August 13, 2026
Host
Welcome back to The Pain Cave, the podcast where we talk about drop bars, chain grease, and questionable life choices on two wheels. I’m Alex, and sitting across from me is Maya. Now, Maya, if you’ve been scrolling through sports news this week, you’ve probably seen the usual suspects—WorldTour race recaps, contract drama, transfer rumors. But if you look over at the extreme edge of endurance sports, there is one headline right now that should make every single cyclist reading it freeze in their tracks.
Guest
It is, hands down, the scariest thing in sports news right now.
Host
And we don't mean 'scary' like slipping a tire on a 15% wet gravel descent, or even getting caught in a sudden hailstorm at altitude. We mean scary on a deep, existential, why-does-my-body-hurt-just-thinking-about-it level. It's the kind of scary that makes you question your life choices while you're still sitting on your couch.
Guest
We are talking, of course, about the upcoming Cadence Collective Classic. Mark your calendars: September 23rd through the 27th. And trust me, Alex, this isn't just another long bike ride. This is a full-on assault on the limits of human endurance, specifically designed to push women to their absolute breaking point.
Host
For anyone out there who hasn't seen the press release yet, let me lay down the headline stats before we break down why this event is going to rewrite the ultra-racing playbook. The Cadence Collective Classic is a women-only event. The distance? Fourteen hundred kilometers. That's not a typo. 1400 kilometers of pure, unrelenting Southern California terrain. To put that in perspective, that's like riding from Los Angeles to Portland, but with way more climbing.
Guest
That’s 870 miles. In four days. Or more precisely, 105 hours. So you're averaging over 200 miles a day, with no support, on some of the toughest roads in the country.
Host
Let that settle into your quads for a second. Today, we’re going deep on the Who, What, When, Where, and Why you need to be glued to your screen dot-watching this September. Because whether you race local criteriums or just like doing casual century rides on weekends, what’s about to go down in Southern California is pure, unadulterated madness. And I, for one, cannot wait to watch it unfold, even if it means losing sleep myself.
Guest
So, what makes this event unique right off the bat is its dual-tier structure. It caters both to pure racers looking to tear each other's legs off for the win, and to brevet riders looking for official RUSA—Randonneurs USA—and ACP (Audax Club Parisien) completion credit. So you've got this incredible mix of elite competitors and hardcore randonneuses all on the same course, pushing each other in completely different ways.
Host
And the clock is ticking nonstop from the moment they roll out. What’s the official cutoff, Maya?
Guest
105 hours. That is the absolute brevet time limit to complete 1,400 kilometers. That includes your sleeping, eating, bike maintenance, mechanical failures, and any existential crises on the side of the road. 105 hours total. If you finish in 104 hours and 59 minutes, you're a finisher. If you take 105 hours and one minute, it's a DNF. No exceptions.
Host
Now, usually, when you hear about a fourteen hundred k ultra-event, you think point-to-point—like Paris-Brest-Paris or the Transcontinental—where logistically you're constantly hunting for hotels or sleeping in ditches, and you're just trying to survive until the next checkpoint. But the Cadence Collective Classic is doing something brilliant and psychologically torturous: a cloverleaf format. And I have to say, Maya, I'm not sure if it's genius or just cruel.
Guest
It’s agonizing, Alex! Picture a four-leaf clover. The central hub is located at Bonelli Bluffs RV Campground, right on the lake near San Dimas, California. The hub serves as the event village, complete with hot meals, snacks, sleeping quarters, and drop bag access. So you roll in, completely shattered, and you're surrounded by warmth and comfort. That's the psychological trap. It's like a siren call telling you to stop.
Host
Sounds cozy, right? Wrong! Because radiating out from San Dimas are four distinct, brutal loops exploring the absolute worst—and best—terrain Southern California has to offer. And each loop is designed to break you in a different way.
Guest
We’re talking major physical punishment. Loop by loop, these riders are going to be hit with: First, the brutal, long-grind climbs of the San Bernardino National Forest, where the gradients just seem to never end. Second, the blistering heat and howling crosswinds of the high desert, where you're baking and getting sandblasted at the same time. Third, high-altitude mountain passes that'll leave you gasping for air. And fourth, unforgiving coastal headwinds along the Pacific coastline that feel like you're riding into a wall. It's like a greatest hits album of suffering, curated by someone who really hates cyclists.
Host
So every time you finish a 200-plus-mile loop, you roll back into Bonelli Bluffs. You get a hot meal, you grab stuff from your drop bag, maybe sleep for 45 minutes, 2 to 3 hours if you're lucky... and then you have to force yourself to clip back in and head right back out into the pitch-black night. That mental battle must be absolutely insane. I don't know if I could do it.
