jill
May 3, 2021
jill
May 3, 2021
By Eamonn, aka “the navigator”
Racing the entire Wild Atlantic Way, as an ultra-cycling race, with Joe aiming to become the fastest person to do so, is a serious undertaking.
We’re talking about 2,343km along one of the most rugged coastal landscapes on the planet, with more than 22,000 metres of climbing. There are no stages, no scheduled overnight stops and no opportunity to reset at the end of each day. It’s one continuous effort from beginning to end, with as little time off the bike as possible.
To succeed, we need a plan. And that plan needs to account for an awful lot of detail.
At Team Joe Barr, we have a saying: sweat the small stuff. I believe in preparation, and in the old adage that failing to prepare is preparing to fail. Over distances like these, seemingly insignificant details can make a real difference.
Carrying one water bottle instead of two might sound trivial, for example. But every additional gram of weight, multiplied over thousands of kilometres and thousands of metres of climbing, contributes to the overall load. Efficiency matters, and it starts long before the race begins.
A team built around the rider
Joe can’t do what he does without a support crew. We’re the people in the background, making sure he can concentrate on the job in hand.
Everyone has a role, and every role matters. Our job is to anticipate what Joe might need, make sure we can supply it quickly and keep everything running as smoothly as possible.
We have a crewing strategy designed to make us self-sufficient throughout the race. Food, water, clothing, spare parts, washing facilities, toilets and somewhere to sleep all need to be accounted for. Whatever Joe needs at any given moment, we need to be able to provide it without wasting time searching for it or working out how to make it happen.
Of course, we can’t anticipate every eventuality. But we can prepare for as many as possible, which gives us a much better chance of dealing with the unexpected when it arrives.
And it will arrive!
A place for everything, and everything in its place
My background is in engineering, so I naturally approach problems by looking at how things fit together and how they can work more efficiently.
That thinking has gone into the design and build of our bespoke Reaching Further team van. It’s been developed around years of experience supporting Joe in races around the world, with a practical purpose: to give the crew what we need, when we need it, without unnecessary fuss.
The guiding principle behind the layout was simple: a place for everything, and everything in its place.
I learned very early on that Joe is a stickler for detail. He often reminds us how important it is to sweat the small stuff, because once we’re in a race, it’s too late to start figuring things out.
When Joe needs something, we need to know exactly where it is and be able to put our hands on it immediately. When you’re working under pressure, tired and short on time, that kind of organisation isn’t just convenient. It’s essential.
The same principle applies to the bike, the equipment, our routines and the way we work together. The more we can establish beforehand, the less we have to think about when the pressure is on.
Keeping Joe fuelled and moving
Ultra-endurance racing puts enormous demands on the body, and nutrition is a critical part of the overall strategy.
Jillian takes responsibility for Joe’s performance nutrition, continually adjusting his fuelling to reflect the demands of the race. Energy requirements can vary considerably depending on effort and intensity, so what Joe needs at one point in the race may be different from what he needs several hours later.
As fatigue builds, decision-making becomes more difficult. There are times when Joe relies heavily on the crew to remind him when to eat and drink, and to make sure he follows the strategy we’ve prepared.
This is a good example of how the different parts of the team fit together. Joe concentrates on riding. Jillian monitors and manages his nutrition. The crew makes sure the right fuel is available at the right time.
Each of us has a responsibility, but the result depends on how well those responsibilities come together.
When things go wrong
No matter how thoroughly you prepare, things won’t always go to plan.
There will be challenges with terrain, weather, equipment and the unexpected mishaps that are part and parcel of racing over such distances. Joe will also experience the inevitable physical and mental fatigue that comes with pushing himself for days on end.
That’s when preparation really earns its place.
The human body isn’t a machine, of course, but over an ultra-endurance race it needs constant attention. We need to recognise problems, make adjustments, carry out running repairs where necessary and keep Joe moving forward. Sometimes that means dealing with a practical issue. Sometimes it means offering encouragement at exactly the right moment.
And sometimes the smallest things make the biggest difference.
We also receive messages of support from people following Joe’s progress. We read them, and when the moment is right, we relay some of them to Joe from the crew car. When he’s struggling, hearing a few words from someone cheering him on can be like flicking a switch.
So, if you’re following one of Joe’s races, please keep those messages coming. You might be surprised by the difference they make.
The mental game matters too
I’m not a sports psychologist, but I’ve seen enough ultra-endurance racing to know that cycling over these distances is as much a mental challenge as a physical one.
You can prepare your equipment, organise your van, plan your nutrition and train your body. But you also need to prepare your mind for what lies ahead.
I have no doubt that Joe has already ridden these routes in his head countless times. He knows what he’s aiming for and has spent a huge amount of time preparing himself for the challenges he’ll face.
That mental preparation matters. When you’re tired, uncomfortable and facing hours more work, having a clear purpose and a plan to fall back on can make all the difference.
And as a crew, we have our own mental work to do. We need to stay focused, communicate well, make sound decisions and support one another when fatigue starts to catch up with us too.
Ultimately, we’re stronger together.
The work before the start line
When Joe sets out on a major race or record attempt, the performance you see on the road is only part of the story.
Behind it sits an enormous amount of preparation: the training, the equipment checks, the logistics, the fuelling strategy, the crew routines and all those seemingly insignificant decisions that make the whole operation work.
Our job is to make sure as many of the variables as possible have been considered before the pressure is on.
We won’t get everything right, and no plan survives every eventuality. But good preparation gives us the best possible foundation from which to adapt, solve problems and keep moving towards our goal.
That’s why we sweat the small stuff.
Because when the challenge is extraordinary, the details matter.
And when it all comes together, there’s nothing quite like being part of a team that makes something extraordinary happen.
Interested in taking on an endurance challenge of your own?
At BarrUltra, we understand that every goal comes with its own challenges. Whether you’re preparing for your first major endurance event or looking to push your performance further, we can help you develop an approach built around your ambitions.
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