London-Edinburgh-London 2013: The thread

[Fiona N]

Of course!

And it's not really late - there are 3 years to go!

May I also join in too, then

I've just been into Hewitts Cycles in Leyland to order a new Audax bike (sorry, I should clarify that as it sounds like I have so many bikes that I can have separate ones for sportives, audaxes, touring etc. - it's a new multi-purpose, mud-guard-friendly, carbon-framed road bike) so maybe LEL would make a good objective to make sure it gets used.

But then again, the Windcheetah would also make a suitable steed. But either way, I have often thought about LEL since I attempted the Audax Club's 5 day (technically 106 hours, I think) LeJOG challenge with the 'cheetah a few years ago. I quite enjoyed weekends spent riding the trike what seemed liked continuously in order to do back-to-back 300km rides - fortunately I was working in Switzerland that summer so most of these long training miles were in rather nice warm sunny conditions which prepared me well for the first 4 days of burning sunshine and almost windless conditions. Sadly the Inverness to JOG day was NE gale force winds with driven rain which rather compensated for the previous days.

 

[Arch]

cool! more people!

Mcshroom, I've added you to the map using the location you have in your avatar, is that ok? It's only rough, so that people can see if they have people local to them for training get togethers.

Fiona, if you'd also like to be on the map, can you let me have a rough location? PM me if you prefer. I'm also hoping to do the LEL on three wheels and a low down comfy seat.

I did 60 miles on Sunday, out of Hebden Bridge. God, it was hard. There were moments when I thought, this is stupid, I'm way too slow for the LEL, and the hills are killing me. But that's what training is for, I guess! And it was actually a lovely ride - I didn't actually hurt, and felt fine the next day, so there's some base fitness there.

I'm down for the Leap into the Aire on Sunday, about 38 miles in the same area, my first Audax.

 

[PalmerSperry]

I'm down for the Leap into the Aire on Sunday, about 38 miles in the same area, my first Audax.

Good luck (not that I suspect you'll need it). Hopefully it will go better than my first Audax on 2010 the Monday which went sufficiently badly that I've now got four DNFs out of four 200s I've started.

 

[Arch]

Oh dear! Well, mine's not nearly that far, so there's hope...

Any particular problem, or just a combination of circumstances?

 

[PalmerSperry]

Any particular problem, or just a combination of circumstances?

Combination of circumstances this time ... Getting lost trying to find the second control (I think there was a missing line in the otherwise superb routesheet), followed by a non-findable puncture, followed by my will-cracking (probably due to the aforemention issues). I think I also had nutrition issues, but I think I now know (a) about them and ( how to combat them. (I also think I'll switch back to "the dark side" for future brevets!)

OTOH, I did manage to salvage my first imperial century out of it so it's not all bad. The only downside at this point is that I've got precisely one more shot at an actual 200 this year, on the 15th May - there being a real shortage of events over here.

 

[Fiona N]

Hi Arch
I'm in Kendal - I didn't see many in the NNW on your map so may be I should venture over in your direction sometime for some dark side training as I won't be forsaking the Windcheetah just because there's a flashy new bike on the block

Good Luck with Leap in the Aire. I'm tactically withdrawing from Spring in the Dales as lung problems are persisting - probably because I started riding too soon but it's hard to resist this currently glorious weather. I have taken up gardening to give myself a potentially less taxing outdoor alternative but find all the digging and uprooting nettles and brambles business even more strenuous than cycling

 

[mcshroom]

Mcshroom, I've added you to the map using the location you have in your avatar, is that ok?

That's fine Arch (sorry I meant to say that).

Well my Hadrians ride training is ramping up now, so I'll just have to keep adding the miles (or as tonight miles and hilly fell road)

 

[Arch]

Ok, you're both on the map.

Fiona and Mcshroom, you are at least on the same side of the Pennines....

Anyone who fancies some flat training is welcome over to York anytime!

 

[Greenbank]

I have often thought about LEL since I attempted the Audax Club's 5 day (technically 106 hours, I think) LeJOG challenge with the 'cheetah a few years ago.

Chapeau, a 5 day Audax LEJOG is on my list of rides to do. I can imagine it's a much harder challenge than LEL for various reasons:-
* Fewer riders (I'll need to find someone to ride with as I doubt I'd have the mental fortitude to complete it on my own).
* No dedicated controls (and no dedicated sleeping facilities)
* Sorting out your own food (and having to wait for it)
* Much more organisation (researching food stops and booking sleep stops along the way)
* Route planning (although that's half the fun of preparing for a ride like this)
* Much harder first day through Cornwall and Devon (LEL's first day is tame with only a few lumps coming through Herts). It only starts to get lumpy on the second day when you're nicely warmed up.

The 1400km Audax LEJOG gives you 116h40, the same as LEL (given that 1400km/12kph = 116h40m). The 1300km more direct route is 108h20.

 

[Fiona N]

The LEJOG challenge is via any (land) route and you collect evidence of time and place (e.g. receipts) instead of controls. So I used the time triallists' preferred route (I downloaded Lynne Taylor's schedule - she did 53 hours) which is, to put it mildly, not scenic if by scenic you mean nice country roads but it's only 840 odd miles. Thus 160-170 miles a day is do-able as a 'normal' tour. I was on my own with credit-card touring gear basically. I stayed at nice hotels along the way where I could be sure of good food and a bath (as opposed to a shower). I was fairly fast when on the road averaging 10 hours a day - leaving after breakfast at 7.30-8am and arriving most evenings by about 6pm. I'd done a lot of training so I was comfortable maintaining a riding average of 30kmph but the last day was pretty much on the limit, especially having to ride back to Wick for the hotel. I was clearly hypothermic when I arrived and didn't have much spare clothing so a travelling sportswear salesman gave me a nice rugby shirt as another layer to stop me shivering in the bar

Doing it like this at least minimises the duration of the pain but I can't recommend it as a holiday.

 

[Tynan]

I was comfortable maintaining a riding average of 30kmph

yikes, what sort of level of rider are you? that's bloody serious surely?

 

[themightyw]

There's a crazy wee voice in the back of my head suggesting I shoudl sign up for this...

 

[Ashaman42]

Do iiiiiit, you know it makes sense

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Yes, there will be 3 years to practice, so erm, yes, ok, sign me up.

I have always quite liked the idea of long distance rides, it will be a good target to aim for (instead of the usual cliched John O' Groats to Lands end thingimybobber. I'd do it from Dunnet Head to Lizard Point instead anyway).

MATRON!! I NEED MY MEDICATION AGAIN!!

 

[Arch]

Mighty W, mad doug, if you want to go on the map, let me have a rough location.