Sliven – Sofia - Varna - Sliven, June 2008

Club member Svilen Marinov returned to his native Bulgaria with fellow Wheeler Murdo Jamieson to ride the 1200km Sliven – Sofia - Varna randonée.

Escaping the rainy British weather at the end of June, fellow club member Murdo Jamieson and I travelled to sunny Bulgaria to spend two weeks by the sea and take part in a 1200km international cycling marathon. This was the seventh edition of the event organised by the Bulgarian branch of Audax Club Parisien (the Paris-Brest-Paris people).

The 1226km route was varied and went over three mountains featuring fair amount of climbing. The cut-off time was 90 hours and that includes any food stops, time checks and sleeping time (same rules apply for Paris-Brest-Paris).


The route, click on the image for a larger view

Day 1 - 26 June - Distance covered: 436km, Average Temp 28°C
Starting fresh at 4.00 am on 26 of June we covered 436km in a little less than 24hrs. 30km short of the first sleepover a Dutch rider of our group had a crash descending a mountain pass in the dark. With bad cuts and two buckled wheels he had to abandon for the night and seek medical attention. Fortunately, the organiser’s broomwagon wasn’t far away and after few stitches in the local surgery he rejoined us for a well deserved rest in the first sleeping control in an old monastery. At 6.00 am next day, after four hours of rest we remounted and set off towards the rising sun. The Dutch rider rode that day but had to abandon later on because of his injuries.


An American rider with a priest at a monastery along the way

Day 2 - 27 June - Distance covered: 296km, Average Temp 25°C
By the second day the group had split and people were riding in groups of two or three some hours apart from each other. The fastest riders were already many kilometres ahead of us whilst my Bulgarian companion and I were still sleeping.

This is a good time to clarify that this event is non-competitive and your only aim is to finish within the 90 hour limit. There are no official podium places based on the time you achieve. Every rider is a winner as long as he/she finishes within the time limit.

The tiredness from the day before has already creeped in my legs, back and shoulders. Murdo was couple of hours ahead of me and I shared the company of fellow Bulgarian rider. We stuck together to the end of the marathon and made use of all time available to rest at the check points.

With 30km to the accommodation for the night our group of four (two Bulgarians and two Germans) were falling asleep over the handlebars on an endless, dark country roads. For hours on end we were staring at the rear wheel in front illuminated by a narrow beam of cycle light. It wasn’t unusual for people to shout and sing to themselves to keep awake, everyone was going a bit crazy. By 3.30 am and after 40 hours in the saddle we reached the next sleeping control on the 732km mark.

Despite tiredness and sore body I was still roughly on target and have covered 132km over the half-way mark which left me with 42 hours to complete another 494km. No major mechanical or physical problems to speak about – so far, so good!

Day 3 – 28 June - Distance covered: 281km, Avegarge Temp 30°C
The heat was getting unbearable and we took every opportunity to hide under a shady cherry, apricot or plum tree by the side of the road and enjoy its fruit! I had an ambition to finish the marathon in 80hours and improve on last year’s short of disqualification finish at Paris-Brest-Paris. My ambition dried up very quickly under the scorching sun and constant pangs in legs, neck and back. That said, the route that day was mostly over flat, well-surfaced roads and we enjoyed enormously the time control at a youth hostel run by a keen cyclists who went head over heels to feed and water us (or shall I say beer us!). That night our target was a sleeping control on the 10013km mark which was a small village not far from the sea. I was feeling much more comfortable descending towards my own home town of Bourgas! That night the skies opened and we had a torrential rain for four hours! In Bulgaria most gas stations work 24 hours and often have hot drink/food facility which is a life saver at 1.00 am on a dual carriageway when you are wet and cold to the bone. We had a double shot of locally brewed strong alcoholic drink and couldn’t care less if that constitutes doping – it felt just the right thing to do! We reached the sleeping control only to realise that my companion has forgotten his documents, keys and mobile phone at a petrol stations 30km up the road and after a steep descent… Cycling back in the poor state we were in was unthinkable and the official at that control was very kind to drive back and get it for him. We set off at 7.00 am next morning on the final leg of the journey.

Day 4 - 29th June, Sunday - Distance covered: 213km Average daily Temp 28C
Another hot day but it felt all right as the route passed next to my place in the town of Bourgas. I didn’t stop as I wouldn’t have been able to continue. After a hearty lunch overlooking the beach at the last time control before the finish we set off slowly through rolling country side towards the town of Sliven (start/finish). The last 200km seemed the longest so far and we made a system to stop for a short brake every 30km. We reached the finish at 8.55pm on Sunday evening where all other contestants and organisers were waiting for us. A grand banquet ensued with speeches and prize giving although we had to retire early to the hotel as our heads were dropping in the plates of food in front.


After all the tortue, the finish

All in all a great event, awesome organisation with proper accommodation and fresh cooked food awaiting you at every control point. We rode along some stunning countryside and met lovely helpful people along the route. I am doing this event for second year running and it’s more than certain I’ll do it again next year. It was a great adventure and a true test of mind and body. I thoroughly recommend it to anyone who wishes to push his/her physical and mental stamina boundaries further, meet some very jolly cyclists and taste the rich cultural traditions of the Bulgarian people.


The prizegiving ceremony

From 17 riders registered for the event nine finished within the time limit, six abandoned and two did not start.


The banquet, with many riders half asleep

Murdo’s time was 77hrs 35min, mine was 88hrs 55min. The fastest time of 70hrs 40min was recorded by German rider Holger Röthig who is preparing to do solo RAAM, good luck to him!

The organiser, Mr. Lazar Vladislavov, is a very helpful and friendly guy and if you want to get in touch for further details on this and other events the website is here.


Time to rest!