Styrkr athlete, Harry Johnson, recently completed the Transcontinental, the holy grail of ultra racing! The TCR is unique as it lacks a set route and distance, requiring participants to plan their own paths while hitting designated Control Points. This year's course covered around 3,750km.
Describe the essence of the race in one word.
"Adventure or self-exploration."
From this awe-inspiring odyssey, what have you learned?
"That I absolutely f**king love riding my bike. There is simply nothing else like it. Looking up at the Alps and realising I’d just cycled all the way there on a bike with a couple bags is a feeling incomparable to anything else. And I still had 2000km to go at that point..."
If you could rewrite the story of this journey, what changes would you make?
"For this story? Nothing. The challenges I faced and mistakes I made moulded the adventure and made it unforgettable, the only way you learn is by making those mistakes."
Share your secrets for powering through this colossal distance with relentless determination.
"Roll with the punches. Accepting that some parts are just going to suck, like really suck. But knowing that those awful days and hours are always going to end eventually."
"Keep moving, no matter how much you don’t want to. Every kilometre ticked off is a kilometre closer to the end and a kilometre you’ll never have to ride again, even if it’s crawling."
To those daring souls eyeing an ultra challenge in the upcoming year, what pearls of wisdom or electrifying insights can you impart?
"Just do it. Everything seems impossible until you do it."
"Don’t be afraid to do it your way, whatever is easiest or most comfortable for you is the best way. Listen to others advice, but take it all with a grain of salt, everyone is different and deals with obstacles differently."
"Remember to enjoy it. It can be easy to get caught up in your own challenge that you ignore the positives. Taking a minute to enjoy a breath-taking view, some good food or talking to someone can completely flip your mood and will create far better memories later on."
