The Unbound XL Experience with Rob Britton

Welcome to an exclusive Q&A with long-time First Endurance athlete Rob Britton, the newly crowned champion of the grueling Unbound XL 350.

At 40 years old, Rob's record-breaking performance, where he completed the 358-mile course in an incredible 17 hours and 49 minutes, is a testament to enduring talent and fierce determination, particularly as an athlete charging into his third decade of professional racing.

Before establishing himself in the burgeoning competitive gravel world, Rob forged an impressive career as a professional road cyclist. For well over a decade, he was a fixture in the North American peloton, riding for notable teams like Bissell Pro Cycling and Rally Cycling. His palmarès boasts significant victories, including overall titles at two of North America’s most challenging stage races, the Tour of Utah and twice at the Tour of the Gila.

More recently, Rob has embraced the world of mixed-surface racing, finding renewed enjoyment and challenge, particularly in the self-supported, long-distance events. He speaks openly about seeking out new experiences and the profound moments found during these epic rides, like witnessing a sunrise while pushing through the night.

Beyond his racing achievements, Rob is also a passionate advocate for the cycling community, actively contributing to its growth in his home of Victoria, British Columbia.

We'll dive into the details of his epic Unbound XL triumph, reflect on his journey from road racing to gravel, and uncover some of the personal motivations and insights that drive this down-to-earth athlete.

First off, thanks for taking time out of your packed training and racing schedule to  talk to us, and a massive congrats on your incredible Unbound XL victory and course record!

Q: You’ve had a few weeks to hopefully recoup a bit from what was a monumental effort in the Flint Hills of Kansas. Reflecting on it now, what's the first feeling or thought that comes to mind about the experience?

A: Thanks! I wish I could say I’ve been relaxing and recovering. I took one weekend off after the XL, but I still spent that time doing big days on the mountain bike with friends. Since then, I’ve raced Canadian Gravel Nationals, the Oregon Trail Gravel Stage Race, and I just now finished the BC Bike Race, which, combined with Oregon Trail, is the most consecutive days of racing I’ve ever done. Surprisingly, I’m feeling decent. Because of all of the moving around, I’m actually not sure I fully stopped to appreciate what was accomplished in Kansas. I know it was big, but I think that the scale of it is something that I will only be able to comprehend through hindsight.

Q: You spent a significant portion of the race chasing Lachlan Morton. Can you describe the psychological game that played out during those hours, and what kept you motivated to keep the bit between your teeth?

A: Anything is possible If you take enough PRERACE! To be honest, I just kind of did my own thing; I didn’t expect to catch Lachy (Lachlan Morton) and I wasn’t racing with that in mind. I just had a pace I wanted to ride and set my mind to maintaining that. Near the end of the night, going into the early hours of morning, they told me I was only about a minute behind him at the final rest stop. Even then, you’ve been riding for so long you can’t exactly just pick up the pace by 4- 5 mph. I’ve raced my bike a lot through the night, and I think the biggest thing is to stay mentally sharp, and a combination of PRERACE and the caffeinated Kona-Mocha Liquid Shot helped me keep my mind focused, especially in the latter portion of the race.

Q: What was the toughest moment for you, both from a physical and mental standpoint, and what sort of “self talk” was involved in pushing through the rough patches?

A: The biggest thing was convincing myself I actually deserved to win. Lachlan is like Gravel Jesus; he won the Unbound 200 the year before, and I’ve raced him through my whole career, so just getting my mind wrapped around the fact that it was anyone’s race after 17 hours was probably the biggest challenge. I think I just told that pessimistic part of my brain to STFU and focused on riding my bike.

Q: You mentioned after the race that it "solidifies that this is probably what I am good at now." It sounds like perhaps this win has shifted your perspective on what your career and future goals might be?

