ultra-distance cycling

This episode features the amazing story of April Drage - an ultra endurance cyclist who this year took on her dream race of the 2023 Tour Divide - an event that is often seen as  the premier off-road bikepacking race.  But to April this was more than just a race - it was what she termed her 'cycling holiday' and she had a goal to ride this event for years.

This wasn't April's first off-road bikepacking event - indeed, she has quite an impressive palmarès, and we spoke about her experiences of riding the Race to the Rock as well as the Rhino Run.  What was so clear to me as I spoke with April is that riding her bike in this style over long distances is a pure joy.  She is fully immersed in her surroundings and truly enjoys every moment.  Having spent two decades working as a social worker it was clear to her that she needed a change - and as April put it - bikepacking has allowed her to feel again - something she wasn't sure was still  possible for her.

Now April is fully immersed in the bikepacking world - and a career change now sees her working at Curve in Melbourne, where she also leads weekly social rides and helps others to get into the sport. 

You can follow April via instagram at - @AprilAWOL and if you are in Melbourne check out those social rides by Curve. 

Enjoying Seek Travel Ride? Then you can help this Independant Podcaster out by clicking the the link to Buy me a coffee and help support the show!

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Have something you'd like to tell me? Want to chat about this episode more or tell me about your own bicycle adventures? Well now You can now get in touch and leave a voice message! Just click here and record a voicemail message - I may even include it in future episodes!

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I had the pleasure of interviewing Stefan Barth an ultra cycling athlete and Medical Fitness and Endurance Coach who has a passion for the sport of bike packing and  also enjoys testing himself in ultra cycling events.  Stefan has competed in 24hour cycling races, and has tested his limits in the gruelling 9 day ultra cycling  event - Race Around Germany,  where he was chasing the fastest known time record.

Stefan's passion for the sport has also led him to take longer bike packing tours as well - most recently the European Divide Trail.  he likes to mix up the sport and uses off road bike packing routes in particular as a way to keep things fresh and give him a break from only focusing on being competitive.

Something unique to Stefan is that he also works within the sector of the sport - coaching other cycling athletes.  In fact it was when Stefan was training for his own events that he realised this section of the sport was lacking in training guides and resources to help other people prepare.  So what did Stefan do? He compiled research, interviewed many other athletes and wrote a book titled Ultra Cycling and Bike Packing. Everything You Need to Know!  Through the power of crowd funding the book was recently translated and made available in English. 

You can find out more about Stefan via the following links:

Coaching Business - SBU Coaching
Book - Ultra Cycling and Bike Packing - Everything You Need to Know!
Instagram - @Barthsman
LinkedIn - Stefan Barth
YouTube - @StefanBarth-SBUCoaching

Enjoying Seek Travel Ride? Then you can help this Independant Podcaster out by clicking the the link to Buy me a coffee and help support the show!

NEW! - Leave a Voice Message!

Have something you'd like to tell me? Want to chat about this episode more or tell me about your own bicycle adventures? Well now You can now get in touch and leave a voice message! Just click here and record a voicemail message - I may even include it in future episodes!

Join the Seek Travel Ride Facebook group - a place where you can discuss episodes in more detail, learn more about our guests and also where you can share more about your own adventures on a bike!

Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist - an eclectic mix with each song selected by a guest of the show. The playlist is available now on both Spotify or Apple Music

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In this episode I speak with Nathalie Baillon, a French ultra endurance athlete who  recently set the women's world record for the fastest cycle across Europe.  Nathalie took just 18 days, 15 hours and 27mins to cycle from Tarifa in Spain to the North Cape in Norway, a total distance of 6,300km. 

We chat about how Nathalie first discovered the world of long distance cycling during a bicycle tour she took in N.Z.  She was completely hooked on the sport and since then has put her engineering career on hold, to follow her passion for ultra cycling full-time.

I especially liked finding out more about Nathalie's drive to partake in this sport and her three drivers being, challenge, discovery and the unknown.  Clearly pushing the boundaries and seeing what is possible is a big motivator for Nathalie. 

