Hey folks - to say that I’m a bit intimidated writing here is an understatement. You all are amazing and your posts and feedback to others have been tremendous. I started riding 1 year and 11 months ago in my recovery effort from a serious Covid event. The KOS challenge will be my 2-year anniversary gift to myself! It had been nearly 40 years since I did any serious riding outdoors. I bring that up because my “couchlandria” doppleganger is telling me, “too soon”. BS - I have the right to suffer as much as anyone else! The mental prep series was sooo needed.
I have reviewed as many KOS events as possible. Assessed and analyzed the feedback. Organized and arranged, and have come to the conclusion - I gotta just ride! So I have defined a plan and some alternatives. I finished my 4DP update in late November '22 so I’m using those numbers. Here’s what I’m thinking, your feedback is greatly appreciated:
Also, I ride for a cause. This year will mark my 3rd Bike MS ride. Last year was a 2-day and 150 miles with 4,000 feet of climbing. So, I ride to rid the world of MS. The KOS Challenge is the first milestone in my Bike MS 2023 effort!
I recently completed my Knighthood Quest; if I was doing it again (but as I’m no Sir @emacdoug, that won’t be happening any time soon), I would put on/off type rides (e.g. GOAT, Revolver, 14 Vice Grips) near the end. I found that maintaining extended intervals much more difficult somewhere around ride number 7. I suppose it depends on your rider type, but I definitely found lots of shorter intervals “easier” to handle than fewer long intervals.
Glad to hear you’re improved enough to decide to just ride. Your planning looks fun, your efforts and commitment have been honourable and your quest will bring glory to the greatest mythical nation in the whole wide world. I had such a good time planning my own back in the before times. Doing the MTP was central to that plan (and to my success )
Are you dead set on the order of suffering you’ve laid out? If so then carry on and ignore all that I’m about to say.
If not, then here’s a couple tidbits of advice that you may have read elsewhere. A Knighthood quest is such a personal event and what some people choose to start on or end on is part of that very personal event.
That said, in my experience, after several hours of riding, long sustained efforts can be exceptionally difficult. So The Wretched (a GvA dang horrible experience at the best of times ) at #9 could be particularly challenging.
GOAT and Power Station are very similar in terms of length of intervals and efforts but PS offers lots of little standy uppy bits that can provide some glorious relief if you put it in a little later on in your quest. It might even be a nice swap for The Wretched if you put that at #5 instead then PS becomes #9.
I imagine you’re ending on Fight Club for “reasons” and I love the new version of it.
Last thing, #7 is often considered the official half-way mark on a KoS Quest and has ended more than one prematurely if taken too lightly. So, many of us suggest putting your absolute favourite eligible vid at #7. This way, it’s all downhill after that (except for all the uphill bits ).
March 4th hey? I’ve added it to the national calendar. Are you planning to ride the Wahoolimabob Tour as well? Or do the dates, March 12-18 conflict with some of your other plans?
haha. That’s funny. Our stooopid forum names can confuse people. It’s Sir Evan. Hint: you can usually see someone’s name (not always) if you click on their name in the forum. That said, typos and such are one of the many things that make our nashun grate!
Thank you, @Glen.Coutts, enlightenment is wonderful thing. @emacdoug my humble apologies.
@simon@Glen.Coutts@emacdoug@Owen - this is advice I seek. Thank you. I have looked at this schedule till I’m cross-eyed but your inputs are invaluable. I will heed your advice and post an updated plan as time moves the mountains closer! thank you.
This is too funny - this is a favorite saying by our Conehead cycling group to new riders. And in Colorado, the answer to where are the flat areas… in Kansas.
This is great advice from Sir @Glen.Coutts and Sir @simon. The Wretched nearly destroyed my first knighthood at #6 as there was very little recovery and I developed tendonitis in my right knee which I pushed through but end up hurting my riding for the next 3-4 months. Not that it would necessarily hurt you, as the vast variability in individuals and your fitness and specialty can make a ride that one person enjoys be another person’s bane (e.g. see Defender). Some of us also like to put a nemesis ride at #9 to keep us motivated to push hard when the light seems darkest.
So, definitely make the order and the suffering that comes with it your own. It will be glorious wretched suffering.
And no worries to you. I’ve been accidentally called “Sir Doug” more times than you can shake a stick at a Laser Goat. It’s a quirk of the forums so I take no offense.
My biggest tip would be nutrition. Fuelling makes or breaks a challenge of this nature. Make sure you’ve experimented lots in training rides to find what works best for you and doesn’t cause any issues…
Have all your food and fluids within easy reach, and have too much rather than too little available to you. Mix of sweet and savoury.
And have a treat in there, something you really like, that will lift your spirits when you’re most in need of a boost.
Oh, and take the 10 min breaks between every workout to use the toilet, and stretch! Even if you don’t feel like you need to, there’s nothing worse than toilet regret, or muscles seizing up when you still have a chunk of a workout to get through.
Is this group in any way connected to Sir Darren Roberts aka Sir Conehead (autocorrect wanted to change to Bonehead ). I believe he may have been the first Knight of Sufferlandria (back when there were only six videos!)
Sir @emacdoug - great point. I do have a nagging pain in my left knee already, symptoms of OAD (old age disease) I’m told - no major issues there. So anticipating what could happen after 8 hours of hard use is definitely insight I’ll take to heart.
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It’s a quirk of the forums so I take no offense. 
