Author Topic: [HAMR] A Record Too Dangerous to Break...  (Read 36977 times)


Re: A Record Too Dangerous to Break...
« Reply #1 on: 18 April, 2012, 04:31:14 pm »
Puts Audaxing into a whole new perspective!

Quite a good article compared to some these days.

A Record Too Dangerous to Break...
« Reply #2 on: 18 April, 2012, 04:41:18 pm »
I'll look for the book when it comes out.

...And I'd chuck a tenner in the pot for Teethgrinder to go for the record.

jogler

  • mojo operandi
Re: A Record Too Dangerous to Break...
« Reply #3 on: 18 April, 2012, 04:43:50 pm »
We were discussing this bloke at this morning's cake&coffee stop while we waited for Marj to arrive to rescue one of the Wednesday Wheelers.
I didn't realise that it is an anniversary year despite the bloke's high profile locally.
One of the W.W.'ers is related to him.
the one who was rescued

Charlotte

  • Dissolute libertine
  • Here's to ol' D.H. Lawrence...
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Re: A Record Too Dangerous to Break...
« Reply #4 on: 18 April, 2012, 04:45:46 pm »
...And I'd chuck a tenner in the pot for Teethgrinder to go for the record.

So would I - and then some.  But a double century a day for 365 days?

Really?
Commercial, Editorial and PR Photographer - www.charlottebarnes.co.uk

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: A Record Too Dangerous to Break...
« Reply #5 on: 18 April, 2012, 04:51:04 pm »
Whilst the road surfaces are better, the traffic isn't.
Lights are though.
It is simpler than it looks.

A Record Too Dangerous to Break...
« Reply #6 on: 18 April, 2012, 05:02:29 pm »
...And I'd chuck a tenner in the pot for Teethgrinder to go for the record.

So would I - and then some.  But a double century a day for 365 days?

Really?

It's unimaginable, isn't it. I first read about Tommy Godwin's record in the comic years ago, before I knew about audaxes, and it was so far off the scale that I couldn't begin to comprehend it. Good on you, Tommy.

Re: A Record Too Dangerous to Break...
« Reply #7 on: 18 April, 2012, 05:04:43 pm »
Mr Godwin is still with us. He was on R4 the other day discussing the Olympics.

Bairn Again

Re: A Record Too Dangerous to Break...
« Reply #8 on: 18 April, 2012, 05:07:46 pm »
"Godwin had to learn how to walk normally again when he finished the challenge"

 :D

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: A Record Too Dangerous to Break...
« Reply #9 on: 18 April, 2012, 05:09:24 pm »
Puts Audaxing into a whole new perspective!

There is some overlap between annual mileage record holders and Audax. Rene Menzies rode the first 2 PBPs after WW2 and took the annual mileage record in 1937.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Bianchi Boy

  • Cycling is my doctor
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Re: A Record Too Dangerous to Break...
« Reply #10 on: 18 April, 2012, 05:11:04 pm »
Wait until Teethgrinder reads this  :o
Set a fire for a man and he will be warm for a day, set a man on fire and he is warm for the rest of his life.

Re: A Record Too Dangerous to Break...
« Reply #11 on: 18 April, 2012, 05:26:17 pm »
Mr Godwin is still with us. He was on R4 the other day discussing the Olympics.
That's another Tommy Godwin. The 75,065 miles Tommy Godwin died in 1975, aged 63...

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
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Re: A Record Too Dangerous to Break...
« Reply #12 on: 18 April, 2012, 05:42:27 pm »
Extraordinary. I wasn't suprised to read he was getting just an hour's sleep some days - the schedule is sooo tight.

Interesting to note that he won over 200 TTs, so was clearly a very fast rider over short distances. It would (probably!) be completely impossible for a rider of 'average' ability, even before you look at the endurance and mental fortitude aspects.
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Re: A Record Too Dangerous to Break...
« Reply #13 on: 18 April, 2012, 06:07:33 pm »
Not a bad article but what they miss out is that someone did have a shot at the record in the 70s or 80s but wasn't given it due to disputes over whether he did all the miles.  I think he felt a bit miffed about it! 

Having broken the record, I thought Tommy  Godwin showed himself to be a true audaxer by carrying on riding until the following May to get the 100k record, not having a rest like any non-audaxer would!

Re: A Record Too Dangerous to Break...
« Reply #14 on: 18 April, 2012, 06:16:44 pm »
Utterly amazing feat of endurance.Not many of us would last one week.(I know I wouldnt)

Re: A Record Too Dangerous to Break...
« Reply #15 on: 18 April, 2012, 06:22:59 pm »
Not a bad article but what they miss out is that someone did have a shot at the record in the 70s or 80s but wasn't given it due to disputes over whether he did all the miles.  I think he felt a bit miffed about it! 

