(I planned to post this before actually leaving, and indeed wrote 99% of it on May 9. But in the end it wasn’t to be. So enjoy this pre-race post ex post.)

Classic action movie scene: Some poor bastard’s been thrown to the lions, all grim determination but for our sake not quite certain how to prevail. From the crowd, a bloodthirsty coward cheers for the lion, in thrall to its indifferent ferocity, safe on the other side of the rail. He imagines he is the lion, but we know different.

Go back to November, and I’m that coward, yelling down approval into the pit, throwing some poor bastard to the lions, signing him up for some, uh, ambitious race. And now, obviously, I’m the poor bastard. (Where is my grim determination?)

In the movies, such a turn of events, the coward dumped into the pit, is not unfamiliar and sometimes satisfying: comeuppance. The sprinkler sprinkled and all that. But, wet though I am, I’m not sure what satisfaction anyone will take in watching me struggle through these 1600 km in southeastern Europe.

Really the whole thing started because I wanted to do a different race, the TPR. I built up a bicycle for that, which I still think would rip on it, and I’m very happy with it. Then I learned my little brother was getting married (hooray!) more or less during TPR 2024, so the chances of my doing it flatlined.

I was happy about the wedding but bummed about TPR. Lost Dot announced TAR the same week, though, and so I suffered a little “transference” and got super set on the idea of doing TAR. It would be a few months before I realized I needed to use a different bicycle, though, but luckily I had more or less the right one in the garage (see below).

My physical preparation has been suboptimal. We don’t need to sift through <<< the stats >>>. Suffice it to say I’ve had a few big days since January that are the main prep in terms of embracing the suck. My goal in general has been to get about 12 hrs/week, doing anything at all–cycling (including commuting), nordic skiing, running, even the gym. At some point I gave up on having much of a system and settled into a “anything is better than nothing” approach. Looking back, it’s been a little more on the intensity side and not so much on the volume side. My nominal FTP (is that redundant?) is pretty good (for me) going into this, but that’s just some random number. An optimist says it raises my “easy” threshold. The pessimist says that I don’t have enough double digit hour days in.

I’ve been going to the gym about twice a week, mostly trying to lift “heavy” (read: skinny nerd heavy) on the big 4. (I’ve eased off into the race.) My thinking in general is that, at my projected effort level, i.e. very easy, the legs will fail me last, and I’ve got to worry more about my neck, back, shoulders, wrists, etc., and I should just try to toughen the whole frame up. I was feeling pretty pro about all that but then this week I pinched a nerve in my upper back while like rearranging my bedside table. Concern.

I’m pretty happy with the bike setup. It’s not mega deluxe, super lightweight, or very sophisticated. That’s not to say the race-specific modifications didn’t set me back more of my paycheck than I would have liked. The starting point was my 2022 Canyon Exceed CF 5—for those of you who care but don’t know, this is basically the cheapest carbon fiber hardtail you can buy new. Though it pains me to say it, it’s just a Better Bicycle than the 1997 Gary Fisher. It’s lighter, racier, climbs better, descends better, rolls faster, and so on. It’s missing the it factor. But it is red (very cool).

I had some saddle sores when I took the thing around the Mont Blanc in 2022. That was the impetus for changing the saddle. The stock one appeared unobjectionable, but this is a place of mystical synchronization and compatibility, and I have no inclination to approach improvement scientifically. When it comes to the butt, it’s whatever works.

So I put on a WTB Koda, on the premise that it was a slightly racier version of the WTB Volt, which I like on any metal frame bike, and I know I can sit on it for a week. So far, so good.

I had a new front wheel built with a dynamo, I put on a power meter to keep the pacing realistic, and gave myself a cm or so less reach and more stack with a riser bar (+ the venerable DMR Deathgrips).

There’s a little bit of gucci factor here and there, but I think it’s generally not too embarrassing a rig.

Things I considered but opted against:

• Aero bars. Pluses: Gives you another position, presumably more aerodynamic on flat road, seems like the pro choice. Minuses: Never ridden them, cost (I assume, never looked into it), don’t have a pair, not averse to puppy paws, don’t love the look, don’t love the vibe, weight.
• Flat pedals. Pluses: Can move the feet around, not trapped in some single position, can wear shoes better for hike-a-bike. Minuses: I just don’t have any long days on them, no interest in experimenting with shoes, shin-unfriendly for hike-a-bike. No opinion on efficiency, but I suspect it’s pretty close either way.
• Rear suspension. Pluses: Comfier on the butt, stickier on the descents. Minuses: I don’t have a bike with rear suspension.
• Smaller front chainring, maybe oval. Pluses: Maybe more efficient, maybe more like the right gearing with luggage. Minuses: Cost, and I sure hope not.
• Dropper post. Pluses: Puts pressure on different spots while descending. Might give some more confidence on descents. Minuses: Weight, almost definitely incompatible with my saddle bag unless the drop is small, cost.
• Carbon rims. Pluses: everything. Minuses: Cost, don’t have them.
• Tubeless. Pluses: lower rolling resistance, no pinch flats, seems like the pro choice. Minuses: Mess, fuss (?), harder to service in the field, I don’t do it normally and have no experience.
• Waxed drivetrain. Pluses: efficiency, cleanliness. I’m not planning to do like 500 km pulls, so I could conceivably top up with emulsion before bedtime. Minuses: Probably too much rain to get the benefits. Nighttime rain in particular would be a problem if bivying.

I’ll post the kit list elsewhere, but the bike is about 12.5 kg, the luggage another about 12.5 kg (not including water or food… or last-minute panic kit-additions), and the rider is starting the race around 78 kg.