A: I don’t know if it’s necessarily shifted my focus, but it has confirmed that my other ultra-distance results weren’t just a fluke. I don’t think my focus will ever be on any one type of racing, whether it be ultra-distance gravel or XCO mountain bike races. I want to do stuff that excites me and allows me to have fun. Anything that does that will get my attention. If not, I’ll likely struggle with motivation, given where I’m at in my career.

Q: How many of those 358 miles do you reckon you were “solo”?

A: Ha ha!  For me, this was actually a relatively short amount of time. I know it doesn’t seem like it, but it was under 24 hours. I’d estimate it at roughly 270 kilometers (162 miles).

Q: Speaking of being solo, XL riders often share wild stories of hallucinations, profound "spiritual" experiences, and broader life reflections while on the course. Did you have any such moments of "big picture" clarity?

I’ve gone through all those emotions, but for me it takes about 36 hours to get there, and it’s a pretty wild ride once you do! The one thing I can say is that I really enjoyed the day as a whole. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a really fun, proper day of bike riding and racing, and this just felt really special. I was grateful for the experience, independent of the result, which was really just the cherry on top.

Q: With it being such a long event, how did you manage and maintain your physical and mental energy levels and stay focused throughout the night and into the crucial last push in the morning?

A: Really good lights make a huge difference. I’ve raced through the night quite a few times and genuinely enjoyed it, so I view it as a time to thrive, not survive. Beyond that, caffeine! After 10 PM, start breaking out the caffeine gels and PRERACE, and keep the steady drip coming for the next eight hours or so.

Q: Walk us through your initial race strategy and how it evolved as the race unfolded, particularly when you caught that first glimpse of Lachlan’s taillight in the distance deep into the night?

A: My strategy for ultra-distance races is pretty simple: try not to go too hard in the first half, but don’t leave the front group just because they’re riding over 300 watts. Beyond that, once I was riding solo, about 270km into the race, I just did my own thing. Seeing Lachy’s taillight was motivation for sure, but I’m not sure I’d see much of a power change at that moment if I zoomed in on the power file. Lucky for me, he was slowing down at a higher rate than I was speeding up.

Q: Were there any key tactical decisions that ultimately led to you catching and pulling away from Morton in the final miles, or was it simply “mano e mano” attrition at that point in the game?

A: Definitely the latter; we were both smashed, but on this day I was just a little bit less broken.

Q: The XL seems to blur the lines between a single-day effort like the Unbound 200 and the more classic “bikepacking” type effort of multiple days, such as Colombia’s Transcordilleras. Did you take a specific approach to your training, or was it more or less business as usual? 

A: Honestly, it was more or less business as usual. I tried to get a couple of proper big days in, as well as one ride where I was in the dark for more than a few hours. That was particularly challenging at this time of the year in Canada because it required me being out until about midnight. Otherwise, training was relatively similar to what I would do for the 200, with the only exception being a few less high-end race efforts. However, because I had other events on the schedule post-Unbound, I couldn’t disregard those entirely.

Q: Did the quickly evolving course conditions—fast and dry, rather than wet and muddy—lead you to make any last-minute changes or decisions with regard to your equipment or nutrition?

A: No, it didn’t. There was a moment of uncertainty about whether to run a narrow tire or something with more or less tread, but I’ve had really good experiences with my Schwalbe RX tires. The only modifications I made from my usual rig were to run 45c tires front and rear, a Fox Taper-Cast fork, and aero bars.

Q: Nutrition and hydration are especially critical in an ultra-endurance event. Can you share some details about your fueling strategy during the Unbound XL? Did anything change or surprise you during the race in that regard?

A: There were two things I changed compared to other events this year: I’ve been having issues with cramping, and I think for me it’s important to get a higher dose of sodium, so I made a concerted effort to get more in each bottle. In addition, I took in a significantly higher amount of caffeine than normal for the back half of the race. I think I had nearly 1000 mg of caffeine between 8 PM and 8 AM, but hot damn, it certainly worked, didn’t it?  Otherwise, I packed a lot of EFS-PRO so that I could stick with the fuel I’m used to when I refilled my bottles.