In addition to holding the women's world record for the fastest cycle across Europe, Nathalie also holds the 24 hour world record in Le Mans for the longest distance cycled by a woman - 837kms as well as an impressive string of results from prestigious ultra cycling events.   

Be sure to follow Nathalie's future cycling adventures via:
Her personal website - www.nathaliebaillon.com
Her instagram - @nathalie_baillon
Strava - Nathalie Baillon

Enjoying Seek Travel Ride? Then you can help this Independant Podcaster out by clicking the the link to Buy me a coffee and help support the show!

NEW! - Leave a Voice Message!

Have something you'd like to tell me? Want to chat about this episode more or tell me about your own bicycle adventures? Well now You can now get in touch and leave a voice message! Just click here and record a voicemail message - I may even include it in future episodes!

Join the Seek Travel Ride Facebook group - a place where you can discuss episodes in more detail, learn more about our guests and also where you can share more about your own adventures on a bike!

Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist - an eclectic mix with each song selected by a guest of the show. The playlist is available now on both Spotify or Apple Music

Enjoying listening to Seek Travel Ride? Then please give the show some love and leave a rating and review on your podcast player.

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In this episode I speak with Rory Mansfield and Ben Cannell, two cyclists from the UK who are about to embark on their own cycling challenge which they have named Les Lanternes Rouges.  This July they will be looking to cycle the entire Tour de France 2023 route, including the stage transfers, fully self-supported.  I spoke to them about how an idea conjured up almost ten years ago, is now about to come to life.  What their challenge involves, and what they are most looking forward to on their own 'lap of France'. 

You can follow along with Rory and Ben's challenge via the links below:

Instagram Account - @Les_Lanternes_Rouges

Tracking and route: 

https://linktr.ee/les_lanternes_rouges 

To find out more about their Charity Fundraiser head to:

Props Bristol

Enjoying listening to Seek Travel Ride?  Then be sure to follow the show in your podcast player - to be notified when new episodes are released.  Also follow us on Social Media:

Instagram - @SeekTravelRide
Twitter -  @BellaCycling

Enjoying Seek Travel Ride? Then you can help this Independant Podcaster out by clicking the the link to Buy me a coffee and help support the show!

NEW! - Leave a Voice Message!

Have something you'd like to tell me? Want to chat about this episode more or tell me about your own bicycle adventures? Well now You can now get in touch and leave a voice message! Just click here and record a voicemail message - I may even include it in future episodes!

Join the Seek Travel Ride Facebook group - a place where you can discuss episodes in more detail, learn more about our guests and also where you can share more about your own adventures on a bike!

Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist - an eclectic mix with each song selected by a guest of the show. The playlist is available now on both Spotify or Apple Music

Enjoying listening to Seek Travel Ride? Then please give the show some love and leave a rating and review on your podcast player.

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In this episode I interview Kristina Rivers who recently set a new Guinnness World Record (currently being verified) as the fastest women to cycle across Australia - from Perth to Sydney.  Kristina cycled a total of 3,970kms in 11 days, 8 hours and 6 mins, a phenomenal feat of endurance and strength.  So what does it take to cycle across Australia in record breaking time?  Listen to the episode to find out more about Kristina's amazing ride.

Kristina's Instagram - @kristina._rivers

Enjoying Seek Travel Ride? Then you can help this Independant Podcaster out by clicking the the link to Buy me a coffee and help support the show!

NEW! - Leave a Voice Message!

Have something you'd like to tell me? Want to chat about this episode more or tell me about your own bicycle adventures? Well now You can now get in touch and leave a voice message! Just click here and record a voicemail message - I may even include it in future episodes!

Join the Seek Travel Ride Facebook group - a place where you can discuss episodes in more detail, learn more about our guests and also where you can share more about your own adventures on a bike!

Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist - an eclectic mix with each song selected by a guest of the show. The playlist is available now on both Spotify or Apple Music

Enjoying listening to Seek Travel Ride? Then please give the show some love and leave a rating and review on your podcast player.

