Hope 1000 Race 2020

The Hope 1000 is a self-supported mountain bike race that begins in Romanshorn on Lake Constance and ends at the statue of Freddie Mercury in Montreux on Lake Geneva. It spans 1,000 kilometers across Switzerland with nearly 31,000 meters of climbing. The race mostly follows singletracks through meadows, crystal clear lakes, and abbeys, with courtyards, and of course, some stunning views. This event was on my radar for a while, and I challenged myself to complete it three years ago. It’s the deepest I have ever gone on my bike.I went back to the drawing board with this one, as this was my very first race. I did a lot of online reading into race preparation, weather predictions, checking out the terrain throughout the course, and the type of kit that I would need to take. I also spoke to a few friends who have a-lot of race experience between them about their approach and mindset to racing. This was invaluable knowledge and helped settle some nerves, for sure. I am still learning how to approach these events, finding out what works for me. And also what does not!