When Colin O'Brady told me he was attempting to break the Race Across America world record with his childhood friend, I knew we were about to get into something extraordinary. This isn't just another endurance challenge — it's 3,000 miles across the continental United States, non-stop, with a target of breaking the current pairs record of 6 days and 11 hours. That means averaging over 20 miles per hour continuously for nearly a week straight. On The World's Most Grueling Bike Race on the Roadman Cycling Podcast, Colin shared the exact protocols they used to prepare for this test of human endurance.
Key Takeaways
- The Race Across America pairs record stands at 6 days, 11 hours — requiring a 20 mph average for 3,000 miles non-stop
- Colin and Lucas used 90-minute rotation cycles: one rides while the other recovers in the support van
- Their wind tunnel testing at Silverstone found 20-25 watts in aerodynamic gains — equivalent to hours of time savings
- Training included back-to-back 12-hour rides and a 1,000-mile race simulation at race pace
- They averaged 21.5 mph during their 24-hour race simulation while intentionally fatigued
- Blood work monitoring every two months revealed critical biomarker changes during heavy training blocks
- Reverse periodisation focused on building toward specific peak moments rather than traditional base-building
The Science of Non-Stop Endurance: Training for Six Days Without Sleep
You think your century ride is tough? Try riding for six days straight. Colin's approach to RAAM preparation reveals fascinating insights into ultra-endurance physiology that most cyclists never consider.
The training protocol Colin and his coach Gary Han designed centred around reverse periodisation — working backward from the race date to identify critical build phases. "Gary would look at this year and say, let's do a reverse periodisation on this," Colin explained. "Let's look at where we need to get these different peak moments, these big build moments."
Their October simulation covered the first 1,000 miles of the RAAM course with full support crew. This wasn't just about physical conditioning — it was system testing under real conditions. Two weeks before that simulation, they executed back-to-back 12-hour training days. Not 12-hour rides with breaks, but 12 hours in the saddle, sleep, then another 12 hours. That's 250 miles per day for consecutive days.
The blood work component adds another layer of precision. Using comprehensive biomarker testing, Colin tracked changes every two months instead of the typical twice-yearly approach. "Before and after that thousand-mile ride, we tested me at the end of a training block, got all my tests, then went and did the test again the day after finishing 1,000 miles," he revealed. "Cortisol way up, testosterone down — we could see exactly what happened to my body."
This data-driven approach extends beyond just tracking fitness markers. When you're pushing the human body to its absolute limits for nearly a week, understanding inflammatory markers, hormone responses, and recovery indicators becomes critical for both performance and safety.
Marginal Gains That Compound to Hours: The Wind Tunnel Revolution
The craziest part of Colin's story for everyday cyclists is what came next. Most of us think wind tunnel testing is reserved for Tour de France teams or track pursuiters. Colin proved that aerodynamic optimisation matters just as much — if not more — for ultra-endurance events.
At Silverstone's Formula One wind tunnel facility, working with Lazer, they discovered gains that seemed almost too good to be true. "The littlest things — they're like, okay, let's move your bars out a centimetre and drop it down half a centimetre, and they're like, oh, that'll save you 8.5 hours over the course of RAAM," Colin shared, still sounding amazed by the numbers.
But it wasn't just position tweaks. Equipment choices compounded dramatically over 3,000 miles. Aerodynamic shoe covers alone saved them three hours. Aerodynamic gloves versus no gloves? Another three hours. The difference between their custom skin suit versus a standard tight-fitting cycling kit translated to massive time savings.
"I could be the fittest guy on the planet, but if I'm just wearing a baggy t-shirt versus the skin suit, it doesn't matter how fit I am," Colin realised. "The aerodynamics really matter, particularly when you're compounding over 3,000 miles."
They found 20-25 watts in total savings — that's a 5-10% gain for most recreational cyclists. Over 3,000 miles, those watts don't just save minutes or even hours; they can determine whether you break a world record or fall short.
The testing revealed something crucial: as distances increase, aerodynamic gains compound right alongside them. That bar adjustment saving 8.5 hours over RAAM might save you 15-20 minutes on a century ride, or 2-3 minutes on a 40k time trial. Still significant, but the longer you're out there, the more these details matter. The same physics applies off-road too, as we covered in wind tunnel aero gains for gravel cyclists.
What This Means for Your Training
You're probably not attempting RAAM anytime soon, but Colin's preparation reveals principles that apply to any ambitious cycling goal. The reverse periodisation approach works whether you're training for your first century or attempting a personal best at a gran fondo.
Start with your goal date and work backward. Identify 2-3 key build phases rather than following a generic base-build-peak structure. Colin's coach Gary Han was constantly reining in his motivation rather than trying to create it — a common issue with dedicated amateur cyclists. "More often than not, Gary's like, 'You told you to ride this zone two at 240 watts — why'd you ride it at 250? Actually back off, you're riding this too hard,'" Colin noted.
The biomarker tracking offers practical applications too. While you might not need monthly blood work, tracking basic markers like resting heart rate, sleep quality, and subjective energy levels can reveal when you're pushing too hard or recovering well.
Consider the aerodynamic gains seriously, especially if you're targeting time-based goals. If Colin can find 20-25 watts in a wind tunnel, you can probably find 5-10 watts with basic position optimisation and kit choices. That might not seem like much, but over a 100-mile sportive, it's the difference between suffering through the final 20 miles or finishing strong.
The 90-minute rotation strategy they're using for RAAM also applies to training partnerships. Instead of always riding together, alternate who sets the pace for specific intervals. One person pushes while the other recovers slightly behind, then switch. It's more specific preparation for events where you'll need to respond to surges and changes in pace.
If you're training hard for a big endurance goal but can't tell whether your limiter is fitness, aerodynamics or recovery, that's exactly the question the Plateau Diagnostic is built to answer. It looks at your training, recovery and progression together and shows you where the real constraint sits. Three minutes. Free.