Yearly Distance Record Attempt (Tommy Godwin - 75,065mi/120,000k)

10/1/15. In Florida

So when Steve has beat Godwin's record on the morning of january 1st he'll have the record for minimum 10 days no matter how far Tarzan has ridden until then?

Tarzan might exceed Steve's total, but Steve will hold the title for where the TG Record was set - the UK; and that won't be surpassed for a long time

And everyone will think the yank is a douchbag for starting a few days later. Or is that just me?

I certainly think so. I know it is impressive from both riders but I cant help but feel animosity towards tarzan. The support car, the recumbent, doing it in Florida, starting 10 days later, all make me want Steve to win more. I think Steve will really step it up later in the year.

I cant help but feel animosity towards Tarzan.

Ditto, not really fair of course, Steve have been planning this for a very long time, whether Tarzan appear to be jumping into the deep end, realising his location make perfect sense for such events (flat and near the equator).

Steve may able to counter this with the British summer being a lots longer than the Florida summer.

I've ridden in Florida in summer and don't envy him, hot and humid to the Nth degree with regular tropical storms. Plus, he'll probably die of boredom by May, the roads are generally pretty uninspiring...

I wouldn't worry - Tarzan won't make it through the year.

why do you say that?

He'll run out of bikes :)

I'm sure both riders welcome the competition, and I for one hope that both make it through the year--it makes it more interesting to see the different approaches. I also hope that it's a classic battle in the making--you know, British pluckiness, sheer endurance, and doing it on a shoestring against American speed, brashness and resources. :)

Searvogel won't be able to ride in Florida when it gets really hot, and I think he said somewhere that he will be moving north then, whereas if all goes well Steve should have a good summer.

Fingers crossed for both of them.

So I look telepathic in 11 months time.
Also because I don't believe his approach is particularly sustainable unless he has the recovery time of the gods.
That and the fact that I want Steve to hold the record because he's a classic enthusiast riding a steel bike and trying to match the achievement of his hero.

The benefit that Tarzan is getting from the weather at the moment could well work against him later in the year. As the temperatures rise he'll be forced north from Florida into Tornado Alley and possibly even further north. It's not unknown for heat waves to spend a couple of weeks sweeping from the Rockies to the Appalachians. This could leave him with a lot of time and resources being thrown at relocation etc. The only other respite available is to head into the mountains, which is a poor tactical choice.

Also, Steve's out of the worst of it for this year. Even into November and December it's very unlikely that he will encounter any further ice, snow or persistent sub zero temperatures. It may also be November or December before he needs to start tapering from his longer distances due to declining temperatures.

Does anyone know if Tarzan planned to use that recumbent, or did he just wreck all his other bikes on that day (has he used it since)? I'd have thought you'd be reluctant to have the inevitable asterisk next to your total (in many people's eyes) - unless you were planning to rely heavily on it at some point anyway and therefore zero fucks were given?

Just you.

And everyone else.

Recumbent is within the rules (which is a pity IMO) and so no asterisk next to tarzan's ride.

I think he was always planning to use it... There is a video on his fb that appears to show him buying the 'bent a few days before he set off. I read somewhere that he is using it for an hour in the middle of each day to vary his position, but I don't know if that's actually the case.

in many people's eyes

Agreed, at least among cycling fans, but to the general public I doubt anyone will notice/care/understand. Also in 10 years time the only thing most people will remember is who has the record... Not the manner in which it was won.

The rules, and UMCA's verification are all that count really.

Agreed, if you don't like the rules, change them. Wetting the bed won't help.

Maybe it's just my OCD talking, but if the 9th of January rolled around and I was 1 mile ahead of Steve - but I knew I'd included a random 100 miles on a recumbent in the total - I reckon I'd feel compelled to ride another century before opening the champagne... ;-)

Next January they could just keep going until one of them drops, then back count the previous 365 days to give the year!

What are the rules about publishing their mileage daily, could one of them go 'off grid' for the last two months and not publish mileage so the other could not just do enough each day?

Was just thinking the same thing. Read something about them being keen to publish daily though..

Maybe it's just my OCD talking

Actual OCD or just a little bit picky when it comes to bikes?

Does alphabetising one's lycra collection count?

... however, you are right, I shouldn't make light of the genuinely afflicted.

WRT publishing daily results - it doesn't sound like there's much potential for 'off grid' activity based on Steve's comments in that Telegraph article.... "I must submit each day's ride to the adjudicators at the Ultramarathon Cycling Association (UMCA), or the day of riding will not count..."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5XJ2GiR6Bo