Fat Viking 2019, by Matthieu LEROUX

QUIT EVERYTHING !
This is the path I took.
Leave a comfortable life in the city of Lille; Northern France.
After the meeting in Florence, we met on our bikes for three and a half years to ride almost every day and sleep in tents. Arrived in Norway after Alaska, we decided to stay in this country. that's where the story begins!

WE DISCOVER A CLIMATE THAT SPEAKS
A -10 ° C in winter when it is hot and - 35 ° C when it degenerates. We live in the hollow of a valley not far from the Hardangervidda; the biggest European plateau, halfway between Oslo and Bergen. We found it our paradise; Geilo!
Here train Northman triathletes and great names of polar expeditions. It is in this atmosphere and especially during the meetings that I meet the organizer of the FAT VIKING RACE: Nina Gassler, a German who has been home to Geilo for ages.

WHAT IS THIS FAT VIKING? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBx_J4hHvJc

Nina tells me it's a 150 km fatbike loop. There are also two other formats around the 100 km and the last of 30 km. It is necessary to follow a GPS track in total autonomy. A list of mandatory equipment is essential to validate your departure. We are reminded that this race is not far from a survival experience in polar medium version bikepacking.
By learning about the web I discover the universe of Ultras Marathons Winter or Arctic. I embark then in 2018 on the 30 km with a rental fatbike. A reasonable approach that will allow me to take the measure of this discipline on snow.

I notice after 15 km that at the place of my armpits I have blocks of ice, that my clothes become very heavy. My water freezes in my cans. The skin on my face is burning, my feet are lifeless, my fingers are unable to change gears. It is -30 ° C and I accuse my first mistakes. The line of 30 kilometers is crossed after 1h20 of race. First slap!
Next year I will be on the 150 km, at that moment I was already engaged.
This world of the ultra-marathon Arctic is fascinating. I saw UFOs come from nowhere with their strange boots and their homemade equipment to resist this war of white hell. In these orders of temperature you must review all your acquired cycling. A new blank page opens to you. This is probably what pushed me to take the course. To learn and discover again and again.

If all the thinking around the material does not interest you; go straight to the section: "TWENTY FOUR HOURS OF DEPARTURE".

ALL GOES!
The food must be carefully selected; because even a chocolate energy bar is inedible at -15 ° C, it will break your teeth. Water in the Camelback and the gourds freeze. You will be taught to blow into the tube with each sip to limit that it freezes in the tube yet isolated.
The choice of socks is, for some, a puzzle. Some pilots add a sock "vapor barrier" to control perspiration and the risk of frost. After dozens of attempts I arrived at my perfect combo: ultra thin merino wool socks coupled with elaborate socks to cope with extreme negative temperatures. Their performances have been tested in real conditions by mountaineers in expeditions above 8,000 meters. To that, for the preparation for the race of 150 km I found insoles (whole) chemical heating at "The heat company". It is easier to find heaters for half of the foot but I wanted at all costs the full version. fortunately, I followed this idea.
To stay in the material choices before starting the race, I also wondered about Poggies . These are sleeves that allow you to ride in winter, they stay mounted on your handlebars and include handle, brakes and speeds. I brought mine from Alaska. Small craftsmen make this type of equipment for the cold weather. they started making items for mushers. I say thank you to my Dogwood Design Plus.

Sweating a lot on a bike I wanted the miracle solution. Imagine having to handle perspiration at -35 ° C for 24 to 30 hours of running. I fall over the months on Norwegian products Brynje. Nothing to keep warm here but to evacuate perspiration to the maximum. I took a pretty special top. It is the first layer of mesh, it removes perspiration very effectively.

On top of that, I wore an Aklima merino long sleeve T-shirt (200 gr / m2). The last layer consists of an Alpha Polartec membrane called "Norrona Fjora convertible alpha 60" (60 gr / m2).
In parallel, I had in my possession another polartec alpha jacket, thicker (120 gr / m2) in the saddle bag: in case of extreme cold and emergency.
For the wind, I counted on my Cumulus Windy -Wendy of 55 grams in Quantum GL. I will leave with this next year. A beautiful discovery!

I took a huge risk, that I will not do it again. That of taking an ultra-light jacket Triple Zero Antza pullover 80M displayed at 270 grams. I said to myself: "ok you go ultra light with the jacket then you take a long sleeves Alpha dry in case of glitches". Well, you know it's this year's mistake when we see the race conditions! We can go there. Next year will be a minimum of "IBON 2 hoods L PIG PIF" from triple zero. Yet I live on the spot and I never joke with that!

