Anyone doing the Rat Race Road Trip?

rodgers73

This event has had advertising all over the bike mags and even had a 2-3 page preview in Cycling Plus but no one seems to be talking about it on the forums. Am I the only person doing it??

Its London to Edinburgh over either 2 or 4 days. I'm stupid enough to have signed up for the 2 day ride and need someone to commiserate with. . .

peterberry

Good luck, not doing it this year but thinking about doing it next. Let us know how you get on.

bianchimoon

rodgers73 wrote:

This event has had advertising all over the bike mags and even had a 2-3 page preview in Cycling Plus but no one seems to be talking about it on the forums. Am I the only person doing it??

Its London to Edinburgh over either 2 or 4 days. I'm stupid enough to have signed up for the 2 day ride and need someone to commiserate with. . .

not doing it myself, but hats off to you, good luck

marcusjb

Good luck to you rodgers73 - I hope to see a good report on it when you've finished!

You've done a little under the single day distance before (just under 300km from memory?) - so you're well capable of it all. As long as you don't go silly on day one, you'll be amazed at how relatively okay you'll feel after some sleep going into day two.

Good luck and I hope the wind's on your back! Especially when you cross Lincolnshire.

rodgers73

Cheers Marcus and thanks for remembering my efforts!

Still a little surprised no one is talking about it though. Cycling Plus just landed on my doormat and they've got 2 pages on a team of "ordinary blokes" they're entering it. Ah well, I'll let you know how it goes for good or ill...

jason78

I'm also doing it but over the four days instead. Cant believe how quick it's come around
Also booked up for the crossing in July

rodgers73

Aha! At last another competitor! Have you any idea on the numbers involved at all?? There's nothing on the website (which could really do with a forum or something).

Also, they're leaving it a bit late with the mandatory kit list, especially as I'm usually at work in the week until after 6pm :-/

edtheball

I'm also doing it over two days like you rogers73.

It's definitely come around too quickly for my liking, I'm sure another month of training would help! The furthest I've rode in a day is 190miles and I'm fairly confident that I'll get to York reasonably ok. It's the second day that scares me!

I've also been wondering about the numbers taking part. I can't believe the lack of comment on the various forums. I can't help but think that there might only be a few of us, and that I'll be rolling in hours after the rest of you!

I thought they had put up the mandatory kit list. They sent me an email a couple of weeks ago with a link to this page...

http://www.ratraceroadtrip.com/rules.html

I assumed it was the finalised list and it doesn't look like they've listed anything too out of the ordinary.

marcusjb

Again, I can only say that you will be surprised about the second day on the road.

As an experienced multi-day distance rider, I am still amazed by the restorative effect of even just a few hours of sleep. I have crawled into a bed totally battered after a long day in the saddle. 3 hours passes in seconds and then you are off again.

Stretch well before sleep and when you wake up. It will help the legs get going again. Day two (and beyond), legs will keep going - you'll lack a bit of punch (unless you're super-fit and strong) on the hills - but it's not a race, so don't push yourself on the hills.

It's always about pacing yourself - don't get suckered into hooking onto a really fast group (unless you're a really fast rider) - hard to resist, but if you are riding at a pace that is too much for you, it will all go horribly wrong at some point and you'll be left at the side of the road in a state!

Wish you all luck - sounds like it'll be a laugh. I'll be doing my own version of the trip in July and am looking forward to it greatly now.

edtheball

Thanks for the encouraging words marcusjb.

I've done a few multi-day cycle holidays laden down with camping gear and know what you mean about punch. The legs do keep on going even if they don't like it! I still feel a bit of fear of the unknown, but that's part of the reason I entered...

I'm certainly not a fast rider so I'll remind myself of your words of wisdom if I get sucked along too quickly.

Actually, I'm a long time lurker on here and have also taken encouragement from your blog. Non cyclists and cyclists alike tell me that London - Edinburgh in two days is bonkers. I read your blog and it seems tame in comparison!

marcusjb

400 miles in 2 days isn't tame by any stretch.

