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Wish Me Luck and a Fair Wind

meanredspidermeanredspider Posts: 12,550
edited May 2013 in Commuting chat
Friday morning I set off from Tower Bridge on the Rat Race Road Trip - 440 miles and 19,000ft of climbing in 4 days - London to Edinburgh. Then, the following Friday I'm adding another 60 miles, for the round 500, by doing London to Cambridge in the dead of night (should arrive at 3am). I've never done the century yet - let alone 4 days in a row against the clock.

Please wish me a warm, dry southerly or stick a couple of quid in here for Teenage Cancer Trust or, better still, both :wink:

https://www.justgiving.com/Richard-Merrell3

Everything donated will be matched by my employer - easy way to give to a wonderful charity.

I'll post on here to let you know how I'm doing.

Thank you!
ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
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  • SketchleySketchley Posts: 4,235
    Will we see you on Embankment Thursday night?

    Oh and good luck....
    --
    Chris

    Genesis Equilibrium - FCN 3/4/5
  • rick_chaseyrick_chasey Posts: 52,516 Lives Here
    *hat*
    _
  • Cleat EastwoodCleat Eastwood Posts: 7,510
    Wow, good luck chap - I've just looked on a map- its only a couple of inches per day, you'be home by 4 o'clock :lol:
    The dissenter is every human being at those moments of his life when he resigns
    momentarily from the herd and thinks for himself.
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,692
    Recce'd the leg to Burghley Castle last weekend (and back). Should be a lovely 1st day, the scenery is absolutely beautiful and the roads they've chosen are really, really nice. Enjoy and very best of luck! I was planning to join for the York leg but now I am in Devon that weekend. Rats

    http://app.strava.com/activities/49783741
  • walkingbootweatherwalkingbootweather Posts: 2,443
    Good luck MRS. If you run out of steam in N Yorkshire, there's a meal, hot shower, and bed here you can use. I'll even buy you a pint. 8)
    Nobody told me we had a communication problem
  • mpdouglasmpdouglas Posts: 219
    Good luck. A few of my mates are having a crack at the 2 day version, setting out on the Saturday. 2 days of 220 miles each is going to be extreme. The Countryfile weather report didn't look too clever either - reckoned there was a strong chance of heavy rain which is on its way here from Canada!
    "The Flying Scot"
    Commute - Boardman CXR 9.4 Di2
    Sunday Best - Canyon Ultimate SLX Disc w/ DuraAce Di2
  • veronese68veronese68 Posts: 23,400 Lives Here
    Good luck mate. Hope you don't need to take WBW up on his offer, although the pint would be tempting.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
  • tetmtetm Posts: 564
    MRS, I'm doing the two day Rat Race with a good bunch of guys, if you want company for the trip up then do get in touch. The first two days for you are dead flat and fairly fast so should be 'easy' as a team...
  • meanredspidermeanredspider Posts: 12,550
    Thanks all. I so nearly signed up for the 2-day version but thought it was possibly slightly ambitious having never done the century yet :wink: That's one for next year...

    I think the weather will be everything. Having been battered by high winds all of April, I don't remember what it's like to ride in anything else!

    I'm really looking forward to the night ride from London to Cambridge - 60 miles on the flat will seem like a sprint, though arriving in Cambridge at about 3am will be a bit odd
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • cyclingpropcyclingprop Posts: 2,426
    Good luck - wore the TCT jersey today in honour.
    What do you mean you think 64cm is a big frame?
  • meanredspidermeanredspider Posts: 12,550
    cyclingprop wrote:
    Good luck - wore the TCT jersey today in honour.

    Cool - thank you!
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • rolf_frolf_f Posts: 15,994
    meanredspider wrote:
    Thanks all. I so nearly signed up for the 2-day version but thought it was possibly slightly ambitious having never done the century yet :wink: That's one for next year...

    I think the weather will be everything. Having been battered by high winds all of April, I don't remember what it's like to ride in anything else!

    I'm really looking forward to the night ride from London to Cambridge - 60 miles on the flat will seem like a sprint, though arriving in Cambridge at about 3am will be a bit odd

    I suppose it depends on the route but you'll do well to get through Essex on the flat! Mostly it undulates continuously.........
    Faster than a tent.......
  • meanredspidermeanredspider Posts: 12,550
    Rolf F wrote:
    I suppose it depends on the route but you'll do well to get through Essex on the flat! Mostly it undulates continuously.........

    It's all relative - the highest point in all Essex is about 200ft lower than the highest point on my commute (the lowest point on my commute being sea level). I've lived in Stansted village and south Cambridgeshire (Cambridge is what I'd call my home town - I've lived there more than half my life) so I know it pretty well - it's not fen-flat and will be a more interesting ride as a result.
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • rolf_frolf_f Posts: 15,994
    meanredspider wrote:
    Rolf F wrote:
    I suppose it depends on the route but you'll do well to get through Essex on the flat! Mostly it undulates continuously.........

    It's all relative - the highest point in all Essex is about 200ft lower than the highest point on my commute (the lowest point on my commute being sea level). I've lived in Stansted village and south Cambridgeshire (Cambridge is what I'd call my home town - I've lived there more than half my life) so I know it pretty well - it's not fen-flat and will be a more interesting ride as a result.

