Author Topic: [LEL17] The wisdom of a late start time?  (Read 21485 times)

rob

Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #50 on: 19 January, 2017, 01:41:16 pm »
Last time I had a really early start (6:30 ?) and rode through the first night, stopping at Moffat.

It caused me to have a massive techy strop mid-afternoon when the sleep dep kicked in, but I slept from 6pm to 2am at Moffat and kept me way ahead of the bulge.   

Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #51 on: 19 January, 2017, 01:49:11 pm »
Late start permits doing Ride London earlier in the day and ECE to 1600km. Anyone else here mentally unstable enough to also be considering this possibility?

I entered the ballot for Ride London before realising there was a clash. I think I find out in a week or two whether I've got a place but I think I'd be likely to decline it. While it would be possible (if a bit mad) to do what Rich suggests, the risk of getting into a crash among all of those inexperienced riders and so missing out on LEL is too great. 

Were I fit enough to get a very early start time and ride in a small, elite and fast group, it might be a different matter. Instead, I'd be slogging it round among all the bankers and accountants wearing matching jerseys.
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

Hummers

  • It is all about the taste.
Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #52 on: 19 January, 2017, 09:32:13 pm »
I started at almost the last throw of the dice last time and had a great ride.

Keen to enjoy myself again this time  :thumbsup:

H

Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #53 on: 21 January, 2017, 07:14:14 pm »
For a full value rider, an early start also has the attraction that it is more likely that you will have some company on the road for at least two-thirds of the event, even though it will usually be later starters catching up.  If you are in a late start group (as I was in 09) then once the faster riders have disappeared over the horizon, you can end up spending a lot of time on your own.

Same here. I started in the next to last group in 09. Being a slow climber I lost contact with all groups after the 2nd control and only met riders in deeper trouble as myself for the remainder of the ride.

Fidgetbuzz

  • L sp MOON. 1st R sp MARS . At X SO sp STARS
Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #54 on: 21 January, 2017, 08:57:48 pm »

Keen to enjoy myself again this time  :thumbsup:
H

Oh Hummers Really .. keep those habits at home please
I was an accountant until I discovered Audax !!

Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #55 on: 06 February, 2017, 05:54:02 am »
Glad that there are others interested in stopping in Spalding on the first night. The control is in the school where I spent my formative years. I haven't been back there in more than 20 years, so I don't want to breeze through that one. And I like the idea of starting towards the back of the pack so that there are people to pass.

Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #56 on: 07 February, 2017, 10:38:29 pm »
Glad that there are others interested in stopping in Spalding on the first night.
I'm planning on a measured 20kph to Spalding for a sleep stop and an early start, after that the only plan I'll be aiming to stick to is to do my best to enjoy the ride.  Please remind me of this if I'm bowling along on a tailwind with thoughts of cycling on through the night :hand:
Most of the stuff I say is true because I saw it in a dream and I don't have the presence of mind to make up lies when I'm asleep.   Bryan Andreas

Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #57 on: 08 February, 2017, 06:49:21 am »
Hush please on all this promoting of later starting times.  Those of us leaning that way don't want to see the afternoon over-subscribed, and face getting bumped to the wee hours of the morning !

Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #58 on: 08 February, 2017, 12:35:08 pm »
I had a late start on the last LEL. It was beneficial as it allowed my hangover to subside a little before setting off. I won't be visiting the fleshpots of Loughton this time. (I am not referring to you as a fleshpot Hummers).

Riding near to the tail of the event, I found there was a shortage of food at a couple of controls but hey there's shops and petrol stations on route. Treat it like a DIY if you need to, no need to go hungry.

As I have had two late starts previously, I might try an early one this time.

Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #59 on: 08 February, 2017, 11:38:15 pm »
Late start permits doing Ride London earlier in the day and ECE to 1600km. Anyone else here mentally unstable enough to also be considering this possibility?

Hmm. I got the 'Congratulations! You have been successful in gaining a place" magazine from RL this morning.