Very achievable though for someone of good fitness and strong mental fortitude.

I will be watching with interest as to how the event does. Events like this and the massive interest in LEL this year (1000 riders signed up within a couple of days) shows that there is an interest in long distance cycling - and that is a good thing in my book.

rodgers73

edtheball wrote:

I'm also doing it over two days like you rogers73.

It's definitely come around too quickly for my liking, I'm sure another month of training would help! The furthest I've rode in a day is 190miles and I'm fairly confident that I'll get to York reasonably ok. It's the second day that scares me!

I've also been wondering about the numbers taking part. I can't believe the lack of comment on the various forums. I can't help but think that there might only be a few of us, and that I'll be rolling in hours after the rest of you!

I thought they had put up the mandatory kit list. They sent me an email a couple of weeks ago with a link to this page...

http://www.ratraceroadtrip.com/rules.html

I assumed it was the finalised list and it doesn't look like they've listed anything too out of the ordinary.

Ah, thanks for that - just haven't read the email properly!

Numbers could indeed be low. I fear the expert category is a bit of sideshow compared to the challenger, which must be the main event. I suppose we'll know by the end of the week.

Not sure what averages they're expecting people to set. Earliest start time for day one is 5.00am, 220 miles to go and first riders expected in York by 5.00pm. That's an 18mph average with no stops! Last riders expected at 10.00pm and if you factor in a couple of hours for stops that's still an average approaching 15mph. Not much room for error there if we're taking it easy (relatively).

I'm still wary of how day 2 will go, but my experience of sleep perking you up more than you'd expect makes me think we wont be too badly off as long as we've left a bit in the legs for the hills.

I'm still expecting to finish beyond the midnight cut off in Edinburgh though.

edtheball

I do wonder whether the challenger might be under-subscribed too. I think your right that they expect it to be the main event, but it did seem over priced to me. I am curious to see how many have entered.

Like you, I did the maths on the expected finish times. They seem very ambitious to me too! I'll be over the moon if I crawl into Edinburgh by midnight. With a fair wind and a bit of luck I think it's just about doable but it's going to be close. I certainly won't be getting there for tea time!

Have you seen the other cut-offs they emailed out last week? The pressure is going to be on throughout the day...

watfordduck

Hey there, I have signed up for the 'expert' too - along with my brother. It's going to be the longest bike ride we've done by far so am very nervous but looking forward to it...can't believe they're making us put up our own tents in York!! Hope to see you along the way...Tom Kelly

rodgers73

edtheball wrote:

I do wonder whether the challenger might be under-subscribed too. I think your right that they expect it to be the main event, but it did seem over priced to me. I am curious to see how many have entered.

Like you, I did the maths on the expected finish times. They seem very ambitious to me too! I'll be over the moon if I crawl into Edinburgh by midnight. With a fair wind and a bit of luck I think it's just about doable but it's going to be close. I certainly won't be getting there for tea time!

Have you seen the other cut-offs they emailed out last week? The pressure is going to be on throughout the day...

Yes, the cut offs on day 2 seem tough (for some reason day one cut offs don't worry me, but that could be my poor maths ability!). I'm taking the view that as long as I get to York in time, the 2nd day can be done at my own (best) speed without any worry. They can hardly stop you riding on to Edinburgh!

Hi Tom - glad to see another person involved. That makes 4 of us plus the 3 out of Cycling Plus then!

rodgers73

Numbers for solo riders are available now -

Challenger - 168
Expert - 182

About 50-odd pairs doing the event also.

Didn't expect so many or there to be more experts than challenger riders

jason78

Yeah just received that email also.im liking the limited edition cycling top 8)
Now back to packing lol

watfordduck

Do you chaps know if the route is signposted? Can't quite work that out...Thanks in advance.

rodgers73

I'm pretty sure it is signposted. Not sure why I think that though.

edtheball

I'm pleasantly surprised by those numbers. So much for there only being 7 of us!

