Ted King’s Mega Mid South FKT Interview (Video)

Additional photography by Tilly Shull

When I took to the iconic dirt roads of northern Oklahoma last September, the thought that often sits in the back of my mind on every big ride hummed with quiet but growing enthusiasm as I plodded along the pastoral orange and blue landscapes that beset Mega Mid South. “I wonder how fast I could do this if I really gave it a whack.” It’s a thought process I wrestle with as someone too slow to make a dent in record times yet with a competitive appetite toward documentation and storytelling.

Fast forward six months and the whole reason I set out to complete the Mega Mid South had come around. The more famous, more pronounced Mid South was here. Completion of their Mega Mid South course guaranteed an entry, yet, a combination of recent life changes and illness precluded me from joining what is one of the largest and most well-attended events in the gravel space. So, from the comfort of my bed, under the influence of an entire bottle of cough medicine, I watched as the friends I’d made the year prior took part in the festivities that make up the Mid South.

Of course, as many readers know, a series of wildfires ripped across the Midwest, destroying hundreds of homes, properties, and even causing some deaths. The fires originated from a blaze that had largely been contained in late February but was spread to catastrophic effect by an historic windstorm that passed through Oklahoma, Arkansas, and other states in the South on the weekend of the Mid South. After having to pull runners off of the ultra-marathon course that takes place on the first day of the Mid South weekend, Bobby Wintle and the Mid South team made the choice late that same evening to officially cancel the Mid South 2025. With thousands of people ballooning the population of Stillwater far past what is normal for their relatively small town, it simply didn’t make sense for a large-scale, resource-heavy event to take place.

So, as those who’d driven to Stillwater eventually made their way home, the remaining folks whose flights sat on the other side of Sunday waited as the chaos and uncertainty of the situation unfolded. Among them was Ted King, a professional gravel racer of 10 years and former WorldTour pro. By Saturday evening, thanks to a fortuitous change in the weather and the hard work of local emergency services, the wildfires were starting to shrink. At a hangout at Stonecloud Brewery in downtown Stillwater, Ted thought of the best way to make a terrible situation into a slightly better one.

Though he’d already planned to do so, Ted’s real desire for the Mid South weekend was larger than the typical 100-mile race. Having missed out on the grand depart in September, Ted eyed up the FKT for the 300-mile Mega Mid South course. With a developing situation that had brought to light the loss of so much near and dear to the community close to the Mid South, Ted quietly planned to set off on a solo FKT attempt in the early morning hours on Sunday with every minute above or below the concurrent FKT being donated to the United Way of Payne County, a local charity set to aid those who’d been affected by the fires.

Having written the feature on the inaugural Mega Mid South, I wanted to dive into the context of the ride as well as gain an understanding behind Ted’s motivations to help in his own unique way. In my conversation with Ted, we dive into the specifics of the ride, as well as the important circumstances surrounding his successful FKT attempt:

As of publication, Ted raised a whopping $6,000 USD for the United Way of Payne County. Chase Wark, a pro cyclist who went after the same FKT just 30 minutes after Ted, raised $5,000 USD for the same cause. For more on Ted King’s Mega Mid South FKT, check out his own video here.

Starting and ending at District Bicycles in Stillwater, Oklahoma, the Mega Mid South is a gorgeous and challenging purpose-built 300-mile gravel bikepacking loop that’s a culmination of over 10 years of route building for The Mid South. Find the full route guide with a stunning set of photos here.

Further Reading

Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info...

26

Inspiration

Finding Magic at the Inaugural Mega Mid South

3

Bikepacking Videos

Bikepacking The Mid South

6

Dispatch

The Mid South Salsa Warbird Raffle

1

Dispatch

Donate to the Mid South Wildfire Relief Fund

Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.