This Riding Gear | The Sufferfest used to take you to the store for gear…now it takes me to the Wahoo store but there appears to be no sufferfest gear in that store?
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There’s a new SUF shop link. Check out the current offerings here: CUORE | Welcome to Sufferlandria
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excellent I know I had been there before but it seems links from the site/app are a bit out of order currently.
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Now I just want to know if Wahoo would consider White socks – White socks, black goats, red lasers 
Without fail, anytime I’ve worn white socks I get a gear tatoo that never washes out. Something like this
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I generally get those a little higher up on my leg, also value of chain wax vs. lube
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Sir Glen … hello, I’m a forum newbie. Going to have my second attempt @KoS this week and to motivate me I thought I’d look at the SUF kit. Based in the UK, (Newcastle upon Tyne) there seems to be no GB/UK option when attempting to register on this link. Is this a Brexit shipping hangover as yet unresolved?
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Hey @SupaSarge I believe it is as you’ve suggested, a Brexit nightmare/hangover as I have heard from a number of others that they are unable to get it either. I don’t actually work for Wahoo/SUF (just an upstanding citizen since about 2016ish) so I’d suggest you email theminions@thesufferfest.com I’m not sure if they’ve come up with a workaround or not. As for your 2nd attempt at Knighthood:
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Hey, as a fellow Brit who’s tried ordering gear and had some contact with Cuore on the matter I can confirm it is purely down to Brexit. Basically they’re not set up to properly handle the new rules and regs regarding collection of taxes at source and then dispersing them to HMRC and also providing the carriers with whatever documentations is required to avoid double taxes and fees. (Terminology in there will almost certainly be wrong, just gives the gist).
I know just form Suf customers alone they’ve had a lot of feedback that demand will be there if they sort it out and they did assure me they’re looking into options. But no idea on timelines unfortunately 
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Indebted. Indeed The Minions have reiterated their ongoing pledge to resolve. Have added the raising of forbearance to my Quest 2 outcomes 
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Should Quest 2 succeed I’m likely to ascend from the pain cave and ride my charger direct to the Swiss Alpe of Cuore to bag some new merch. Will probably sleep in it, so proud will I be 
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Much obliged Sir emacdoug, much obliged.
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As will be we! You can do it. I’m sure you learned a ST from the first attempt. Happy to provide suggestions and/or if I have leave, to heckle you on the day!
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Sir Glen, here’s my running order:
- Thin Air 60 mins climbing 0.91 81
- Team Scream 69 mins race 0.89 92
- Who Dares 54 mins race 0.90 71
- The Bat 59 mins intervals 0.88 77
- The Chores 58 mins intervals 0.89 76
- Butter 58 mins endurance 0.88 75
- Norway 60 mins race 0.86 75
- Power Stn 50 mins climbing 0.86 62
- Attacker 53 mins endurance 0.85 64
- GOAT 42 mins endurance 0.83 48
And so my cunning plan this time is to tackle them in reducing IF order. Advice graciously received.
Quest 2 is set for this Sunday - I’m Giles Sergant on Strava …. feel free to follow and heckle at will
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Thanks for sharing @SupaSarge! That’s a formidable menu of suffering. I have plenty of things to say, some of which you probably already know from your first attempt.
First and foremost, remember this is an endurance event. Going out too hard at the start has derailed more than one Quest. Most Knights have completed their quests in the 70-80% FTP range so you’ll want to keep that in mind. Better to start a little lower and ramp it up as the day goes on (if you can or want to) than to die in a blaze of molten rock. FWIW, my own efforts were in the 70-75% range but by the last couple videos there were large chunks at 60% (though it was unequivocally 100% suffering).
All that said. Here are some other tips:
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regardless of what the prompts say, its great to get out of the saddle fairly regularly just to vary your position and make yourself less uncomfortable over the course of the day.
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chamois cream liberally applied between each vid
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Change your kit (if you can) a few times (I had 3 or 4)
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Remove your shoes (and change your socks (if you can)) after each vid.
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Get a little stretching in between vids (cobra, childs pose, ham and quad stretch)
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Eat during the warmups and cooldowns since the break between vids goes VERY fast
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As for food, mix it up but def put in some real food if you can. A nice variety of sweet and salty. I had sandwiches, eggs, and bananas as well as the usual mix of gels, and electrolyte drinks (and junk like potato chips and candy).
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Download ALL your vids in advance! You want to minimize the possibility of tech glitches. Along the same lines, change all the batteries in your sensors.
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Dual record, if you can, I used my Garmin Head unit as well as the SUF app.
