SLEEPLESS IN THE SADDLE

As ultra-racing's popularity grows, so do the risks some competitors are willing to take. Has the situation gone too far

- Adam Becket

In late summer, Lachlan Morton, EF Education-EasyPost’s road racer turned ultra-endurance rider, was asleep beneath the star-filled skies of rural Colorado, but he was also winning. His nap was happening during this year’s Tour Divide, a 4,298km epic ride from Banff, Canada, to the Mexican border in New Mexico, USA.

Unlike other riders in the ultra-race, or unlike Morton before, the 31-year-old made a point of stopping every night to sleep, spending six or seven hours off the bike a day. His sleeping proved key to victory as he completed the route in 12 days, 12 hours and 21 minutes – a frankly ludicrous pace. Sleep, sleep deprivation, and suffering is a big topic in the world of ultra-cycling.

The rewards can be records, success and acclaim, but the risks are accident, injury or worse. Should one push through, forge on, or rest often?

For Morton, the benefits of his strategy were clear. “That was a game changer for me,” he said. “In the end, I was able to sleep basically six hours every night – plus or minus an hour here and there. Normally, doing an ultra like this, you feel like you should always push more – this time, I had to stop for six hours, so during that time, I was very relaxed in organising my stuff and trying to be as efficient as I could so I could sleep more.”

As the discipline grows, becomes more popular, and athletes push their bodies further, perhaps it is time to consider how much is too much, and the dangers of things like sleep deprivation.

Not a sufferfest