At the foot, I did not risk playing with fire. Last year I saw pictures of cold-burned feet on the Rovaniemi and Iditarod, other Arctic races; it cooled me down. I opted for the reference in the field of winter shoes: the Wolfgar home45 NRTH , a shoe designed to keep your feet warm up to -32 ° C. This double boot uses a removable felted wool lining. A layer of highly effective airgel insulation is placed under the foot and over the toe to block the wind and cold from freezing your feet. It was not cold during the race, it was around -15 ° C. when I arrive at the checkpoint I change my chemical heating soles to dry my shoes while driving. it worked, even more than I hoped.

Let's go to the hands and we stop talking about material. I have to give myself some brakes otherwise I could go on for hundreds of hours. If it interests some I would make a full article. If others want more specific details they do not hesitate to write to me. I am ambassador of the brand Six moons designs too. Do not hesitate ! (we talk about windbreaker, glasses / mask ... energy ... tries ...)

Then hands!
I have Raynaud's syndrome in my hands. Certainly light but it is there. For a year I did tests with lots of different liners and gloves. I came across a winning combo. So much so that other pilots left with this recommendation. A Merino type Hestra liner works well. the ideal for me remains a liner in Highloft coupled with poggie. We keep perfect dexterity. In case of fatigue, when the body temperature drops we may have to strengthen the system with a removable mitten (Fingers out mitten from Montura). In the saddle bag I had in case of emergency hotmit'n from CAMP; large, highly compressible feather gloves. the choice of a carbon handlebar is not insignificant; it avoids thermal conductivity.

THINK IN EMERGENCY
At the end of the race we were told: If they got stuck up there, we stayed there ". Frankly this is where you measure the difficulty of the test. We tell you enough during the pre-race briefing. But if you break something or if you can not move forward you must be able to keep warm to keep life. I would not be the only one to reinforce this point of detail. It's survival ... it's not just a ride in the snow.

Let's go to the race?

TWENTY FOUR HOURS OF DEPARTURE

Pilots and mounts arrive from 12 different countries in this small village in Norway. The garage is filled with fat bike of all kinds. The departure resonates on the walls. We are reassured by the look on the choices made during the year. We discover incredible universes. We even say: "show me your bike and I'll tell you who you are!"
The tests around the starting point are intensifying ... hoooo someone comes back!
His pedal has just broken. Not having a Race Face crank extractor, we turn around in the city looking for a miracle. "Here is the tool!", I compress it in the hand to save Patrick Stevens (England) who could not start with his pedal in two pieces.

In the meantime others are fixing the Poggies on the handlebars, the saddlebags of frames to bring in all the list of obligatory objects: helmet, emergency clothing, Thermos, 1000 Kcal of food to have at the end of the race, front and rear lights, not to mention the batteries, reflective stickers on the front and back ... a Gps, a phone ... Eye protection, face protection, chemical heaters, poggie, inner tube, multi- tools, pump and a race card.

The stress goes up. It's the unknown. You are never sure of anything. Especially in a universe that does not pervert errors. But on the other hand, you make beautiful meetings!

Everyone runs to fix the last details. I go for a long shorts primaloft to be sure to pass the control number 1. I cut a reflective metal strip to recover the reflective material that I stick to the helmet and the frame of the bike. By cons the 1000 calories I missed. At the briefing, we are reminded that disqualification is possible if we do not carry 1000 calories from the beginning to the end of the event. When I get home, I take a packet of 200 grams of peanut that I insert into the frame bag. 1200 calories found in the cupboards.
Before going to bed I take a spare valve and a plastic valve disassembler that I put in an airtight mini-bag.

In this kind of race it is advisable to drink plenty of water and eat well the 3 days before the event. After having eaten well and having drunk my vanilla-caramel tea I close the eye.

4:40 AM, THE ALARM IS SOUND!
The bike was ready. I had put in the order of threading all the clothes on the table. Camelback water was also prepared. I fix at the last minute a dyneema rope of 1.5 mm between the chest strap and the tube. I had seen that the day before on a pilot who was not at his first test shot. I understood after the importance of this rope.
I go down the mountain where I live to join the hotel Vestlia, place of departure. I pass control number 2 at 6:00. My bike passes. I am given a GPS tracker that must be placed on the handlebars.
The tracker being fixed, I run my GPX tracks on the Garmin ETREX ... track 1: ok!
Then I do the same on my WAHOO Elmnt. everything seems ready.
I am each of my steps one by one in my head. as we scratch a shopping list in a supermarket.

