Entries for the 2022 edition of the TCR opened in November 2021. Anyone wishing to race had to register their interest and pay a non-refundable £25 deposit, before filling in a full application which included a substantial quiz on practical matters related to ultra racing. I didn’t register at that point, as a week earlier I’d signed up for the Pan Celtic Race (PCR) which was due to take place in the same month.
In January I received an email from Lost Dot, the organisers of the TCR. The email stated they had a limited number of extra places available. I took a look at the logistics:
| Pan Celtic Race |
Start date: 10 July 2022. Finish location: Llandudno, Wales. |
| Transcontinental Race | Start date: 24 July 2022 Start location: Geraardsbergen, Belgium. |
The PCR has two route options - a full route, and a shorter route. Being a maximum value rider, I like to get value for money by squeezing everything I can out of these races. I’d taken the full route option when riding the previous two Pan Celtic races, and that’s what I’d signed up to race in 2022. However, that would probably not leave me with enough time to get from the finish to the start of the TCR. The shorter route at just over 1,000 miles would, and I’m sure if I got accepted to the TCR I would be able to switch my PCR entry to the shorter route option.
I bit the bullet and clicked on the button to apply, still a little doubtful I would get a place. The race is oversubscribed and for each rider that gets a place, there are two that don’t.
After a tantalising wait of several weeks I received an email saying that my Transcontinental application had been successful. It was one of those emails that have to be read twice to take in. I had mixed emotions. What had I let myself in for? Ultimately I was glad I’d been given the opportunity to ride in this beautifully tough race.
In the subsequent months, I switched my Pan Celtic entry to the shorter route, paid the fees (the entry fee for 2022 was £350), studied the race manuals, got race insurance, got a doctor’s certificate, had rabies jabs, and paid my deposit for the GPS tracker.
For more information on the PCR, visit: www.pancelticrace.com
For more information on the TCR, visit: www.transcontinental.cc