London Edinburgh London 2022

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ianrauk

ianrauk

Tattooed Beat Messiah
Location
Rides Ti2
Night rides are different because you have probably been awake all day. This year I did two overnight 300s and had to have a power nap on both rides.

LEL offers you different approaches because it can be broken into long days. For me:

Day 1 started at 11:45am and I was at a Hessle Premier Inn before 1am

Day 2 I got up at 6:30am and got to Moffat control at 1:30am. I did have a 20 minute power nap around midday as I was very sleepy.

Day 3 wake up was 6:45am and I got to Barnard Castle at 2:20am. This was my latest finish.

Day 4 I was up around 7:15am and rode until 1am. I had a 1 hour siesta but that was too avoid riding in the heat rather than because I needed the sleep.

Day 5 I was up at 6am and finished LEL at 6:15pm

So yes some long days but done as individual rides with sleep in-between. I followed a similar approach on LEL 2013, PBP 2015, LEL 2017 and ALPI 2018. The Dutch Lowlands 1200 started at 8pm so I had to ride straight through the first night on that event. (Let's not mention PBP 2019 on which I bailed after 220 km....!)

Thanks Adam. Very interesting. I like your use of the Premier Inn. All this sleep you had explains why looked fresh as a daisy at the finish :okay:
 

Ming the Merciless

There is no mercy
Location
Inside my skull
That is a big problem. I have fallen asleep upon the bike a couple of times on very long rides at night. It's just one of those things you have to work on.

If you find that is happening you just have to pull over and grab a 15-20 mins cat nap. I saw a rider at PBP 2015 fall asleep riding and they veered left across road and down into a thankfully soft ditch not filled with water. I stopped and climbed down to get him back out with assistance of others. The cat nap won’t remove the need to sleep, but it’s usually enough to restore alertness to reach the next control and get a proper lie down.
 

Ming the Merciless

There is no mercy
Location
Inside my skull
Cripes!

(I don't recall this at PBP, despite all the Brits (+Aussies) there - maybe 'cos lots of Brits holiday in France already, often á velo?

I was riding with a USAnian on the leg to Boston that includes that A17 crossing. I think he was quite glad I was there, as he was looking the wrong way, and by the A17 I’d opted to go slightly ahead every junction and check for both of us.
 

Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
For me: Day 1 started at 11:45am and I was at a Hessle Premier Inn before 1am
Day 2 I got up at 6:30am and got to Moffat control at 1:30am. I did have a 20 minute power nap around midday as I was very sleepy.
Day 3 wake up was 6:45am and I got to Barnard Castle at 2:20am. This was my latest finish.
Day 4 I was up around 7:15am and rode until 1am. I had a 1 hour siesta but that was too avoid riding in the heat rather than because I needed the sleep.
Day 5 I was up at 6am and finished LEL at 6:15pm
So yes some long days but done as individual rides with sleep in-between. I followed a similar approach on LEL 2013, PBP 2015, LEL 2017 and ALPI 2018. The Dutch Lowlands 1200 started at 8pm so I had to ride straight through the first night on that event. (Let's not mention PBP 2019 on which I bailed after 220 km....!)
Very interesting and matched my LEL 2017 plan.
1. 1145 start and South Cave Travelodge @ 0110 (after nightmare tales of Pocklington in 2013) (shower and 4 hours kip in bed)
2. 0630 start and Moffat by 2345 (no napping), (5 hours kip)
3. 0600 Moffat start and up to Edinburgh (you had an extra 100km ish) and back south: plan was Barney but stopped short at Alston (YH) at 2100. Six hours kip in bunk bed (shower room next door, and sockets for full recharge)
4. 0415 Alston start and to Louth by 2030 and stopped, though plan was Spalding (7 hours kip at Louth)
5. 0530 Louth start and (NB serious headwinds) into Debden at 2230.
In between hard work at the finish last week, I considered (and discussed) how I would've amended my plan to minimise riding in the heat of 1000-1700 on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. I guess I'd have pressed on in the coolness of night on D3, past Alston and even to Malton, 3 hours there till dawn twilight and ride to Louth (noon say) chill there till 1700 and ride through the night: 280km getting to Debden before it turned hot on Friday. Woulda/coulda.
 

adamski

Veteran
Thanks Adam. Very interesting. I like your use of the Premier Inn. All this sleep you had explains why looked fresh as a daisy at the finish :okay:

Yeah, the cheap hotel for the first night or two is a great way to avoid overcrowded controls. I would have also booked something near Moffat (there's some Days Inn between Brampton and Moffat) but my dad was helping there and had pitched a tent in which I slept.

@Ajax Bay Your 2017 ride was the same as what my dad and I did for that addition, only we used the Hessel premium Inn and Johnstonebridge Days Inn 👍
 

Nebulous

Guru
Location
Aberdeen
Has this thread covered the non-UK rider hit by a truck on the same morning? Chinese Whispers at my control said he looked the wrong way and just sailed straight out onto a fast A-road :sad: Possibly an air-ambulance job?

p.s. glad you're still with us @Nebulous !

Thank you. I broke my ribs on LEL 2017 after halfway and was devastated. This time I'm much more relaxed about the ride and just happy to be alive. Recovering well - sore ribs - but my head is surprisingly good, despite being unconscious for a period of time. I'm still on holiday, which has helped.

