Execution

Bad news: weather forecast said there wouldn’t be tailwinds for us. It’s very uncommon for this season and it happened to fall on the event day. It turned out that at some point, there would even be a 7km/h wind blowing against us and I had to join some groups for drafting. But on the bright side, the lack of north wind means that it would be dry and there would be no slippery, dirty road surfaces.

On Friday morning, I took the MRT to Hongshulin Station and cycled 20 km to Baishawan where only three businesses were open: a pub, a grocery store and a food stall selling sticky rice dumplings and escargots. They only exist because of those visitors to the beach during summer. The atmosphere is completely different in November. I felt so lonely and regretted that I had only a simple meal from 7-eleven in Hongshulin. I should have treated myself to a decent one before getting to this small settlement. 

Poor Choice of Hotel

I checked into a small hotel I booked a couple weeks ago. It was clean with a good view. But the mattress was too soft for me. There was no support at all and it left my body in a strange posture. I missed my own bed already. I took a shower and had a beer with some escargots and two sticky rice dumplings for “dinner”. Around 4:00 pm, I was ready to go to bed. I estimated that I would have had 6 hours of sleep before my alarm went off at 10:00 pm. But I was woken up by the arrival of a group of cyclists who checked in around 6:00 pm. Soundproofing of that building was so poor that whenever the elevator moved, there was a squeal followed by a knocking sound when it stopped, which made it impossible for me to fall back to sleep. Though being frustrated and angry, I forced myself to lay flat and keep my eyes shut and wait for the time to pass. It’s going to be a long day. Gotta conserve every drop of energy. I learnt, afterwards, that some would even take sleeping pills but I wouldn’t go that far.

9:50 pm, I could not do it any more. I jumped out of bed and ate 2 pieces of bread to top up the fuel in my body, also hoping to trigger some bowel movement soon enough so that it would save me the trouble of looking for toilets during the event.

Takeaways: I could have booked a better hotel where I had stayed years ago. But somehow that hotel had a lower priority on GoogleMaps so that it didn’t show up when I was searching for accommodation in the area. The map even showed that the hotel was closed after I explicitly searched for it. That’s why I ended up experimenting with a new one. But I saw other cyclists heading into it that day so it was probably still in business. Maybe the hotel did not own or update their Google Business Profile actively. So, it’s always a good practice to make a phone call to make sure.

Small homestays/hotels with less rooms should be better choices as there won’t be large groups of travellers making lots of noises. More homestays/hotels are available in Sanzhi District 三芝區 which is around 6 km to 8 km away from the starting point. 

Starting

It only took less than 5 minutes to cycle to Fuguijiao. There was a food truck selling sausages and sticky rice dumplings, one more chance to load up more fuel. At 22:30, there were already lots of participants waiting, most of them sitting in the big car park with their bikes. The big public toilet in the seafood market was open to the participants. No more administrative work required. We only needed to sign in by cycling through the starting gate with our number stickers on our helmets. It took a minute to deposit my backpack. 

There were more than 1500 participants queueing up behind the starting gate. Getting bored waiting, I chatted up a guy in his fifties who was also doing the challenge alone. Turned out it was his first time, too. Not even had he done the Taipei to Kaohsiung in One Day Challenge before. He finished work that day, asked his daughter to drive and send him to Fuguijiao, took a brief rest and had dinner, then here he was. 

The event started at 0:00 sharp. I saw the peloton unzipping itself and feeding through the starting gate. When it was my turn, it was more than a minute later. It was rather packed and we occupied a whole lane of the road. 

We were supposed to follow the traffic lights. But there was really no good reason to stop for the light at those small junctions at a time like this. So, everyone just proceeded after making sure it was safe to go. At some important junctions, there were traffic controllers to guide the participants. 

After passing Guandu bridge (27km), the peloton stretched much thinner and I was able to cycle at my own pace. I stopped to buy a bottle of water at the first convenience store after Guandu bridge. A couple passing by were surprised to see so many bikes in the small hours and asked me where we were going. I proudly said “Eluanbi Lighthouse” and then moved on, probably leaving them even more surprised/confused. 

The wind was not particularly favourable to us but it was a nice ride on the west coast. In less than 3 hours, I had covered 85km and reached my first supply stop at Yongan Fishing Harbour. There were big boxes of energy gels stacked up in the convenience store. I ate two onigiris and one pack of energy gels, maybe a bit too much and too quickly. My stomach gave me a warning nudge with a reflex, almost creating a reflux. OK ok. Next time, I would be gentler.

