot, I’m your average bloke. About the only thing I have going for me is that I can ride a bike.
Still, this is the dream and this blog will document my efforts to fulfil that dream. You’re welcome to follow my progress and see if I make it.