Four thirty in the morning is definitely an early start for a bike ride. Alarms in the threes for the riders, likely as startling as the collection of excited cyclists herding at the Melbourne GPO to the late night soldiers staggering the streets home after their nights out. The start at this Melbourne landmark is not random. In times gone past, ultra distance point to point cycling records would only stand from GPO to GPO. A tradition, route master and Curve Cycling Founder, Jesse Carlsson likes to hold onto. The Border Run is an idea, a spirit social ride with no entry fee, no aid stations, no timing chips and no rules to follow (although don’t be a d@*k does still stand). You get a route and a challenge. So bring your sense of adventure.

Off into the darkness. Leaving the bright lights of the CBD in their wake, the riders snaked through the bike paths and lesser known suburbs towards the first major obstacle of the day; Bowden Spur road. Arguably the toughest climb on the course, and it comes up first, you’ll be glad the legs are still fresh here, but don’t mistake this for plain sailing once you reach the summit.

Before heading back out onto the quiet, forest tracks the riders are rewarded with the first resupply. A chance to stretch the legs and fill the body with carbs ahead of the next challenge. Powerade’s and choccy milks seem the favourite for most. The staple diet of ultra cyclists.

The roads that follow feel like an escape. A reminder of how far you can get with just your own legs. A lifetime away from the crowded Melbourne streets and glistening lights where we started. Lush, dense forests to rolling green hills, twisting hardpack gravel climbs to chunky fast descents, you’ll get a taste of it all. Take a second to look up from your stem, you’ll thank yourself later.

Bonnie Doon, the land of serenity, is the next major landmark for the riders to cross. Significant in that it marks the half way point; 200km in the legs. The riders face a choice. Can they do that again? They’ve done almost all the climbing, but have they got enough left in the tank? What faces them is the flatter wetlands of Benalla, the dusty train lines to Wangarratta and the final steep climb up and over into Albury, where the finish line sits on an inconspicuous hard shoulder. There is no fancy finish line banner here, just a big sign on the side of a road and a huge feeling of accomplishment.

The riders split. Some of them choose the safety and warmth of the motel, full of pub grub and recovery beer in hand. Only the brave continue on into the night. Into the darkness. Guided by small streaks of gravel illuminated in front of them.

Feel up to the challenge? Want to know what it feels like to cross a state under your own steam? The accomplishment of hitting that sign with 400km of Victoria’s best gravel roads in your legs? We’re not going to ruin that bit for you, you have to get out there, get off the couch and make it your own adventure…

If you like the sound of this, or the shorter but still epic, original Curve Border Run to Echuca, all the routes and details can be found at www.curvecycling.com