After taking a break and refueled, I was feeling refreshed and energized. I found myself overtaking a fleet slowly. But I soon realized the leader was cycling at a very steady pace, so I decided to tag along for drafting. Their pace was just right for me! For courtesy, I did not follow them too closely, leaving more than one bike’s length in front of me. But it was such a wonderful 20km ride. At the first official checkpoint in Hsinchu (107km), they stopped and I carried on. Then I saw them in front of me again as they had overtaken me when I was looking for a toilet. How lucky I was! I tagged along with the group again.

I made it to my 3rd supply stop (148km) in Baishatun at 5:20 a.m., more than 1.5 hours earlier than planned. The group carried on and I stopped for a break. To be honest, I had almost worn myself out trying to keep up with them. I checked my iPhone and found that the battery was still 70% full. I had put it into Low Power Mode and only used it to play some music. The energy level of my first light also looked good. The sun would be rising soon. I was glad that I had decided not to bring two power banks with me.

I set a timer for 15 minutes and sat on the ground for a break with my eyes closed. Then, I was ready to go again.

A punctured tyre, and more

At 6:15 a.m. I bumped into a pothole with very sharp edges. My rear wheel was flat. It must be a pinch cut. But no worries. I made good progress so far and I had a spare tire and a hand pump for occasions like this. Staying cool, I took a bite of some snacks and used 14 minutes to replace the tyre (I took pictures to keep time record). I did not want to spend too much time and effort on pumping. So, I started cycling after putting a decent amount of air into the tire. My average speed was well above the required 22 km/h for finishing the challenge in 24 hours and I wanted to keep it that way.

So, I borrowed a floor pump from a supporting car to make sure the tyre pressure was high enough. It was only 60 PSI. In order to make sure the pinch flat wouldn’t happen again, I pumped it up to 100 PSI, 20 higher than what I usually use.

As I entered the west fringe of Taichung city, there were lots of traffic lights with very long countdowns. My average speed was dropping to a low 23km/h. Then, the rear tire went flat again at 8:15 a.m. Shit! Did I do anything wrong when I fixed the tyre? I still had inner tube patches and I could fix a puncture. But if it was a pinch cut again, those wouldn’t work. Besides, it would add 15 minutes or more to patch the tyre. So I tried my luck by calling up a friend who was providing support to a participating team. He had told me he could help if needed as long as it did not interfere with his operation. He happened to be only 2km away from me and he would give me two more spare tyres. 

We agreed to meet midway while he cycled towards me and I walked my bike towards him. Some truck driver saw me and offered to bring me to a nearby support station but I politely declined, believing I would be seeing my friend soon. But then we realized we were both heading in the wrong direction and away from each other! My rear tyre started to come off from the rim as it was rolling on the surface full of dirt. It got more and more difficult to push my bike forward. That’s when a man on a scooter with all kinds of bicycle supplies and tools saw me and stopped to ask about my problem. He was there to provide support to his friends. He gave me two inner tubes and ended up staying with me to fix the tyre. He refused to take any money from me. 

It was a puncture that caused the flat. We found the sharp object and removed it from the tyre. It was pure bad luck, not that I had done it wrongly the previous time.

Try to catch up, but…

I had lost count of how much time it took us to fix this problem. I realised that my average speed had dropped to around 21km/h. I tried to make up for the time lost but my lower back got so stiff just like flying with economy class on a long haul flight. I needed to stop to take more breaks. It seldom happened to me when I was on this bike. 

I also found that my favourite energy gels were sold out in convenience stores. Only chocolates, cakes and breads were available. I stopped at a busy one for supplies. There were so many bikes that I had to lay mine down on the roadside. Just when I was ready to pick it up and continue my ride, I heard gas leaking. No way! It’s my bike again! The rear went leaking again after 45km.

Well well well, no worries. The situation was far better than the previous time. I had two spare inner tubes (one from the man on scooter and one from my friend). Also there was a pop-up stall selling bike supplies and tools right beside the convenience store, from which I bought another inner tube because it was sold in a box. It gave me a bit more faith. The staff of that stall also let me use their floor pumps. Should it be necessary, I could even get new tyres from them. At this point, mine looked suspicious.