Damn, I forgot my topo on the complete elevation of the race. I had noted the number of the kilometer where it began to climb, to go down to manage the effort but also the layers to put on or to undo during the race. This is only a detail, too bad! "Departure in 10 minutes" we hear screaming! "There are still bikes to check ... hurry up!"
The sounds of the pedals auto reason in this concrete parking. At that moment, you are in the toboggan, downhill. You can not go back.

DEPARTURE

We go out and we line up on the starting line. Nina the day before said:
- "If you think it's too hard, if you're really tired, exhausted I tell you: You're stronger than that! And if you think it's crazy or dangerous and well I tell you this is the qualification for the Iditarod race in Alaska. "
I think back to that, I'm getting closer to the last drivers on the left, right next to Patrick Lamarre, another Frenchman on the race with whom we exchanged our tips at a distance.
Now Patrick is D-day! We read happiness in our eyes.
Nina wishes us a lot of fun on the race. The start sounds, we arrive quickly in a beautiful powder or the only issue is to enjoy the snow that those in front crush. For a few kilometers it is impossible to double. Your only mission at that moment is to roll in a track of 15 cm wide, without falling. After this passage, the space expands further to open up a beautiful climb to Brennun .

Cyclists start to place themselves according to their level. It's going strong, we're here at the sixth kilometer. I'm trying to drink. I open my jacket that protects my Camelback and pulling with my teeth on the tip, I lose it in the snow. Water flows on my clothes ... Damn! I put my bike in the snow to recover this small room. I find him 5 meters behind me in the snow. An incredible chance because it was invisible. Ten fats bikes double me during this treasure hunt. I put the tip and I understand at this time that this model is detachable. (It will save me later).

We arrive at Brennun , an 8 km loop on an uneasy terrain. a "leg killer". It grows in the snow, no grip here ... and behind that grows to take places. Nothing here is done to give you a second of respite.
The pressure of the tires is adjusted according to the quality and condition of the snow. By deflating it brings more contact area to the tire for better traction. I'm taking care of my rear tire. I look behind and I only see two pilots. the rest of the pack is invisible. I have the feeling that we are only 3 in this huge expanse. Super feeling.

I continue keeping my pace, which I will keep until the end. I do not hurt myself by staying between 142 and 162 beats per minute with an average of 75 rpm on the pedals. After 1:30 of race I am alone.Some drivers do not take the risk of driving alone in case of problems, I love it. I stay focused on my track, I eat very regularly and I'm looking for my snow. Oh yes, I have to talk about that! On this type of race you are constantly looking for your track, the snow that will bring you maximum grip. your gaze sails between the front of your wheel and the next 20 meters. A back and forth look to avoid setting foot on the ground on a misjudgment.

I arrive close to a fjord, which looks more like a big frozen lake. It's the Palsbufjorden that I ride for not far from 25 km. Always alone, I think that I must prepare for the first checkpoint: prepare my calories, my spoon, collect my waste ... and place the new rations in the feedbag on the hanger. I had everything prepared in Ziploc with small annotations ("Departure> CP1", "CP1> CP2", "CP2" (large ration of 2000 calories), "CP2> arrival"). So I just had to take the ziploc and dump everything fast in the handlebar luggage. I raise my head and I take advantage of this grandiose landscape. the water of the cascades is frozen, a fantastic blue limit. I roll noiselessly as I enter the elk area. Around this fjord until Dagali is their territory! I respect him to the maximum and I try to cross a look, as I had the opportunity in Alaska. I cross the frozen lake, take advantage of the first descents ... I chase forwards because I have too much air. But I prefer to keep the pressure for the harder portion that will arrive.

After 55 kilometers I arrive at the checkpoint.

CHECKPOINT NUMBER ONE
I arrive in Dagali, some bikes are stopped. I am at the millimeter my plan what I had told myself to do before arriving. When you return, give your name to the volunteers to check your minimum time off; estimated at 8 minutes. They must be able to evaluate your state of health! I stay 25 minutes time to change my soles chemical news, drink a lot because I had just drink my 2 liters on the first 50 km. In my ration are: A lyophilized 1000 Kcal, a dried sausage, 2 fruit pastes.
I put water in the Camelback and I leave immediately.
They had set up a stopping point in a village school. All the Riders were trying to dry their clothes on the out-of-service radiators.

