a joke so funny you repeated it ?
She's been really struggling today, totally zapped by the sounds of it on her radio catch ups
presumably this is just for a particularly busy section of road (could they not have found a better route though?) and not for all of it (which would be pretty crap if it were the case!)Great to see so many people getting behind her!
presumably this is just for a particularly busy section of road (could they not have found a better route though?) and not for all of it (which would be pretty crap if it were the case!)
The issue is that there's a car behind her, doing the same speed as her which is generally regarded as a pretty terrible idea cos it really does create a traffic jam. However, under these circumstances (novice rider, unused to riding on roads, plus the whole celebrity / fund raising thing), I guess it's essential to avoid her suffering close passes or too much aggression.
Routing is a tough one - do it on tiny narrow lanes to get less traffic but it'll be more hilly, more rough roads and if there is any traffic (like a tractor or something), it'll be even more of an issue.
Sometimes you just need some bigger roads to increase the average speed a bit, make it marginally easier, allow eating and drinking on the move etc.
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.
I think on our L2P we had close to 5% dropout rate on day one - but all the others completed it across 4days. One guy I remember, turned up on a £200 MTB and hadn't ridden a bike since he was a child.... The other 4 multi day charity events I've taken part, no one dropped out but they were more specialised so only established riders would have signed up.
Cirtainly day three always seems the most difficult when doing multi days imo.
Cirtainly day three always seems the most difficult when doing multi days imo.
Yep - the LEJOG ride I've worked on sets Day 3 as the "easiest" for that very reason. In training, most people should have done back-to-back rides but that's usually a weekend then they go to work on Monday....
So in the real thing, Day 3 always comes as a shock as the body is like "hang on a minute, not done this before!"
It's very wet in Manchester now, and she's still over 20 miles away from stopping at Salford Quays ! I can't quite work out where all the 'hills' are, unless she's been routed through the Peaks rather than Cheshire/Staffs - is there a route anywhere ?
It’s very wet in Manchester now, and she’s still over 20 miles away from stopping at Salford Quays ! I can’t quite work out where all the ‘hills’ are – is there a route anywhere ?
Not a map but a rough approximation of it.
It's deceptively not flat around there, especially going in and out of Leek. Lots of big long rollers rather than "proper hills" but it's really sapping. It's worse if you're going slowly cos you're never on top of your gears, you never make the most of any momentum from a descent.
It's an impressive challenge she's taken on, the weathers shit today, I'd imagine she probs pretty sore, and the routes pretty lumpy as well.
TBH I think most reasonably healthy people could knock out 100km in a day,
Perhaps your definition of "reasonably healthy" and mine is quite different but I think if you just went and took some random people off the street who perhaps do park run regularly, play some five a side and do a gym class of some sort (so actually fitter than most!) and chuck them on a bike in the rain wearing loose fitting waterproofs then after 100km they'd be pretty done in. Why, if you knew you were going to be doing that, you've not trained is another question: perhaps she asked some cyclists who laughed and said "500km/5days - what will you be doing in the afternoons".
Equally, if you take a roadie used to cycling 100km days, and said lets go run an ultra marathon (in waterproofs and the rain!) they might end up going a lot slower than you think. Even if you take a "pure" roadie used to 4-5 hr big rides and chuck them on an MTB ride thats within the their technical ability for 1/2 the distance they'll be knackered as it involves using different muscles and moving weight etc.
I've no idea who she is but 100k isn't shabby for a complete novice. My first one nearly ruined me. Doing it 5 days in a row is tough. Especially on typical British roads at this time of year.
Before I was a 'regular' cyclist, I once did a charity bike ride from Wetherby to Scarborough (which was 60 miles and almost completely flat apart from a climb into Scarborough at the end) and I couldn't sit on a bike for weeks and weeks afterwards.
Before I was a ‘regular’ cyclist, I once did a charity bike ride from Wetherby to Scarborough (which was 60 miles and almost completely flat apart from a climb into Scarborough at the end)
Before I was a regular cyclist, I did a 35 mile charity ride from Crystal Palace to Penshurst Place in Kent. I think I was about 15, I was on a Dawes Audax 10sp bike, downtube shifters. I had no water bottle (all my rides up til then had been round the park or up to the woods with a stop at a cafe if required).
Thankfully it was a lovely sunny day and there were a couple of feed stations but it was a long day out. I had to walk some of the final steep climb at the end. And I got a lift home, the family met me down there. My Mum actually asked "do you think you could have ridden home?" and I was like - ooh, not sure about that!
The first time I did Dunwich Dyanamo (200k), I was about 17 and that wrecked me for 2 weeks afterwards.
So yeah, hats off to her, especially in this weather. I'm not riding anywhere in these conditions - I mean I would do if I absolutely had to but not voluntarily.
My first long road ride was the ride of the falling leaves that went out into the Surrey Hills and finished at Herne Hill stadium. I was broken for quite a long time after that 🙂
Where's Femke Van den Driessche's bike mechanic when you need them? 😉 That support rider is going to be cold at that pace. Good luck to her, she'll be bike fit by Day 3 and that's a great image. Pothole dodging in the rain. BTW I have no idea who she is, but I'm guessing she's not a road cyclist.
Maybe a STW big hitter could do a sponsored 500k of hate-likes?
