Ep.46 Nightmare Tour (Shawn Kingrey)

Mark recorded this episode with Shawn Kingrey five hours after Shawn won “Death By” variant of the Nightmare Tour fondo/race, which traces the perimeter of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, covering 225 miles and 22,000 feet of climbing in 14 hrs 39 min. The original, 177-mile county perimeter ride has been the standard for 25+ years, while the 225-mile version is relatively new and split into two stages of roughly 48 and 177 miles. The initial 48-mile appetizer starts at 1 a.m. and if one finishes fast enough there is time for a nap and breakfast before the main event kicks off at 6:15 a.m. The organizers strongly encourage racers to preview the appetizer in the daylight as there are, “some very strong, technical descents in between hills.” The event is held rain or shine. In 2016 very few entrants finished due to the 105-degree heat index. This year it rained hard for the entirety of the 48-mile opening stage but precipitation was light thereafter. The energy of the conversation is understandably subdued but offers a glimpse into the world of so-called ultra-endurance racing.