Liz Seabrook - Lost Dot 101

Photographing the inaugural Lost Dot 101 took photographer Liz Seabrook across southern Spain, documenting not only an extraordinary endurance event but the people, places and unexpected moments that unfolded along the way…

Capturing moments of joy (and pain!), the warm encounters, changing light, contemplative moments in wild places, as well as the distinctive character of the villages, towns and landscapes the riders passed through. Liz blends her instinctive eye for atmosphere with documentary storytelling as she explores and photographs a world of endurance, adventure and incredible achievement.

“In 2021 I started photographing ultra cycling. From the moment I first read about the Transcontinental race, I knew it was something I wanted to photograph; the oddness and impressiveness of it drew me with stories of people sleeping behind petrol station fridges to keep warm, or on public toilet floors. This is how a funny little band of riders decide to spend their well-earned annual leave. 

This year, Lost Dot – organisers of three ultra races - established a fourth for FLINTA only riders. Women, non-binary and gender queer folk piled into the main square in Santiago de Compostela in May this year - many of them racing for the first time - to start their 1300km effort through Spain and Portugal to the finish line in Córdoba. The weather was vile for the first night and days, the mountains high and the wet weather made some mountain roads treacherous. The race is unsupported so there are no vans with spare food, waterproofs or to help with a bed for the night. 

The first rider arrived in a festive Córdoba after just 3 days and 3 hours. They were completely composed as if they’d just been on a long day ride. The tenacity of these riders never fails to move and inspire me. I hope my pictures go some way into illustrating the mammoth task that they take on. “