What makes someone take on a 310km lap of an island? For Harry Johnson, it was the perfect mix of adventure, testing his ultra-distance bike, and fine-tuning his evolving nutrition strategy. Mallorca’s stunning landscapes set the stage for a ride that wasn’t just about the distance—it was about pushing limits, learning what works, and making every pedal stroke count. With no shortcuts and no support, this was an opportunity to put both body and bike through their paces ahead of even bigger challenges to come.

Why : Why did you decide to ride a lap of the island? E.g. testing bike equipment, nutrition, testing legs early season, etc.

There’s something uniquely appealing about riding a full lap of somewhere, like playing a game to 100%. It just feels complete. Plus, 310km is the perfect distance to test out my ever-evolving nutrition strategies and my new purpose-built ultra-distance bike. It's long enough to push limits, but not so long that if something goes wrong, I’ll be stranded hours from home.

Fuel : what fuel did you take on the lap, what would you do differently, how did you feel?

I wanted to test a couple of different bags on the ride, so I had the luxury of not being limited by storage space. This gave me the freedom to bring a variety of fuel and pick what I needed while riding. GEL50s, MIX90s, BAR50s and a couple caffeine gels all made the cut whilst packing the night before, and I ended up using a couple of each throughout the day. I always start a big ride like this with a bunch of carb mix in the bidons - it's easy fuel for the first few hours. Then I switch to solids and gels when I want something more substantial. I don’t overcomplicate my plan, just making sure I consume at least X grams of carbs per hour. Beyond that, I trust my body to tell me what it needs.

How long : how long did it take? Did you have a time frame in mind. Did time matter?

11hr37m21s elapsed time (active time is irrelevant for long rides) at 26.6kmh. When I set off in the morning, I had hoped to finish in under 11 hours. In hindsight, that was a bit too ambitious, but it gave me a good target. I’ll definitely return with dry roads and a route that avoids as many traffic lights in Palma. Time wasn’t the most important thing - it was more about finishing with the feeling that everything had gone well.


Mental state: what was your mental state? What did you want to get out of it? What did you think whilst riding?

My mind was mostly occupied with how stunning Mallorca is. The coast road behind the mountains after Soller had incredible views and amazing rolling climbs. A big part of why I love ultra cycling is the chance to ride through such cool places. There is also a part of me that enjoys a view or climb or cool road 10x more if I’ve ridden really far to get there - it feels like I’ve truly earned the experience. The 150km home across the flatter roads of southern Mallorca was amazing for another reason, the bike and body were working well and I was able to push the whole way back. The fuel had all been digested well and the bike felt quick. That feeling of being ‘on top’ of a ride after 8+ hours is extremely satisfying.

Recover : How did you recover, any tips?

A BAR+ (Lemon Drizzle), a burger and an early night. My ultimate goal for 2025 year is the 4000km VIA Race, so my mindset after finishing a ride like this has to be “I have to do that ride, plus another 150km, for 9 days straight”. It helps me focus a bit more on the bigger picture. My tips for recovering from a 310km almost non-stop ride are:
1) Move. Go for a short walk or just move about the house for a bit. If you sit or lay down straight away those legs are going to be like concrete when you wake up.
2) Eat. You’re probably (definitely) in a deficit from that ride, the more food the
better. As much as I like Styrkr, I was craving some real food and that burger really hit the spot.
3) Sleep. There are no shortcuts or hacks to recovery, just sleep more.