I removed the inner tube and inspected it. The wheel was warm under the sun. The inner tube had a small hole facing the rim. It was neither a puncture nor a pinch. I concluded that it’s not my tyre that had caused the leaking. I decided to keep using it, partly as a proof of my reasoning capability and my sanity under this woeful situation. I was not defeated yet.

From my past experience, when we have a hole like this, it means the rim tape is getting too old. But there was no rim stripe nor spoke hole on this wheel. I thought there must be something wrong with the rim surface and I had a rim stripe with me. So, I put it on the rim and installed the inner-tube-sold-in-box. I pumped it to slightly over 100psi. Worked just fine. 

 (When I told Chengnon about this afterwards, he said it was the tube that was defective.)

When I was ready to go again, I checked my Garmin and found my average speed dropped to 19km/h, well below my target speed of 21.25km/h in order to reach Eluanbi Lighthouse by 0:00. My legs were still working fine although they felt weaker. My feet had swelled up but they were okay after I released the buckle to the extent that my feet could slip out from the shoes easily. I was glad I had bought a pair of oversized shoes. 

Then, I realized I could ride at a speed of 30km/h more easily. There were dry leaves rolling alongside me on the road. Yes! The wind had changed. Now it was in my favour. My average speed climbed slowly to 19.4km/h. But the stiffness on my lower back had evolved into unbearable pain. I found myself putting more weight on my hands and my shoulders were tense. I had to stop more frequently to stretch. Ah… the tyre pressure was probably too high as it’s 25% higher than usual. It might have absorbed less shaking and rattling, which had been putting pressure on my spine since the first puncture. But I was hesitant to release some air because I did not have a gauge and I did not want any more flat tire.

I had covered 300km. It was clear that I wouldn’t be able to finish within 24 hours. A part of me missed my comfortable bed back home while the other part was trying to convince myself to keep going. The game was still on. I was making progress despite all those setbacks. It would soon be 400km and I would be counting down from the last 100km to reach the finish line. I took some painkillers for my lower back pain, though not quite helpful. I decided to treat myself to a longer break with some real food when I reached Tainan city. 

Time to decide

The route was flat, the road surface was nice and the wind was in my direction. I managed to overtake some other participants. My cadence sensor went offline and the music from my earphones stopped. When I reached Tainan city centre, it was totally dark and the effect of lack of sleep kicked in. Or perhaps the effect of the painkillers too. My mind started to go blank from time to time. I bought instant noodles and coffee at the first 7-Eleven I saw. And then I found my iPhone was off. The battery had drained much sooner than I expected. This was the last draw. Technically I did not need my iPhone to keep cycling. I had my Garmin for navigation. My first light was still showing no sign of low battery and the second light was untouched. There was still some juice in the powerbank. But my will power was hit hard by yet another unexpected situation. 

I could still push myself forward. If I arrived at Eluanbi Lighthouse by 6:00 a.m. the next day, there would be a nice hotel room waiting for me.

But then the pain on my lower back was getting excruciating. I would have to stop more frequently and rest longer. The time I stayed on the bike would get shorter. It would be harder and harder to estimate my arrival time. In case I arrived late, I was not quite sure where to collect the hotel room key. My backpack and bike bag would be shipped back to my home the next day. Without a bike bag, I would not be able to board the bus with my bike… More importantly, beyond Kaohsiung, there would be no escape route and I would have to keep going until I reached Eluanbi Lighthouse or turned around. I was feeling a little bit dizzy and sleepy already. The risk of falling off the bike was not nonexistent. If only I had subscribed to my friend’s supporting team! I could have supporting vehicles waiting for me and bringing me to the hotel in case I exhausted myself before reaching the finishing line.

The Tainan Train station was 15km from me. It was still open. I could cycle there, drop my bike at the luggage room for shipping back to Taipei, then board the next train to Tainan HSR station for a 2 hour ride home. The next exit option would be Kaohsiung. But I wasn’t sure if I could make it there before 8:00 pm when the luggage room closed for the day. So, I decided to retire from the challenge in Tainan City. By 10:00 pm, I was home for a good shower and hugs with my wife and kids.

As to the guy I chatted up at the starting line, I happened to have his sticker number in one of my photos. The record showed that he finished in 22 hours 26 minutes. Bravo!

