Shearer & Chiles - Can we help the Super Cycle pair?

wastelander

I'm sure that by now most of you have heard about Alan Shearer and Adrian Chiles taking on one of the craziest Sport Relief challenges by cycling from St. James' Park to London via The Hawthorne's in West Brom in aid of Sport Relief in just 2 days, resting for 10 mins every couple of hours and with maybe 5 hours sleep

I wonder if we as a cycling community can help out by accompanying the pair in 'shifts' along their route offering encouragement, riding buddies and the odd draft for them to shelter and rest behind.

This would be a great opportunity for the cycling community to get behind this challenge and show the general UK population what a great bunch we are - what say we all people?

heavymental

What a good idea.

Tom Butcher

Yes half wheel the pair of them the whole way until Chiles cracks - we can't have him making this cycling lark look easy!

NJK

I might accidently on purpose throw my wolves scarf into Childs wheel.

popette

do you know more details of the route?

pdstsp

Perhaps we could all ride alongside and ask him inane questions about how often he falls off??
Seriously though sounds like a good plan - bbc may well have route?

Burton

It was featured on the one show earlier tonight. Didn't show much in the way of detail. If they come near MK I'll join them for a few miles.

HarryB

Is it just me or is this challenge doomed to failure? Surey two non-cyclists can't do what most proper cyclists would find ultra-tough? Can they?

Tom Butcher

I read somewhere that Shearer had taken up cycling a while ago - and Chiles is fitter than he looks having done a few marathons. I reckon it's doable - there's a 10 year old in our club did a 140 odd mile audax last year.

cycologist

NJK wrote:

I might accidently on purpose throw my wolves scarf into Childs wheel.

:

wastelander

I've emailed sport relief about details of the route - let's see how forthcoming they are with the info. I heard an interview with Shearer on 5 Live during which he said the furthest he's been on a bike is 50 miles...and only 2 weeks to go to the event :shock:

As long as I can details of where and when I for one will definitely be there to offer encouragement and support to the pair of them.

feel

NJK wrote:

I might accidently on purpose throw my wolves scarf into Childs wheel.

and i'll put my Sunderland one in Anal Shearer's

Lagavulin

feel wrote:

NJK wrote:

I might accidently on purpose throw my wolves scarf into Childs wheel.

and i'll put my Sunderland one in Anal Shearer's

Good man, or I could wipe him out at the Gallowgate straight away.

Seriously though, I heard him on Radio 4 this morning and he said he'd only done a maximum of 50 miles and was attempting another 50 after he'd dropped his kids off at school this morning.

Burton

Nice to see how supportive we all are on here........ :roll:

ForumNewbie

Good luck to them, but I am really surprised if they can do 335 miles in 2 days with so little experience.

The first day they are planning to do 186 miles. I doubt if they will they manage it all in daylight hours at this time of year. Even if their legs hold out, will they be saddle sore or what?

fluff.

They won't be doing it all in daylight, think the plan is to ride till midnight, get 5 hours sleep then start on day 2. Though I was only half listening to Shearer's interview about it, so could be wrong.

Heaney

It's on the Sport relief website, there's a picture of them both in cycle gear. Check out Chiles legs. I think they'll do it.

sing_for_absolution

fluff. wrote:

They won't be doing it all in daylight, think the plan is to ride till midnight, get 5 hours sleep then start on day 2. Though I was only half listening to Shearer's interview about it, so could be wrong.

Chiles said the same thing on Radio 1 this morning, so I presume that's their plan. Good luck to them.

HarryB

The issue isn't the number of hours in a day. We already know that there are 24 of them in every day. The issue is one of physiology. While Shearer is obviously pretty fit from his football days I wouldn't consider Chiles exactly an elite athlete although a four hour marathon suggests he's reasonably fit.

The point is that neither is a cyclist and no matter how many hours they cycle they have to cope with tiredness. basically their bodies will just refuse to turn the pedals any more. They'll be cycling through the Pennines which is no mean feat and the weather could well be horrible.

They won't do it.

a_n_t

Heaney wrote:

Check out Chiles legs. I think they'll do it.

i'd be happy with them quads!

oldwelshman

HarryB wrote:

The issue isn't the number of hours in a day. We already know that there are 24 of them in every day. The issue is one of physiology. While Shearer is obviously pretty fit from his football days I wouldn't consider Chiles exactly an elite athlete although a four hour marathon suggests he's reasonably fit.

The point is that neither is a cyclist and no matter how many hours they cycle they have to cope with tiredness. basically their bodies will just refuse to turn the pedals any more. They'll be cycling through the Pennines which is no mean feat and the weather could well be horrible.

They won't do it.

Both of these are ex pro athletes, why wont they do it?
You should see the shape on some of the people who did London to Paris last year with no prep!!
Take a look at some of them in my link

HarryB

Have I missed something? Chiles is an ex-pro athlete?

The fact that they'll have TWO full days is the killer

Cunobelin

ForumNewbie wrote:

Good luck to them, but I am really surprised if they can do 335 miles in 2 days with so little experience.

The first day they are planning to do 186 miles. I doubt if they will they manage it all in daylight hours at this time of year. Even if their legs hold out, will they be saddle sore or what?

Actually credit to them for attempting this....

If it works, then the fact that two "unfit and inexperienced" cyclists can manage these dstances might persuade a few of those who need a car to drive a mile could be persuaded it is possible by bike!

OP has a good idea - it is also a possiility to show just how supportive, helpful and open hearted the cycling community really is.

wastelander

The Super Cycle team have replied and unfortunately due to logistic/health & safety reasons they are not permitted to allow other cyclists to join them for all/part of the attempt. however, all are welcome to join them at St James' Park, Newcastle for the launch of the attempt. Hey ho!

jellybellywmb

HarryB wrote:

Have I missed something? Chiles is an ex-pro athlete?

The fact that they'll have TWO full days is the killer

Chiles was a Pro Goalkeeper I think but got injured.

HarryB

jellybellywmb wrote:

HarryB wrote:

Have I missed something? Chiles is an ex-pro athlete?

The fact that they'll have TWO full days is the killer

Chiles was a Pro Goalkeeper I think but got injured.

Well that's news to me. I think he played in goal for some pub team.

bigjim

Shearer said on the news that Chiles is an experienced keen regular cyclist and he is more likely the one that will be suffering.

Jim

upsidedown

I heard an interview a while back when Adrian Chiles said he jumped on a bike and rode to Croatia, where his mom is from, so no stranger to distance.

matthewbradford

Adrian Chiles rode from Cardiff to Edinbugh for the Working Lunch show a few years back. I'm not sure how long how many days it took him. I remember one clip of him riding over the Gospel Pass and he seemed to be going OK.

I think Shearer might be the one to struggle, like Ian Wright on the Geoff Thomas TDF ride. I don't think these footballers appreciate the training required for these long rides

popette

I thought Shearer sounded a bit snuffly on Match Of The Day. I wonder if he's been over doing it on the training?

afctumike

Chiles said in an Observer interview that Shearer's football training won't help him because his game was all about barging into people and falling over in the box