I've got until the 27th to work out precisely how stupid I feel. (And whether or not I'm inclined to pay 'em £69!)

Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #60 on: 09 February, 2017, 12:42:44 am »
I got the dreaded commiserations magazine  :'(

Might go for a charity place...I'm quite attracted now to the audacity of 1,000 miles in 5 days. Bonkers.

Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #61 on: 09 February, 2017, 01:26:38 am »
I'm becoming quite attracted to the idea of bumping it up to 1900km, and getting the extra time allowance - 10kph - for the ECE bit. Front-load it, and you've got three days before your start time to do 500km (well, 73 hours and change).

The Mall and my home are each about 15 miles from the school - call it 25km, so with riding up on the Saturday for registration, that's 75km. Riding home at the end of the jaunt is another 25. Ride London is 160.

Assuming a Sunday pm start - would have to be 1600 I think. Do 250km on the Friday (or at any rate starting after 1600 on Thursday), have all day Sat for registration, then Ride London on the Sunday morning. Would need to be back at the Mall for 1400 in order to be reasonably comfortable getting up to Loughton.

Hmm. No way at all to be even remotely sure of that, is there? Start times for RL are between 0545 and 0900. A couple of years ago I had an 0639 start and finished about half one - that would work OK, but you don't get start times until early July.

Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #62 on: 09 February, 2017, 08:57:40 am »
I've managed to get a 6am start at RL three times.  So would be confident of getting same again.  And would appeal if they put me in any later than 6.30

Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #63 on: 09 February, 2017, 11:37:36 am »
I'm becoming quite attracted to the idea of bumping it up to 1900km

And I'm becoming quite attracted to the idea that you have gone bonkers.  Wasn't it enough for you to try and get us both killed by cycling down the A102 on a Saturday night?   :o :o  Now you want to risk your LEL success by haring around Surrey surrounded by wannabe racers and charity fundraising accountants wearing matching jerseys? What if one of them takes you out as they lurch all over the road?   :facepalm:  Bang goes your LEL!  :'(

(And no, this isn't just because I got one of the "Commiserations" magazines  ::-) )

Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

Graeme

  • @fatherhilarious.blog 🦋
    • Graeme's Blog
Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #64 on: 09 February, 2017, 11:17:17 pm »
While I totally love the concept of ECE-LEL, would teh rulez prohibit you from doing 'Ride London' as part of an audax? I guess it could be done practically as a mandatory route by gps, but how would you prove you'd not been paced by 'other cyclists not on your event'? Apart from the obvious thought that Ride Londoners are more likely to hold to up than pace you. :)

Phil W

Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #65 on: 10 February, 2017, 12:26:42 am »
I'm becoming quite attracted to the idea of bumping it up to 1900km, and getting the extra time allowance - 10kph - for the ECE bit. Front-load it, and you've got three days before your start time to do 500km (well, 73 hours and change).

The Mall and my home are each about 15 miles from the school - call it 25km, so with riding up on the Saturday for registration, that's 75km. Riding home at the end of the jaunt is another 25. Ride London is 160.

Assuming a Sunday pm start - would have to be 1600 I think. Do 250km on the Friday (or at any rate starting after 1600 on Thursday), have all day Sat for registration, then Ride London on the Sunday morning. Would need to be back at the Mall for 1400 in order to be reasonably comfortable getting up to Loughton.

Hmm. No way at all to be even remotely sure of that, is there? Start times for RL are between 0545 and 0900. A couple of years ago I had an 0639 start and finished about half one - that would work OK, but you don't get start times until early July.

You want to bring your ride up just 200km shorter than WAWA distance? Can't get enough of the 2000km + audaxes eh?

Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #66 on: 10 February, 2017, 12:27:20 am »
A congratulations received as well and I'd forgotten I'd entered.  Defer to 2018 I think?

Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #67 on: 10 February, 2017, 03:53:23 am »
I will come from abroad, travelling with wife and a child. Hotel is booked near London tourist attractions before start.

Just wondering, doesn´t an early start time mean too early wake-up in the sunday, or at least hurry and stress? Hotel location means long transition to Loughton.

