Pete Stetina's Marin High Five FKT

With Lifetime’s Crusher in the Tushar cancellation due to a wildfire, I found myself without races this July. One thing I learned during the 2020 pandemic cancellations was that the ability to pivot and be creative is important for both my internal happiness and for my sponsors who financially support me. It was during that era when I became smitten with the bike FKT movement. The Feed’s loyalists are likely familiar with the term FKT due to the strong ultra running community it supports, but for those who don’t know, an FKT (Fastest Known Time) is, at its simplest level, a course record attempt. And while bike-centric FKT’s have waned a bit since traditional races have bounced back, it’s still relevant and I’ve made a point to document and attempt one per year.

A few ingredients are important as to what constitutes an FKT. Sure it can be done on any old backyard track, but for the ones that really inspire, that bring forth the best efforts and most notoriety, the route itself has to be one of the biggest and baddest around. One that is steeped in history or has a reason to make it special. Things like the White Rim 100 mile loop in Moab, or the Colorado Trail come to mind.

I’ve long had a feeling that NorCal has needed it’s own. I’d championed Rose to Toads in Tahoe and it’s gaining traction every season, but what else could fit that mold? Then, a few months ago, a local Marin County rider sent me a loop he’d created with all his years of backdoor exploration: The Marin High Five. This was it: In the birthplace of mountain biking, the Marin High Five connects the 5 highest peaks of Marin County into one monstrous day, packing 10,000ft of climbing into 55 miles. Sure there are smoother trails and easier grades available, but that’s not the point of a loop like this. There’s no holding back in the decision to include the steepest fire roads around.

So on July 22nd, I loaded up the van and drove over to Fairfax to try and establish a pro level time on the route. Packing and planning nutrition for an FKT is a bit different from traditional races. If you caught my “What’s in Pete’s Pocket” video, you’ll see one needs to plan gear and fueling with a different frame of mind. For starters, there’s no race SAG support should things go wrong, you are fully responsible for you finishing this adventure. So I always bring a few survival items like a SPOT tracker, a Road ID bracelet, and a water filter incase there aren’t any reliable resupply options. Fueling-wise one needs to consider hydration and rationing supplies a bit more than the high carb fuel-laden racing renaissance we find ourselves in. I tend to opt for more calories in my pocket and let my liquids be all about hydration as that’s where things can really go wrong.

I got a late start that day and paid dearly. I was lucky that I’m very acclimated to the heat this year but I still regretted my lackadaisical 9:40am start when on the first climb I was crawling up a 20% grade on a shadeless fire road. The day got better and better however as I summited the next few peaks and got into Mt. Tam’s watershed. The valley bottoms of NorCal are lush redwood forests even in summer, and on the last peaks I even got a whiff of sea breeze. I was able to nurse my final sips to the final peak where there is a drinking fountain near an observatory. The final descent was a bumpy and jarring affair, cementing my decision that a MTB, with its bigger tires and low climbing gears, is the right choice. I crossed the line in 4 hours 50 minutes. The segment conveniently finishes a mile from the start and downtown, so there are cafes, craft tap rooms, and restaurants aplenty to celebrate your achievement.

Enjoy this little flick I made with TOPO Collective on the day and what makes it unique. I hope you can try it if looking for a big route in the Bay Area, and just maybe I’ll be personally sending you one of these Splitrock gift cards if you set the new FKT for Male, Female, or non-binary. Good luck!