I would use my meagre qualification of once having trained for and ridden 275km of Liege-Bastogne-Liege sportive in middling conditions only to comment that if I was riding a considerable distance this time of year I’d dress for the event itself with careful consideration to warmth and aerodynamics. She’s probably even tougher than she knows. The baggy clothing in those photos makes me wince.
The baggy clothing in those photos makes me wince.
My guess is that - as with many of these celeb challenge things - the clothing was donated by the likes of Decathlon and is a wardrobe of low-end / own brand kit. Seen it many times, in fact every time the BBC does some sort of "look at this amazing cycling challenge!", they seem to acquire a wardrobe of badly fitting bright yellow stuff.
Quite a few years ago there was some outdoor programme did an "epic" cycle route in the Peak District. Park at the top of Broken Road. Descend the gnarr-core Broken Road, yelping and screaming at the radness of it all. Ride to the bottom of Winnats Pass. Cycle up the Pass, yelping and gasping at how insanely steep it is.
The End.
Total distance, 3.5 miles. This was their epic ride. They were dressed in badly fitting yellow crap throughout it.
Well done Mollie, I've sponsored you.
Wonder why she needs the bar bag when she's got a support vehicle.
With 5 days on the trot.and no cycling experience, the poor gal is going to have a horribly sore arse by now. Irrespective of how good her kit is (just even worse if not good). Enough time to be really knackered and stiff, but not long enough to 'ride herself into it'.
(See Eddie Izzard when he did back to back marathons. He got into it after about 3 weeks or so).
I recall a great interview with Mike Hall a few years ago who sort of said similar and that after maybe a week (I may miss quote here) you'd get back into it. And that's with years of doing insane distances.
I must admit my first thought was ‘this should be relatively easy for a young healthy person who’s put in some training’
then I thought, how often have I ever rode 300 miles in 5 days? think I’ve only done it once (albeit very hilly miles) in Majorca. in glorious sunshine
As a reasonably fit club cyclist, could I do it. Absolutely. Would I enjoy it, absolutely not, and it would without doubt be tiring by the end
that said, I’m sure I’d be going much faster, and my tactics would be to bookend the days with a couple of centuries and then recover with 3 x 30 milers inbetween
either way, it’s a decent effort. Not up there with the likes of Eddie izzard, but none the less impressive for a ‘non cyclist’. I echo the sentiments about her cycling jacket however. That’s costing here about 30% of her power right there……
I’m happy to see they hit the road early this morning. When you look at the blog on the beeb you can see she has done a ton of radio and TV guff (drives the fundraising more than riding the bike) every day so far and didn’t hit the road until 10.30 yesterday. It’s a solid effort without putting in a couple of hours performance on camera before turning a pedal.
Just thought, this is the Festive 500 in 5 days rather than the 8 days of the Rapha challenge. And the weather isn't any better right now.
Actually decent enough weather for the last run, 13 degrees and a 15mph tailwind.
I've done 90 or so miles in the last 3 days and I was happy enough to jump in the car and to drive into work this morning.
Just ticked over a million quid.
Impressive.
Yep, impressive.
A huge achievement.
The issue is that there’s a car behind her, doing the same speed as her which is generally regarded as a pretty terrible idea cos it really does create a traffic jam.
The alternative would be to let her loose into the madness that is cycling on British roads. The indifference to her safety by drivers, the lack of awareness, the aggression, the regular verbals from someone safe in their locked box and, if she's really lucky, a roadside scuffle. That would make awesome TV! 😀
The alternative would be to let her loose into the madness that is cycling on British roads. The indifference to her safety by drivers, the lack of awareness, the aggression, the regular verbals from someone safe in their locked box and, if she’s really lucky, a roadside scuffle. That would make awesome TV! 😀
It'd maybe make for a more balanced "war on motorists" C5 special if one of these events showed the reality of doing 500km in the UK with someone from the media who's not a paid up member of the #bloodycyclits club.
She could be riding with cyclingmikey.!
Could she not at least be towed along by a couple of big track lads. Sit On someone's wheel equipped with a power meter and instructed not to go over say 150watts.
Take all the effort out and Joe public isn't going to understand the aero advantages
Be a pish easy ride , as long as the guys up front use mudguards
The car thing creating traffic hold ups is bogus considering that car drivers are supposed to give vulnerable road users like cyclists as much room as a car so the only way its easier to overtake a cyclist is inbreach of the highway code
bloodycyclits
Was that a typo?
Was that a typo?
It was, but if anyone ever gets annoyed enough with cycling books to use it I'm claiming copyright 😂
I assume the eco crew are in apoplectic rage at the carbon footprint of all the cars involved in this plus the thousands held up. It’s carbon footprint must be enormous just to make a segment for a TV programme or are charity stunts exempt
The car thing creating traffic hold ups is bogus considering that car drivers are supposed to give vulnerable road users like cyclists as much room as a car so the only way its easier to overtake a cyclist is inbreach of the highway code
The issue here isn't a cyclist or two, it's the associated cavalcade with outriders, camera car, support car etc. We have a similar problem on the A9 north of Inverness when "charity" rides think they need all of that too. It creates a long, slow chicane.
See tj's post above about driver's compliance with Highway Code.
This type of event - or stunt as you disparagingly describe it - always requires a support team.
Her efforts have raised >£1 million for good causes. Would you rather she hadn't done it which would have reduced the total amount raised?