Should a late start time be a better choice for a foreign tourist like me? At least no sleep dep at start.


Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #68 on: 10 February, 2017, 01:32:25 pm »
I would certainly agree that sleep-deprived is not the best way to start a 1400km event! 
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

Phil W

Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #69 on: 10 February, 2017, 02:33:16 pm »
I will come from abroad, travelling with wife and a child. Hotel is booked near London tourist attractions before start.

Just wondering, doesn´t an early start time mean too early wake-up in the sunday, or at least hurry and stress? Hotel location means long transition to Loughton.

Should a late start time be a better choice for a foreign tourist like me? At least no sleep dep at start.


Depends on how you are before an event, particularly abroad. Some can't sleep due to excitement others sleep like a log. Also are you a morning or evening person.  I'm definitely an owl and prefer riding at night to an early start with the larks.

If you go for a 9:00am start your deadline to finish will be 5:40am on the Friday.  If you go for a 4:00pm start your deadline to finish will be 12:40pm on the Friday.  So a later start would allow you the option of a lie in further southbound on the route say at St Ives and then a nice finish in daylight.  This of course depends on how far ahead of the time limit you are as you reach the final sections, and what kind of buffer you like to maintain.

frillipippi

  • from Italy
Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #70 on: 10 February, 2017, 04:05:16 pm »
I will come from abroad, travelling with wife and a child. Hotel is booked near London tourist attractions before start.

Just wondering, doesn´t an early start time mean too early wake-up in the sunday, or at least hurry and stress? Hotel location means long transition to Loughton.

Should a late start time be a better choice for a foreign tourist like me? At least no sleep dep at start.

I'm in a very similar situation, even if I haven't defined all the details. I'm looking forward to starting at about midday, in order to have a proper breakfast with my family, prepare the bike, leave the hotel (or what it will be) without any hurry, and possibly enjoy the ride to Loughton.
The only downside is that I'd like to pass through the Howardian Hills at dawn, but my planning says that if I ride through the first night I'll probably be there at 3-4 AM, to early.

Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #71 on: 10 February, 2017, 04:50:46 pm »
If you go for a 9:00am start your deadline to finish will be 5:40am on the Friday.  If you go for a 4:00pm start your deadline to finish will be 12:40pm on the Friday.

finish Thursday, surely?

Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #72 on: 10 February, 2017, 05:12:09 pm »
If you go for a 9:00am start your deadline to finish will be 5:40am on the Friday.  If you go for a 4:00pm start your deadline to finish will be 12:40pm on the Friday.

finish Thursday, surely?

Pretty sure it's Friday - just a shade under five days overall.

Phil W

Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #73 on: 10 February, 2017, 05:38:09 pm »
If you go for a 9:00am start your deadline to finish will be 5:40am on the Friday.  If you go for a 4:00pm start your deadline to finish will be 12:40pm on the Friday.

finish Thursday, surely?

Pretty sure it's Friday - just a shade under five days overall.

Yep, the only time limits  that in fall in Thursday are from the 100 hour starts.

Re: The wisdom of a late start time?
« Reply #74 on: 11 February, 2017, 10:22:41 pm »
I will come from abroad, travelling with wife and a child. Hotel is booked near London tourist attractions before start.

Just wondering, doesn´t an early start time mean too early wake-up in the sunday, or at least hurry and stress? Hotel location means long transition to Loughton.

Should a late start time be a better choice for a foreign tourist like me? At least no sleep dep at start.

I'm in a very similar situation, even if I haven't defined all the details. I'm looking forward to starting at about midday, in order to have a proper breakfast with my family, prepare the bike, leave the hotel (or what it will be) without any hurry, and possibly enjoy the ride to Loughton.
The only downside is that I'd like to pass through the Howardian Hills at dawn, but my planning says that if I ride through the first night I'll probably be there at 3-4 AM, to early.

You won't be much too early - remember you are further north and days are longer. I doubt your timing will be that precise...