Congratulations to Oli on yet another strong finish in a mega event. He just completed the Greece Rally in Serres! Here's a quick overview of what the Greece Rally in Serres is and what makes it such a unique event!
Oli: The Greece Rally is one of the best known “rally raid” events on the international calendar and it’s mainly 1,700kms of rocky mountains and dry riverbeds. It also heads up into Bulgaria for two days on what is called a “marathon stage” where we have to fix our bikes without team assistance. Every day contains a different set of tricky sections, and it helps to have a bit of enduro experience.
RB: Gnarly. What is it that inspires you to take on these types of challenges? And how do you prepare physically and mentally for such an epic adventure?
Oli: Every few months I love the feeling of racing a dirt bike across hundreds of kilometres of wild landscape, with no speed limits or restrictions, as fast as I can go. The bigger the challenge the better. It helps to have a good level of basic fitness all year round and I try and train on my bike every few weeks. I either do a 200km off road route, or take a day at my local motocross track. Both are essential for the muscles we need!
RB: During the race, what were some of the toughest moments you experienced, both physically and mentally? How do you push through when things get tough?
Oli: In Greece we faced some insanely steep rocky climbs which would be very hard even to walk up. You have to just ignore your fear, attack it with full throttle, and keep looking up as far as you can see. Sometimes you reach other riders and bikes who have got stuck. I was half way up and couldn’t get past a rider, and rolled backwards with my bike in a cloud of rocks and dust. Thankfully I got up on the second attempt.
RB: Endurance events require razor-sharp nutrition strategies and being in peak physical shape. Can you walk us through your typical daily nutrition before, during, and after each stage of the rally?
Oli: I prefer to be a bit hungry than ride on a full stomach. That’s just my way. So I start at dawn with a bowl of cereal and plain toast and a nutrition drink. Some hours later I will stop at the fuelling area and have half a pack of droewors! That’s it until the evening when I have as much of whatever is on offer. In Greece that was a lot of chicken wraps.
RB: Where does biltong fit into your fuelling plan? Does the biltong support your endurance ability, your energy supply and recovery on these long days on the bike?
Oli: Yes, if I didn’t have your much appreciated support, then I would be buying it anyway. I need instant salty beef midway through the day and for those ten minutes, while my bike is being refuelled, I look a like a mad carnivorous wolf.
RB: Many athletes face digestive issues or energy crashes during long races. Did you notice any difference in consistency or energy levels by incorporating biltong into your diet, compared to other snacks you’ve used in the past? Can you maybe detail what you are eating daily?
Oli: Many other riders use sugar bars and other sweet things but that actually made me unwell, which is not cool while riding fast across a mountain. Runder Biltong solved that for me. The cowboys were right all along!
RB: For riders or endurance athletes thinking about improving their nutrition, what advice would you give about fuelling for performance and recovery?
Oli: I can only say what works for me, but I do find the smooth nutritional breakfast drinks are good in the morning, and then salty flavoured beef is perfect in the middle of the day. It’s zero preparation, it takes no space in my backpack, and delivers every time.
RB: Can you share a memorable story from the Greece Rally—maybe a moment where you felt the most intense conditions, comradely, maybe a scary or funny moment?
Oli: Coming across another rider unconscious on the trail, sometimes with no sign of a bike, is always a reminder that this sport is dangerous. It’s a reminder that nobody cares whether you come first or last except yourself. So I always try and ride within my limits. On the positive side, there is a huge amount of laughter at the silly mistakes that everyone makes!
RB: You are always up to something else. You never seem to settle for very long. What’s next for you after the Greece Rally of Serres?
Oli: Great question! First is to make my YouTube film which I love doing after every race. It’s an honest and real reminder of my experience as well as my interviews with everyone else. As for the next event, someone has mentioned crossing the Pyrenees next April and I may be powerless to resist.
RB: To wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about your experience, the value of proper nutrition, or your journey as an athlete?
Oli: I am the proof that it doesn’t matter if you’re a young athlete or a middle aged father like me, you can always find a way to be part of a sport that you love. I will never be the best and I no longer care. I get to ride with the best and feel part of the sport, and I get to ride the same tracks and trails, and I will feel blessed for as long as I am able to do that.
Thank you Oli, we are humbled to have you riding around the globe and waving the Runder banner! You’re a legend bro! Thanks for sharing your experience with us. keep riding the race and pushing full throttle. It's inspiring!