86 BICYCLING.COM • ISSUE 5
YOUR DIRTY KANZA SURVIVAL GUIDE
It’s worth looking into the
new generation of gravel-
specific or adventure bikes
such as the Salsa Warbird
and Devinci Hatchet,
which are designed with
stability and vibration-
damping in mind. Or kick it
up a notch with a bike like
the 3T Exploro, a nimble
aero-gravel bike that is
shaped to slip through the
wind.The three stations are
roughly 50 to 70 miles
apart. Lube your chain.
Get the food and fluid you
need. If the sun is out and
you’re entering the heat of
the day, eat a little more,
stash some ice in your
jersey, and recharge for
a moment before rushing
out. I didn’t, and ended
up paying for it 30 miles
later when I was feeling
the heat and nauseously
avoiding the calories I
desperately needed. The
pull to to station 3 is much
harder than to 1 and 2.DK200 is totally self-sup-
ported (between the aid
stations). You’ll be schlep-
ping tools, spare parts,
food, fluid, rosary beads,
lube, a pocketknife to clear
mud from your cassette.
Do at least a few training
rides loaded with every-
thing. One find I loved
in 2017: Speedsleev’s
Endure Top Tube Case. I
had my tools, C0 2 s, spare
derailleur hanger, and
other stuff in there and it
didn’t budge.During my first DK200, I
suffered the worst foot
pain I’ve ever experienced.
From mile 170-something
on, my feet felt as though
they were clamped in
woodshop vises, dipped
in lighter fluid, and set
ablaze thanks to my snug,
stiff XC racing mountain
bike shoes. The next time,
I opted for the Pearl
Izumi X-Project PRO
shoes—stiff and light, but
also supple enough to keep
your feet comfy on and off
the bike across all terrains.“Find your limit.” That’s
the theme for Dirty
Kanza 200—arguably
one of the hardest single-
day gravel races—with
around 1,200 racers
lining up for the full
double century (and
another 1,800-plus
having a go at the 25-,
50-, 100-, and 350-mile
courses). In any given
year, depending on heat,
rain, mud, humidity,
wind, and the errant
tornado, sometimes
more than 40 percent
of the field will fly the
white DNF surrender
flag. It’s become a badge
of honor to finish this
thing before the 3 a.m.
(21-hour) cutoff, let alone
earn a coveted Race the
Sun print for crossing
the line before sunset.
I finished two
DK200s: 2013, when
despite veering off
course for a few miles,
I managed a 3rd overall
finish, and 2017, when
I led my division until
the heat caught up to
me 150 miles in, and I
ended up tossing my
cookies. I was forced
to sit down at the next
aid station, have a Coke
(two actually), and liter-
ally cool my jets before
I could continue to
the finish. Here’s what
I’ve learned it takes to
survive—and perhaps
even thrive—during a
DK200 attempt.
YOUR DIRTY KANZA SURVIVAL GUIDE
SHOES
MATTERMAKE AN
A I D S TAT I O N
STRATEGYRIDE A BIKE
YOU LOVEPRACTICE
FULLY
LOADED