Guest
Mentally, that cloverleaf setup is a trap. The temptation to just pull your rider card, sit by the lake, and call it a day is going to be overwhelming every single time they return to camp. And that's exactly why it's so brilliant from a race design perspective. It forces you to confront your own limits over and over again. You can't just get into a rhythm and grind it out; you have to actively choose to keep suffering.
Host
Now, to understand why this event exists, we have to talk about the Who. Who built this movement, Maya?
Guest
The Cadence Collective! Their origin story is incredible. They originally formed right here in SoCal to connect ultra-endurance women aged 45 and older. You know, during the pandemic, when everyone was seeking long solo outdoors escapes, this group just exploded. It grew from a local riding crew into a global movement whose riders are literally dominating the ultra-racing circuit right now. It's like they tapped into this well of untapped potential.
Host
And can we talk about that specific demographic for a second? Older women dominating ultra-endurance isn't just a cool headline—it is backed by hard sports science and physiological data. I mean, we're seeing women in their late 40s and 50s absolutely crushing races that would destroy most 25-year-old men.
Guest
Oh, the science here is fascinating, Alex! Two huge things happen as women age in endurance sports: First, muscle fiber composition and mitochondrial density. As female athletes age, their ratio of slow-twitch, Type I muscle fibers and mitochondrial density actually optimizes for extreme long-haul energy utilization. They become unbelievably efficient at burning fat and conserving glycogen over multiple days. It's like their bodies become these diesel engines that just keep going. Second, the performance gap. In shorter, explosive events, men often have raw power advantages. But as the race distance stretches past the 48-hour mark? That gap shrinks—and past 48 hours, women regularly outpace men outright. The data is clear: ultra-endurance is a woman's game.
Host
It’s about mental durability and metabolic efficiency. Ultra-racing isn't about peak wattage; it's about minimizing physiological decay over time. And that's something these women have absolutely mastered. They're not just riding bikes; they're managing their bodies like fine-tuned machines.
Guest
Exactly. And don't think for a second that just anyone can sign up for this. To even earn a spot on the start grid in San Dimas, every rider had to qualify by completing a full Super Randonneur series—that’s an officially validated 200k, 300k, 400k, and 600k brevet all in a single season—or by submitting a comparable, vetted resume of ultra-distance achievements. So the field is stacked with proven talent. There are no lottery entries, no charity spots. You earn your place through sheer grit.
Host
There are zero casuals out there. Everyone on that start line is a proven monster. And that's what makes this event so compelling to watch. You're not going to see people just surviving; you're going to see people racing.
Guest
We are expecting several hundred participants at Bonelli Bluffs this September. We've got local SoCal crews, seasoned US randonneuses, and elite international teams flying in from France, Germany, Spain, and South Korea. It's a truly global field, and the cultural exchange alone is going to be amazing. Imagine the different strategies and approaches they'll bring.
Host
This is literally an international summit of women who ride insane distances faster than anyone else on Earth. And we're going to get to watch it all unfold in real time, thanks to GPS tracking. It's like the Olympics of ultra-cycling, but way more hardcore.
Guest
Let’s walk through some of the headliners on this start list, because it reads like a hall of fame of ultra-distance cycling. I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it.
Host
First up: representing the USA, we have Meagan Killinen, the current Tour Divide record holder. If you know anything about bikepacking, you know what the Tour Divide is—2,700 miles along the Continental Divide, self-supported, through grizzly country. Meagan’s mental fortitude is unreal. She's basically a legend in the dirt.
Guest
Then, coming over from Switzerland, we have Jana Kesselhaur. Jana is on an absolute tear, having won the 2026 Transcontinental Race and holding the title of World 24-Hour Time Trial Champion. She has high-end speed and multi-day endurance locked down. She's a dual threat, which is rare. Most riders specialize, but she can do both.
Host
From Germany, we have past TCR winner Fiona Kolberg, who is legendary for her sleep deprivation strategies and relentless pacing. She's like a machine that just doesn't stop. I've heard she can function on two hours of sleep a night for a week.
Guest
And out of Japan, we have Rinko Soma, winner of the grueling Shizuoka 1000k. She's known for her climbing prowess and her ability to suffer in silence. The international field is just stacked. And these are just the headliners; there are dozens of other riders with incredible palmares.
Host
Think about putting all those riders on the same course at the same time. Mountain specialists, time-trial champions, and off-road legends all converging on 870 miles of Southern California asphalt. The sheer concentration of talent is mind-blowing. It's going to be a tactical chess match at 15 miles per hour, with sleep deprivation as the wildcard.
Guest
Right! In the pro peloton, riders do 3 to 5 hours, backed by team cars, mechanics handing them spare bikes, soigneurs giving them feed bags, and a post-race massage at a fancy hotel. That's a completely different world. This event is the antithesis of that. It's raw, it's real, and it's unsupported.