    Indeed - actually nice cycling country; I was brought up on the Essex Herts border myself. Thing is though, elevation is not the whole story as my folks new location in Sussex keeps reminding me. If there is no flat between the up and down and the gradients are reasonably noticeable, it doesn't really matter what the maximum elevation is, the total climb can be significant!
    Faster than a tent.......
  • Kieran_BurnsKieran_Burns Posts: 10,052
    muttermutter compulsory helmets muttermutter

    Good Luck though! Perusing the site makes for sobering reading... sounds very very hard going.
    Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
    2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
    2011 Trek Madone 4.5
    2012 Felt F65X
    Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter
  • meanredspidermeanredspider Posts: 12,550
    Rolf F wrote:

    Indeed - actually nice cycling country; I was brought up on the Essex Herts border myself. Thing is though, elevation is not the whole story as my folks new location in Sussex keeps reminding me. If there is no flat between the up and down and the gradients are reasonably noticeable, it doesn't really matter what the maximum elevation is, the total climb can be significant!

    I'm reasonably confident because the total climbing for the 100 miles of the first day of the Rat Race is only 3800ft or so.
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • meanredspidermeanredspider Posts: 12,550
    Kieran_Burns wrote:

    Good Luck though! Perusing the site makes for sobering reading... sounds very very hard going.

    Thanks KB. Days 3 & 4 will be the toughest with 6500ft of climbing each - both of which have it concentrated in the second half of the ride.

    I'm really looking forward to it though
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • jamescojamesco Posts: 687
    Donated, couldn't turn down your employer's BOGOF offer, good luck!
  • rubertoerubertoe Posts: 3,993
    Good Luck MRS.

    :?
    "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

    PX Kaffenback 2 = Work Horse
    B-Twin Alur 700 = Sundays and Hills
  • daxplusplusdaxplusplus Posts: 631
    Good luck ya mad [email protected] and my the wind be with you.

    I'm sure it'll be a great adventure.
    Sometimes you're the hammer, sometimes you're the nail

    strava profile
  • InitialisedInitialised Posts: 3,047
    Enjoy it!
    I used to just ride my bike to work but now I find myself going out looking for bigger and bigger hills.
  • meanredspidermeanredspider Posts: 12,550
    Thanks for the donations, guys!

    I'm 2 days in and 220 miles down (details can be see on BR "Training" or "Active" or whatever it is now)

    First day (100 miles) was reasonable - I maybe went a bit too hard. Today was harder: windy, colder with rain. 120 miles solo up to York. Proper hills start tomorrow around Northumberland. I'm proper tired.

    Will post some more soon.
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • rick_chaseyrick_chasey Posts: 52,516 Lives Here
    Nice one.

    Good luck.

    Weather should be good tomorrow! !
    _
  • InitialisedInitialised Posts: 3,047
    Proper hills start in Durham. Bishop Aukland to Burnhopfield via Crook is the worst stretch, the real hills will be to your left ;-) The bits in Northumberland and day 4 don't look as bad as Durham, apart from the Mountain at 80 miles in of course. Keep it up and maybe see you out there while you're in my neck of the woods.
    I used to just ride my bike to work but now I find myself going out looking for bigger and bigger hills.
  • meanredspidermeanredspider Posts: 12,550
    Hard day today - 114 miles and quite breezy at times. Some brutal slopes when you've 300 miles in your legs (seeing a 15% incline sign at the 80th mile today wasn't quite what we wanted). Will be happy to see Holyrood park tomorrow!
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • InitialisedInitialised Posts: 3,047
    Congratulations, I rode some of the route on my way home today, gave someone who was doing the 220mile/day a tow/moral support for a few miles.
    I used to just ride my bike to work but now I find myself going out looking for bigger and bigger hills.
  • meanredspidermeanredspider Posts: 12,550
    I know - the 220 mile a day guys always cross my mind as I'm nearing the end of a stage and have had enough - the thought that I might have been only halfway is incredible...
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • stuaffstuaff Posts: 1,735
    Nearly there, well done for the efforts so far. Team Cycling Plus (Allan Murchison, another chef plus two readers), who are doing the two-day job, had over 50 applicants....including me. They picked well though, one of them's done Paris-Brest-Paris three times!
    Dahon Speed Pro TT; Trek Portland
    Viner Magnifica '08 ; Condor Squadra
    LeJOG in aid of the Royal British Legion. Please sponsor me at http://www.bmycharity.com/stuaffleck2011
  • veronese68veronese68 Posts: 23,400 Lives Here
    You'll soon be home. I bet that will be a welcome sight. Once again I couldn't resist your employer matching the donation for a worthy cause.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
  • meanredspidermeanredspider Posts: 12,550
    veronese68 wrote:
    You'll soon be home. I bet that will be a welcome sight. Once again I couldn't resist your employer matching the donation for a worthy cause.

    Thanks so much (again) V68!!

    FINISHED - I was 32nd position (It's not a race) on the board when I looked. As that looked to be around the average age of the guys who were in the tent when I finished, I'm happy with that - especially as I'd never ridden 100 miles before Friday (now I've done it 4 days running)

    I'm also sitting 43rd out of 43,000 people signed up for the Strava "May Massive" challenge - again, top 0.1% won't happen in a hurry again.

    Thanks for all the support and donations - means a lot to me.

    Back on the bike on Friday night for London to Cambridge to round out the 500 miles...
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
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