Follow the Race: Further Perseverance

August 29th sees the start of this year's edition of FURTHER.

The first in a pair of races this year takes riders deep into the Pyrenees. The race is named Perseverance, which is somewhat telling of the format of the race.

The race takes on a different approach to an ultra endurance race. Riders will start in Refuge de Ruhle, which is a hard-to-get-to mountain refuge deep in the mountains.

Riders will need to ride 9 sectors in total, navigating themselves between each sector. The time starts when riders leave Refuge de Ruhle, and stops when they get back, so the total distance is dictated by how prepared each rider is to conquer the tough terrain in the Pyrenees. 

 You can follow the race tracker and view the route here:

Riders to follow

Neil Phillips

Neil is no stranger to off-road racing through tough terrain. A two-time veteran of the Trans Continental Race (part of a winning pair with Timothy France), and is the winner of the inaugural Further East (the sister race hosted in the UK).

This year he has already set fastest known times on the West Kernow Way and the King Alfred's Way, and looks to be on amazing form to challenge the pointy end of this year's race.

Neil is a Restrap ambassador and his comprehensive feedback was key to the update of our Adventure Race Range earlier this year. 

India Landy

Another one of our ambassadors, India has ridden the Further race before and on the 2019 edition of the race pressed on through the mountains despite missing the time cut-off due to injury. India is a hardy rider, regularly pressing on at a pace when the ride gets tough. 

India came 2nd in last year's Pan Celtic Race and looks hungry for a great result in the race this year.

A little about the ethos of the race, from organiser Camille McMillan:

"Jon at Restrap has asked me to write this, an intro into what FURTHER is. For me, as the creator of FURTHER, I try to resist this. I have an inherent struggle with definition and being defined. I look for experimentation and change in my life, in everything I do. I wish FURTHER to be a 'place' where like minded people converge.

My inspiration is the outsiders, the people who looked like they just did not give a fuck, but actually gave everything. I like the outsiders, I like the loners and I still love the bike.

I don't want a cap with a number on it, a card with stamps telling me where I have been. I don't want to look like a roadie in a saveloy skin suit, or in an unspeakable MTB uniform. I want to find my own way, find other humans, push myself out of my comfort zone and find new pastures. I guess you could say FURTHER is Punk, but not that British Sex Pistols bollocks, that was just marketing to make a fashion label and flog 7 inch records to kids. I know because I was that kid, my first Album at 10 was 'Never mind the Bollocks'."