Fat Pursuit is far more than an ultra-endurance winter fat bike race in Idaho, in its 12th year. It’s a platform constructed by Jay Petervary to challenge everyone who arrives at the start line due to its length (119 miles), need to carry (and for most, use) sleeping gear, and be able to boil water to ensure survival in a snow-covered, harsh, remote winter environment. It draws people who love fat bike riding, who love big adventures, and those who want to stretch themselves, learn, and grow in the ways each person desires.
The long Fat Pursuit course is 120 miles in length on wide snowmobile trails in the Yellowstone ecosystem. It’s a gorgeous route that offers a lot for the eyes to feast on. There is a 60km race for those who want a good taste of the event.
45 hours on course leave a number of stories to be told. While I was determined to get to the finish line since I didn’t make it there 2 years ago, crossing the line didn’t come with the expected endorphin rush. I relished the experience, and at no point did I wish it would end, including at the finish. The small wins along the way have added up to a major victory and this is only a start, not a finish, to anything.
My first 200k Fat Pursuit was two years ago and a 33.5-hour race that ended at mile 75 when I didn’t feel I could continue. I’ve learned a lot since that race and having watched others finish at all hours that year, it was clear that it is possible for anyone who is properly prepared. Figuring out how to finish has been a journey of learning and digging in deep to discover exactly what it means to tap into mental strength. Having Fat Pursuit as a continual goal since taking on the 60km Covid edition of the race in 2021 has been a guiding light in my cycling life.
We started at 7am, in pitch dark Island Park.
I was very deliberate to keep my heart rate low and in zone 2 for as much of the race as possible. This meant almost everyone was ahead right at the start. The effects of high altitude are far worse with an elevated heart rate. I had enough on my mind to manage without worrying about actually racing and trying to beat others.
The road leading over to Two Top is one of my favorite parts of the route. It’s beautiful and fun to ride. Two Top Mountain itself was raw with vicious winds and hardly any visibility. I was glad to get the Two Top experience since I’ve heard how windy and rough it can be. I wanted to see what that was all about. Heading down Two Top, it didn’t take too long before getting nestled back into trees, the wind died down, and it was a lovely day with perfect snow under the tires again.
Party at Checkpoint 1, Mile 28, ~2pm Friday…
One of my favorite features of the course is that there’s an out and back to checkpoint 1 allowing riders heading into CP1 and those headed out (hours ahead of those coming in often times) to see each other. All participants can pack a 2-gallon bag full of food that the organizers take to the checkpoint so that everyone can get a selection of calories to take with them for the next stretch which is 50 miles.
Somehow, my bag of food didn’t make it to this checkpoint. Thankfully, lots of nice people there (Mike, Joe, random people) donated their food to me. Billy is a mainstay volunteer of CP1 (I saw him there 2 years ago), he made sure I had all of the fried peanut butter and jelly sandwiches I needed (those things are magic), water, soup, etc. There was a good crew working this checkpoint, but Billy is who I remembered fondly from my last Fat Pursuit. He hustles to take care of every rider.
When hydration goes badly…
I’d taken two hydration bladders with me, one filled with 2L of water with LMNT salt and a 3L with 2.5 liters of Skratch High-Carb powder in it to start the race. Each pack had its own hose. I like the idea of redundancy and the option to drink one or the other. Really early on in the race, both hoses froze so I rearranged them, got them tucked beneath my base layers and was able to thaw the one to my 3L pack. Once that ran out, I just moved the hose over to the 2L and then drank it. Both were gone by the time I got to CP1. I was proud of myself for listening to my Garmin alarm: every 15 minutes take a drink. Altitude sickness comes with dehydration, and I think my teeth get sensitive with dehydration as well. Dehydration is bad for everything in a race!
I figured I’d take a moment in the heated tent at CP1 prior to heading back out on my bike. I’d only been there a few moments when I felt my backside get warm. Then my legs… The 2L hydration pouch had failed out the bottom spilling all 2L of water all over me! I was wearing a short sleeve base layer, long sleeve base layer, full-zip fleece, wind jacket, bib shorts, and 45NRTH heavier shell pants. Every single thing I was wearing was soaked. Why did it fail? I have some theories. Fortunately, the heated tent is heated via propane and forceful hot jets. I stood there and dried out the pants, fleece, and jacket until everything was almost dry.
Finally, I got back on the bike and on the way out of CP1. Only 1 more person was due to arrive to the checkpoint (who knew he was going to scratch), so I was the last rider on course. This did not send me into a panic; it was fine. I knew I had plenty of time until the cut offs. This kind of setback would have sent me into a panic had this been 2 years ago with the mindset and lack of perspective I had back then.