Transcontinental Race
Discussion
stripy7 said:
I run ultra marathons as well as taking part in ultra cycling events and there is a convergence between both disciplines in relation to optimum fuelling, generally you minimise fuelling during an event.
Its worth reading Egomaniac Idai's views on the topic, his training for PBP (on 20kg of elliptigo of all things!) involved 20 hr fast sessions prior and during.
Personally I find it best not to hide behind peak this or that, science is always a successor to empirical observation.
I agree completely: real world trumps theory. The sports doc who's monitoring me now has me eating less during the longest rides (and more during rest days). If I manage my effort I don't seem to suffer at all.Its worth reading Egomaniac Idai's views on the topic, his training for PBP (on 20kg of elliptigo of all things!) involved 20 hr fast sessions prior and during.
Personally I find it best not to hide behind peak this or that, science is always a successor to empirical observation.
I read Idai's site and his thoughts on 20 hour fasting. I'll do more digging but weighing things up I don't think it's for me. One man's experience doesn't doesn't overcome what I see as the stress and potential risk of that strategy. My body is already well-accustomed to fat metabolism and I'm not sure, even with the best results, that I'd improve dramatically. It does seem like a punishing and disruptive routine though.
Do you train in a similar way? What's your experience been?
I didn't read your comment negatively at all. I'm keen to learn as much as possible so I'd encourage people to challenge my preconceptions and offer new ways of thinking. I'm absorbing research as quickly as I can but I'm still relatively new to cycling and obviously very new to ultra-endurance.
It's been a busy couple of months since my last update here. I rode from London to Bilbao via the Tourmalet in 5 days. Then I rode from London to Edinburgh in a day and a half. It's coming together and I'm gradually ironing out the problems and learning how to be quicker.
There are now just 42 days (six weeks) until the Transcontinental Race begins.
There are now just 42 days (six weeks) until the Transcontinental Race begins.
Friends, followers and fellow PHers. This is where I ask you to help me fight against cancer by making a donation to Cancer Research UK via my JustGiving page.
If you've followed the thread and the blog you'll already know what I'm undertaking. I've done some small-scale simulations like London-Bilbao and London-Edinburgh and they bloody well hurt, despite being a fraction of my full race distance. I struggle to talk about my suffering when I'm talking about cancer in the same post, but please be under no illusions how tough this race will be.
Tougher still is the fight against cancer. I've been involved in some charitable efforts over the years, mostly through PH too, but this is on a whole new level and so are my ambitions for what we can achieve. I've seen friends battle against it and it's a b
d of a thing. The reality is that 1 in 2 of us will be affected by cancer in our lifetimes. That's you or your partner. That's one of your parents. That's half of your mates, half of your kids, half of the people reading and posting on this thread. This is not a request for charity. This is an encouragement to invest in your own future because this affects all of us.
If you find the blog entertaining please make a contribution, however small. It really does all add up and every penny inches us closer to beating cancer. If you read an entry that you think friends and family would enjoy then please share it. Readership is snowballing and the bigger it is the more leverage I have with partner brands to raise even more money.
If you've followed the thread and the blog you'll already know what I'm undertaking. I've done some small-scale simulations like London-Bilbao and London-Edinburgh and they bloody well hurt, despite being a fraction of my full race distance. I struggle to talk about my suffering when I'm talking about cancer in the same post, but please be under no illusions how tough this race will be.
Tougher still is the fight against cancer. I've been involved in some charitable efforts over the years, mostly through PH too, but this is on a whole new level and so are my ambitions for what we can achieve. I've seen friends battle against it and it's a b
d of a thing. The reality is that 1 in 2 of us will be affected by cancer in our lifetimes. That's you or your partner. That's one of your parents. That's half of your mates, half of your kids, half of the people reading and posting on this thread. This is not a request for charity. This is an encouragement to invest in your own future because this affects all of us.If you find the blog entertaining please make a contribution, however small. It really does all add up and every penny inches us closer to beating cancer. If you read an entry that you think friends and family would enjoy then please share it. Readership is snowballing and the bigger it is the more leverage I have with partner brands to raise even more money.
ALawson said:
Gruffy I did share the blog to a friend at Legal and General, their IT bounced it......due to profanities!
The last blog entry covering your exploits to Scotland was very good. Whilst I cannot cover that sort of distance it will motivate me to 1 big day this year.
Their firewall has taken the same stance as my mother then. Sadly, it's a necessary evil. There are times when only a bit of cursing will do, like 450km into a ride, soaked to the bone, cold and sleep deprived. Edited to add: I realise now you're talking about the JustGiving page rather than the blog. I may have to amend that, though there are also profanities in the comments now too. The last blog entry covering your exploits to Scotland was very good. Whilst I cannot cover that sort of distance it will motivate me to 1 big day this year.
Thanks for the kind words. I think the London-Edinburgh article is the most successful write-up so far, but there's so many more details I'd like to share. It's a balancing act between telling the story fully and terrifying my wife just ahead of the race.
It's awesome to hear my exploits encourage others to push their own limits.
ALawson said:
I expect the TCR may well whet your appetite, if the wife ready for that! RAAM 2017.........
