Just reading the news about this, Mollie has taken 11 hours to ride 100km and is very sore.
Am I being ungracious in thinking that she’s only riding at 6 mph and that someone of her age should be able to do this quite easily, or does this define the general fitness of the state of the nation.
Got any links?
I suspect it’s a lot of stop-start work.
to her credit though, 11 hours, even if not in the saddle for all that time, is an exceptionally long battle…and with 4 more days to do, she’s putting herself through it
Energy wise she should be able to easily do it, but if these not used to using her legs like that it will be really tough. I don't run, and couldn't try to jog a marathon without being destroyed afterwards, but I can cycle for hours on end. Do the London to Brighton with a non serious cyclist and you'll see how tough 100km is for most people
i listen to the show
she basically hasn't ridden a bike on the road until a few weeks ago
for some reason they opted to get her clipped in....
and the pics of said bike looks to be a very basic commuter spec bike
but yes, massively slow going
Am I being ungracious in thinking that she’s only riding at 6 mph
Perhaps. Remember most keen riders when talking of higher average speeds are talking about a moving average, not elapsed time average speed as you would use in an audax. If she's stopping regularly as a less saddle-conditioned rider will her elapsed average vs moving average will be very different.
60 miles a day for 5 days is a big ride for a non-cyclist.
Meh, for non cyclists it will seem like a respectable challenge. For roadies, or anyone else that's done L2P or similar prob not so much.
Ahhh wasn't sure if she was clipped in, as her shoes looked like normal trainers to me.
We had a super fit friend, took him on a 4 hour mtb ride and he really suffered in certain areas. I'm guessing she's fit and young, but not bike fit. It's also stressful being on the road, even with 'event backup'.
Call me cynical but surely it's advantageous if she's seen to struggle and that the challenge is really challenging.
TBH I think most reasonably healthy people could knock out 100km in a day, the difficult bit is doing it 5 days in succession. I know my advice would be to take is slow and steady as all that's important is finishing the challenge
it’s advantageous if she’s seen to struggle and that the challenge is really challenging.
Definitely do not underestimate the amount of careful scripting, filming and editing. Anyway, who has ever been in a hurry to get to Hull?
I still vividly remember that weekend way back in the mid-late nineties when I hadn't ridden a bike in anger for several years, but I was a regular gym-goer so considered myself fit. I got together with a group of friends for a weekend mountain biking and thought I'd smash it. We did the Karrimor on the Saturday, which I managed fine. I got up on Sunday morning to do the Red Bull and my legs would simply not work nor could I sit in the saddle. I gave up after about 5 minutes and went home. Therefore I can fully appreciate how this challenge may effect Mollie – so good luck to her.
I used to have a commute longer than that. It's hard work trying to do it every day even as a "serious" cyclists I never managed more than 3 days in a row. And f*** doing it in the rain.
Speed wise, as above it's average not moving speed. If you do an audax it looks easy on paper, but add in 2 cafes, a lunch, a couple of information controls, a puncture, some faff, waiting for a different mate on each hill, your on your winter bike with mudguards, etc and suddenly that 11hour cut off for 200km is surprisingly looking tighter than you'd like.
Also, anything involving a TV crew is slow, I should know the guy doing the camera work is a coleague 🤣
What's the elevation gain from day 1's 100km?
Like others above have said, if you ride a bike regularly like (some of) those on the forum it shouldn't be too difficult but this challenge isn't there to inspire or motivate us. My commute to work is 23km each way, there are people genuinely amazed that I cycle sometimes. My sister recently got a bike to cycle the 3 miles to work and admitted that she struggles, she's just not used to it. It's for the general public and I don't really have any problem with that. Just because we could do it doesn't mean it's a big feat for the majority of people out there and something they can't fathom anyone doing. And it's for charity so who cares providing it raises some money
Commuter spec, from S-Works?
Bike choice aside, looking out my window the weather is crap and if it's her first time out in ages it'll be a mission so all credit to her.
different bike to what i saw the other day, maybe that was a training bike, and clearly not clipped in anymore
TBH I think most reasonably healthy people could knock out 100km in a day, the difficult bit is doing it 5 days in succession. I know my advice would be to take is slow and steady as all that’s important is finishing the challenge
stand at the bottom of ditchling beacon (90km into 100km of london to brighton) and see how the "reasonably healthy people" are getting on. They'll get up the hill for sure, but you wouldn't call it "knock out" - its a real struggle for most - I'd say 80% of the attendees walk the hill
good free advert for Restrap
It will be tough day two or three when her non-conditioned muscles and backside soon complain. For a seasoned cyclist it's easy, bit unpleasant if chucking it down. She's going to hate the roads and close passes, unless there is a support vehicle following.
Good on her and best of luck with her challenge.
Hopefully will contribute to a good overall amount raised for people who really need some assistance.
Anyway, who has ever been in a hurry to get to Hull?
Most of the inhabitants of Grimsby?
unless there is a support vehicle following.
I'd have thought that was a given.
I'm sorry, but who the eff is she? C list? D list? Celebs just ain't what they used to be, but good luck to her. I looked out of the window this morning, and couldn't even be bothered to walk in the wind and rain to the garage to get on the turbo trainer.
member of one of the biggest pop groups of the noughties and co-host on a prime time radio show, also wife of an english (ex?) top cricketer
I’m sorry, but who the eff is she? C list? D list? Celebs just ain’t what they used to be
She's quite famous really - you are just not her target audience.