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In this special bonus release episode I had the pleasure to ask some questions with Lesa Ashford who is currently attempting to set the World Ultra Cycling Association and Guinness World Record for circumnavigating Australia.  The full record attempt will involve pedalling over 14.000kms around the mainland of Australia.  When I spoke with Lesa she was in Geelong and she is well and truly on the way to being the first women to complete this record attempt!

I was also able to pose some questions to members of Lesa's support crew.  It is really evident that an attempt so big really does involve a lot of people and it was interesting to be able to get some insights from each of them as they shared what it is like for them each day there out on the road. I'm looking forward to doing a full feature interview with Lesa once she is finished with this record attempt. 

To follow Lesa's progress and track her journey be sure to check out the following links:

Lesa's Facebook Group  Lesa Ashford - World Ultra Cycling Record: Circumnavigating Australia
Lesa's Instagram account - @newhorizons4lesa
Lesa's Strava account - Lesa Ashford
Lesa's GoFundMe - NewHorizons4Lesa

If you are enjoying the podcast and want to discuss this episode or others than be sure to join our Seek Travel Ride podcast community page on Reddit. 

Enjoying Seek Travel Ride? Then you can help this Independant Podcaster out by clicking the the link to Buy me a coffee and help support the show!

NEW! - Leave a Voice Message!

Have something you'd like to tell me? Want to chat about this episode more or tell me about your own bicycle adventures? Well now You can now get in touch and leave a voice message! Just click here and record a voicemail message - I may even include it in future episodes!

Join the Seek Travel Ride Facebook group - a place where you can discuss episodes in more detail, learn more about our guests and also where you can share more about your own adventures on a bike!

Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist - an eclectic mix with each song selected by a guest of the show. The playlist is available now on both Spotify or Apple Music

Enjoying listening to Seek Travel Ride? Then please give the show some love and leave a rating and review on your podcast player.

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In this special release episode I interview Graham Coult prior to him undertaking a bike packing trip with a difference.  On May 06, 2023, he and his friend Charles will be setting of from Austria on a 2000km+ bikepacking route across Europe.  The route they are taking follows the original one traced out on the map which Graham's grandfather used to escape from Stalag 18A - a Prisoner of War camp in WWII.

As mentioned in the episode - Graham and Charles are welcoming people to come along and join them along the way.  You can find out more here:

Graham's Website - Ride for Mental Health Stalag 18A
Instagram - @stalag18a_Odessa
Strava Club - Ride for Mental Health
Tracking link - Live tracking
Make a donation to Graham and Charles' chosen charities here

If you want to discuss this episode then be sure to join us on the  Seek Travel Ride Podcast community page on Reddit. 

Enjoying Seek Travel Ride? Then you can help this Independant Podcaster out by clicking the the link to Buy me a coffee and help support the show!

NEW! - Leave a Voice Message!

Have something you'd like to tell me? Want to chat about this episode more or tell me about your own bicycle adventures? Well now You can now get in touch and leave a voice message! Just click here and record a voicemail message - I may even include it in future episodes!

Join the Seek Travel Ride Facebook group - a place where you can discuss episodes in more detail, learn more about our guests and also where you can share more about your own adventures on a bike!

Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist - an eclectic mix with each song selected by a guest of the show. The playlist is available now on both Spotify or Apple Music

Enjoying listening to Seek Travel Ride? Then please give the show some love and leave a rating and review on your podcast player.

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In this episode of the Seek Travel Ride podcast I interview Stevie Gaebe an endurance athlete and Ultra-distance Cyclist.  I first met Stevie during the 2022 Normandicat 900 ultra-cycling event in Northern France.  We had both lined up at the start-line, nervous at what would unfold over the course of the next three days.  Surrounded by men we were also some of the only women who had turned up to challenge themselves in this self supported long distance event.  We would end up riding together for the first few hours and as I learnt more about Stevie I knew her story was one that needed sharing.

Over the course of the episode Stevie talks about her cycling journey, how she made the shift from cycling as a commuter, to cycling for fitness.  She discusses how she enjoyed continually pushing the boundaries, from long distance sportives, to then signing up and successfully competing in Ironman Switzerland. 