If we are talking missing detail, who was this miffed person?

simonp

Re: A Record Too Dangerous to Break...
« Reply #16 on: 18 April, 2012, 06:35:00 pm »
A rolling average of 22kph would allow the record to be matched with a day off every 3 weeks and only 16h per day in the saddle. Well, Steve, what are you waiting for?

Salvatore

  • Джон Спунър
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Re: A Record Too Dangerous to Break...
« Reply #17 on: 18 April, 2012, 06:51:16 pm »
Not a bad article but what they miss out is that someone did have a shot at the record in the 70s or 80s but wasn't given it due to disputes over whether he did all the miles.  I think he felt a bit miffed about it! 

If we are talking missing detail, who was this miffed person?

From http://www.phased.co.uk/index.php/tommy-godwin-mile-eater/tommy-godwin-faq.html

Quote
In 1972 an amateur rider, Ken Webb, claimed to have taken Tommy’s record with a mileage of 80,647 miles for the year and 100,000 miles in 448 days. However, Webb rode these miles whilst holding down a full time job at Gatwick airport for a period during the year. His claims of 223 miles per day average attracted doubters, especially from a number of cyclists who rode with him and were skeptical of his ability to maintain such high average speeds. Additionally, he was often very well turned out and clean after the end of long days on the bike. This attracted further suspicion from his peers who were only too well aware of the damage to your appearance that a long day in the saddle inflicts.

Ken’s record was initially added to the Guinness Book of Records but removed at a later date after his claims were called into question.
Quote
et avec John, excellent lecteur de road-book, on s'en est sortis sans erreur

Re: A Record Too Dangerous to Break...
« Reply #18 on: 18 April, 2012, 07:16:37 pm »
A rolling average of 22kph would allow the record to be matched with a day off every 3 weeks and only 16h per day in the saddle. Well, Steve, what are you waiting for?

My boss to give me a year off.

I'd like to have a go and that's how I'd look at it. 22kph for 16 hours sounds easy, but doing it for a few days would be hard, let alone weeks, months or over a year.
I think that he started off slow. He was riding against two Australians at the time, who were also after the record and the two Australians were in front. One pulled out quite early. Tommy started spending more time in the saddle to catch up with his rival, who ended up dropping out, but Tommy kept going, riding for about 18 hours a day. I think that one trick he did was to ride all day with a tailwind then catch a train back again as he slept, so that he could have a tailwind the next day.
His biggest day's mileage was 360 miles. I think he topped 300 miles a few times, but not very many. He must have had a few relatively low mileage days too. He also crashed and broke his collarbone. I think that stopped him for 3 days, but he started riding with a broken collar bone.
I remember George Berwick telling me that he'd once met someone who had the Year Record and that they had to teach him how to walk again. It was probably Tommy.
He wasn't a regular cyclist either. He was a proffesional racing cyclist. He was also a vegetarian, which may prove something.

If I ever do have a go, I'd do as Tommy did. Start easy and build myself up as I went along. If I went straight into 200mpd from what I do now, I'd be pleased if I lasted more than a month. I did just over 200mpd riding the Grand Triangle in just under 11 days and my legs were shot after that.
Even with all the modern day advantages I have. I have very big doubts about whether I could beat it, but I'd love to give it a go. Some have tried and failed in the past. I think that loneliness could possibly be a big problem too.

I'll have to get myself the book when it comes out. Whatever it costs!

Re: A Record Too Dangerous to Break...
« Reply #19 on: 18 April, 2012, 07:59:34 pm »
I think all you really need TG is a sponsor!

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: A Record Too Dangerous to Break...
« Reply #20 on: 18 April, 2012, 08:27:50 pm »
Is there any money left over in the YACF Benevolent Fund?
It is simpler than it looks.

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: A Record Too Dangerous to Break...
« Reply #21 on: 18 April, 2012, 08:31:33 pm »
If 1,000 of us shelled out £20 - £50 each... or 365 sponsored Steve for a day...

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: A Record Too Dangerous to Break...
« Reply #22 on: 18 April, 2012, 08:31:55 pm »
I think all you really need TG is a sponsor!

- Hi Steve
- Hello boss.
- Whats up?
- I was wondering if you could sponsor me for a bike-ride .... yup, £1/mile would be fine ...
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Kim

  • Timelord
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Re: A Record Too Dangerous to Break...
« Reply #23 on: 18 April, 2012, 08:36:18 pm »
I think that one trick he did was to ride all day with a tailwind then catch a train back again as he slept, so that he could have a tailwind the next day.

Paging rower40.  Rower40 to the diagonally striped courtesy phone please...

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: A Record Too Dangerous to Break...
« Reply #24 on: 18 April, 2012, 08:42:33 pm »
I think TG should do it before he's too old.

IIRC Tommy Godwin was using a Sturmey-Archer hub, probably the AF if it was pre-war (the illogical model name - "A" is normally used for three-speeds - was corrected when it was rehashed as the FC after the war).

http://www.sturmey-archerheritage.com/index.php?page=history-detail&id=659
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.