Self Evaluation:

The main reason why I could not continue with the challenge is my lower back pain. Here are some factors I think may have contributed to the problem.

Wrong mattress. My lower back, shoulders and neck would get stiff after sleeping on a soft mattress. This is what I found in that small hotel I had stayed. It may not be a major issue in other circumstances, but for a day with more than 20 hours’ ride on a bike, the issue is bound to be magnified. 

Tyre pressure. I had increased my tyre pressure quite significantly since the first pinch flat. A tyre with high pressure will transfer more rattle and shaking from the road surface to my body, my spine particularly in the case of a rear tire. In fact, right before big events, one should not experiment with new settings, including positions of the cleats or saddle.

Lack of long distance training. I finished the Taipei to Kaohsiung Challenge in 2020 without any issues like this time. But I was using an Audax Hercules back then, which was made for long distance cycling. This year I was doing it on a bike with more aggressive geometry. I should have done at least one long distance training and observed the reaction of my body. All those pains and discomfort can be avoided with proper posture. You can refer to this post from Sheldonbrown.com for more details.

Ineffective painkillers. And I suspected that they had also contributed to my dizziness when I was reaching Tainan.. 

Unfamiliar route. I had not prepared for the last 100km from Kaohsiung to Kenting. I thought it was just another 100km along the route. But it turned out that this had undermined my confidence and willpower quite significantly especially during stress events.

Lack of food varieties. I was planning to sustain myself by drinking energy gels because it’s easy to swallow and digest, so that I could spend less time on eating and more time on cycling. But this proved to be harder and less fun than I thought. I regarded the breaks more like an obligation than a chance to relax, both for my mind and muscles. This had backfired. It’s a long challenge. We should reward our mind and body from time to time. The taste of real food would definitely boost morale, even if it’s just a bowl of instant noodle.

Lack of support. Being an introvert, I did enjoy cycling alone. But for an event like this, the importance of mutual support from teammates and the aids from supporting cars could not be overlooked. I believe my unfortunate experience in the Execution Section has made this clear. 

So, that’s it. I hope you are going to enjoy the “One Day Two Towers” Challenge and finish it in time.

The “Two Towers in One Day” Challenge 一日雙塔 is another popular cycling event in Taiwan held early November each year. In this event, participants need to start cycling from the northern tip of the island of Taiwan to its southern tip to cover a total of 520km within 28 hours. Two lighthouses, Fuguijiao Lighthouse and Eluanbi Lighthouse, mark the starting point and finishing point respectively, hence the name “Two Towers in One Day”.

Those who would like to try a less challenging one can instead sign up for the “Taipei to Kaohsiung in One Day” Challenge 一日北高, which will be held on the same day and cover 360km in 20 hours.

After completing the “Taipei to Kaohsiung in One Day” Challenge in 2020, I decided to take up the “Two Towers in One Day” Challenge in 2021. Unfortunately I could not make it to the finish line this time. In this post is some experience I would like to share. Please refer to this post for more information about Support, Rules and Administration.

My Plan and Strategy

28 hours is a very long stretch of time and I doubt I would be able to stay awake and keep cycling. So I had aimed to finish it in 24 hours. I believed I would be able to stay sharp and focused for that long if I had enough sleep beforehand. With this target in mind, I would need to achieve an overall average speed of 21.66km/h. To allow 4 hours for breaks, my average moving speed would need to be around 26km/h. This looked reasonable, given that there should be prevailing wind coming from the north east in the winter that would give us a push.

I used to mistake the impact of lack of fuel as tiredness when my legs went soft after cycling for around 2 hours. Then I learned from my experience last year during the “Taipei to Kaohsiung” Challenge that our legs never get tired and all I need is fuel. As long as we keep fueling our muscles by taking in carbohydrates, our legs will keep pedalling. Along the route of the “Two Towers” Challenge, there are numerous convenience stores where we can find all kinds of carbohydrates, including my favourite energy gels. Their locations are marked on the GoogleMaps in the next section of this post. Since supplies are very easy to get, I decided not to join any teams nor hire any supporting vehicles.

