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Dawson City鈥檚 Jessie Gladish is ready to take another run at victory in the Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra (MYAU).

Gladish, a young 37, won the Ultra 300 mile race from Whitehorse to Mandanna Lake and back last year on a fat bike.

The Star spoke to the ultra athlete the day before the race began anew.

She said she was feeling 鈥減retty good鈥� going into this year鈥檚 race.

鈥淢y training has been a little unconventional I guess. It鈥檚 just been work over the winter, outdoor work in Dawson and getting out on my bike as much as I can. I鈥檝e had a couple of rides that were two to four hours long, but I鈥檓 kind of banking on just some memory from last year. I鈥檓 kind of always constantly training in a way. But as far as bike specific, it hasn鈥檛 been as much as I probably would like to but that鈥檚 okay.鈥�

She has been doing some unconventional training.

鈥淚鈥檝e been doing Fire Smart work in Dawson and I鈥檝e been doing snow removal. So you know, neither of those are on the bike, but they鈥檙e outside and hard physical work, on my feet all day. So I鈥檝e definitely been acclimatized to some pretty cool temperatures we鈥檝e been having up in Dawson this winter. And so that鈥檚 helped. And then I have been out on my bike quite a bit.鈥�

Gladish was asked if she鈥檚 feeling any pressure with being the defending champ.

鈥淭his year, I鈥檓 doing a different distance. Last year was a 300. And this year is 430. So it really feels like a totally separate race. Also I ended up being the only biker in the end in the race last year. So it鈥檚 sort of felt like a category of my own time. There鈥檚 two other women on bikes this year going to Dawson. One of them is another Yukoner and another one is a woman who鈥檚 finished on her bike before, the 430, and has come back, Pat Cooke-Rogers. Gilian Smith is the other Yukoner. And so they鈥檙e both on bikes and we鈥檙e all doing the 430 which I think is really cool. Yeah. To go back to your question, do I feel any pressure? Not really, there鈥檚 always some kind of perceived external pressure, but really, I鈥檓 just trying to do it for me.鈥�

Gladish said she鈥檚 expecting to have a little easier going than last year, when she compared the snow conditions to 鈥渕ashed potatoes.鈥�

鈥淲ell, mentally and physically are different things. I think the trail conditions are better than they were last year. It鈥檚 not as warm. Last year, it was warm, overflow, slushy, soft trail. And this year is shaping up to be better. You know, there鈥檚 obviously still a chance that it could get really cold. I was just out on the river today and the trail is great, but there鈥檚 corners with windblown sections where I did have to hop off and push my bike. You鈥檙e like, 鈥榦h, yeah, not this again鈥�. But overall, I think the trail is going to be fairly good, at least on this end.

鈥淚 was out on the trail on the weekend and it was really nice.

鈥淢entally speaking, last year it ended up being an out and back. And I think this year, the fact that it鈥檚 back to the original plan, and you just go one way, I think it鈥檚 really exciting going all the way to Dawson. I think it actually mentally helps me to know that I don鈥檛 have to turn around and come back. It鈥檚 just you just go and I鈥檓 living there now. So I鈥檓 essentially biking home, which is really hugely motivating. It鈥檚 great.鈥�

Gladish didn鈥檛 say specifically how long she expects to take to get to the finish line in Dawson.

鈥淭hirteen days is the limit. I鈥檓 hoping that the bike is faster for me than walking. The fastest that I鈥檝e walked, it was 11 and a half days. So I鈥檒l be happy to beat my own walking time on a bike. I would be disappointed if I didn鈥檛. Essentially I just want to finish but I am aiming to shave a few days off the walking time.

鈥淚f everything goes to plan which, how often does that happen? But, short of mechanical issues or some kind of injury or poor decision or something like that, I do think it should be faster.鈥�

Gladish learned a thing or two last year about competing in the Ultra on a bike.

鈥淚 did learn quite a bit being on the bike last year over that distance. I鈥檝e pared down the stuff that I鈥檓 taking a little bit more this year, and I鈥檝e changed up my footwear. I鈥檓 now doing liners with Neo boots over top. So that鈥檚 been a change from last year. I鈥檓 bringing shoes in a drop bag just in case I need to switch but yeah, definitely changed up a few things.鈥�

Gladish only brings one pair of heavier duty footwear.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e so limited on the bike for what you can bring. I鈥檇 love to bring another pair of footwear. I just don鈥檛. To me, it鈥檚 less essential than some of the other things that I鈥檓 bringing. It all adds up.鈥�

When asked if she has any idea how she thinks she鈥檒l do this year, Gladish replied 鈥淣ot really. Finishing is the main thing. I would love to roll into Dawson 鈥� I don鈥檛 care if it鈥檚 on day nine or 10 or 13. Even if it was day 14 I would still probably keep going.

鈥淚 have my dogs waiting for me. That鈥檚 part of what I learned year after year and just in life in general is that the uncertainty is just something that you have to deal with. I don鈥檛 know how it鈥檚 gonna go. I don鈥檛 know exactly what it鈥檚 going to be. But I鈥檒l keep moving forward as long as I can.鈥�

Like last year, when she was considered one of the favourites to win it all, Gladish doesn鈥檛 really want to make any goals she has for this year鈥檚 race public.

鈥淚 definitely hesitate to put any numbers out there. Just partially for myself, because, just to keep some stuff 鈥榡ust me鈥�. I don鈥檛 want to set expectations and feel pressure. I always have internal stuff. But as far as sharing all of that with anybody, it鈥檚 a little bit harder for me to do that.鈥�

Gladish was willing to share her keys to winning the gruelling race.

鈥淭he key to winning this race for anybody, if that is their plan, really, it鈥檚 to be efficient at checkpoints. Get enough rest but be moving fast and getting in and out of checkpoints quickly, managing your gear so that you don鈥檛 have to dry it as much. It鈥檚 all about being efficient and moving quickly. But still getting rest.鈥�

The Ultra began on Feb. 4 from Shipyards Park in Whitehorse.