After the Ironman event Stevie was searching for the next challenge and the call of ultra-distance cycling came her way.  Stevie did all of the above with her partner and Husband Tom and so they signed up as a team of two for the Normandicat 900 Ultra-cycling event.  But hours before taking to the start Tom had to withdraw from the event, leaving Stevie alone on the start-line.

I really enjoyed talking with Stevie about her Normandicat 900 experience.  How she overcame the challenges which came her way and her insights  into what it takes to compete in ultra-distance cycling events.

If you want to follow along with Stevie's future adventures do check out her channel on YouTube  and be sure to watch her video which shows her  Normandicat 900 experience. 

Interested in the Normandicat 900 event and want to try it out for yourself?  Then you can read up more on the Normandicat website.

If you have your own cycling adventure which you'd like to have featured on the podcast than please get in touch via Seek Travel Ride and request to be featured as a guest on the show. 

Enjoying Seek Travel Ride? Then you can help this Independant Podcaster out by clicking the the link to Buy me a coffee and help support the show!

NEW! - Leave a Voice Message!

Have something you'd like to tell me? Want to chat about this episode more or tell me about your own bicycle adventures? Well now You can now get in touch and leave a voice message! Just click here and record a voicemail message - I may even include it in future episodes!

Join the Seek Travel Ride Facebook group - a place where you can discuss episodes in more detail, learn more about our guests and also where you can share more about your own adventures on a bike!

Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist - an eclectic mix with each song selected by a guest of the show. The playlist is available now on both Spotify or Apple Music

Enjoying listening to Seek Travel Ride? Then please give the show some love and leave a rating and review on your podcast player.

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There are many ways to describe Lizzie Jenkins, she is an accomplished film director, adventurer and endurance athlete.  Recently she discovered the world of long distance cycling and entered into the ultra-cycling race scene.  This led to her signing up for the ultimate event in the race calendar - the Transcontinental Race - TCR.  This event would see her cross the entire continent of Europe on a ride of over 4000km with a monumental amount of climbing in between. 

During this episode we explore more about Lizzie as we learn about her passion for being in the remotest parts of the world - the Amazon. We discuss whether her ability to find comfort in the most uncomfortable places in the remote rainforest held her in good stead for what she would endure in her ultra-cycling races to come.

We also discuss how her passion for riding bikes led to her signing up for the TCR race and how she prepared herself for the challenges of participating in ultra-cycling  events, whilst dealing with the disappointment of race cancellations two years in a row due to the pandemic.   She talks us through the experiences of her first ultra distance cycling event - A bike race roughly the size of Wales - where she finished as first female and the learnings she had along the way.

Then Lizzie shares exactly what it was like racing in the world's premier ultra-cycling race - the TCR in 2022.  What it was like standing on that start line in Belgium knowing she would need to cross an entire continent before reaching the finishing line all the way in Bulgaria.  She would cross mountain passes, endure summer heatwaves and have to deal with being chased by packs of wild dogs in the night.  Not to mention then dealing with the infamous compulsory Parcour No 4. 

We really enjoyed talking with Lizzie about her experiences and hope this will inspire other women who are perhaps contemplating entering into the world of ultra-distance cycling.

Be sure to follow Lizzie on her instagram channel @lizzjenkins

Make sure to subscribe to the Seek Travel Ride podcast to be notified when new episodes are released.

Lastly - if you'd like to be interviewed as a guest for the show please send us an email.

Enjoying Seek Travel Ride? Then you can help this Independant Podcaster out by clicking the the link to Buy me a coffee and help support the show!

NEW! - Leave a Voice Message!

Have something you'd like to tell me? Want to chat about this episode more or tell me about your own bicycle adventures? Well now You can now get in touch and leave a voice message! Just click here and record a voicemail message - I may even include it in future episodes!

Join the Seek Travel Ride Facebook group - a place where you can discuss episodes in more detail, learn more about our guests and also where you can share more about your own adventures on a bike!

Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist - an eclectic mix with each song selected by a guest of the show. The playlist is available now on both Spotify or Apple Music

Enjoying listening to Seek Travel Ride? Then please give the show some love and leave a rating and review on your podcast player.

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