The Challenge starts at 00:00 Saturday (midnight). I took a day-off on Friday, booked a hotel around 2km away from the starting point with the hope to get as much sleep as possible right before the event. Participants could drop their night pack with the organizer at the starting point and it would be sent to the finishing line for collection when the participants arrive. The organizer could also help book a hotel room right next to the finish line if needed. This is what I had opted for. I could take a good rest when I finished. For the return trip, there are coaches bound for Kaohsiung HSR station. I could bag my bike, hop on one of the coaches and then take the HSR back to Taipei.

Contingency Plan: In case I needed to retire early from the Challenge, there are numerous train stations along the route. Some train stations would take my bike and send it back to Taipei for me to collect later. I could then travel like an ordinary passenger (though with filthy cycling outfits). There are also some coach stops. The tricky part is between Kaohsiung and Kenting. The population is sparser further down south and there won’t be much public transportation available in between. 

The Route

The organizer suggests a route (shown in blue on Google Maps) but we are not obliged to use it. We just need to pass the four checkpoints and reach the destination within respective time limits. I had done some research and modified the route (shown in green on Google Maps) a little bit to avoid a climb (100 metres of elevation) at Houlong Township (後龍鎮) and the traffic lights in Budai Township (布袋鎮) and Kaohsiung. The segment in Taichung also has quite a few long traffic lights but I have yet to see any tips on how to bypass it.

The checkpoints and those convenience stores close to the route are marked on this map for your easy reference.

Equipments and Accessories

Bike

I used a Rikulau Master 325Ti with a 11-28T, 11-speed cassette and a compact chainring (50/34T). With a narrower range of teeth numbers (instead of 11-32/34T), the 11 steps between the gears are smaller, which is easier to get an optimal gear ratio for my tired muscles to work with approaching the end of the Challenge. 

The frame is made of Titanium alloy with 3% of Aluminum and 2.5% of Vanadium, hence the name 325Ti. Although 325Ti is considered to be less stiff than a 64Ti (6% Aluminum and 4% Vanadium), I was surprised to find it much stiffer than I had expected on my first ride. It is so light and stiff that the 28-tooth cog is enough to handle all of the climbing I usually do. I have no problem climbing with my friends who use big cogs with 32 or 34 teeth on their cassettes. This bike has boosted my confidence.

A short chat with Chengnon Hsu, co-founder of Rikulau, gave me a better idea about how they achieved such an efficient bike. The titanium tubes were shaped by hydroforming to make them structurally stiff, strong and lightweight. Instead of being built with a simple round top tube and down tube, the Master 325Ti was built with round hexagonal tubes swaged to match the size and shape of the head tube and the bottom bracket shell for broader structural support. 

Lights

Lights are vitally important. There are segments with no street lamps at all and there are about 18 hours in which we need to cycle in the dark. One of my friends lent me a powerful one with 1600 lumen. I did not need such a bright light but it comes with a big big battery, which proved to be a huge benefit. During the event, I only set it to half its brightness and it went on for 6 straight hours, showing no signs of exhaustion. It could probably last through the second night if I had continued with the Challenge. 

Pedals

I used Shimano SPD pedals (generally used on mountain bikes) because the cleats for these pedals are recessed into the shoe soles so that I can walk in them normally. I did not want to pack an extra pair of shoes for the return trip. Also, in case I could not ride on my bike, I could still walk.

Navigation

The route is rather straightforward but it would be a waste of time and effort if I miss a turn. So I loaded the route into my Garmin Edge 530. Smartphones could do the job but they consume much more power and are vulnerable to rain and rattles.

Water Proofing

It is likely to rain in winter in northern Taiwan. I have no problem cycling in the rain except I really hate it when my shoes are soaked. So I have got these velo Toze cycling shoe covers. They remind me of those latex swimming caps. It is really difficult to put them on but totally worth the trouble. I tested in the rain for more than an hour. My socks and shoes were as dry as they should be. 

Electronic devices were sealed in water tight bags in case it rained.

Repair Kits

I packed a spare inner tube, tyre patches, a tyre boot, a hand pump, a chain tool and a quick link, a multi-tool, a rim stripe. I did not pack CO2 canisters and a second inner tube because the chance of getting flat tires was not high. One insurance policy should be enough (which proved to be not quite enough).

Training

In the few weeks before the event, I cycled more than 35 km every morning on weekdays. I had also done some long distance training when I was preparing for the “Taipei to Kaohsiung” Challenge (Ahem… last year). I believe it should be enough for me to complete the challenge. 

