Jesse Carlsson in Williamsburg, Virginia, after completing the Trans Am Bike Race. Credit:Facebook "It's like being a fugitive," the 37-year-old Brunswick finance worker says after the race from his hotel in Williamsburg, Virginia. "You're always being chased down." The Trans Am Bike Race is not a major sporting event, although riders do come from across the globe. There are no support cars, no TV cameras and no prize money. These ultra-endurance bike races exist on the edges of the sport of cycling, but they're growing. Racers are on their own during the gruelling event, facing everything that is thrown at them. Jesse battled through fierce storms, intense heat and even gastro as he rode across America, from west to east.

"You're riding a bike all the time, but it's all the stuff happening around you that you have to deal with," he says, remembering the time he nearly ran into a tornado in Idaho. "You're sleep deprived and you're very fatigued from all the riding. You just have to push through and deal with it." There are no rest days on the Trans Am Bike Race. Riders can race whenever they feel physically able to get on the bike. The rules prohibit outside assistance, leaving riders to support themselves as best they can. One of the biggest challenges for Jesse was in his own mind. He says there was always the nagging feeling that someone behind him was working harder. "The pressure of being chased or having to chase for three hours, that's fine," he says.

"But having to sustain that for weeks, everything you do becomes a major decision. How long do I sleep? Do I go to a restaurant or eat some crap from a gas station?" This mental battle took its toll on Jesse near the end of the race. His closest competitor was hundreds of kilometres behind, yet he still felt they were near enough to pass him. In the heat and humidity, Jesse pushed through the pain barrier, using all his energy before he "blew himself up". He says it was a decision that almost cost him the race. "It made no sense at all, there was just no way they could catch me. I've got a PhD in theoretical physics, I can do the calculations," he laughs.

Jesse Carlsson on his way to winning the 6800 kilometres Trans Am Bike Race. Another challenge was ensuring he had enough to eat and drink. Restocking water was usually easy, as taps could be found in most places along the trail. However getting enough food while expending huge amounts of energy could sometimes be a problem. Jesse would often look for small town diners, where a typical order might consist of a double serve of french toast, an omelette with extra cheese and hash browns. Plus two chocolate milkshakes. And then three sandwiches for the road. "The look of amazement on people's faces as you chow through the food is priceless. It's like an eating competition with a bit of riding thrown in. You try to get as many calories in as possible," he says.

As Jesse rode across America, friends and family posted messages of support on a Facebook page. They could track his progress on a website that showed his location as a blue dot on a map of the US. As he got to the finish line in first place on Thursday morning, at a monument in Williamsburg, Jesse reflected on his achievement in silence. Not long after, he was met by his fianceé, Bron, with a celebratory beer. "There was no one there, it was seven o'clock in the morning and peaceful," he says. "You don't want fanfare and cheers and all that sort of thing, it wouldn't feel right." Jesse rode for 18 days, 23 hours and 12 minutes. He's unsure whether he would do it again and plans to take an extended break from his bike.

He doesn't win anything for coming in first place, except the admiration of his friends and family. But the sense of accomplishment comes through in his voice. And even if there was a large purse or a shiny trophy, it wouldn't matter. As Jesse says: "There's no amount of prize money that could motivate anyone to do something like this."