Good on her and best of luck with her challenge.
Just this.
I did the bay cycleway over the weekend with my (running fit) partner. 30 not very hilly miles first day and 40 the next. if I'd suggested another day of the same I'd be sleeping in the spare room.
being bike fit and bike confident make a huge difference - carry speed through hills and corners, judging traffic so you don't slow, generally being efficient with cadence etc, etc all make a massive impact.
Looking at the last time I did the bay cycleway I was cycling , on average, for an hour less each day compared to this weekend and that just down to going a bit slower everywhere to keep pace with a less experienced person.
Good luck to her. It will be tough. Bitd when I toured, I always did back to back big days in prep, and even then the first 4 days would feel very hard. After that though I would get used to it and it became a pleasurable way to spend a day, just riding, eating, looking at the scenery and then finding somewhere to camp. So a 5 day challenge sounds like 4 hard days and 1 nice one to me.
member of one of the biggest pop groups of the noughties and co-host on a prime time radio show, also wife of an english (ex?) top cricketer
Yes, but apart from all that, what have the Romans Mollie ever done for us?
member of one of the biggest pop groups of the noughties and co-host on a prime time radio show, also wife of an english (ex?) top cricketer
Also ex GB team level sports person, so likely no stranger to pushing through some tough times.
To repeat what a couple of others have said .... Good luck to her.
She's stepping out of her comfort zone to do something that the vast majority of the public would see as a quite a challenge to earn a good chunk of money for all of the good causes that Comic Relief supports.
I'd suggest that even a large number of the people on this site would find 60 road miles x 5 days in crap weather and all of the media focus not a particularly easy ask.
Perhaps those who believe it isn't much of a challenge could try raising some money by being sponsored for staying up on their high horses?
Be a nice introduction to the joys of riding on super smooth tarmac we have here in England. Plus the nicest , most polite drivers in the world.
Just watched a clip on the beeb website of her amazing ordeal. Heading along an A-road with two ridealong guides and motorcycle outriders and cars with flashing lights following at 6mph. The queue of cars behind stretching as far as the eye could see was lovely to see too, so many people coming out to enjoy the spectacle and offer their support.
TBH I think most reasonably healthy people could knock out 100km in a day, the difficult bit is doing it 5 days in succession. I
Plenty cyclists even/especially on here would struggle with it that I'm sure of.
@trail_rat I reckon most haven't realised that it doesn't have a electric motor.
I defy anyone that's ridden themselves into oblivion to look at the thousand yard stare in this photo and tell me she's faking it for the cameras.
Been there, done that. 😳
Sounds like a decent challenge, even more so for someone who hasn't been cycling long. I certainly wouldn't fancy it in the current weather conditions and I suspect that many people on this forum would fail to complete it.
Anyway, to the OP, yes, you are.
I've donated, link here for others that wish to...
https://www.comicrelief.com/rednoseday/challenges/mollie/
stand at the bottom of ditchling beacon (90km into 100km of london to brighton) and see how the “reasonably healthy people” are getting on. They’ll get up the hill for sure, but you wouldn’t call it “knock out” – its a real struggle for most – I’d say 80% of the attendees walk the hill
Thanks- I got persuaded to sign up for L2B off-road last week. Best get riding and doing some hills
I defy anyone that’s ridden themselves into oblivion to look at the thousand yard stare in this photo and tell me she’s faking it for the cameras.
She's thinking, "why didn't we put some bloody mudguards on!"
L2b off road doesn't go up the beacon . It's a tough hill as it ramps up as you get into it.
I rode it after doing Brighton to London to Brighton so had about 100 miles on my legs at that point .
That hurts but I made it .
What I don't get is these jollys are planned months in advance . You can build fitness in a few months at her age.
TBH I think most reasonably healthy people could knock out 100km in a day, the difficult bit is doing it 5 days in succession.
+1, even a distance that a person finds relatively easy becomes a big challenge when it has to be repeated several days on the trot.
I’d suggest that even a large number of the people on this site would find 60 road miles x 5 days in crap weather and all of the media focus not a particularly easy ask.
Very much this. I would struggle even tho i rode 3000 miles in 4 months 18 months ago. I only did 60 miles in a day occasionally on that trip and not on consecutive days. 45 miles a day is about what i could sustain
I've done ride leading on guided events not dissimilar to Mollie's ride and it's amazing how many people (who have signed up months in advance and been given detailed training plans/advice) struggle to cope with distances like that.
Or they may be able to do the distance but they've never ridden in bad weather or traffic or groups.
Counter-intuitively, many people can sort of struggle through 100km; you just have to look at the average London - Brighton or similar charity ride. But doing it day after day is a different prospect.
Local rag has something on it cos she's due to finish in Salford today. I also had no idea who she was before seeing this thread and the story but good luck to her! £100,000 raised so far apparently.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/eppgfx/live/c38wrz
Plenty cyclists even/especially on here would struggle with it that I’m sure of.
Waves! My commute is only seventy miles a week and I need supplements for it🤣
Great to see so many people getting behind her!