Execution

In order to make sure I have a quiet place to sleep in the afternoon before the event, and also to welcome me at the finish line, Lois brought the kids to a resort in Kaohsiung in the morning of the event. I was left alone at home to prepare for the event. There had been a typhoon near the southern part of Taiwan but it left just in time. The event went on as planned. I had a big lunch to load up more calories before putting myself to sleep. Perfect! So I thought.

Unfortunately, I was met with an unexpected issue. I woke up in the evening with a weird feeling in my stomach. My digestive tract must have shut down when I was asleep. It didn’t get a chance to deal with the food I ate and now the food was frozen up inside! Oh… I should not have eaten such a big meal before sleeping.

I cycled 35km to the starting point from home. As I was approaching the gathering point, the convenience stores were getting more crowded. The weather was so fine and my stomach started to wake up. I stopped at a convenience store and ate microwave noodles to encourage my bowel movement. But instead I made it worse. My stomach froze up again. Well, anyway, now I had a full load of food inside my digestive tract. I wouldn’t need to stop to eat. 

There were coaches and vans unloading bikes everywhere near the gathering point. Some of the participants were actually from Kaohsiung or the southern part of the island. They had already spent hours in the coaches just to get there. It must be harder for them as they had a much longer day on the road. 

When it was about time, I pushed my bike to the starting line. There was already a long queue building up, occupying a traffic lane. But the crowd was quiet and orderly. There was no need to fight for any specific positions as individuals’ records would be taken when we passed the gates.

The race started finally! The whole fleet moved forward slowly feeding into the starting gate. When it’s my turn to go through the gate, I heard through the PA system lots of beeping sounds and the organiser’s repeated announcements about the latest weather conditions. Then we were free to set our own pace as the road before us became wider. It was fun to have so many people doing something together. I took it easy, kept my effort constant and managed to keep up with my friends at the first stop, Yongan Fishing Harbour, at 50km. I had a full load of energy bars and energy gels in my bags but I did not eat much because I wanted to take this opportunity to burn some fat. And in any case, my digestive tract had not been moving.  
At 100km, the 2nd stop Baishatun Gontian Temple, I could hardly keep up with my friends. I arrived just when they had taken a good rest and were about to leave. My average speed was 23km/hour. It was acceptable. But I was on my own from that moment onward.

My energy level started to plunge and the typhoon, as it was heading west leaving the island, had driven the air to the opposite direction, making the wind blow against us on the southern part of the island. It took me longer and longer to reach my target speed again after each pause in front of the traffic lights. When I was about to cross a long bridge, a fellow cyclist, while catching up from behind, shouted to me telling me to follow tight with the group ahead to save some effort. But it was too late. The wind had nipped me away from the group. I had to press on against the wind all by myself on the bridge.

Here is the link for the latest forecast

Then I tried to follow those groups in double pace line. They were moving steadily ahead like a locomotive and radiating a spirit of determination. I could save myself some energy from the wind by joining them. But they were moving at a much faster pace than I could manage so I kept dropping off. I tucked myself in the wind shadows of some solo riders who were cycling slightly faster than I did. The benefit and help was noticeable. The resistance from my pedals was lower so that I could switch my gear one stop higher. I could pedal in a lower cadence with less effort. I kept scanning for other riders with speeds that suit me better, rather like a parasite jumping from rider to rider. But I felt no shame at all. I had seen others using their support vans to push away the wind for them at the front. After the challenge, I learned that not only the riders at the back could save energy as high as 30%, the riders being followed could also save 10% of power. I am glad I reciprocated their favor. 

It began to rain. I did not bother to put on my rain jacket. It’s good to take away some heat from me. A driver in a support van at the traffic light rolled down his window and offered to give me a disposable poncho. 

A friend of mine was running a supply stall as a way to promote their cycling App, Velodash. She invited me to get some food or drink when I was there. I asked nicely for a banana from a group of people sitting next to their banner. They enthusiastically offered everything they had. Then I realized I had mistaken them as the staff of my friend. They were actually just there to support their own friends. But they were so ready to help, like most people in Taiwan, who are always kind and generous. 

