Cycles of all sorts

For racing.

Go on long rides (6-8 hours) under the worst conditions your area has to offer. Try setting up your stove and sleeping system at the end of a long cold ride. Do you need extra clothes for this job? Can you wait in the cold while your stove melts snow?

Evaluate your survival gear in terms of what you would need to get through 24 hours if you had to camp out while you were already soaked, cold and too sick or hurt to keep riding. The Iditasport organization has done a remarkable job over the years of finding and rescuing all of the participants who have gotten in trouble but it's just a matter of time until someone, maybe you, has to rely on their own survival gear.

Starting in 1995, participants have been required to carry a minimum of 15 pounds of gear. Since the serious weight reducers have gotten their setups below 10 pounds, this rule should encourage you to carry equipment and supplies beyond the absolute minimum for survival. For example, take more or better food, extra clothes or a warmer sleeping bag.