Hardest?

[spruceboy]

So that eliminates the ITI right? Most of that is not on single track. At least in the sense of the kind I ride in the northeast.

The ITI (or at least the short 350 mile version, the only one I have done) is like any other winter snow bike race - how "hard" or challenging it is depends entirely on conditions.  Sometimes sections are single track (*ish*) when the trail is nice, other times there when the trail isn't good it there is lots of walking or very slow grinding away. 

In 2012 Peter Basinger finished only 8.5hrs ahead of Geoff Roes who was on foot in the 350, and no one went on to Nome.   Are there many other races were a runner can be that close to winning, in a 6+day race? 

[AZTtripper]

Are there many other races were a runner can be that close to winning, in a 6+day race?

The AZT would come close, if not for the wilderness detours they might even win. If we had to do all of the wilderness passages I doubt we would have many finishers.

Of course I will say AZT because that's the one that I know. Single track at every level from flowing to riding chunk to unridable HAB, rattle snakes, scorpions, plants that can put you in the ER. There's almost always a high dnf rate on the 300.

But then again there are 2 stores in the first 50 miles, so you can't really compare it to AK.

Here's a comparison concept, how hard would it be to tour the route. TD, AZT, CT all in the lower 48 all have access to all the food you can buy to carry. To me anything that you can start in race mode but then cut your pace in half and still be fine is nothing compared to the course where you only get X amount of food period.

Just an observation but to me TD only looks hard to race, judging from the volume of traffic the course see's and the lack of technical single track make it hard for me to see it as the hardest.

I know nothing about the one in Africa but it could well be the top dog.

Just another observation, there are likely people out there doing way harder things without needing anyone else to push them to keep on keeping on. And then never bothering to post up for all the world to see all that they have done.

Just my random thoughts.
Tim

[Rorr]

The race I have in mind there would be no resupply points you would have to hunt for your food, no trail, find your own route and be totally self supported. Is there such a thing? Race down the Amazon? Congo? South Pole? AZTR , TDR, CTR I've done those I know there is much harder stuff out there. Run Hardrock that will get your attention!

[Sparkyga]

I think defining "Hardest Race" is impossible unless you define catagories based on both terrain and distance. I would argue that the TD is the hardest endurance race not from the terrain but from the distances involved, but AZT is much harder terrain wise. But then WC is extreme level stuff from the competition alone. Then you have events like RAAM which are just nuts.

Then factor in the weather.... Personally the hardest day of cycling I've ever had was on flat level pavement in an built up urban area. Just a bit of a storm with flooding roads, 4C weather and 120 km/h+ winds. Weather plays a big factor on how 'hard an event is and is inconsistent each time an event is held.

[geekonabike]

The race I have in mind there would be no resupply points you would have to hunt for your food, no trail, find your own route and be totally self supported. Is there such a thing? Race down the Amazon? Congo? South Pole? AZTR , TDR, CTR I've done those I know there is much harder stuff out there. Run Hardrock that will get your attention!

I'd call that "Orienteering" & we should most defiantly have some MTB orienteering events.  GPS or Map & Compass classes.