I heard someone got hit by a truck at a junction.
 

Nebulous

Guru
Location
Aberdeen
Another accident happened at Debden on the Saturday afternoon.
Oldish, no, elderly entrant from Canada went out for a practice spin. Turned into a road on the wrong side and a van wiped him out. He was bought back by a member of the public who saw what happened. Other members of the public, 2 lovely ladies bought his bike back too.

He didn't manage to start.

I lost count as to how many riders I had to shout at, Keep To The Left.

On PBP 2019 - I was impressed by some of the Japanese riders. They kept grinding on and on like a metronome.

However, as they drive on the same side of the road as us, once they tired they would drift across the road. It was scary to watch, and I'm sure a couple of hours sleep would have helped.
 

Jameshow

Veteran
Night rides are different because you have probably been awake all day. This year I did two overnight 300s and had to have a power nap on both rides.

LEL offers you different approaches because it can be broken into long days. For me:

Day 1 started at 11:45am and I was at a Hessle Premier Inn before 1am

Day 2 I got up at 6:30am and got to Moffat control at 1:30am. I did have a 20 minute power nap around midday as I was very sleepy.

Day 3 wake up was 6:45am and I got to Barnard Castle at 2:20am. This was my latest finish.

Day 4 I was up around 7:15am and rode until 1am. I had a 1 hour siesta but that was too avoid riding in the heat rather than because I needed the sleep.

Day 5 I was up at 6am and finished LEL at 6:15pm

So yes some long days but done as individual rides with sleep in-between. I followed a similar approach on LEL 2013, PBP 2015, LEL 2017 and ALPI 2018. The Dutch Lowlands 1200 started at 8pm so I had to ride straight through the first night on that event. (Let's not mention PBP 2019 on which I bailed after 220 km....!)

What was your average speed if you don't mind me asking?
 

adamski

Veteran
From what's on Strava 23.4 kph across the whole ride
 

Ian H

Ancient randonneur
That was fun. Because I wasn't expecting to be working I responded to @redfalo's call for volunteers - something to do rather than bumming around at home. In fact I got a job in June, so it turned into a good break from sitting behind a desk at home for 9 hours a day.

I was up at St Ives on Saturday for some of the setup (and the pub visit) and then spent Sunday as the first face of the St Ives control until the flood dried up to a tiny trickle. Mostly fun and games and very patient drivers (more than expected given a netball tournament at the school!) but there was a rather impatient supporters' car whose driver got sworn at and stood in front of as I let the riders through rather than accede to their self-importance. Oh, and Roger the Moneyman who wanted to stop and prove who he was rather than just following my signal and going straight through to the carpark to keep the roundabout clear for cyclists.

On Monday I rode down from St Ives along the home route to Chigwell, which was my base for the second part of the week. My longest ride since about 2019, and only about my fifth ride over 5k this year. I was pleased to arrive!

Then on Tuesday I helped Tim and the team set up the finish control and go shopping, and from Wednesday until yesterday around 7pm (except overnight) I was part of the control team. Mostly on computer duty but also occasionally stamping cards and presenting medals. I'm very proud that we managed to give everyone who wanted to the chance to photograph their stamped card before it got squirreled away to be checked - @Alien8 standards seemed to have slipped after I left, unless you've posted the wrong pic. So most people who rode will have had the misfortune to have met me a couple of times.

I was also some of the fingers behind the St Ives and Finish twitter accounts for a while.

Despite the dire predictions of the first couple of days, the estimated dropout rate was lower than last time - I reckon that most people who made it back to England made it all the way to Debden. The first two days were hard enough that people who were not going to finish dropped out quite early.

Despite the occasional complaints about the route through the North York Moors almost everyone who arrived was absolutely buzzing, or emotional for all the right reasons. Several people asked whether they could go out and do it all again. The overwhelming feedback at the control desk was positive - about the route, the support, the controls, the volunteers, the food (mostly at least...) - everything. Since people who are happy don't tend to give feedback I'd encourage the happy people to let the organisers know they were happy!

We must have said hello to each other at least.
 

Trickedem

Guru
Location
Kent
Only just catching up on Social Media after a very busy 10 days running the start and finish. The volunteers were fantastic and we became a great team. Although there is room for improvement we did a good job and I have volunteered to be the controller again in 2025.
The rider who collided with a lorry had a bad arm injury as well as some other internal injuries. He is now out of hospital and will be returning home soon.
 

Tribansman

Veteran
Better late than never (meant to post this shortly after I finished) but I wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone on here who volunteered and gave up their time to make LEL possible and help people complete the ride.

It was incredible to see the unfailingly cheerful, supportive, helpful and committed band of volunteers at every control welcoming in tired riders, helping us get fed and hydrated and on our way again. The welcoming smile and applause in to controls as well as helping to fill water bottles, asking how I was and being genuinely interested massively helped with my spirits and motivation and was the same at every control. Along with the weather, this made it such a memorable experience.

And as for the effort that went into the planning and organisation, just amazing.

So thanks to all volunteers and if I'm not riding again in 2025 will def be joining the team...
 
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