Transcontinental Race (London - Istanbul) - #TCRNo4

Hell yeah!

But as you can see, it's a super high stakes game and no matter the preparation you put in you really need the planets to align.

You just need to see the number of people that have scratched, some high class riders. And then see the issues some have befallen too. For josh, he had his issues for sure, but the planets aligned in that nothing went wrong. And he rode super.

Shame for ultan, he's has loads of issues but his body has kept working so he's been able to keep going. He'll be so happy to finish right now. Super awesome! Anyone who finishes. Harder than finishing a 3 week grand tour for sure. And look at the numbers that drop out of that. It's a good comparison.

Indeed, and there's bugger all you can do to find out whether you can ride stuff like this apart from trying.

I know I've been fine for 5 consecutive days (admittedly only ~300km/day) but after that I've got no idea; my arse and neck may both explode after 5 days and 1 hour. Luckily family/work/life prevent me from doing something like TCR.

It's more mental than anything, being able to just be happy riding that much won't be okay for everyone. If you can ride a bike then it's going to be mental batter rather than physical. Though being well trained will help as your legs won't get tired. I do find having a place to go helps. I broke the race down into lots of mini races to destinations to help with just how far it was. So each GPS file I pretended was the race, then just start a new race each GPS file/checkpoint. Got to trick your mind!

Skinny, just managed to catch-up on all of this - such an amazing effort! Crap luck with the neck, but so good that the experience has motivated you for a return. Out of interest (having only ever raced day events) how do you pace yourself on something like this? Are you always watching the heart rate or power? Or is it more a gut feel thing? Big respect and hope the physio pays off.

Ah you basically answered my question while I was typing!

73k diff. Go Ult!

Erm, yeah I mean you don't go all out. I used my power meter for the first 2 days, but I've ridden so much I can pace with my eyes closed and brain off now, but after than it was a case of fighting fatigue and all you can do is all you can do and it's not much, you just keep moving all the time.

Last 100mile has 10,000ft. So it could change if one of them is very tired!

Luckily family/work/life prevent me from doing something like TCR.

I predict a @Greenbank on the start list next year.

They'll both be very tired. :)

It's going to be who wants it more, who can stay awake, who can get more energy in and use it most effectively. I don't know the other guys but Ult is a fighter for sure.

Excellent stuff, this has been the most entertaining race I have followed, and still am - thanks all - although the mental and physical suffering must have been enormous at times.

But, the good thing about the brain is that it remembers the good times much better than the pain and anguish which was experienced.

" Never again... " - famous last words during many an endurace event, often replaced with a special kind of 'high' immediately after the event, with an urge for more :-)

For sure, he's fought from the start. Very mentally tough guy.

I'm very curious how many phantoms are out there on the roads, that do not use the official tracker. Rider 146 from my City is doing this and it was said that there are more. Maybe we are missing someone in the upper ranks.

https://instagram.com/p/53-l_ZHDc8/

I was hoping you would say that! I guess nothing can really prepare you for riding your bike that intensively, but with the experience from this year you should hopefully be able to build on that!

Was thinking the same, 11, 111 and a few others in the top end have disappeared today.

Thanks.

I was lucky enough to meet Tim at the start, as he ate a huge fillet stake to me horror! He's riding with true honour great guy!

Yes! But difficult.

How are you feeling today @skinny ?

Your mentality is magnificently positive but how is your body?

I'm very curious how many phantoms are out there on the roads, that do not use the official tracker.

"
You are not obliged to carry a tracker but if we cannot determine your location we cannot include you in the event leaderboard and you will be asked for other evidence to confirm your ride to get your time. All finishers in the top 10 will need their ride verified by a tracker however
"

The SPOT Trace trackers were free to borrow from TCR (with a deposit refunded upon return).

Was thinking the same, 11, 111 and a few others in the top end have disappeared today.

It's Trackleaders being a bit shit (or TCR for putting the wrong coordinates in for the geo-fences).

Trackleaders think they've finished and have stopped displaying them. I'm sure TCR will get onto it and give them a kick up the arse.

http://trackleaders.com/transconrace15i.php?name=11___BECUWE_Samuel still shows 11's track but without the blue points after it thinks they finished. It just seems to stop near that lake in Albania, much like a few others.

Ha thanks! Broken. But no worse than I've been before. I smashed my face 10 ways and came back in the same season a few years ago. So I'm good. Sleeping a lot and just letting my neck rest. Rotating some frozen peas on all my swellings! And eating lots of pizza.

And eating lots of pizza.

Doesn't sound like you've eaten enough.

One never can ed. I consider it a life challenge.

We should go Franco when I'm back, my wallet.

Only the Brixton one, they're everywhere now!

@skinny if you are up for it it would be great to have "an audience with skinny" at somewhere like LMNH where, within moderation, we can ask you loads of questions and buy you beer and food.