Believe me, my appetite needs no whetting. If I could get away with it I'd be attempting the round the world record. If only I'd discovered cycling in my younger years, before I had responsibilities. We'll see where it goes from here. I have ideas but I don't want to commit to anything publicly that I'll have to climb down from later.Edited by Gruffy on Friday 17th June 10:37
I realised later that my £10,000 fund-raising target almost exactly equates to 1p for every turn of the pedals over the race distance. It'll be a huge help when I get to the darker moments, knowing that every revolution is a ker-ching in the coffers for Cancer Research.
I've now added a page to the blog to that effect. You and me versus cancer.
I've now added a page to the blog to that effect. You and me versus cancer.
Yes, I'm running Alpkit. It's good stuff and seems to have coped well with the frankly grotty conditions I've been riding through. I have a removable velcro divider in the middle of the frame pack but it's a bit restless when it's full and you start rummaging around. I'm still figuring out the best way of packing everything in there and I might knock up some kind of shaped container to sit at the front of that and hold the electronics (USB-Werk, power pack, cables). I'd like to keep a good portion of the front of the frame bag clear for food.
The Pro-Ones have come to the end of their lives at 3,500km for me. Most of that is monster rides and about a third is regular stuff out of London (and all the debris that comes with that), so I'm hoping they'll last the distance for the race. Twice now I've been sat in my office working and picked up a puncture with the bike in its stand next to my desk. I'm guessing it's temperature changes that affect the pressure. It's now got half a dozen holes that have sealed themselves up. I still need to have a practice with tyre plugs. The one time I did try and use them I think the hole was too small and I couldn't get one in.
Did you have any punctures on the TABR?
The Pro-Ones have come to the end of their lives at 3,500km for me. Most of that is monster rides and about a third is regular stuff out of London (and all the debris that comes with that), so I'm hoping they'll last the distance for the race. Twice now I've been sat in my office working and picked up a puncture with the bike in its stand next to my desk. I'm guessing it's temperature changes that affect the pressure. It's now got half a dozen holes that have sealed themselves up. I still need to have a practice with tyre plugs. The one time I did try and use them I think the hole was too small and I couldn't get one in.
Did you have any punctures on the TABR?
I'll be taking plugs and some superglue. I'm going to try and find some tubeless patches too (any recommendations, anyone?).
With a spare tyre, it's more about the size than the weight. My set-up is very streamlined and a tyre is a bulky thing. Fix and make do is the strategy, though I hope I don't come to regret it somewhere in the Balkans. I do have two tubes as a last resort anyway.
With a spare tyre, it's more about the size than the weight. My set-up is very streamlined and a tyre is a bulky thing. Fix and make do is the strategy, though I hope I don't come to regret it somewhere in the Balkans. I do have two tubes as a last resort anyway.
That's the set I already have, Alex. Between that, superglue, patches, makeshift tyre boots and two last-resort inner tubes, I'm hoping I have things covered.
Weirdly, I've done 3,500km of mostly ultra-distance rides in foul weather and very mixed roads, but the punctures I've had have all been on clean roads during recovery rides. I get the impression that pressure changes have played a big role, so I'll try to keep them well inflated. I have new boots to put on before the race but I'm going to keep running these old knackered ones to see how they behave and maybe force myself to try the remedies as they deteriorate.
Weirdly, I've done 3,500km of mostly ultra-distance rides in foul weather and very mixed roads, but the punctures I've had have all been on clean roads during recovery rides. I get the impression that pressure changes have played a big role, so I'll try to keep them well inflated. I have new boots to put on before the race but I'm going to keep running these old knackered ones to see how they behave and maybe force myself to try the remedies as they deteriorate.
It's very definitely punctures. I've been watching/encouraging the sealant to close the holes each time. Are there any tips for getting a quicker seal? I've found pinching the tyre has helped but that might've been a one-off.
I've done only the most basic of route-planning so far. Originally I'd planned to spend a couple of hours each week for the last few months, thinking how important it is, but I've been so busy. It's a job I'll start properly on Monday. I'm still deciding between Kosovo-Macedonia-Greece or Serbia-Bulgaria. Probably the former, if the borders aren't too compromised.
I've done only the most basic of route-planning so far. Originally I'd planned to spend a couple of hours each week for the last few months, thinking how important it is, but I've been so busy. It's a job I'll start properly on Monday. I'm still deciding between Kosovo-Macedonia-Greece or Serbia-Bulgaria. Probably the former, if the borders aren't too compromised.
K50 DEL said:
I followed James and Emily last year and Rishi as well, looking forward to dot watching again this year, and if Darren should read this...... shouldn't you be writing day 10?? lol
I'm feeling the pressure and very keen to finish my TCR write-ups. I'll continue writing them but may hold off actually posting them while this year's race is still live. I'll be racing to Edinburgh and back this weekend so may not get to them for a few more days yet.James would have to be the favourite for the race now that it seems Kristof isn't racing. That's a real shame as I was looking forward to watching that race play out. I've lots of friends to watch this year and expect good things from Matt Falconer and Andy Salnow. There's almost certainly going to be some fast unknowns in the field too. It looks like a beautiful course this year and I'm looking forward to the stories it produces. If life doesn't get in the way I intend to shoot for another entry in 2018, aiming high.
Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff