what it means to be an ultra off road endurance cyclist

Angus Young - New Forest

Angus Young has, over the past decade, developed a deep connection with the New Forest. While it may not offer the same sense of wilderness or remoteness as some of the UK’s larger national parks, it has become something of a sanctuary for him a place to retreat and reset.

As of this year, having taken the step into life as a full-time athlete, Angus now calls the area home. Its network of endless gravel tracks and low-speed roads makes it a rare find in England particularly suited to the demands of endurance training. With a weekly training volume of around 30 hours, having a place where he can log miles uninterrupted isn’t just a preference; it’s essential.

All sport has some element of mental load to it and endurance sports more so than others. Ultra-cycling pushes ones mind to a point where it can be in the brink of collapse so successful ultracyclist have to have an intrinsic motivation to push themselves. They have to enjoy what they are doing, not merely the act of crossing the finish line or the Kudos on the Strava post. This ethos has to extend beyond race day to the training and preparation. If you don’t enjoy your training then you simply won’t be able to get the most out of it so living somewhere like the Forest helps things a little.

Unlike many places in England the New Forest Gravel is fast and flowing and average speeds are high. Nothing is overly technical but high speed gravel cornering is a different skill to both riding on the road and an MTB track and only improves with practice.

It is mostly forgiving if you stick to the main tracks but it is easy to end up at a dead end in a bog or gorse bush. These are the bits that people often struggle mentally with, they might not be used to having to get off and walk along a flat stretch or down a hill but it is something that experienced ultracyclists don’t bat an eyelid to.

One of the keys to success is finding flow where others cannot, whether that be through changing terrain, stopping at gates every few minutes in some sections or getting off and walking. The whole purpose is to keep moving at a steady rate and treat it all as one long effort instead of allowing small things to break it into a stochastic effort. The same can be said for fueling; success comes from looking at your nutrition holistically, building your diet around supporting your training and fueling hard when it counts. Often people don't realise that they are massively underfuelling their race efforts. One of the reasons I love the ARC Cargo Bib Shorts is the huge capacity for extra food storage in the leg and back pockets. I’ve become so accustomed to having these pockets that I now find it odd riding without them.

One thing that I have learned in my past 8 years ultra racing is that you can never predict how the conditions are going to change on any ride but you can prepare for it with the SS26 ARC Collection. Keeping as dry as possible for as long as possible is half of the battle so I often sacrifice a bit of weight and opt for the ARC Lightweight Rain Jacket instead of the Pro Lightweight Rain Jacket - as the hood can help shut out any of the bad weather. That being said, there is some rain that no waterproof is ever going to keep you dry forever so a key bit of clothing for me is the Pro Insulated Jacket. Its light enough to fit in a jersey pocket of frame bag but unbelievably warm even when soaked through.

what keeps you coming back?

Ultra racing has given me some of my best memories, it allows me to see the world through a multitude of different lenses. Whether that’s riding through a city in the middle of the night, a sunset over the mountains or simply sitting down next to a petrol station bin eating a pint of icecream its rarely glamorous but these are experiences that will stay with me for life.

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