The hard miles have been done, the main event is next. On 29 May, riders from the innovative 3R vEveresting Academy will look to complete their mission by completing the vEveresting Challenge.
What this translates as is climbing 8,848.86 vertical meters, in one day. This equates to 8.5 times up the Alpe du Zwift. In terms of time, you will not get much change out of 12 hours. This event is epic and for many, this will be the longest time spent on an indoor trainer (and probably their bike) in one sitting.
About the Academy
The 3R Everesting Academy commenced in March and consisted of 12 weeks of structured training rides, which have built in intensity. I was fortunate to join them on their first training ride, and subsequently caught up with them to see how training was progressing, at which point I was inspired by their goal of raising money for the World Bicycle Relief charity. So signed up to undertake the challenge! In addition, I was impressed by the Academy’s structured training approach and the group camaraderie that had quickly developed. It was energising to be part of a group which had clear objectives:
- Complete the vEveresting Challenge
- Raise funds for the World Bicycle Relief Charity
To achieve the second objective, the Academy has set up a Team page on the World Bicycle Relief website where those riders who are participating can receive sponsorship. So if you feel like helping but can not participate in the event, then support the riders by donating.
About the day
There are going to be multiple groups of riders setting out six hours apart. Some riders are also setting off outside of the proposed start times to ensure that they can fit the challenge into their available time window.
One group will start at 8am CEST, in the 3R Mountain Madness event led by George Parker-Fuller. George heads up the “Raise” part of 3R (Ride, Raise, Race) and is the one responsible for organising the event. He has previously completed a vEveresting and set up the Academy as a way of sharing his experience and leveraging the Zwift community to raise money for WBR.
The team will be joined by the fresh recruits some 6 hours later as the second group sets off. Everyone is free to ride at their own pace, but the likelihood is that the expedition will ultimately be undertaken in small groups, as everyone settles into their natural climbing rhythm and finds riders who are of similar, steady pace. The emphasis being a steady and consistent effort, probably in the region of 2.5-3 w/kg.
Everyone is going to deploy their own tactics to tackle the challenge. Some may decide to do two reps and have a rest after each set, others may opt for breaking it into three. Much will depend on how you feel.
It is important to note that some are targeting a “Basecamp”, which is only 4.5 reps up the mountain. So if you want to get involved, but think that 8.5 ascents is too much, there is the opportunity to go for a Basecamp. This is a recognised achieved by the Hells 500 Cycle Club who are also the custodians of the Everesting Hall of Fame.
About World Bicycle Relief Charity
The origins of World Bicycle Relief make for fascinating reading. It was founded in 2005 by F.K. Day and Leah Missbach Day in response to the Indian Ocean tsunami.
F.K was a founder of SRAM Corporation and Leah a documentary photographer. Leah highlighted the devastation of those affected by the tsunami and with support from SRAM and other industry leaders, F.K. and Leah launched World Bicycle Relief to provide bicycles for those in need.
The Buffalo bike is their signature bike and has been designed tough and durable to meet the needs of people in rural regions of developing countries.
In Sri Lanka, they distributed more than 24,000 bicycles to displaced survivors, providing access to education, healthcare, and livelihoods while reconnecting entire communities. 15 years later, more than 150 staff across 13 countries are changing lives with bikes.
Summing up
Come join us on Saturday 29 May in our quest to complete the vEverest Challenge and help us raise funds for the World Bicycle Relief Charity!
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