Ep 14: Dissecting the Park City Point-to-Point mountain bike race with founder and organizer Jay Burke
The Park City Point 2 Point is one of the best mountain biking events out there. Indisputably a true mountain biker's course, packed with both fun and difficulty, with magic and beauty at almost every turn, the event is hard to ignore. Today we are very lucky to be joined by the founder and organizer of the event, Jay Burke! In our conversation, we get to go in-depth with Jay, talking about the inspiration behind the beginnings of the race, and then going through the course, play-by-play, trail-by-trail, and how you can approach the event if you are lucky enough to take part. This insider information is invaluable, and can really give your preparations a big boost, along with your excitement levels! Jay talks about the highly technical descents, stretches for recovery, refueling requirements, and the array of climates that the race traverses. Our guest also speaks about the focus of creating a primarily experiential event on some of the best single-tracks in the world! So for all this and much more from a great friend and mountain biker, be sure to listen in today!
Key Points From This Episode:
Jay's most recent ride and some of his upcoming cycling plans.
Basic information on the Park City Point 2 Point for those unfamiliar!
Looking back at the first year of the race and the inspiration for its birth.
Average times for different kinds of riders at the event.
The start of the race in Round Valley and the format for seeding.
Early climbs and getting into the pipeline; the first real challenges of the race.
The legacy trails that are still included in the route and getting onto a small loop of Flagstaff.
Descending onto mid-mountain via Corvair and onto Sam's trail.
Nasty, brutal, and classic; the concentration needed for the descent of John's trail!
Smooth riding and recovery on Jenny's Trail leading up to further challenges on Steps.
The big descent on the way down to Crescent Mine Grade.
Reaching Park City by the cut-off time and starting the classic Armstrong climb.
The route that Jay has laid out for getting over Iron Mountain this year!
Switching up the aid items at The Oasis; pickle juice shots, miso soup, and energy drinks.
The tricky turns of Iron Bill that lead into more flow at BYOB.
Better approaches to the Point 2 Point; camelbacks and understanding when to drink.
What sets the Point 2 Point apart from similar events and the vital component of fueling.
Bike and tire choices for the event; Jay's recommendations.
Tickets for the events, attendance caps, and how this influences the spirit.
Balancing difficulty and fun and the unique dynamic that Park City has created.
Tweetables:
“It's a mantra of the Point 2 Point. Life's too short to ride circles.” — Jay Burke [0:07:12]
“It has evolved a lot. There's a lot more enjoyment in it now. I don't think it's as much about the suffer-fest.” — Jay Burke [0:10:45]
“I say this all the time. Anytime I get interviewed, the real heroes of this race are the ones that finish between 10 and 13 hours. And there are a lot of them.” — Jay Burke [0:45:29]
“No matter who you are, I think, at that point of the day, you've just pushed out so many minerals and stuff that your body's working hard right there, even if you're in your zone.” — Jay Burke [0:47:21]