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Be prepared for tech/mechanicals. When I did mine, I was using a Kickr Snap so had a spare trainer tire as well as the tools to fix a broken chain.
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Set a timer for 8 mins
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Do nothing today (except maybe an easy 30 min spin) and Primers on Saturday (Primers really gets my head in the game for big events like this).
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I’m not sure how you feel about social media while doing something like this but for me, I went in to radio silence. My minions were nowhere to be seen (at my request) as I tend to focus better and allow myself to embrace the darkness when there aren’t outside influences. LOTS of others are the complete opposite and welcome the cheering, jeering, & support of others during the event. In that regard, there is a Facebook group (Facebook Groups) that lots of Knights used during their quest where people would check in and provide encouragement throughout the day (especially when things get dark). They usually make one post of their menu, then provide updates with pics etc throughout their quest within that same post. There is also a forum page (which, if I remember, I will link your menu to) where you may also get similar support though not quite as immediate as FB. Edit: seems there isn’t a specific page in the forum but you could create a new topic somewhere with the title being something like "Storming the Castle: need a room to rest when I get there, or some such thing
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I’ve had historical issues with cramping that have ruined rides and races for me in the past. These things saved my life and my quest. I took one at the start of each vid and had ZERO cramps https://teamhotshot.com/ Other people swear by pickle juice (which I also discovered works for me, I just didn’t have enough of it on hand).
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Lastly, prepare for it to get dark. VERY VERY dark. At around video #7. #7 has been the breaking point for many a quest so its a good idea to put your absolute favourite in that slot. Getting through video #7 is the unofficial halfway mark on a Knighthood quest. Get over that and it’s downhill the rest of the way. Except for all the uphill bits
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Kudos to @Glen.Coutts. All of that. Yep. I have nothing more to add. Know yourself and your body. Suffer, but be smart about it. You can do it.
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Scatchamagowza! … way beyond thoughful, kind Sir.
I might need some tips with working out the % FTP range on my selection, and if you’ve any recommends to lighten my ten I’m absolutely all ears.
Last time I asphysicated on ‘Thin Air’ @#7 (having sequenced from longest duration downward) so this time I thought I’d be phychologically advantaged at least by relying on “the next one’s easier” ever repeating in my head.
I hadn’t thought about the download or double recording (told you I was a newbie) they are great tips thank you. I’m okay with costume changes and fuelling I think - as well as the normal garb my guilty pleasures are cheese, pickle and peperami (I know, but hey it somehow works!).
Not one to draw a crowd and never went for FB but will be posting on Strava as the day progresses and kudos always provides a shot in the arm does it not.
With a fair wind, by the time you’ve risen and have drawn the curtains I’ll be into the business end of Q#2! 
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Nothing must dull the suffering! Seriously though, the choice of vids is very personal and my quest was a year in the planning. For example, I loathe HHNF as my weakness is sustained efforts, so of course I had to include it in my quest 
. That and that I am genuinely inspired by and lucky to know some truly badass women cyclists.
As for percentage of FTP I wouldn’t overthink this too much. If you’re using a smart trainer and you use ERG mode just dial the intensity down to 70-80 or whatever % you like and your trainer will do the rest. If you’re not using a smart trainer or ERG mode you can do the same thing with the intensity settings and just shoot for those reduced targets. The only requirement for intensity is that you out in an effort that you are immensely proud of. Again, at the end of the day it’s an endurance event and 10ish hours on an indoor trainer is gonna suck Yak balls. #embracethesuck
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Like @Glen.Coutts said, if you are on a SmartTrainer, if you keep it in erg mode you can just reduce the overall intensity and that’s pretty much the easiest way to do it.
I haven’t looked at the profiles of every workout you chose, but I always recommend not to do 2 climbing/endurance videos in a row. Those videos tend to have long efforts with minimal recovery in between. At 100%, the interval workouts seem a lot harder and the endurance/climbing rides look like easy wins, but when you reduce the workouts to 70% and ride them back-to-back, the experience flips. A number of us have developed knee issues during our attempts because of prolonged stead pressure with minimal recovery from those endurance/climbing workouts. So, your beginning combo of Thin Air, Team Scream, then Who Dares could really hurt. But, at least they’re all at the front. Otherwise, definitely good to mix up the efforts so you don’t end up riding a 30-40 minute block of FTP efforts in back-to-back videos in your 7th and 8th slots. Don’t put Cobbler as your 8th or 9th workout. Unless you REALLY want to suffer. In that case, have at it! 
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