THE LONG ROAD TO UNBOUND

It’s Sunday night, and I just finished my final monster endurance ride—130 miles in 12 hours—in preparation for the Unbound 200, now just one week away. I matched the event’s elevation, and with exhausted legs, body and mind, I reflect on the last eight weeks of training.

Back in November, I’d lost all hope of participating in Unbound. I didn’t win the lottery, which felt like the end. But in late March, thanks to Pas Normal Studios, and their partnership with Lifetime, I got the chance to register. I won’t lie—at first, I was hesitant. The event was close, and I wasn’t sure if I’d be ready in time. But Unbound has always felt like unfinished business, and this year was my chance to finally draw a line under it. So, I went all in on training, riding my Scarab built for me by Santiago Santana, Head Technician at Signature Cycles. 

My first thought was to simply ride more. If I wanted to finish 200 miles of off-road riding in Kansas, I needed to spend as much time as possible in the saddle. But the training didn’t stop at big miles and big days. I reached out to the experts for advice on the most effective training.

Nutrition was one of the first things I focused on. I contacted Chris Hopwood, Head of Sales at Maurten, who put me in touch with their in-house nutritionist. Their advice was invaluable. I also took a closer look at my eating habits, and losing weight became part of the training. I still have a lot to learn about nutrition, but as CCNS says, having a plan, even if it’s not perfect, is better than not having one. Pictured below is a representation of the amount I plan to consume during Unbound. Half of the bottles are for water, the other for nutrition.

Working with CCNS was a game-changer. Aidan, in particular, has been incredible, offering guidance and structured training sessions that have led to huge improvements in my training and preparation. Learning to train with intention, to make sacrifices and prioritise my riding in order to be as ready as possible for the event. As part of the process, I also got the chance to do physiological testing with CCNS. We measured the lactic acid in my blood, my CO2 when exhaling and my raw pedalling power. While those are just numbers, they gave valuable insights and were an excellent tool for training.

And then, of course, there’s the bike. Chiva, a handmade steel gravel bike made by Scarab Cycles, nicknamed 'La Rola'. A few months ago, I switched from 650b to 700c wheels, with 44c tires made by Reneherse, and upgraded to CeramicSpeed Coated bearings. The result is a perfect set of wheels that rolls fast and smooth.

Unbound Setup:

Scarab steel gravel frame

SRAM Mullet Drivetrain

Zipp XPLR wheelset

Full CeramicSpeed upgrade (Bottom Bracket, Wheel Bearings, OSPW, Chain)

Rene Herse 700c x 44 Corkscrew Climb TC Semi-Slick tires

It’s not the lightest bike, but the handling more than makes up for it.

I’m incredibly grateful for everyone who’s been part of this journey. To the Signature Cycles team, Aidan and Hunter at CCNS, Chris Hoopwood from Maurten, and my family—thank you. Your support, advice, and encouragement made this all possible. A special thanks to Nick Leeper for his insights.

I will be tapering, recovering, and traveling to Emporia, KS, for the next two weeks. The main goal is to finish, but it's also about having fun, putting on a good playlist, and sticking to the plan to finish on a high. See you there.

To be continued...