I first set my mind on this event in the summer of 2019, having just tackled Mount Ventoux. Somewhat captivated and hooked by mountain climbs, and in search of my next challenge, the Mallorca 312 mission was born!
Entries opened (and sold out within 12 hours), I had my place, and was now somewhat overwhelmed by the sheer enormity of it, not really knowing what I’d let myself in for.
Having taken on ‘Lands end home’ over the Christmas holidays, alongside the Rapha Festive 500, I started to get an inkling. I knew I could sit in the saddle for the time and keep going, it was now just a question of increasing my power and speed to be able to meet the time limits!
You all know what came next…COVID…which called a stop to the event for the foreseeable future.
My training continued, although branched out somewhat to include swimming and running, and I attempted piecing it all together to enter the triathlon world, a whole different game! With help from some amazing coaches, Will Newbery and Sophie Bubb (thank you both), taking me to a whole new level, both on the bike and triathlon, until an ankle injury and later ankle op stopped play…doubled up with ongoing covid symptoms. More unfinished business there, but that’s a story for another day!
Fast forward a year and the 312 was back on, but this time in October, and with a somewhat more aggressive cut off due to reduced sunlight hours. I wasn’t long recovered from the ankle op, resulting in a long period of little to no training. In hindsight not the most sensible choice of mine, but I took on the challenge and managed to get myself round the 225km course (it was brutal). With my heart set on the 312, it was again, unfinished business…..!
The next 6 months were extremely difficult for me, I suffered big time with long covid, both physically and mentally. The October event wiped me out with extreme fatigue, nausea and symptoms of vertigo, which took me months to recover from. The idea of exercising, let alone any structured training was impossible, which infuriated me beyond belief.
The new year came and I flipped a mental switch, forcing myself to accept a slower pace of life and take back control. I shut my bike away, knowing it would just frustrate me and joined the Maverick Run Project, and their awesome local Monday night trail running group. I used these Monday nights to maintain my mental sanity, and to keep tabs on my fitness and covid recovery. It’d take me days to recover, and most weekends I spent sleeping to play catch up after a week of work. Slowly but surely that reduced and a few months later I started to feel the buzz of exercise after a run, rather than being wiped out. Once again I could raise my heart rate without the famous covid metallic’esq taste in my mouth. At that point I started building up my hours again, constantly listening to my energy levels and having a greater understanding of where my limits were and the tell tale signs.
Then the time came to get back on the bike…with now only 6 weeks to event day!! I was hugely apprehensive if it was possible, and conscious I didn’t want to repeat my October experience, yet stubborn enough to give it a go. Building the hours week by week, monitoring my recovery, it started to feel possible. Just two weeks before the event, so many new smells returned and more and more of my covid symptoms started to reduce, I started to feel normal again! It was just the acceleration in recovery I needed to get my mind in gear, for what I knew was going to be a huge undertaking!
Before I knew it I was out in Mallorca embarking on this mad event, excited to see what was possible and ready to push my limits – as quite frankly I couldn’t have it hang over me for another year!!
The course itself is 312km, circling around the Tramuntana mountain range of Mallorca, totally a whopping 5,050m of elevation. With 8,000 entrants and closed roads for the entirety it’s a spectacular day of cycling, with stunning views and perfect road surfaces, a truely unique experience!
I opted to carry all the food I needed, rather than risking what was provided by the event and my body not agree with it. Only using the feed stations to top up my water bottles and grab a banana or two. With my jersey stuffed full, and frame bags attached, I was weighed down somewhat, however I still think it was the best decision! With the aim of consuming between 60-90g of carbs every hour, I had a variety of supplies with me, using Precision Hydration powders and tablets & Precision Fuel chews and gels, Veleforte bars and gels, and RealMeal bars. Due to the heat I also carried salt tablets, to replace vital sodium lost through sweat.
As the day went on I realised I was in great shape, which egged me on, and had me grinning like a cheshire cat most the way around as my confidence grew on being able to finish in the time limit. I focused on fuelling and keeping my hydration levels up, which I knew all too well was vital to keep my energy, especially in the heat.
Where possible I hung onto other riders back wheels, not wasting any energy if I didn’t need too! The bonus of riding alone, I could pick and choose what pace I wanted to ride at, ever conscious I didn’t want to burn out too soon, or get too comfortable, as I still had a time limit to meet! Sometimes I’d suck it up, eat that extra gel and work a little harder to keep hold of a group, knowing that fighting the headwind alone would be less productive and ultimately use more energy in the long run! Other times choosing to ride alone and getting in my own rhythm and flow.
Many riders welcomed, in fact encouraged me into their pelotons, adding to the spirit of the event, as I was fortunate to share the experience with so many others from all over the world.
The 312km route had two time cut offs, the first quite early on, which I was confident I could pass comfortably, assuming I didn’t have any major technical issue! The 2nd was an unknown, and the ultimate cut off for me, the point which officially speaking would force me down the 225km course or open up the 312km course. When I left the house that morning I said to myself I would do the 312km route regardless, even if the cut off had passed and the finish line would be closed. With the 312km route loaded on my GPS, I was set for a long day in the saddle.
Thankfully I never had to make that decision as when I approached the cut off point I had over 40 minutes grace time! The emotions that ran through me at that point was just unreal. At the time cycling alongside someone who shared similar feelings, we both cheered at the top of our lungs as we made the 90 degree turn onto the 312 loop, with tears streaming down our cheeks. We’d done it…it was in no way over, but the end was possible and in sight!
A whirl of energy and adrenaline blew through me and I was flying…no hill was stopping me and I felt alive! I soon had a reality check, as the feeling of nausea overwhelmed me, and a pit stop at the base of a hill was needed. My body was really starting to struggle with the food I was putting into it, and it dawned on me I still had 80km to go and feeling like this was going to make it complete torture. Fearful I was about to vomit, I was quite thankful when a rather unpleasant belch came out of me…but with it came instant relief and I was back in the game! I jumped back onto the bike and onwards and upward I went…!
The buzz at the final two food stops was just incredible, especially the final stop in Arta, known for its festival atmosphere, as the home town of the whole event. The town square was alive with both locals and cyclists. Beaming from ear to ear, I was soaking in my own glory, not quite believing I’d made it! Every pedal, closer to this 312 dream!
Just the final 30km to go to the finish line, which predictably was at race pace, everyone running on high giving it everything they had. Hanging onto the wheel in front, as a pack we were all closing in on the finish line at pace.
With meters to go I slowed right down, jumped out the peloton line and made sure to enjoy every second of the atmosphere around me and breath it all in as I crossed the finish line!
Mallorca 312 – thank you!
I will be back…
Ride stats
– 13 hours 1 minute (including stops)
– 11 hours 44 minutes moving time
– 26.5km/h avg speed
– 68km/h max speed
– over 60,000 leg turns
– 7,000 calories burnt
– 0 technical issues
– 5 official water/food stops with plenty of snacks on the bike
