Cracknell and 'Sport Relief'

NervexProf

This sounds like some big challenge to me:

http://tinyurl.com/2o8wfm


Daily planned average mileage on the bike implies he is seriously fit!

Richrd2205

280 miles a day!?! That's serious audax stuff & 14-15.5mph isn't slow when riding alone for 18-20hrs per day.He's trying to go nearly twice as PBP in only one day more. Just checked PBP results for 2003 & only 34 of the 2000 odd seriously hardcore audaxes finished it fast enough to satisfy this timetable & that's only half the distance.

David Walliams was a swimmer anyway & did something that's at the top end of the amateur range for his sport. Cracknell isn't a cyclist (to the limit of my knowledge) & is trying something far beyond the amateur (or professional for that matter) range of the sport.

As you say, seriously fit, or utterly unrealistic. I favour the latter: I can't see him doing it. Unless he has a motor fitted or drafts a bus the whole way...

Ed Moses

A couple of Olympic rowing Golds and rowing the Atlantic should give him some good base endurance and the ability to suffer. I would also have thought that he would have talked to some serious coaches before putting himself up for this - still hell of a challenge though!

Ed Moses

A couple of Olympic rowing Golds and rowing the Atlantic should give him some good base endurance and the ability to suffer. I would also have thought that he would have talked to some serious coaches before putting himself up for this - still hell of a challenge though!

ddraver

me thinks he's tryiong to replicate the old TdF guys (old old TdF guys!)

kettrinboy

i think the biggest problem for him will be a very sore arse I remember when he rowed the atlantic he did it starkers cos of all the chafing from the seat ,dont think thats an option on this ride , I dont think many pro tour riders would fancy this challenge but good on him for giving it a go

cycologist

Gadzooks !

ddraver

apparently he is trying to show just how 'close' Africa is to us and thus how we cannot forget about it

according to David Walliams on R 2 this afternoon

cougie

I think he will probably do it. He did sub 3 at the London Marathon with very little training - he'd not been back long from rowing the atlantic. He's one seriously fit guy and very determined.

Dont envy him with his swim though.

Robspedding

Crackers, as I like to call him, is quite a determined fella. i interviewed him a couple of times in my previous life when he was training for the Flora London Marathon. (He actually ran 3:00.10 Cougie and was absolutely gutted!) Anyway, I was chatting to one of his sponsors just last week and he has apparantly got some cycling form - I was told his bagged a number of Tour climbs already. That said, he's still a big bloke - I heard said sponsor ordering him some more XL gear!

oldwelshman

Richrd2205 wrote:

280 miles a day!?! That's serious audax stuff & 14-15.5mph isn't slow when riding alone for 18-20hrs per day.He's trying to go nearly twice as PBP in only one day more. Just checked PBP results for 2003 & only 34 of the 2000 odd seriously hardcore audaxes finished it fast enough to satisfy this timetable & that's only half the distance.

David Walliams was a swimmer anyway & did something that's at the top end of the amateur range for his sport. Cracknell isn't a cyclist (to the limit of my knowledge) & is trying something far beyond the amateur (or professional for that matter) range of the sport.

As you say, seriously fit, or utterly unrealistic. I favour the latter: I can't see him doing it. Unless he has a motor fitted or drafts a bus the whole way...

Think you over estimate the task and under estimate the athlete
He is a supreme athlete and could propbably do many sports to a top level, including cycling.
I am sure he will succeed, he has the physical ability and also the mental ability.

nasahapley

I reckon he'll do it too. In fact if I were to pick anyone to do it outside the pro peleton an olympic rower would probably be my choice! Their fitness (whichever way you want to measure it) is way above that of a typical cyclist, and Mr Cracknell is one of the fittest of an already very select bunch. The British squad do a fair bit of cycling on training camps too, including lots of hills, so he'll know what he's doing. No doubt he'll have a great support crew, so I think the only thing that'll stop him doing it in the time he's aiming for is bad weather.

I still think he's barmy though!

mrushton

He did this last year and if he struggled with this then he may still have problems. granted it's a tough route he did, but the Sportive riders manage it

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.j ... our125.xml

nasahapley

mrushton wrote:

He did this last year and if he struggled with this then he may still have problems. granted it's a tough route he did, but the Sportive riders manage it

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.j ... our125.xml

Good find mrushton!