ADDITIONAL LOOP

For the participants of the 150 km we had an additional 50 km loop compared to the 100 km format. Until then everything is logical. This allows having the same checkpoint between 100 and 150.
So after the "CP-Dagali" I start the second trace. Superb snow at first, it rolls hard for 5 km. And there we come across an impassable trail, I push the bike in a sticky snow between power lines. Like a bad endless joke where above your head you hear the electric crackling of the cables. The atmosphere is mortuary. When you look behind you, the recoil gives you a spectacular view of the adventure you undertake. A good source of motivation in this ordeal.

Arrived at the summit. the wind and the snow, which had been falling ever since the morning, erased the traces of the first. I remained stuck on the screen of my Etrex. at that time the Wahoo did not accept track number 2. Delighted to have taken two models. So with my eyes glued to the screen, I'm moving forward ... and I'm still pushing my machine. I tell myself ; it's still incredible the number of kilometers to push! it pumps you energy to your toes!
Do you have time to complain?!? Go on, continue!
The wind begins to hit the snow on your face, you feel like micro-cuts. it's blowing. I decide to put on my Cumulus windbreaker. and I'm still pushing. After a while I am so deep that I wonder about the trace. "It's inhuman Bor * el" !!
I am thirsty. I take out my tube from my jacket, the water does not come to my mouth. My tube is frozen! Think ... calm down!
In view of the experience of the morning I remove the mouthpiece and I leave my thermos. I'm pouring hot water into the tube. I shake ... Several repeated actions have thawed the inside of the tube. I drink again ... Super.
I breathe, I push again and I leave this sticky cotton. Again and again alone in a place like your body says to you: "Stop ... you push too much there" and your conscience whisper in your ear: "if you stop here, there, you die!" You do not have no choice but to move forward!
After this passage I want to join CP2. I knew I was going to eat well. The best carrot to advance my donkey.

Arrived again at Dagali. The pilots testify to their epic passage up there. It's easy for no one. I learn to control that 19 people gave up. I believe it ! we have just passed a hell without flames. I must say that it's reassuring to always know the game. It is now dark outside.
What is your strategy?
I see other exhausted pilots, their heads in their hands. others took their mattresses and sleeping bag to take a nap.
One of them suggests I leave with them after sleeping, "it's safer," he reminds me.
I feel good. Tired but ok! my head wants to do it as we say. So I repeat the protocol you know now: Ration, chemical sock, hydration and reload water / food.
It will take me 1 hour of rest to resume the watts. I am told here that it remains 38 km and that it is easy apart from a wall to climb at the beginning and at the end of the track, but easy!
(I knew in the end that they had announced that to avoid that I give up on the last technical trace).
I believe them, I leave at the same time as two other pilots: Robin Peters (Danish) and Edvin Schneider (Norwegian). One is mistaken on the beginning of the last trace. After a half-turn we find the path.

It's really climbing up. oh that's the wall; okay ! When you come to 115 kilometers you say it's not the best time to go back, but you think about it. So you shoot! Image may contain: one person or more

Again and again. We arrive on traces of sled dog.
The wind is still there but the world around you is amazing. You do not see beyond the reach of your frontal. It's dark night. I hear people screaming and leds coming in the opposite direction. Three mushers here; I cry with happiness and fatigue! The emotion is too strong, I crack of happiness. This will be the little stamp of this test. you know the little detail that turns a bit of hell into magic.
Ultra-endurance riders are looking for this little drug there! This clever mix of endorphin, adrenaline and magic of life that only last a snap of a finger. First time I stop on the beginning of the test. I never go to the ground for a break.
It's my way of driving, I feel good this way.

I had doubled Robin and Edvin and I arrive on a kind of blank board. I sink in again and again. The release of this discomfort was imperceptible. When does it stop? And if the snow finally stopped our passage now? I'm still sinking ... I have snow up to my thighs. It is one o'clock in the morning when I call Florence, my fiancée, after several kilometers.
- "Flo I'm in shit here ... I push the bike since 1am and I have more strength. There is nobody to pick me up and I do not see the end of this thing. "
-" Matt, I can not know where you are. All trackers have stopped working since at least 1:30 ...
- "I just want to know when this hell is going to stop ... I'm going to go out here. I'm in a black shit here ... I'll call you back.
End of the call; 15 seconds!