Q: Were there any "unconventional" nutrition decisions out there–convenience store stops or “found” food?

A: Not really. Early in the race, when we were a group of about 10, there were what are known as “ trail angels.” Essentially, they’re just a neutral aid station for anybody that comes by, and they were providing water and Coke, which was pretty awesome. Otherwise, the diet was pretty much liquid sugar. Now that I mention it, I suppose eating sugar for 18 hours is probably pretty unconventional!

Q: Did you have specific checkpoints or mental milestones you were aiming for throughout the 350+ miles?

A: Not at all. We went so much faster than I anticipated we’d go that any preconceived notions I had went out the window pretty quick.

Q: You opted for front suspension on your rig for the XL. How critical was that, and how much did it contribute to your comfort and performance over such a long distance?

A: I love my Fox fork. The more I use it, the harder it is to ever go back! It really saves my body from taking a beating, and at something like Unbound, the weight penalty really doesn’t matter. I know this year it was very smooth and fast compared to previous years, but when you add up all the impact you take over 18 hours, a small savings makes a big difference.

Q: Other than your front suspension, how different was your equipment setup for the XL and how much did it differ from when you raced the 200 distance?

A: I actually used the Fox fork for the 200 the previous year, as well. I’m genuinely a huge fan of how much better the bike rides with it. Otherwise, I strapped a bunch of bags to the frame and added aero bars, which I will say are a gamechanger. Not only can you go a lot faster, it also saves your upper body strength.

Q: What was your approach for packing and carrying all the necessary supplies in the context of a self-supported event like the XL?

A: I packed enough fuel for 100g of carbs per hour for 18 hours(1800g). When I finished, I had one gel left. I’m not gonna lie, though, that was dumb luck. My strategy went out the window when I saw how much fluid Lachlan was carrying, and I ended up stopping at two rest stops that didn’t have any food. Thankfully, “Past Rob” saved “Future Rob” from cracking somewhere in the middle of the Flint Hills in the dark.

Reflections and the Future

Q: How does this victory in the XL compare to your other significant “milestone” performances in your cycling career over the years?

A: Interestingly, this result has received much more attention than anything else in my career. I know times have changed, but even winning something like the Tour of Utah, which I would consider my biggest achievement prior to this, didn’t hold a candle to the amount of attention this race received. Gravel... it’s big now!

Q: Is there any specific advice that you would give to someone aspiring to tackle the Unbound XL in the future, particularly regarding the physical preparation and mental aspect?

A: The best advice I can give is to treat it like a marathon. It’s going to be longer than you anticipate, but don’t be afraid to push the pace a little bit at the beginning. I’m not saying try to set PR’s for the first 10 minutes, but don’t hold back just because you’re scared to push over “X” wattage. Inevitably, you’re going to feel horrible at some point, so you might as well be closer to the finish when you do. Other than that, at least once before the event, practice riding in the dark. Knowing how you respond to it and how tired you feel will pay huge dividends in Kansas.

Q: What sort of emotions flooded over you when you crossed the finish line in Emporia and realized you had broken the course record, and by such a significant margin?

A: Similar to when I won the Tour of Utah, one of the biggest emotions I felt was relief. Getting a result with that level of notoriety confirms to myself that I am capable of a big result in this type of racing.

Q: Now that you've conquered Unbound XL, are there any other ultra-endurance races or challenges on your radar?

A: There’s always another one…

Q: Beyond the race itself, what was the most memorable or surprising moment from your Unbound XL experience?

A: I was riding around the day before the race, and it felt like I was seeing Kansas for the first time. I’m not gonna lie, I’ve never been that fond of going to Unbound. But this time, I was hit with this crazy feeling of nostalgia for where I grew up in the Canadian prairies. Even though I barely ever rode gravel back then, for whatever reason the grain elevators, rolling hills, and green fields really brought up some old memories. That was cool.