Host
But is that really safe, Maya? I mean, 105 hours with no support, in remote areas, at night? Aren't we risking serious accidents?
Guest
That's a fair concern, Alex. But these riders are experienced ultra-endurance athletes. They carry satellite trackers, they have emergency plans, and the event has a robust safety protocol. Plus, the cloverleaf format means they're never too far from the hub. It's calculated risk, not recklessness.
Host
This event? 105 fully unsupported hours. No team car, no mechanic, no soigneur. Just you, your bike, and the road. And if something goes wrong, you're on your own. That's the beauty of it.
Guest
No support cars. No mechanics following behind. If you get a sidewall tear at 3:00 AM in the desert, you fix it yourself, with cold fingers and a headlamp. If your GPS unit dies or your lights fail on a dark mountain descent, you figure it out. It is pure, unassisted grit. And that's what makes it so inspiring to watch. These women are completely self-reliant.
Host
And the cycling industry is taking notice in a huge way. The Gold sponsors alone are a dream list: Campagnolo, Profile Design, Pearl Izumi, Muck-Off, Park Tool, and Continental. These are top-tier brands that usually back WorldTour teams, and they're throwing their weight behind this women's ultra event. It's a big deal.
Guest
And the Platinum headline sponsor is Lifetime TV, who is actually on-site producing a feature documentary about the race, highlighting the personal stories of these women against the backdrop of this grueling course. So this isn't just a race; it's a story that's going to reach a massive audience. People who've never even heard of randonneuring are going to be inspired.
Host
A Lifetime documentary? That's huge. Do we know what angle they're taking? Are they following specific riders?
Guest
From what I've heard, they're embedding with a few riders from different backgrounds—a mother of three, a retired teacher, a former pro triathlete. They want to show the diversity of the field. It's going to be a powerful film.
Host
Which brings us to the official mantra of the Cadence Collective. Despite the terrifying distance, the mantra printed high on the start banner at Bonelli Bluffs reads: 'Ride Slow, Bring Snacks, Take Naps.' It's so simple, yet so profound. It's like the anti-race mantra, but it's exactly what you need to survive 1,400 kilometers.
Guest
And because it’s a global field, that banner has translations in French, German, Spanish, Korean, and Japanese. 'Ride Slow, Bring Snacks, Take Naps'—words to live by, whether you're doing 1,400 kilometers or riding to your local coffee shop. It's universal wisdom. I actually have it on a sticker on my bike.
Host
And when these riders finally cross that line after 105 hours, Bonelli Bluffs is throwing a massive finish line party with a live band, lakeshore food, and a huge celebration. They've earned every single calorie and every single note of that music. It's going to be emotional.
Guest
So, why should you care? Because this is a historic showcase of human capability. It’s what happens when you strip away support cars and leave athletes with nothing but two wheels, 870 miles, and pure determination. It's the essence of sport, distilled down to its purest form. And it's women leading the charge.
Host
I remember dot-watching the Transcontinental a few years ago, and it was riveting. But this, with the cloverleaf and the all-women field, feels even more intense. I think it's because we know these riders are pushing against not just the course, but also stereotypes.
Guest
Absolutely. And that's why this event matters beyond cycling. It's a statement. When you see a 55-year-old woman fixing a flat in the desert at 2 AM and then finishing 870 miles, it changes what you think is possible.
Host
Come September 23rd, I will be full-on dot-watching. I’ll have my browser open, tracking GPS dots across SoCal, neglecting all my day-to-day responsibilities. I might even take a day off work just to follow the final push. It's going to be addictive.
Guest
I’ve already bookmarked my favorite dots to track! I've got a shortlist of riders I'm rooting for, based on their past performances and their social media. It's like fantasy football, but with way more suffering and way more inspiration.
Host
I'm already planning my dot-watching snacks. I'm thinking chips, salsa, and maybe some energy gels for solidarity. You know, to suffer along with them.
Guest
Ha! Just don't forget to hydrate. Maybe we should do a live dot-watching party on the podcast. We could have listeners call in with updates.
Host
Mark your calendars for September 23–27, follow the Cadence Collective Classic, and remember: Ride slow, bring snacks, and take naps! That's advice we can all use, whether we're racing or just commuting. Thanks for listening, everyone.
Guest
And hey, if you're feeling inspired, maybe try a 200k brevet yourself. Start small, but dream big. That's how these women started.
Host
Great advice. And we'll be here to cover it all. Until then, keep riding, keep exploring, and as always, ride slow, bring snacks, take naps. See you next time.
Guest
I'm already counting down the days. This is going to be epic.
Host
Epic is an understatement. Alright, we'll wrap it here. Thanks for geeking out with us, Maya.
Guest
Catch you on the road, everyone! And don't forget to hydrate. Seriously, please drink water, eat real food, get some sleep, and maybe sign up for a brevet. Stay safe out there, and bye!