Silk Road Mountain Race (SRMR)

Update from Kim Raeymaekers on FB

Still hanging in. Today was a complete off day. due to the fact I got stuck on a mountain at the altitude off 3600 meters. wet and Freezing cold. luckily a Sheppard was kind to offer he's yurt to warm up myself and sleep. Slept for a long time but I guess the altitude got me last night. Just arrived at cp3 ready to sleep early and go at it again in the morning. A good 460km to go and most likely 3days to Finish.

Did people not prepare for these conditions, with their kit choice?

If I were racing it’s be full downsuit and goretex-pro kit from a climbing company. Bicycle clothing wouldn’t really be appropriate for these conditions. It’s not really cycling anymore there, it’s true exploration.

Full downsuit - as in one of these bad boys?

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What size does that pack -down- to?

looks so damn comfy.

Probs a split one like phd so you can wear too without bottoms. Can then also sleep in it in bivi.

Have to say I'm a bit disappointed by the number of scratches. Seeing the setup some of them brought though, I'm not surprised. Some seem to think this is some kind of light gravel version of TCR. Saw someone's on Compass tyres, I mean come on, I love those tires but there's not a chance in hell I'd bring them to ride off road in Kyrgyzstan. Someone scratched because she was unsure whether she'd find gluten free food out there? Surely that's something you prepare for beforehand? My god. Rant over.

Being coeliac, I've kind of given up on the idea of doing something like TCR because I think I'll struggle to get enough food on the go. I'd never contemplate something like this, as you'd have to eat what was available, not seek out the Free From aisle in the local supermarket.

Some seem to think this is some kind of light gravel version of TCR

I had that feeling too. I've done a bit of cycling and general travelling in central asia and through the Himalayas and it just seems a bit mental to be holding a race there where by its nature, participants will be by themselves. Its not really the state of some of the roads, but the altitude, changeable conditions and the remoteness that can cause problems. Someone that starts pushing themselves, and starts having altitude problems as a result could quite quickly be in serious trouble.

some of them are top influecners though .. good ROI on scratching

like fixie crit crashes

there is more literature written on post-crit crash posts than freud

Seeing the setup some of them brought though, I'm not surprised

Yep

pulmonary or cerebral odema , , we carried diamox with us when in india and its not too be laughed at .

Haha, so on the money.

I couldn’t possibly comment.

I’m really gutted to see Lee get ill. I was rooting for her to show the men how women race.

I spoke to a vegan at the finish, they had to go un vegan a few times during the race to be able to eat.

Fair play to jay. Putting aside what’s gone before* he’s hard as fuck and no joke. So many people turned up thinking this would be like Tornio nice rally and got schooled. He’s showed a level above.

*http://lacemine29.blogspot.com/2015/10/an-open-letter-to-jay-petervary.html?m=1

Which is not an option for me, I'm so sensitive to gluten now that if I eat something containing it I'll vomit it up shortly afterwards.

Yeah nasty. I’m not sure it’s stop you doing tcr, but it would add a big burden and slow you down.

It's a race, don't want to be slowed down.

Interesting-I did the TCR vegan and had no problems at all

Maybe a time and circumstance thing, everyone hasn’t a different race and lands in different places.

They said they were ill and stuck somewhere, I’m sure there is a long story.

Yeah I totally get that it's an issue and something you and many others have to deal with everyday. Just bit weird to fly to the other side of the world to do this race without doing at least Some research beforehand.

Jay also lives somewhere around Yellowstone, at about 2000m or something, that might help with the altitude.

Interesting-I did the TCR vegan and had no problems at all

Others have managed it, and Indypac, which is harder as v little choice of food.

I lapsed and ate meat twice on both. On TCR I did it when there was good local food on offer that happened to contain meat with no alternative (pizza in Italy, byrek in Bosnia) that was any thing like as good (eg croissants).

In Indypac it was because I ordered something that didn't say it had meat in it (mushroom, potato pie) or when my mouth was shredded and needed to have pasta rather than deep fried crap.

On this I would have expected to have to eat meat a few times, when I got to a restaurant and that was what they had on offer