On the road to the BC Bike Race 2016

Update: the BC Bike Race series has moved to another site: BC Bike Race: The Duct Tape Protocol

Talk about needing to ride daily, the Daily Rider is off to the BC Bike Race.

This seven day stage mountain bike race will require some serious training and riding to get back into the groove that is long past in my overall bike skills and conditioning. Primarily single track trails, 40,000' of climbing, tent sleeps every night - this will be fun!

But that fun doesn't start until July 6, 2016. So why even think about it now and not in May or June next year? Because I have a long way to go physically and mentally so i don't break myself or disrespect the race with a medivac from a mountain top or 12hr completion time each day.

It's not hard to imagine what fateful scenario for preparation could look like:

Cautionary Tales abound about BCBR and the punishment it can deal out - prepared on not. Judging by the guy that looks back at me from the mirror I am not in any kind of shape like I used to be. And based on how little time i've spent on a bike in the past 5 years I can only imagine my skills are rusty too. So this is going to take some work, and that's okay.

The work is actually the 'why' of it. I can't say i've met or talked to anyone that immediately thought this was all a good idea at first, like the reaction you might get showing off a new car with leather seats. You have to kind of slide around sideways to the idea of subjecting yourself to this kind of 'suffer fest' (as it was described to me in a bike shop recently). It took me a while to come around to it too.

Since learning about the BCBR several years ago i've wanted to do it. It's a big, but not impossible challenge. It's in an exceptionally beautiful part of the world that I happen to love and call home. And it's on a bike. What could be better? And how can it make me better? If i completed a checklist at the back of a self-help book right now I would fail several categories. Emotional, physical and mental capacities need a bit of tuning up from damage and neglect (gee thanks, Life!). A single day race isn't enough to really motivate an overhaul of your life. A seven day marathon in the forest is.

Registration for this event sells out in a few days so i've been signed up since July. Since day one i've been busy with preparation in various forms from daydreaming to weight lifting. I'm trying not to fall into the trap of scenario one (above) and instead have mapped out a basic preparation plan:

the basic plan

The success or failure of this plan is part of my reason for documenting the journey. I hope to have some lessons that may be of use for future participants of BCBR 2017 or beyond (or other big stage events), particularly those sharing a milieu of age, work, and family that results in extremely limited time to motivate an exhausted spirit to mobilize a frequently stiff and sore body. 

So let's get on with it.