Preparation for the biggest challenge of my life
This September, the biggest travel project of my life is about to begin. I'm planning to ride my bike from Kraków to Chamonix - solo - and then climb Mont Blanc with a few friends. It's going to require serious physical and mental endurance, solid preparation, and a fair amount of stubbornness - not giving up, staying disciplined. That's exactly why I started training the moment I got back from Venezuela and Brazil at the end of 2025. I thought I'd write down how it's been going, since we're now only about a month away from the start.
The route
The route is 1,400 km with around 13,000 m of elevation gain. Most of it should actually be pretty chill in terms of steepness - the real challenge waits in the Alps, where there are two passes and three properly steep ascents right at the end. That's why physical prep had to start early.
Elevation profile of the Kraków → Chamonix route
Physical trainings
Right before flying to Venezuela in December 2025, I had barely finished healing a broken leg. So when I got back, I was basically starting from zero when it came to endurance and - honestly - using my legs at all. I started with running. From January until April, that was my main training. I signed up for a marathon in April to give myself a real target, and it paid off - I ran it in 3 hours 59 minutes, beating my personal best!!! I was really happy with how it went.
Cracovia Marathon 2026 - NEW PR 3:59
As soon as the marathon was done, I swapped running for cycling. I still run a bit to keep some baseline fitness, but the bike is the main focus now. The math is simple: 1,400 km in two weeks means at least 100 km every day. So from my very first bike training, I've been aiming for 100km's. I ride once a week and always try to squeeze in a minimum of 100 km. Honestly, I feel great with this rhythm. A few of my favourite training routes so far were: Kraków to Zakopane with a climb up to Kasprowy Wierch, Rowerowy Szlak Orlich Gniazd (a trail of castles north of Kraków) from Kraków to Częstochowa (200 km in one go), a ride out to the Błędowska Desert during a 35°C heatwave, and loops through Puszcza Niepołomicka. Still on my wishlist is a ride to Babia Góra with a hike up to the summit and back on the bike, and - the dream - a full loop around the Tatras. Not sure if I'll manage that last one before September, but we'll see.
Kraków -> Zakopane with Kasprowy Wierch
Kraków -> Zakopane GPX file
Photos from the Kasprowy Wierch trip
Rowerowy Szlak Orlich Gniazd (a trail of castles north of Kraków)
Rowerowy Szlak Orlich Gniazd GPX file
Photos from the Rowerowy Szlak Orlich Gniazd trip
Other photos
On Pustynia Błędowska
Testing bike + packraft setup
Experience
This isn't my first bikepacking trip either. My first bigger one was a ride from Kraków towards the Baltic sea — well, it was supposed to end at the sea, but eventually finished in Warsaw (that's a story for another post). What matters is that I did it on the exact same bike, with the exact same panniers and rack, and everything held up. That trip is the main reason I already know 100 km a day is comfortably doable, and it's what let me make a few key decisions for this year's preparations. The aerobars, for example — I bought them specifically because on the way to Warsaw my wrists were killing me for days. So a lot of what I'm doing now is direct feedback from that ride.
Photos from the trip to the Baltic Sea
Equipment and setup
My bike is a mountain bike, more MTB than gravel. I wanted to make cycling easier without buying a new bike - I just wasn't ready for that expense. So I made a few upgrades instead. First, I added aerobars, mostly so I can change position on long days and get more aerodynamic - honestly, they've made a huge difference. Then I swapped the tires for gravel ones, which lets me go much faster with much less effort. Combined with my suspension, which can be locked out via a switch on the handlebars, I'm actually not that far off from a proper gravel bike now. Beyond that, I got a rear rack, and I also bought clipless pedals and matching shoes. But I think I'll ditch them. I don't feel comfortable clipped in, and on this kind of distance, comfort matters more than efficiency. For carrying stuff, the setup will most likely be two 30-litre panniers on the rear rack, plus one bag on top with the sleeping mat, the tent probably hanging from the handlebars, and maybe a small frame bag for the rest.
Packed bike and my tent
The mountain gear for Mont Blanc I don't have to carry - my friends will bring it by car. I'm not summiting alone anyway. There will be five of us up there, so logistics from that point on get much easier.
I'm planning to sleep wild most of the time - tent, sleeping bag, mat. That said, in some places, especially in Switzerland, wild camping is heavily fined, so if I can't find a good spot, I'll fall back on campgrounds. Or occasionally a hotel in a city. I've been reaching out to companies to support the trip. Big thanks to Lyofood, who already came through with a 30% discount on their freeze-dried meals - really appreciated and super helpful. If anyone reading this wants to support the expedition - panniers, camping gear, cycling equipment, mountaineering stuff, anything really - get in touch. Always welcome.
Plans
Start date: September 6. Summit attempt: the last weekend of September. So really, only August is left, plus a few scraps of days. Before the start, I want to head into the Tatras with the crew - Orla Perć maybe, or Rysy - just to spend some time hiking together before the big one. Back in winter we were up there for training on Zawrat and around Dolina Pięciu Stawów, where we practiced ice axe self-arrest, rope work, pulling someone out with a rope, all that kind of stuff. Honestly, I think we're pretty well prepared.
In the Tatras during winter training (Zawrat Pass)
As for altitude - having been to Nepal, I have a rough idea of what the thin air feels like up there. It won't be a complete shock.
With Mateusz in Nepal on 4900 m
And that's basically it. That's how everything is coming together, gear-wise and physically. September 6 - keep your fingers crossed for me. Maybe you'll hear about the expedition somewhere along the way. I really hope you will. Thanks for reading.
Peace, Kuba