I'm pretty sure it's signposted too, the website says it's a fully way marked course.

rodgers73

Should make for a nice start. Probably going to get lonely on the road though as it strings out a bit

meanredspider

I'm doing the Challenger 4-day version. Thought hard about the 2-day version but I've never done the century yet so thought it was slightly over-ambitious. Next year Doing the 2-day as a team makes the most sense so you can get organised and share the load. The second half will be quite hard simply due to the elevation changes.

If we'd been a bit more organised, I could have put up your tents in York for you. The slightly odd part of the 4-day ride is the relatively early starts meaning arriving early afternoon so I'll be kicking around. Really looking forward to it.

rodgers73

I got a hotel booked for York. Reckon I'll be too tired for messing about with tents.

rodgers73

I made it - by 7 minutes! Crossed the line at 23.53.

I had to have my time recorded manually as they had taken my timing chip off me at the previous checkpoint for being 20 minutes late. So at the moment I'm showing as DNF on the website but I've emailed them to see if they're doing manual corrections now that both events are over.

I didn't see anyone else arrive after me but before midnight so I may end up as officially dead last.

Spent most of yesterday eating and sleeping and I'm still ready for more of both today so I'll do more detailed report later. In the meantime, congrats to all who finished and commiserations to those who didn't (seems like quite a few pulled out near the end).

marcusjb

Good work to all finishers!

Times don't really matter on a challenge like that - 400 miles in 2 days is more than impressive enough. Well done.

edtheball

Congratulations on finishing within the time rogers73!

I also made it to the end, finishing a little after 10pm. I had a little break in Edinburgh after the event but I've been meaning to post again and say thanks to all those who gave me moral support throughout the two days. I'm not sure I'd have got the end without it!

I thoroughly enjoyed both days and the challenge, I'm not sure I can imagine doing rides of that length (or longer) regularly though. My achilles tendon was giving me a lot of grief by Morpeth and the saddle wasn't much better. I certainly wouldn't have liked to complete a third day. I'll be back on the bike tomorrow but it's taken the last week for me to recover!

Respect to all those who'll be riding LEL later in the year. I take my hat off to you.

Rocky Randall

Finished the Expert category at 23:30 as a pair and vowed not to do it again. Was easily the hardest thing I've had to endure, more mentally than physically. Congratulations to all who crossed the finish line in the Expert category regardless of what time it was. Let's just say, things weren't made easy for us.

rodgers73

I'm gradually typing up a report on the two days but I did the Lincoln GP yesterday and I'm still not back to 100% freshness so the progress is slow! Still waking up at 4.30 am...

watfordduck

My brother and I finished at 11pm - we loved it, but our achilles were also shot to pieces. The most painful bit of the whole weekend was riding from Kings X to Victoria on the Monday! Sorry it wasn't as good for you Rocky - what were the problems? I felt the route was really good, and the people riding made it a lovely event to be a part of - all so supportive... Tom (now looking for a new challenge to aim for).

edtheball

I'm also curious to hear what your problems were Rocky. Sorry it wasn't enjoyable for you.

The only minor complaint I had was the selection of food at the pit-stops, mainly on the first day. I could have cried when they ran out of sandwiches at the afternoon stop. I think they took the complaints on board though as there was far more savoury food on the second day.

I had assumed my achilles was an old football injury playing up, but maybe not. Is it a common problem with long distance riding? I haven't suffered like that on a ride before.

rodgers73

I'm going to guess that the problems were having your timing chip taken off you even when there was still a chance you could finish before the deadline. Two guys in front of me were having a bit of a heated discussion with the Marshall at the last pit stop. Was that you Rocky? Finishing an event like this at all is a real achievement but I was bloody determined to do it in the time allowed! Well done to anyone who crossed that line though.

Achilles seems to have been a common issue - I spoke to several people near the end and the day after who had had to either give up or go really slow to make the finish.