This June marked a year since Dan finished the toughest race in the world's road ultra-cycling series, the Race Across America – better known as RAAM. The route runs from the west coast of the USA to the east coast. That's a crazy 5,000 kilometres in total. Riders have to cross three deserts and mountain passes over 3,000 metres high. They have to keep going in brutal heat, but also through storms and relentless rain.
It's an unbelievable strain on the human body, and heading off predictable problems is a must. Read how Dan, with help from Bridgedale socks, looks after what carries him to the finish – his feet.
“A race like RAAM is an extreme test of both physical fitness and mental strength. At the same time it puts huge demands on the quality of your gear. It starts with the bike and ends at the most sensitive points where the rider touches the bike – backside, hands, feet. Choosing the right shorts and saddle, gloves and handlebars, shoes and socks is often a tough nut to crack that takes years of trial and error. I've learnt first-hand how painful that method can be. Feet take an incredible beating in ultra races. One moment they're swelling and pressing against the cycling shoes in the heat radiating off the road, the next they're soaked through on a long ride in the rain, and at other times they're fighting off the cold. And all the while they're under constant pressure from the carbon sole and the shoe's tongue. One bad seam in a sock is all it takes to land you in serious trouble.
So for an ultra you need socks that are anatomically well designed, cushioned in the right places and breathable elsewhere. Minimal seams in the right places are a must too. Then there are big demands on the material, which should provide as much comfort as possible – wicking sweat, drying quickly and keeping your feet at a comfortable temperature. Last but not least, they need to be durable. Socks that work well but have holes in them the next day are useless. All in all, that's a lot to ask. After many years I finally found what I was looking for: Bridgedale socks, perfect in every respect. I got through RAAM 2019 in three pairs from the Ultralight range, which I still use for racing and training. I won't start another ultra project with anything else on my feet!”
Daniel Polman finished RAAM as only the third Czech in its 38-year history, and even achieved the best Czech time and placing. All this despite a collarbone broken in four places and then screwed back together less than two months before the start. He tells this almost unbelievable story in his book DREAAM. He has also been invited to join the world's elite ultra-endurance riders in the 9,000 km Red Bull Trans Siberian Extreme from Moscow to Vladivostok. He'll be on the start line in June 2021 as the first Czech in history.
Find out more about Dan at www.danielpolman.com.
Bridgedale Trailsport Lightweight men's socks
Bridgedale Trailsport Lightweight women's socks
Bridgedale Trailsport Ultralight T2 men's socks
Bridgedale Trailsport Ultralight T2 women's socks
