2015 Dirty Kanza 200 - The Dirty Nine: Tim Ek

This year Salsa is sending the Dirty Nine down to the 2015 Dirty Kanza 200. Tim Ek is Dirty Two. -Kid

This will be my sixth Dirty Kanza 200. Over the years my goals have changed considerably. They've ranged from just finishing to increasingly competitive results-orientated goals. This year I will focus on time. I hope to finish the 200 miles in under 13.5 hours.

My training plan for the DK is far from complicated. I try to get the majority of my miles through my work commutes, with at least one extended ride on the weekends. If I'm on my game I have been able to score 15 hours of saddle time just from the commutes alone in a week, with a good three-hour session of mountain biking on a weekend day. If my commuting hours are around the 12-hour area, I have then focused on squeezing in a three to six-hour gravel ride on the weekend. In my world these hours aren't easy to get while holding down a full-time job along with all the other responsibilities that come with life. Overall, I'm satisfied with a week of 15 hours or more on the bike. But really, is it ever enough?

This year I'll be riding the Salsa Warbird Ti. This has been my "go to" gravel bike for the past several years. I have a connection with this bike and spend the majority of my miles on it, I know its every nuance. My setup choices for this particular event will be clean and simple. I'll have three bottles on the bike, a Revelate Designs Gas Tank on the toptube, and a Garmin Edge on the stem; that's it! I have found over the years that less is more. I'll do my best to use the aid stations for all that they have to offer in order to make sure my mechanical and nutritional needs are met.

Finally, my overall plan is to keep my conversation light, my attitude positive, and a constant eye on the beauty of Kansas. I can't wait to get out there.

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Click here to see Dirty One: Steve Yore

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