Now, there’s normally at least one time per year when reasoning and sanity are banished to the bottom of the kit bag. What starts as “hmm…maybe” quickly takes hold of body and mind, unrelenting its vice like grip.

Established at the turn of the millennium when extreme athlete Franz Venier wanted to prove that it was possible to scale eleven hors category climbs, with over 13,000 metres of climbing, in under 32 hours. Well, Franz made it, and the rest as they say is history.

Since that day ‘The Race Across the Alps’ was born, quickly growing in popularity and establishing itself as one of, if not the, toughest one day ultra-endurance events in the world. Starting in the Austrian village of Nauders, the 535km route is epic in every sense, crossing into Italy and Switzerland to scale a host of truly iconic mountains including the Stelvio, Gavia, Mortirolo, Aprica, Bernina, Albula, Flüela, Fuorn and Umbrail.

Whatever way you look at it this is one big ride. Covering these climbs in a week is highly commendable, attempting to conquer them in a day verges on utter lunacy. I think that’s what someone said to me once, and since then I haven’t been able to sleep easy until I’d attempted the race for myself.

Technology is a wonderful thing. High modulus carbon fibre, GPS mapping, aerodynamics, windstopper garments and Seoul LED lighting are all designed to make a challenge like this, well, survivable. Fortunately for the La-Z-Boy riders out there, modern technology has also made it possible to track the suffering en-route, starting on June 19th at 11.00 GMT…

• Official race tracking

• Live support team updates on my home page and via Twitter

Let's hope that Mother Nature doesn't strike the Gavia like it did in the '88 Giro d' Italia!

Ski gloves.....er, check.

Check out the equipment here