Ultracycling

Does Mikko have a job?! He's worse than me! :)

Time to drag the Shiv out. Let's say Boxing Day. Strategically overeat at Xmas so no feeds necessary for entire ride. I've thought it through, it's foolproof!

https://www.leightimmis.com/

1241k, >2 days ahead of beardy's record

Took me ages to find it, so for anyone else it is from Cabo Da Roca, Portugal to Ufa, Russia. An estimated 4000 miles / 6500km and he is aiming for less than 20 days and is supported.

Current Record is 24D 18H held by Sean Conway who was unsupported.

Best place i could find for the current WR route: https://www.yellowjersey.co.uk/sean-conway-cycling-world-record-attempt/

It's mentioned a few times on his actual site (https://www.leightimmis.com/world-record-update-2/).

I'm sure I saw the full route on his homepage too but perhaps that's because I was blocking the javascript so it'd drawn the whole line of Sean's route already.

Haven’t we got the remnants of a hurricane due through over the weekend?

I found that eventually but I still think it should be on the tracking page or easier to find. It would help out us forgetful/fussy lot.

I'm sure I saw the full route on his homepage

Do you mean his full planned route or the current record? Would be great to compare the two.

Need to check I'm not blocking the scripts also.

I tried to get it back. Maybe I just imagined it. Or maybe I just looked at it while he was behind Sean's and zoomed in so it looked like it was a full route. Anyway I can't get it back to what I thought so forget it.

Tweet 'em and ask them for more info on the homepage?
https://twitter.com/leightimmis

The lejog chat here has me creased. Good luck to Ian but can’t imagine he won’t spit out his dummy at some point.

Ruska just started then. Tracking, Twitter, Instagram, Website

Ian To started his attempt at 0515 this morning.

Tracker here;

https://gps.blackblox.si/login/ian?c=51.55577390000001:-1.7797176000000263:8

Shame we can't see Michael's position on his map, making it a race and interesting.

Position at 127 miles

Unrealistic schedule. Weird really.

Won’t be close.

There's a discussion for Ruska in here too, or a start of one https://www.lfgss.com/events/3683/

The route is different from last year. I pretty much know those roads and places already, but it would have been great to ride again.

It's not really a race, but i expect some to be rather fast. Like Esa, who finished 2nd a few hours after me last year, and he's riding a TT bike now. And there's five TCR veterans.

Weather is warmish, over 16c in the south, but with some rain.

There's a fixed rider out there also: Walto Salonen. Didn't realise you had made a thread, will use in future.

He aborted his attempt just after Shap at 0430 this morning.

Chapeau for trying.

Indeed, fair play for trying.
That’s said, there’s respect in finishing even when you know you’re behind.

True, but mentally that's a tough ask.

Yes.

But it also gives you the experience and knowledge you need to come back and try again. Knowing the roads, the feeling of it helps a lot.

I’d argue that you need it mentally, having finished is huge. Coming back knowing you can finish gives you strength. It helped me.

That’s said, there’s respect in finishing even when you know you’re behind.

For most rides I'd agree with that but I think this is a bit different. AIUI in RRA attempts, once it is clear you can't beat the record, they more or less insist you abandon as they don't want to observe a ride that doesn't beat a record.
Also it would be hard to keep your support team up another night in a lost cause. And for something this long it would be very hard to make yourself ride another whole day and night in a lost cause, ensuring massive sleep dep and muscle damage.
While I've ridden 11 hours of a 12 hour knowing I was off my target, hating every minute of it, this is a bit more of a write off, even @hippy got off his bike at Shap when he was off his target pace (I expect there was more to it).

come back and try again

After two failed attempts I'd be very surprised if he tries it again.
he's clearly a decent rider but not quite at that level.

If he really wants to do it I think he would be better doing a couple of years of TTing, 12s and 24s, and aerocoach stuff, to optimise his setup first. He could probably find 1mph.

Fair enough. I didn’t really think of it from an rra perspective.

Agreed on the time trialling thing.

Yeah, I bailed little bit after in Penrith. It's one thing to finish an ultra at a snail's pace while suffering alone but it's another thing to ask others to accompany you, even if they're willing to do so.

With LEJOG as well, if you do finish and you're off target, you're miles away from anything useful. So you're then stuck with a tired team that have to get back to reality (Edinburgh?). There's more time, more cost and if you're not getting the record, there's little point carrying on an unpleasant journey along A roads when you could tour it and have a much nicer experience. What's the drive time home from Edinburgh vs. JOG?
Basically, there's no point finishing it, unless you're quite close to record pace.