I'm not surprised he struggled on that; 16.5 stone and alpine climbs don't make a happy marriage! If he's planning on doing 280 miles a day I guess he'll be avoiding hills like the plague as far as possible. Also, it sound like he did that ride for a laugh as much as anything - getting knocked out in a boxing match four days before is hardly the best prep

cougie

Oh was he 10 secs out ? I thought I was in with a chance of beating him and as I turned onto the Mall to finish - the big screen showed him getting interviewed already.
I was gutted !

Still, I beat Floella pretty convincingly... ;-)

mrushton

nasahapley wrote:

mrushton wrote:

He did this last year and if he struggled with this then he may still have problems. granted it's a tough route he did, but the Sportive riders manage it

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.j ... our125.xml

Good find mrushton!

I'm not surprised he struggled on that; 16.5 stone and alpine climbs don't make a happy marriage! If he's planning on doing 280 miles a day I guess he'll be avoiding hills like the plague as far as possible. Also, it sound like he did that ride for a laugh as much as anything - getting knocked out in a boxing match four days before is hardly the best prep

that wasn't a big route he did either in terms of length but granted the climbs were big. I've never had a problem on the Galibier, sure it's long but gradient wise it's good (for me) but then I'm 4 stone lighter but NOT an Olympic athlete. he'd be better doing a couple of 400km audaxes to get his preparation right (and poss. a Brooks saddle!)

NervexProf

Keep up to date with James Cracknell's progress here:

http://www.challengecracknell.com/wheres_james.html

Bronzie

NervexProf wrote:

Keep up to date with James Cracknell's progress here:

http://www.challengecracknell.com/wheres_james.html

Well he made it across the channel already and is on route in northern France - bon courage Monsieur Cracknell!!

Cps

I been watching the feed of the journey so far, and the stats look strange to me.

Anyone else following this ?

pdstsp

Read his stuff in today's telegraph - capsized just after setting off - nine foot swell - all the support crew and journos chucking up on the support boat, couldn't eat or drink because he couln't let go of the oars for fear of another capsize (in the Channle in February for gods sake!!) and he still managed to jump on the bike at the other side for a couple of hours - Jesus he must be crazy.

His aim is to show that Africa (and its problems) isn't that far away - if he makes it he will be one seriously heroic figure to me.

Bronzie

Sweet Mary and the baby Jesus :shock: ................he's down by Bordeaux now. According to his stats, his max speed was 73mph..............either he had the Mother and Father of all tail winds, or he was riding in the car at the time!

Average speed 19.5mph............presume this includes the canoe crossing and stops?? In which case, this guy is MOVING!!

HarryB

Have no doubt that it will have to be something unforseen to stop Crackers completing this. If anyone is in any doubt how hardcore this guy is just get hold of the Gold Fever TV series DVD. Rowers are tough cookies anyway but Crackers has a mental toughness that beggars belief. During 5k and 2k ergo tests he would row himself unconscious (literally) his lips would turn blue and his face would contort before he eventually passed out. This will be a piece of piss to him.

NervexProf

Full update and video here: http://tinyurl.com/2l93me

heavymental

Get in Crackers. This boys hardcore eh. Max speed 73mph?! Wow....if its right.

Bronzie

Now nearing Madrid - still 19.5mph average and max now 60mph - 3 miles short of the 1000 mile mark in only 3.1/2 days - simply awesome.............or maybe even oarsome!

heavymental

hurhur....rowmarkable.

Harry B

average speed 19 mph, maximum 60 mph :shock: He's flying along. Much respect to him and I hope the weather is on his side

NervexProf

Day 4 Video here: http://tinyurl.com/3y3ohn

Crackers has a wonderful sense of humour; despite a sore bum !

Bronzie

Looks like he's got about 200 miles to go to the swim. Just amazing stamina he must have.

PS No wonder he's got a sore backside - all those miles in the rain with no mudguards

popette

When I first heard about this challenge, I just couldn't believe that he would do it. Amazing to have cycled 300 miles in one day. Average speed 19.5 mph! Simply staggering.
I may even be moved to donate!

mo\'c

probably drafting the support vehicle a bit but does not negate the enormity of the task at all.....amazing man....good publicity for cycling too....