London - Edinburgh - London 2009

Eat My Dust

Anybody doing this next year. I'm seriously considering it but the thought of ride is making my mind boggle!

toontra

I'm signed up for it (like a mad person!). I've done the route from London to Edinburgh twice in the last couple of years - first time in 4 days and last year in 3 days. That's just regular long-distance touring. The whole ride-through-the-night thing is a bit daunting, as you say. I'm going to practice doing the Dun Run this year and a few 300k audaxes next year.

It would be a pretty cool thing to have under your belt IMO. People come from all over the world to take part, and the route is very pretty over the Pennines and through the borders (if it's light enough to see!).

Crapaud

LEL's on my things-to-do list. However, a combination of long hours at work, a series of minor illnesses and atrocious weather when I've had time to go out on the bike, have put the knackers on training. I'm not sure that I'll meet this year's targets, which were to be a build-up to LEL.

Still, there's plenty of time yet. I'll decide whether or not to do it later on this year.

toontra wrote:

It would be a pretty cool thing to have under your belt IMO.

I agree.

toontra

Crapaud wrote:

LEL's on my things-to-do list. However, a combination of long hours at work, a series of minor illnesses and atrocious weather when I've had time to go out on the bike, have put the knackers on training. I'm not sure that I'll meet this year's targets, which were to be a build-up to LEL.

I wouldn't worry too much about your training do date. The important time will be through this winter into next spring and summer. Start in September/October and you will have a 9-month lead-up which should be plenty.

I'm in mid-training already but that's for a 6-day LEJoG in May. I'll try and maintain fitness through the rest of the year, but I usually slacken off in mid/late summer and have to work to regain form.

BTW, if you are constrained by time and don't like roadwork in bad weather you could try a couple of gym session on a cycle trainer midweek. I've just started a power training programme which is having good results. Still need to build up endurance though, and that means long road rides at the weekend.

Crapaud

Toontra, the training aspect of a long-term goal like LEL, for me, is extremely important and I need to start now. Let me explain:

Since redundancy, a couple of years ago, and a new, sedentary, job, I've lost my commute and my base fitness has plummeted. Time constraints mean that I'm having to do a proper training plan to make the most of the time that I do have, ie. train smarter. I've bought a Polar CS 200 and The Cyclists Training Bible in an effort to get back to a decent base fitness as quickly as possible before phase 2 - 200km audax's at around 8 - 9 hrs. Phase 3 is to do a couple of 200km + rides (preferably up to a 600km at some point) before winter closes in again. On paper this is possible.

Then there're the other aspects of cycling such a long distance: fueling, sleep, psycological and the choice of equipment. These are all very personal and new too me at long distances, and IMO, it'll be experience that'll dictate much of how I'll tackle LEL. This is why I feel that I need to start training now; this year's cycling experience will pave the way for next year's build up to LEL.

Any other thoughts or pointers are welcome.

Eat My Dust

I'm not even sure where to start with regards to training. I currently cycle around 7500 miles a years, but nearly all of that is my commute (26 miles a day). So I do a lot of miles but only the occassional 70/80 miles.

Fixed Wheelnut

I hope to be there, it is a great well organised ride.
For training in 2005 I did a couple of fast thirty to forty mile rides in the evening after work and a fast 100 mile once a month.
Fast being as fast as I could along with my commute and an SR.

Most people ride it as a 400 first day, then three 300s and 100-200 on the last day. Myself and the other guy's I rode with got approx three to five hours sleep a night and seven on the last night so you don't need to ride allthrough the night, some faster riders do it all in daylight.

Some pics from 2005 here http://www.flickr.com/photos/fixedwheelnut/sets/72157602469146725/

and there are some write ups on the LEL website
http://www.londonedinburghlondon.co.uk/

Gavin Gilbert

What Fixed Wheelnut fails to mention is that he did the 2005 LEL with a saddlebag that must of tipped the scales at 20 kilos :shock:

Fixed Wheelnut

Gavin Gilbert wrote:

What Fixed Wheelnut fails to mention is that he did the 2005 LEL with a saddlebag that must of tipped the scales at 20 kilos :shock:

Yeah but my track mitts did get a bit lighter after I shook hands with you

Sorry about that :oops: so much water from a pair of mitts :roll:

Gavin Gilbert

Fixed Wheelnut wrote:

Gavin Gilbert wrote:

What Fixed Wheelnut fails to mention is that he did the 2005 LEL with a saddlebag that must of tipped the scales at 20 kilos :shock:

Yeah but my track mitts did get a bit lighter after I shook hands with you

Sorry about that :oops: so much water from a pair of mitts :roll:

I would crack a cheap quip about a wet handshake, but that sort of tacky smut is better suited to Another Forum so I won't

And how comes there's been an influx of Old Timers in recent days? I've seen Andy Gates about too...

Fixed Wheelnut

I'm always still having a look around, and Andy isn't the only one

Captain Snax

I'm really keen to do LEL next year....the time is right and i'm not sure what i'll be doing in another 4 years time..

So first - am I too ambitious? I'm a very average athlete...but I've been doing Triathlon/marathons for a number of years and completed an ironman last year. Speeds not my best thing but i have endurance and lots of base training. I'm also used to training most days, and sometimes twice a day. I've done some touring 7-10days, and some sportives and 1 or 2 short audax rides - but no night rides and nothing above 112m. And certainly not high mileage.

So What doya reckon? What sort of people do it?

And second I lack a bit of confidence (i'm working on it) and of course experience, and being the social animal I am would rather have a mate to do it with - I don't fancy riding 100s of miles on my own at the event....and the camaradarie, friendship and support, and sharing the experience with someone are as important to me as the cycling.

So I'm lookiing for a riding partner - somoene who would committ to riding with me during the event. And maybe do a few of the longer training/audax rides together.

Anyone interested? I live in the midlands but I don't suppose that matters too much.

Third - how is everyone's training going? Any advice and pointers?

robbarker

I may well do it. I'm not thinking about specific training, just my normal time on the bike, running and playing rugby over the winter. I'll build up from 200s starting proabably february, through tthe Brevet Cymru 400 and Bryan Chapman 600 in late may, then just keep it ticking over with 200k max most likely. It depends very much onhow the rugby season goes - these last two years I've been enjoying playing so much I didn't want to miss out on a game to ride an audax, and by the time the end of the season comes round the BC is upon you and it's been too late to build up to it.

Crapaud

Entries for LELare now closed!

More info via the link.

vorsprung

I'm entry #515

I did do it before in 2005

Captain Snax... try the Bryan Chapman Audax 600km ride. Instead of LEL. It's loads of fun.

Captain Snax

Well thanks for your replies. I may well try that 600 - Vorsprung thanks.

I realise that LEL is now officially full/closed....that'll teach me for mincing about. But I will probably put my name down on the reserve list. There's bound to be drop outs....and if there isn't well i save me money.

So still my question is do most people ride them on their own or with a mate? What are the chances of me finding someone willing to ride LEL with me?

And so I'm still really looking for a training/riding partner. Any offers/help/ideas on how to find people? I've got plenty of mates that will ride with me up to around 100miles or slightly more but probaby not 400s and 600s.

Should I just start doing 200s audax and I'll meet people....?