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Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
Great stuff. I’ll get my entry done at some point in next couple of weeks.
PMarkey
Guru
- Location
- Queensbury,West Yorkshire
I'm in, Not been on a bike or trike since my crash last June so I'll need to work on my fitness 
and I figure that doing it on the trike should make life interesting 
and I figure that doing it on the trike should make life interesting
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
I'm in, Not been on a bike or trike since my crash last June so I'll need to work on my fitness
At least you’ve got your priorities for LEL. Work on your fitness to the required level and everything else falls into place. Doesn’t get much simpler. I’ll be on my recumbent, so defo on your trike
Goldenretriever
Veteran
- Location
- Near Norwich
PMarkey, that's interesting. I to haven't ridden much the last two years, due to personal circumstances and not my own health though. I joined Audax Uk wanting to have a go but have been unable to, but as I joined for a longer period I have a "place" apparently. What I don't want to do is register and take someones place who is probably more deserving. Also never done multi day rides, although in 2019 I was doing a century or more every week or two, fittest I've ever been. Not totally unfit atm as I'm running frequently. Also as I'm 65 in the summer I think it's now or never. Be very interested to hear whether you hardened Audaxers think it's feasible for me to try.
DCLane
Found in the Yorkshire hills ...
- Location
- Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
Whilst I have the opportunity of a place through Audax UK, and rode it in 2017, I'm not going to take part. I'm nowhere near as fit as I was, despite track racing. Having done it in 99 hours I can't see me going any faster this time.
Instead I'm focusing on PBP in 2023 and doing the pre-qualifiers for that, with the aim of doing PBP as a Randonneur rather than a 68-hour Vedette in 2015.
@Goldenretriever - as long as you build up the distance and get used to this type of event it's then all mental plus self/bike care. Certainly possible and for PBP in 2015 I'd not ridden more than 200k until that year.
Instead I'm focusing on PBP in 2023 and doing the pre-qualifiers for that, with the aim of doing PBP as a Randonneur rather than a 68-hour Vedette in 2015.
@Goldenretriever - as long as you build up the distance and get used to this type of event it's then all mental plus self/bike care. Certainly possible and for PBP in 2015 I'd not ridden more than 200k until that year.
Goldenretriever
Veteran
- Location
- Near Norwich
Thanks for the reply @DCLane, at least I haven't been totally ridiculed. I have ridden slighty further than 200k in one ride, I would certainly expect pain and also using the full time limit. I'll decide in the next couple of days, would like to use it as an opportunity to raise some money for two cancer charities. This would also give me a huge incentive to complete the ride.
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
@Goldenretriever I'd echo David. If you need a goal (he has PBP and a 1000 for next year (guessing)) then enter and don't concern yourself about 'taking someone else's place'. If come end March you decide against: cancel. The race organisers (I volunteered at start and finish in 2017 and rode in between so know the lead element) are on the ball and they'll pull another in to take that slot. Saw David as he left Louth after dusk to ride through the night and avoid the half gale in the morning across the fens. (I slept for 7 hours and left Louth at dawn.)
At 65 (you youth you!) it may or may not be now or never: depends what life throws at you. But if you don't enter in next 12 days, you won't be riding LEL 2022. Compared to PBP (2019 for me) they are just 'different'. LEL: food whenever you want, bed same. I bought a couple of bananas in Pocklington (shop) and an ice cream and some chocolate in Alston (garage, going north): that was my total expenditure for a week of fun. Put on weight. Averaged 6 hours sleep a night (and did the same at PBP).
On multi-day rides, I'd recommend working up to that to get your systems sorted. And get in some distance at night. I rode 4 hours into the first night and then averaged 2 hours on Mon/Tue and Wed evenings.)
I've attached a timings xl sheet to whet your appetite: NB 4% longer this year and some controls different.
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DCLane
Found in the Yorkshire hills ...
- Location
- Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
Unlike @Ajax Bay I got 5 hours' sleep in total at LEL, less at PBP. But ... I rode through every night, napping a couple of times. I like night-riding and south/west-bound it's easier as wind is lower.
The difference was I finished in 99 and 68 hours respectively, stopped briefly at controls (2-15 mins only), bought snacks and just kept pedalling.
However, I want to ride PBP as a Randonneur because I didn't actually see much of what was going on; villages came out to applaud the Vedettes as we came by, partied with the Randonneurs and were asleep when the Vedettes came back through.
