Mersey Roads 24hr TT

cycleclinic

This saturday 13:02 the first rider sets of from Wrexham. he's 72! I am no 18. I hope I last. My dad will be there supporting me with food in the camper. At least I can get a nap if i need one and I will.

This will be my first attempt at a 24hr and I did my first 12 hr in June. So will I finish, I'll find out I suppose.

The distance target is 400 miles but my bike does not have extension bars so we'll see. the real target is to finish.

I think tomorrow nights prep is going to involve a bottle of wine.

ugo.santalucia

Great stuff Malcolm... good luck with it... look forward to see the big 400 materialising

cycleclinic

well we'll see. It is going to wet and windy so who knows how far I will go. A target is just a hope.

harry-s

Good luck.
I had a go with the Le Mans 24 a few years ago, and found it pretty tough. That was on a silky smooth closed circuit, I can imagine that on public roads it's a lot tougher. Here's wishing you the Best of British!

dabber

That's a great target to go for... Hope it goes well for you.

rick_chasey

You're an absolute nutter.

Good luck.

Flâneur

Good luck, braver soul than me. Hope the weather holds for you

cycleclinic

The weather did not hold. It was do dire one guy who has done it 16times says this was the hardest. Many had to retire. I did not though but had to spend a few hours warming up after suffering from the begining of hypothermia. I carried on and clocked over 340 miles. I kept my average moving pace till the end at around 30kph. 520 ish miles will be the winning distance though. I am weak next to him.

ugo.santalucia

thecycleclinic wrote:

The weather did not hold. It was do dire one guy who has done it 16times says this was the hardest. Many had to retire. I did not though but had to spend a few hours warming up after suffering from the begining of hypothermia. I carried on and clocked over 340 miles. I kept my average moving pace till the end at around 30kph. 520 ish miles will be the winning distance though. I am weak next to him.

Very impressive, regardless of the conditions even more so given the conditions...

VamP

A clubmate rode it, his description of the conditions were pretty horrific. Chapeau to all who finished, you're looney but well done anyway

fenix

I doff my cap. I tried a 12 once and bailed out 2/3 of the way through. 24 is crazy even in nice weather - let alone yours !

cycleclinic

345.5 miles is the officall total for me 31st out of 50 finiahers over 70 started. The weather was poor but not really a challenge (although I am not sure I thought that at the time). It is possible a 24hr TT is a bit like childbirth. horrendous at the time but the day after you think it's not so bad. I had a warm camper van to hide in and warm up when I got really cold. 12 hrs TT's are easy (again that what I think after the event), i did one the week after the 24hr (90 miles behind the leader adam duggleby who did 317 miles!) you just ride a bike you are comfortable on and eat regularly and pace yourself. comfy kit that does not chaff helps alot too.

There is nothing crazy about 12hr and 24hr TT's it all comes down to do you believe you can finish and I mean have no doubt that you will through having ridden alot in poor weather riding in preperation. The kind of training rides I did this year for this where 6 hours out into the wind in february eat a bit and then ride home eating a bit more. Another was the c2c in a day on a touring bike then the day after ride back from scarborugh, 12hr TT in strong winds (headwind out tailwind return repeat).... Of course there have been others too. If long 12hr rides are part of your normal cycling diet then a long TT or three is not really beyond you.

That said I am slow next many. I stop too much as well. I like sitting down to eat proper food rather than suck on a gel which churns much stomach if thats all I "eat".

I will enter next year and fancy going to california to do the world 24hr championships. I wont win I am on a road bike but I will have fun. likely to be a bit warmer too than cheshire in july as well.

ugo.santalucia

Bryan Chapman memorial next year Malcolm?

cycleclinic

I had planned on a 600km audax as part of my prep for nexts 24hr. so maybe. There are not that many to choose from. It's about time I grew up and did an audax. I am member after all.

I do want to try the welsh 12hr championships. there is a nice big hill in that one.

bobmcstuff

Very cool. Maybe I'll have a go one day

ugo.santalucia

thecycleclinic wrote:

I had planned on a 600km audax as part of my prep for nexts 24hr. so maybe. There are not that many to choose from. It's about time I grew up and did an audax. I am member after all.

I do want to try the welsh 12hr championships. there is a nice big hill in that one.

As AUdax go, the BCM and the National 400 are the best catered for... there are many other 600, but you're going to be on your own most of the time, sort out food, sleep etc... I like the idea of relying on control points where I can get food and rest, especially at night. Having seen the photos, the route looks stunning too

cycleclinic

that the main problem with long audax's unless they are catered for I might as well avoid the entry fee and the travelling and just ride from my house.

ugo.santalucia

thecycleclinic wrote:

that the main problem with long audax's unless they are catered for I might as well avoid the entry fee and the travelling and just ride from my house.

Tend to agree... if there is zero food on offer, might as well do a 600 as a DIY... I can get a BR for that too if I am after points. I can plan it to pass in front of a cheap Travelodge just when I need to sleep etc...

Most Audax will give you something in terms of food either free or very reasonably priced, some will give you all or pretty much all included in the entry fee. The National was awesome in this respect.