I really fancy the thought of this but the furthest I’ve ever ridden is about 30miles. I had a brief interaction with cancer last year so my perspective on life has slightly shifted! My question is, would it be feasible for somebody that has never undertaken anything like this before be able to do it in 2021 or should I put this off until 2022?

Don’t put it off, who knows what will happen next year! Sign up and shit gets real and you’ll have to get out there and get fit!

I cant wait to finally ride it and I know I’m going to have to really up my game after lockdown laziness!

I can highly recommend signing up to TrainerRoad if you’ve got a turbo and then creating a training plan using that as your event goal. Plenty of time for it and without needing to go stupid hard and stress out. Think about just doing base rides this year and losing any weight you want to. In the new year you can then start to gradually build up.

Contemplating entering myself after getting fit this year for (not doing) the Colorado Trail and doing some similar gravel bike efforts.

It’s not so much the fitness but more the ‘aches and pains’ of being on a bike for so long that makes me doubtful!

If I keep reading @johnnystorm’s answer then I’m just going to sign up to it 😂

Thats the spirit! I’ve had good results with trainerroad but where my turbo was set up is now my home office. 🙁

For now I’ve signed up for a couple of audaxes to force me into some longer rides. Well worth seeing whats on near you if you can’t stomach a turbo.

I’ve only got a dumb turbo so any training tips would be welcome! I think I’ve made up my mind to give this a go so apologies in advance if I ask a lot of dumb questions over the coming months!

Better to attempt and fail than fail to attempt

Even if you bail out it will set a bench mark for you to aim to beat the year after. It’s taking part that counts,  just enjoy the day out and see how far you get.

Remember to eat and drink. Good luck

It’s surprising what you can do based on short duration high intensity workouts as opposed to longer rides.

I did the badger divide a few weeks ago and in the 6 months leading up to it I did one ride longer than 30 miles and the rest of the training was basically zwift racing and workouts. On the ride itself I had absolutely no issues doing back to back 9hr days.

Unless you’re currently horrifically unfit you’ve got loads of time.

Unless you’re currently horrifically unfit you’ve got loads of time.

I’ve never been fitter but I’ve never been very fit! It’s sitting on the bike for that length of time that’s worrying me the most! How do you get used to it without sitting on a bike for 24hrs?

I actually find that time on the turbo is much more physically demanding than the equivalent time on the road in terms of saddle comfort etc.

You’re sat in a fairly static position for much longer than on a normal road ride where you’re up or off the saddle, weighting one foot round corners etc etc.

If you can be comfy for a couple of hours on a turbo you’ve cracked it I’d say.

Thats me signed up to it! Anybody else taking the plunge?

watching this thread with interest. fancy some dirty riever action for a bit of a challenge but haven’t ridden more than 40km for a long time. don’t have a lot of time for big days out these days like I did when I was pre kids etc.

watching this thread with interest.

So am I 😂

I don’t have much spare time either due to kids etc but I’ll give it my best shot!

I’m signed up too.

I’m not mega fit by any stretch of the imagination & haven’t ever done this sort of mileage in one go before (or the ascent). My longest ride is 120 miles but that was a very long time ago I don’t mind admitting that I am a bit terrified!

Loads of time to prepare though. I have a structured training plan which a friend (a TT demon) put together for me. The next 16 weeks seems pretty steady – low intensity work on a trainer & a couple of longer rides a week – and the hardest bit of it will be to not go too hard!

Good luck with your prep!

I’ve signed up and a mate is going to as well.

It’ll be my first cycling event (ones I was supposed to be doing this year have all been cancelled). Looking forward to it 😁

Need to get myself back on the turbo as my fitness has dropped a lot the last couple of months..oh and get my hands on a gravel bike too.

I’ve got a turbo but not really got it going in anger. where do I start? its an elite sumo, Ive got an iPad I can set it up with on a table in the dining room for the winter.

Tried it on my old bike but creaky and worn transmission drove me nuts. Time to try again this winter with the new bike.

Good to see more on board!

Good luck with your prep!