@Ajax Bay 's spreadsheet above was invaluable on both for helping to work out what I could, and couldn't, achieve. In my case I was injured at LEL, with a partially-functioning right leg at the time (split IT band, torn tendons and minor internal bleed from a previous crash), and didn't know if it'd mean a dnf - hence the non-stop approach because when the leg stopped working that was ride over. It's now been mostly fixed so not as much of an issue.
Every rider is different, but being able to partly ride through the night makes the difference between being comfortably or just inside the time limit. Doing a 400k, or preferably a 600k or both, beforehand will help you work out how to manage this. Also, the equipment that may be fine at 200k may hurt at 300, be agonising at 400k and cause a dnf at 600; i.e. I use an MTB saddle on my audax bike which is totally different to my others just for comfort, the bike's set up for distance rather than speed, etc.
The difference was I finished in 99 and 68 hours respectively, stopped briefly at controls (2-15 mins only), bought snacks and just kept pedalling.
However, I want to ride PBP as a Randonneur because I didn't actually see much of what was going on; villages came out to applaud the Vedettes as we came by, partied with the Randonneurs and were asleep when the Vedettes came back through.
@Ajax Bay 's spreadsheet above was invaluable on both for helping to work out what I could, and couldn't, achieve. In my case I was injured at LEL, with a partially-functioning right leg at the time (split IT band, torn tendons and minor internal bleed from a previous crash), and didn't know if it'd mean a dnf - hence the non-stop approach because when the leg stopped working that was ride over. It's now been mostly fixed so not as much of an issue.
Every rider is different, but being able to partly ride through the night makes the difference between being comfortably or just inside the time limit. Doing a 400k, or preferably a 600k or both, beforehand will help you work out how to manage this. Also, the equipment that may be fine at 200k may hurt at 300, be agonising at 400k and cause a dnf at 600; i.e. I use an MTB saddle on my audax bike which is totally different to my others just for comfort, the bike's set up for distance rather than speed, etc.
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PMarkey
Guru
- Location
- Queensbury,West Yorkshire
I would say go for it @Goldenretriever and just follow the advice posted by @DCLane and @Ajax Bay, possibly attempt a Super randonneur , get comfortable on the bike and develop good time management skills as less faffing equals more sleep on multi day rides in my experience.
Paul
Paul
Goldenretriever
Veteran
- Location
- Near Norwich
Thanks for all the positive replies, I'm going to make a decision by the end of this week. Had my first rde yesterday for quite awhile, 38 miles and quite slow, but I did run seven miles on Sunday!
Saltire
New Member
- Location
- Haddington Scotland
I have put my name down to the LEL in August and everyone just laughs when i tell them. Well hopefully i finish it and prove them wrong. I have a question for people who have completed the LEL.........do you have a list of what clothes/gear/electrics to take? Do we need towels?
Thanks in advance.
Thanks in advance.
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
Assume there'll be drop bags (x2: you choose control locations) so this is not really an 'on the bike' issue.
Normal gears will be fine. A 'fixed' person can suggest a gear length if you go for just one.
Have to say if you're asking this, you need to enter a 400 and a 600 sharpish (but I share a datasheet).
Need a bit of mental reshaping. You should banish language like: "hopefully i finish" and you're riding/proving this for yourself: noone else really gaf.
Towels were provided last time, but be in the first 1000.
Well done - first step accomplished. Have you looked at the LEL facebook page? Lots of questions there about kit. You need to hone and adjust your kit between now and then. Do some events, including some riding overnight. Find out what works for you foodwise and kitwise. Cycle in some inclement weather.
A lot of my training in the winter is on the turbo. Getting outside with the cold wet and wind can be a shock, but you need to be ready for it.
I didn't finish by the way. Fell off overnight between Innerleithen and Eskdalemuir and broke my ribs on my handlebars with about 10 hours in reserve.
I started it convinced I could do it - with no idea of my own boundaries. After recovery I entered and completed PBP, but had many anxious moments worrying about another DNF. Where on LEL I was running on a rush of adrenaline and excitement on PBP I was running on fear of failure.
Relish the beginner bit, before your boundaries begin to hem you in.
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
The same clothes as you take on the 400km or 600km audaxes you ride, with changes of cycling kit in your bag drops. Have two changes of clothes in each bag drop and have your bag drops at controls you pass both north and southbound. Put a plastic bag in each bag drop for the used items. Spare tubes in bag drops if you don’t use tubeless.
Electrics vary. I had a phone, switched off, two 3000Mah battery packs and two GPS in 2013. I didn’t need any additional charging. This time round my GPS runs off AA. I’ll have 6 AA rechargeable batteries which will cover the GPS for the full route. Again for phone I’ll have it switched off. I run a dynamo so don’t need to worry about charging lights etc.
