Unbound Stories: Ted King
The world’s biggest gravel race celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Back in 2006, it started as a 200-mile adventure with just 34 riders. Over the last 20 years, it has evolved into a race that brings pro racers from all over the world to the Flint Hills of Kansas—while still welcoming riders of many different abilities. To celebrate this incredible event, we’ll talk to a few riders about their experiences and perspective, starting with Ted King. If there is a rider who has seen the changes of Unbound over the years—and even shaped them himself—it’s the ‘King of Gravel.’
JH: 20 years of Unbound: You’ve been involved for half of that, riding it almost every year since 2016. (I recall when your son was born, you wisely skipped the race.) You’ve won twice and posted top-10 finishes five times in a row. Why do you keep coming back?
TK: It took me about 11 months of consideration to come back after my first Unbound (above). I finished that first year—conveniently with the winner’s belt buckle as proof—just so cracked that ‘one-and-done’ seemed a good approach. But as race day loomed on the horizon, I remembered how much fun I had. I remembered Dan Hughes walking me through the ropes of my first 200-mile race. I remembered the experience Rebecca Rusch shared with me, which lured me back. My Kansas mechanic, Collin Earhart, was the picture of assistance. These people all became friends over that year, so thinking of them, remembering the fair-like atmosphere in downtown Emporia, all that drew me back in—and has ever since.
JH: How has Unbound changed over the years?
TK: How has it not changed? That aforementioned downtown fair has been replaced by a pre-race expo. I mean, it was literally a downtown Americana fair. Picture cotton candy and fried dough and face painting and games with trinkets as prizes. Everyone came out for the fair.
The pre-race expo has grown 100-fold. The entire town of Emporia has seemingly changed for the better: My memory is that every third building or so in downtown was derelict, vacant, and boarded up. Now downtown Emporia is thriving, and that’s been great to see. Places like Mulready’s and the sweet Granada movie theatre (above) have stood the test of time and are stalwart parts of the community. Another part that has also stood true is the strong community of people who love bikes, and who come to gravel Mecca: downtown Emporia, Kansas.
JH: Unbound is one of the most unpredictable races. It’s long, and the rocks of the Flint Hills have slashed the hopes of many contenders. There’s the ever-present risk of the course turning into a mudbath after a thunderstorm or two. You’ve experienced at least some of those challenges… In road racing, there are climbers who fly up the mountains and rouleurs who excel in the one-day classics. Is there such a thing as an ‘Unbound Rider’?
TK: A successful Unbound rider, an ‘Unbound specialist,’ is characterized as a hard-man or hard-woman cyclist. Climbing specialists have done well (Lachlan Morton, Ian Boswell, Keegan Swenson, Carolin Schiff), as much as the heartier rouleurs have taken the top step (Cam Jones, Rosa Klöser, yours truly…). You can’t win the race without a massive physiological foundation—in other words, everyone is fit. But to push through some troubling times, you need to be mentally tough, too. The odds are pretty good that something will go awry during a 200-mile race, so how well you pivot in those situations can really determine whether your day is successful or not.
That’s even more the case for me this year as I take on the XL. I’ve won Unbound twice, then still maintained success as the race picked up in stature and higher level of competition. So I’ve recently set out to try the XL. After two failed attempts, I’m hoping third time is a charm. Parts of it seem absolutely foolish. 100 miles is a big day in Kansas. 200 miles is an enormous day. So 350 is just crazy. It’s no wonder that early XL racers brought camping gear and made it an event that involved camping out! Anyway, I’m drawn to the 200, I’m drawn to the 100, heck I’m drawn to the 50 mile, but the XL drew me back this year.
JH: Tell us about your equipment. Which bike are you riding?
TK: I’ll be riding the Cannondale Topstone. I’ll run a 42-tooth front chainring and 10-46 rear cassette. Aerobars, of course. I have a pretty crafty hydration system, so keep your eyes peeled for that. For tires, I’m currently planning on Rene Herse 700×48 mm Poteau Mountain semi-slicks with Endurance Plus casings, front and rear, mounted on Zipp XPLR wheels. Then my ace in the hole, if it’s a muddy year, is to drop down to 44 mm-wide Snoqualmie Pass slicks (or maybe even narrower?!) to slice my way through the mud.
JH: May we ask about your tire pressure?
TK: I’m toying with pressure still, and have been enjoying a beta bit of software from the good people at Rene Herse! There is so much stuff on these XL bikes, atypical from a normal gravel ride, that it is really hard to figure out the best pressure. I’ve been trying some different options, and I’m really optimistic where things are leaning.
JH: The XL is different from the other races, in that it’s completely unsupported. How does that change the race? And how are you handling the resupplies?
TK: Resupplying is definitely part of the equation. I watched the race roll away last year when I needed to stop, thinking that our entire lead group would do the same. So I’m studying the map a lot, and am still in the midst of sorting how much I’ll pack and where those resupply stops are.
JH: With all your experience, many first-time Unbound riders are looking to you for advice. What is your Number One recommendation?
TK: Whether you have a support team or not: Stopped time sure puts you on your back foot, so the goal is to keep moving!
JH: Thank you, Ted! Good luck for the XL this weekend. We’ll watch your dot as you ride across the Flint Hills!
Photo Credits: Ansel Dickey (Photo 1); Linda Guerrette (Photo 2); Andy Chasteen (Photo 4); Marc Arjol Rodriguez (Photo 7)