I was not worried about my progress as my meter showed an average speed well above 23km/h. Then at around 15:00, I texted Lois to tell her about my progress. I had completed 263km already and with 97km more to go. It’s down to a two-digit figure now! But wait a minute! That meant my average speed for the 263km was only 17.3km/h instead of 23km/h! If I were to finish the whole trip within 20 hours, my average speed had to be well above 18km/h. I was misled by my meter. It was the Average Moving Speed. The timer would stop when I was not moving! 

Just when I realized that I had to speed up, something magical happened: bowel movements. I discarded some significant weight of burden in the toilet and my body was more willing to take in energy bars and energy gels! I started to follow the experienced riders’ advice: eat before feeling powerless, at least once an hour.  

I had packed lots of Snickers because of their high energy concentration of weight and volume. Each bar has 220kcal of energy, weighing only 47 grams. In case all the food was sold out or there were long queues in the convenience stores, I would still have enough kcal available with me. I could tear open the bag and eat it while I was cycling. Though it has to go down with lots of water, drinking water is easier to get. These are the upsides I found during the training sessions. But there are downsides. I almost choked on it when I was in a rush to finish it in front of a traffic light. And there are 10 grams of fats, corresponding to 90kcal, in each bar. I have a copious amount of fat in my body. If I wanted to burn my own fats, I should just eat pure carbohydrates, which are also essential to boost muscle power output. 

There was no shortage of food as I was told by one of my friends who had participated in this event years ago. The convenience stores along the route are getting smarter. They knew that there would be lots of cyclists looking for supplies during the event. So they would load up much more food and energy gels in their shelves and storage. The only thing in short supply is toilets. The queue for toilets in the gas stations and temples were always shorter. They were very generous in letting the participants use their toilets.

To my surprise, my legs were working afresh after I adopted this energy intake strategy. My speed was picking up and my legs never felt tired. Actually, they had not been tired the whole time. I had mistaken the feeling of lack of fuel as tiredness. It got dark but the rain stopped. I was cruising powerfully. No more wind shadow chasing. Instead, I was aiming at overtaking the others. I had the idea of taking a short break but shook it off my head. I knew there would be many traffic lights inside the Kaohsiung city before I reached the finishing line. I did not want to risk having the finish gate closed in front of Lois and my kids. 

Finally, I made it to the finishing line at 19:50, 10 minutes before the cut off time of 20:00. 

Along the way, I saw quite a number of bikes pulling over upside down, probably with flat tires. Lucky me! I had puncture resistant tyres. If there were any flat tyres, I probably would not make it in time. My Apple watch showed that my active calorie burned that day was 8319 CAL. I burned at least 415CAL per hour. So, It’s really important to keep eating to refuel the body.

After finishing the challenge, my friends took the HSR back to Taipei right away. I went to the resort with my family for a good night’s sleep and a family day in Kaohsiung before returning to Taipei. For those who still want to cycle after finishing the challenge, how about heading to the east coast and completing the around the island? You have done half way anyway.

Routes:

This is a suggested route by the organizer. Participants can plot their own routes as long as they passed the gates/checkpoints.

• Garmin: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/79230829
• Velodash: https://client.app.velodash.co/route/viewer/246ae1b0-20d5-11ec-9b9b-bf4d2ffa0a3d
• komoot: https://www.komoot.com/tour/1214935970

NOTE: To use the routes, please install the App on your smartphone. The App will launch and load the route automatically after you tap the above links on your smartphone’s browser. For Garmin Connect, you can then use the APP to send the route to your garmin device. If your Garmin device is not purchased in Taiwan, you will also need make sure you have the Taiwan map on your device. Here is our blog post on this topic.

The “Taipei to Kaohsiung in One Day” Challenge 一日北高 is one of the most popular cycling events in Taiwan, organised by Taiwan Bike Association 台灣自行車協會 and held every November. In order to be awarded the certificate of completion, participants need to cycle from Taipei to Kaohsiung along the west coast within 20 hours. The total distance is around 360 km. There is actually another more advanced challenge held at the same time and along the same route, the “Two Towers in One Day” Challenge 一日雙塔,  which starts at the island’s northernmost lighthouse Fuguijiao Lighthouse and ends at the southernmost lighthouse Eluanbi Lighthouse, making it a 520 km route instead. To get the certificate of completion, you have to complete the route within 28 hours. These two Challenges are so popular that on average there are more than 3,000 participants signing up for the events every year. I was one of them in 2020. It was such a wonderful experience! I have learned a lot and I would like to share with you in this post.