In those moments panic does not help. I connect with the memories of an expedition to join Christopher Mc Candless's magic bus 142 in Alaska. I was with Florence. The most difficult thing that I had lived in the same context. We had to go and return in 2 days with a bike ... (not recommended). You did that ; you can do it !

So I keep calm and I still push in this environment that puts you to the test with every step. This is not where you enjoy making a selfie! We are far from that.
After that I find a really soft snow but I can move forward ... strange! I realize that I am flat in front. My tire is rubbing on the carbon fork. But it rolls really well. I decide not to repair.
When you spend 3 hours with snow up to the knees and now you walk on the saddle you let a little flow. It was maybe 19:00 that I was on the road. Arrived a moment, even if I ate often, the energy was no longer there, my body was getting cold.
My bike is immobilized! I tell myself that it is not a puncture! I had tried to remove air from the front valve during the test; she was stuck. I'm getting really cold here!
I try to make a hole in the snow to prepare a fire and deal with this situation before it's too late ... After five minutes I see two headlamps arrive.
- I tell them: "Please, wait for me ... I do not want to die here. Fatigue and context make you lose your bearings.
- "I'm going to change my valve ... we'll see" I tell them.
- Robin lends me his pump bigger than mine. The tire finds a suitable shape. These guys gave me everything!
The minimalist comfort of a presence at a pivotal moment of my experience. I will never leave them until the end. To give them my place in respect and ethics.

First time when I find myself in a team. Edvin tells us about his condition.
- "I'm exhausted guys! "

Five minutes later we turn around; Edvin was gone. No trace of frontal in the night.
We say with Robin that he could fall tired in the snow. Head first!
We call the race safety service:
- We lost a guy, Edvin the Norwegian. We explain the context.
- We can not locate you, the trackers do not work. Where are you ?
- We will cross a road in 3 km according to our GPS tracks!
But Edvin's LED comes after 20 minutes. a huge relief! Where were you ? you made us very afraid !!! We put on ... Go!

From time to time we stop to follow the state of each, take a breath ... like a hug. Nobody speaks but you read in the looks: "We'll get there!"
The state of fatigue is such that I have several hallucinations. They do not disturb me because I knew it could happen. I stay focused on my track and play with the shapes of my mind.
I want to cross the line! We are here 15 km from the finish.

In front of us the last wall! We think of a hidden camera, a bad joke. We undergo this moment. The pleasure is no longer written on our faces. The bodies are empty of energy after more than 22 to 23 hours.
We arrive at the top of Geilo. the tracks are lit by this orange light. It gives one last momentum to follow the turns and finish this crazy experience.
Arrived here, you wonder how your body could endure such a thing.

We cross the finish line together! But I want to stay behind my comrades! In the ranking we will put in 3 on the place of 5 th! And you know the podium we do not care. Just finishing the FAT VIKING is enough!
We learn that 21 people have abandoned the test. 12 finished the Fatviking in 2019.
I would end up right behind Patrick Lamarre in 24 hours 18 minutes and 08 seconds this nameless challenge!

I wish everyone to have such an experience.
During the writing of this story some tears came to me, sometimes nice memories, sometimes insurmountable moments at the limit of the indescribable. The words and photos will not be able to share this experience. It's nice to see what extreme motivation can cause on the body and mind. To find the place of Man in his true context; nature.
One thing is certain: this is the beginning of a long adventure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xL62_ens8h4&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3MJsWBDq1aTO9X-sBozn4q1NDxot0KCSXzPEUseb6tYC-McJbbkcu6QSE

Thanks to life for this nice gift.
Thank you to my future wife Florence.
Thanks to Six Moon Design and Spirgrips for their support!
Thanks to Edjis Eihmani and his girlfriend Agatha for being present at the event. Thanks to Mikkel and Michael Anderson for being here. Thanks to Nina for all her advice, her support and this incredible track record. Thanks to Patrick Lamarre and Ima Su for their help and the small mechanical veins. Thank you to my family for supporting this for a year. Many discussions revolved around the Ultra marathon. My mom followed the 24 hours non stop! Thanks to Vestlia Resort, my place of work, which also made this dream possible; Ludvig Palmgren.

Thanks to Jorge Aun Netto who trusted me and finished the FATVIKING 100 from scratch!
Thank you to all my friends who followed the adventure closely!

Fat Viking 2019, by Matthieu LEROUX

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