I’ve not got to that bit yet. No idea how to train for something like this!

oh and get my hands on a gravel bike too.

That would be a good start 😂

Feeling a bit better about entering after stumbling onto this thread and super pleased to hear I’m not the only ‘normal’ idiot entered who has to juggle real life crap with ‘training’ and will likely turn up slightly nervous, likely unprepared but determined to get it done 👍

My longest similar ride was the Dirty Reiver 200k and tbh I was pretty much limping home the last few miles which felt like they were never ending.

I was absolutely burst but I learned a lot from it (mostly that 6 rice cakes with peanut butter just wasnt enough fuel).

Roll on June 😁

I’m signed up (again, I did enter for this year, but well you know Covid…) at least this year I already own a gravel bike unlike when I signed up last year!

I’m in too, had entered this year, but looking forward to it next year, fingers crossed, always feel it is good to have an event next year that slightly scares you, keeps you training in winter (and lockdowns!)

Entered, should be awesome! Start the sunshine dance now?

That would be a good start

I wouldn’t mind but I had a carbon Diverge last summer and the bloke I bought it off missed it and asked to buy it back and like a knob I agreed. Wish I’d told him to sod off now 🙄

There’s a local sportive the week before the frontier which I have had on my “to do” list for years. 80 miles and 7000ft of climbing, wondering if it would be stupid to do them both

im signed up, just the excuse i needed to get some new bits for the bike

I wouldn’t mind but I had a carbon Diverge last summer and the bloke I bought it off missed it and asked to buy it back and like a knob I agreed. Wish I’d told him to sod off now 🙄

Gutted!

im signed up, just the excuse i needed to get some new bits for the bike

I’m thinking I might need more gears but I know nothing about them! Currently run 1x with a 38T chainring. Would it be better converting to a 2x to pick up speed on the road sections?

I wouldn’t bother changing out parts just for one event, unless it was something like the Tour Divide! I’m sticking with 1x as if I’m goosed I might not have the cadence to benefit from the big gears and just concentrating on one shifter will be just fine!

So tempted to sign up to this. Got the Dorset Gravel Dash 2 weeks before which should be decent training but still really nervous about 200 miles in one go.

So tempted to sign up to this

Just go for it! You know you want to!

Just signed up. Bricking it now.

Bricking it now.

Don’t worry, you’re not the only one 😂

Yes signed up, those long winter training rides in the cold and clear blue skies of Cumbria will be great, Ahh the reality of miserable grey damp cold winter days may not be quite so nice 🤦‍♂️, may have a go at the festive 500 thing to kick-start training into the new year.
Should be a good day out in June

I have booked one of those luxury teepees for a good nights sleep after the ride. It’s a bit extravagant but the thought of pitching a tent with 186 miles and 4600 metres of ascent in my legs is way too much!!

I’m in, it’ll be the longest ride I’ve done in a while tbf.

Not 100% on tyres as I’ve not done a proper gravel event before, max i can fit on my CX bike is whats labeled as a 40c Vittoria Terreno

I had just had the email to say that the event is cancelled for 2021. Not unexpected but disappointing non the less. Especially after 4 months of hard training. Still, it’s got me in good shape!

Aye, certainly not unexpected, I’m going to roll my entry into next year.

To be honest, not the worst thing for me, still really struggling with my fitness/health after contracting Covid right at the start of the first lockdown last year, not sure the rate of improvement is enough to have seen me on the start line in my best form this year.

fortunatley for me I live in cockermouth and have to go to Near holy island that weekend, I was going to go after the event, instead I shall just set off early friday morning either from home or train to carlisle first and ride accross should be bale to do a good bit of the route without pushing hard to get to the last checkpoint before it closes for the night. think I’ll defer to next year keep the motivation for some longer rides going through the year.

Gutted but not surprised! I managed my first 100 mile ride on Saturday and was loving the training!! Definitely defer to next year. I might win it now 😂😂

Well, it looks like this is back on for 11th/12th June 2022. 20% price increase though even for those already registered 🙁