Dilara Tuna is one of our Gloworm athletes and an ultra-endurance rider who takes on some of the toughest bikepacking races in the world. In June this year, she completed the Trans Balkan Race, a 1400km off-road unsupported route through the remote mountains of the Balkans, and came home with 1st place in the Women’s category. Stories like Dilara’s are exactly why we do what we do. Knowing that our Light Systems are out there supporting riders pushing their limits in the most remote corners of the world means a lot to us. Here is what she had to say about it:
“Long-distance adventures and races require a certain amount of preparation. Especially when navigating in unknown terrain and even more in remote mountains. The Trans Balkan Race covers exactly that: long, remote technical stretches with unpredictable weather and a large amount of things that can go wrong.
There is only so much you can account for in advance and prepare yourself for, and ultimately, it is important that you have trust in yourself and your equipment.
Race Preparation
Leading up to the race, I had a call with Joelle, the Social Media and Athlete Manager at Gloworm Lights, to talk about my needs regarding the Light System and setup. The Trans Balkan Race consists of about 1400km of off-road racing and riding, and offers minimal resupply options and access to outlets for charging. While I was planning to sleep indoors every second night, which would give me a chance to recharge everything properly, I wanted a lighting system I could rely on, given the chance, this wasn’t possible. Once on the trail, I knew that the nights would not feel too long. The sun would probably set somewhere between 21:00 and 22:00 and rise again somewhere around 05:30. Since I planned to sleep somewhere between 23:00 and 1:00, with about 4-6 hours of sleep, this would mean only having to use the lights for about 5 hours every day, max.
As Joelle consulted Nico about the setup for me, he came back with a very detailed runtime matrix for the X2 Light System (G2.1) utilizing a Power Pack 10 (G2.x). This one, in combination with the CX Core Light System (G2.1) would last me for a few days without having to recharge.
The CX Core Light System (G2.1) was my main light on my handlebars, as I had been able to test it on my trial race a few weeks prior. This gave me the confidence I needed to trust the light and helped me get used to how the light was performing and guiding me through the trails.
The X2 Light System (G2.1) was my backup light, I had the mount on my helmet and the Power Pack 5 (G2.x) in my vest.
Let’s Go
As someone who has run into huge problems during races in the past because of light failure, I was not taking any risks during the Trans Balkan. I always carry a very lightweight headlamp with me, just in case. If you are stuck in the forest in the dark without any light, that’s a problem. And this can break your race. Descending in the dark on technical trails means that you have to have a reliable and bright enough light to make sure you can focus on the riding underway, especially when the nights are longer. You have to keep cycling. And when you start to get tired, your focus shifts.
During the race, I stopped cycling no later than 1:20 in the morning. The first night was my longest on the bike, because I had struggled to find a proper sleeping spot. Later in the race, on days 3 and 5, I slept inside to shower, clean everything, and have a proper rest. And of course, to recharge, not only my batteries but also all my devices. I got along having to charge the CX Core Light System (G2.1) and the Power Pack 10 (G2.x) only once during the race.
I went into the race semi prepared. After a long winter season without cycling, I tested everything during the Belgian event in April; a 530km fully offroad mountain bike event. Surprisingly I found myself in the lead of the Trans Balkan Women’s race from the first night. The route was remote. I had to carry enough water to suffice during long stretches without refill options, so I took about 5l of capacity. This was necessary, especially during the first 3 days, which were remote, hot, and technical. Even though the usual physical hurdles struck me throughout the race, I kept my lead position until the finish line: 6 days and 10+ hours in the wild.
Hindsight
It’s been a beautiful and wild adventure, and I would be lying to say it was a walk in the park. The remoteness, heat, thunderstorms, and physical hiccups took their toll on me, but I tried to race smart and take good care of myself. Sleeping well, eating, and drinking enough is what I was focusing on the most, and pushing hard on the bike as much as I could.
Being able to focus solely on taking care of yourself and following the line on your bike computer, the beam of your lights at night, and every now and then appreciating the beautiful nature around is a real fortune.
Would I have done something differently? Probably. The biggest learning would be probably going into nutrition, training and tyre pressure, but other than that I think I did what I could.”
Congratulations Dilara! Here is to many more nights on the trail.
