LIVE: Solstice Sprint

Final musings from the start line (and a sneak preview of my packing list)

Do you know what’s wild?

By the time you read this, I’ll have just left the start line of the Solstice Sprint and will be peddling my way towards Wales. 1,000km and many, many party rings later, I’ll (hopefully) cross the finish line with my sanity (and rear end) in tact.

It’s been a long time since I’ve joined the start line of an ultra, so I’m naturally feeling a little nervous. All the usual fears and doubts are surfacing — am I fit enough? Will my bike hold out? Have I packed enough party rings? — but ultimately the overriding emotion is excitement.

If you’ve been following my journey for a while you’ll know that I’ve come to the realisation that racing isn’t really for me. I much prefer slow, meandering adventures, preferably where I can stop whenever I see a pretty view, and rest when I’m tired.

For that reason, I don’t intend to race the Solstice Sprint. I intend to experience it. The route, the people, the landscapes, the stories. That’s what I’m most looking forward to.

And if holding onto that joy means taking an extra day or two to complete the route, then so be it. I know I can suffer. I’ve suffered countless times in the past. This time, I’m trading suffering for happiness, for peace, for freedom.

It’s going to be a wild ride, and while I’ll do my best to stay upbeat, there’ll definitely be some tough moments along the way. So if you fancy sending a few words of encouragement, pep-talks, or pearls of wisdom, I’d honestly be so grateful. Those little messages go a long way when things get grim 💜

You can track my live progress 👉 here 👈

And get personal insights (read: keep tabs on how many packs of party rings I get through) by following my Instagram stories 👉 here 👈

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Now that the start-line ramblings are out the way, I still want to make sure this newsletter delivers something genuinely useful, so this week I’m diving into my race set-up and kit list (yes, I know I’ve been on a bit of a kit list streak lately, but I also happen to know that people find them interesting).

So, without further ado, grab that second (third? fourth?) cup of coffee, keep scrolling, and enjoy all the juicy details about my set-up, plus a comprehensive list of absolutely everything I’m carrying on my bike.

The beast in all her beautiful purple glory

HARDWARE

Bike

Cervelo Aspero

GRX 600 Groupset with 46/30 chainset and 34 cassette

Hutchinson Challenger 32mm tubeless tyres

Ergon SR saddle

Redshift Shockstop Endurance PRO suspension seat post

Redshift PRO suspension stem

Redshift ergonomic handlebar drops

Profile Design aerobars

Bike Bags

Tailfin rack and bag

Top tube bag (Apidura)

Frame bag (Apidura)

Downtube bag (Tailfin)

Lights

Front light (Exposure Strada MK11)

Rear light (Exposure Blaze MK2)

Spare front light (Halfords 1600 lumens)

Spare rear light (Cateye)

Helmet light (Brightside)

Headtorch (Petzl)

Electronics

Fast charging power bank (CUKTECH)

Spare power bank (Anker)

Fast charging plug (Minix)

Headphones (Shokz)

Tools

Portable torque wrench (Topeak)

Quick links

Cable ties

Tyre levers

Inner tubes

Penknife

Lube

Electrical tape

Spare mech hanger

Valve core tool

Tyre boot

Cafe lock (Hiplock)

Anyone else guilty of spending more time creating the perfect kit grid than actually packing?

SOFTWARE

Clothing

Summer base layer (Kostüme)

Short sleeved jersey (Kostüme)

Cargo bib shorts (Kostüme)

Knee warmers (Kostüme)

Merino arm warmers (DHB)

Waterproof jacket (Goretex shakedry)

Down jacket (Rapha)

Hi-viz harness

Merino socks (Endura)

Merino glove liners (Assos)

Shorts to sleep in (Decathlon)

Insulated burner (Albion)

Musette (Apidura)

Photochromatic sunglasses (Van Rysel)

Sleep System

Sleeping bag (Sea to Summit FM1)

Sleeping pad (Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Uberlite)

Bivy (Sierra Designs Backcountry Bivy 3000)

Toiletries

Sun cream sachets (Lifesystems)

SPF Lipbalm (Lifesystems)

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Wilderness wash (Sea to Summit)

Chamois cream (Bum Butter + Chamois Butt’r)

Hand sanitiser

Wipes (Rawganic)

Contact lenses

Eye drops

Electrolyte Tablets

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Not my most put-together newsletter, I’ll admit, but I wanted to show up anyway. It turns out that prepping for a 1,000km ride takes up a fair bit of brain space! Hopefully the kit tips make up for the rest being a bit all over the place.

Thanks for sticking with me. And in the meantime, feel free to drop kit questions in the comments and I’ll pick them up once I’m human again.

See you on the other side! 💪