Rules and Administration

Participants can usually sign up and pay for the event online from 1 January to 30 June via the organizer’s website. Participant’s pack will be distributed 2 weeks before the event commences. A sticker with an IC chip will need to be stuck onto the helmet for the sensors at the starting point and finish line to mark your time. There are also 3 gates/checkpoints en route which the participants will have to pass by a certain time. As the roads won’t be closed for the event, participants will need to follow traffic rules like other normal road users. But there will be voluntary helpers stationed at important junctions to direct traffic.  A suggested route in GPS format is also available for download. 

Supports

The organiser provides essential support only, which includes transferring a small backpack for each participant from the starting point to the finishing point. No food nor drinks are served at checkpoints so you will have to prepare for your own. In case of emergency, participants can reach out to an emergency hotline for help. But everyone is responsible for arranging their own transportation home.

The organizer recommends participating in groups so that it will become more affordable to hire support vehicles to provide services like supplies, repair and maintenance, luggage transportation, charging of phones and navigation devices, and the return trip home.

But for a free soul like me, I prefer doing it at my own pace. I can get my own supplies from the convenience stores and small shops in the towns along the route. I am also able to fix any small issues with my bike if needed.

Bike 

Bikes used in this event were predominantly road bikes but there were also folding bikes like Bromptons. I think as long as your bike is comfortable for long rides, properly fitted and has enough gear ratio, it would be fine. 

For me, I picked an Audax Hercules, a flat bar road bike from Rikulau specifically designed for long distance cycling. It is one of the most popular models in our rental fleet for multi-day rides. I could ride in a more relaxed posture on this bike for the long journey. And I wouldn’t need a drop bar for the benefit of aerodynamics as there would be prevailing winds from the north east to give me a push. 

I supposed weight is not that important for this event as the route is mostly flat. Therefore I had packed everything I needed on the bike. 

Accessories

Lights were paramount. The event started at midnight and when we arrived at Kaohsiung, it would be dark again. We would need to cycle in the dark for more than 10 hours. The roads on the west coast are not well lit. Potholes and stones can ruin your bike or throw you off balance if you ride over them unexpectedly in the dark. I have a friend who crashed because of a small piece of stone when she was doing night training on that route. A big bright front light can provide you with better vision and help you go faster and safer. For safety’s sake, participants of the event are also required to wear reflective stripe vest when it’s dark.

November is the wet season so you should prepare to cycle in the rain. Your spare clothes and electronic devices should be kept in watertight bags.

My other advice is to load up your Easy Card for quicker transactions in the convenience stores. You may also keep some small change in hand so that you can buy water from those betel nut booths if needed. They can be found in the middle of nowhere and they have long opening hours, too.

Training

My goal was just to finish it within the required time. I didn’t think I needed any extra training as I had been cycling regularly and would cycle once or twice a month for routes more than 70km with elevation gain of 800 metres or so. The route of this challenge is rather flat with a short climb of 100 metres elevation gain. It shouldn’t be too difficult. Nonetheless, I did do 3 training rides on this route with my friends to see how my body would react to long rides. I had cycled from Taipei to Lukang (180km) twice, the first one during daytime to familiarize myself with the route and the second one at night just to simulate what I would need to do in the event. Then I did the second half from Taichung to Kaohsiung (200km) just to find out what to expect from the route.

I was totally fine during those training rides except that my forefeet hurt a little bit after pedalling for numerous times. I expected that it should be easier in the event with the help of the wind in November. However, the full effect of cycling 360 km in one go was yet to be discovered. 

After these three training sessions, I started to formulate a strategy. If my average speed was 25km/h, I would be able to cover 360km in 14.4 hours. I would then have 5.6 hours (20 – 14.4) for breaks and meals, which seemed to be quite sufficient. Even if I did it at a slower pace like 22km/h, I would still be able to cover the whole route in 16.4 hours with 3.6 hours to spare. So, I just needed to keep my speed well above 25km/h. And if It’s too hard for some parts, 22km/h was also good enough. Just take it easy lest I drive myself too hard and get hurt, this was what I had believed at the time. I would also need to keep myself awake for 20 hours. My strategy was to take a day off right before the event. I would start sleeping after lunch and then get up at 21:00 to start going to the starting point. For my friends, they planned to do it as fast as they could the first half when they still had the tail wind and then see what would happen.