Mersey Roads 24TT

[Pedal Castro]

My friend Will Amlot came to support for the event - he was the guy at Tern Hill with the megaphone and taking the photos on Quina Brook. He is a photographer by trade and has taken some awesome, I think, photos such as this one of Victor:



See the whole image gallery here:

http://goo.gl/QGFuTi

Stunning photos, I just bought mine. 

[cygnet]

Congratulations to Wheels of Fire retaining his title.

It's hard to believe it's only 3 years since my first 24 (and first open TT to boot). I've learned a lot during that. 10% improvement on distance with 8% more climbing.

It was noticeable how little of a front profile Mike had. Zigzag came closest to matching that I think. Maybe next time I'll try lowering the bars again but I don't want to risk my neck.

If Byron gets his extra lap I think he'll pip me for 9th spot: interesting that from ESL'S video it looks like we both ran out of time at TK2. I'd quite like to stay top ten though.

[Byronius Maximus]

If Byron gets his extra lap I think he'll pip me for 9th spot: interesting that from ESL'S video it looks like we both ran out of time at TK2. I'd quite like to stay top ten though.

Sorry Cygnet, I'm not sure of your real name (are you Philip?). I've had confirmation of my new distance from the oganiser and it's 456.31...by my reckoning, comparing to the most recent provisional results on Facebook, that puts me in 11th place.
Would have been dead happy with that beforehand, but slightly disappointing to miss out on the top ten by 0.06 of a mile! Unfortunately, this clearly resigns me to having to do it again, to see if I can get in the top 10. Still 30 miles short of our club record though.

[Byronius Maximus]

I've knocked up a 9 minute video from a small portion of the stuff we shot. One day I might make a full-length film. But that's quite an undertaking, there are so many possible angles to take.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcLJXaYr3_o

Thanks for that Damon, brought back some of the memories. I think you were being quite tactful when you said I didn't look too bad at the end...I look wrecked! I hadn't even registered the fact that you were filming at the time either.

[Revellinho]

Thank you to the chap in the Dulwich Top who was very helpful to Mrs Revellinho when I was riding and confusion reigned.    Off on the ferry now for some more gentle riding in France.

[Exit Stage Left]

I've knocked up a 9 minute video from a small portion of the stuff we shot. One day I might make a full-length film. But that's quite an undertaking, there are so many possible angles to take.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcLJXaYr3_o

Thanks for that Damon, brought back some of the memories. I think you were being quite tactful when you said I didn't look too bad at the end...I look wrecked! I hadn't even registered the fact that you were filming at the time either.

We used 5 different cameras. The least obvious is a Canon Mini X, which looks like a sound recorder. We trialled it at the 24 last year, which was a rehearsal for PBP.

I've been experimenting with using a Sony Action Cam at a fixed angle on the motorbike, so I can film moving riders without obstructing them, that gives TdeF style footage.

Dave and I went to the Sheffield premiere of the film about the Trans America Race, which got us thinking about the intersection of PBP, LEL, rides such as the Mille Pennines, and the 24.

The key factor seems to be support. The 'Barebones' idea seems to have a lot of currency, and the 24 would seem to be the polar opposite, but it's actually pretty inclusive, with no cut-off time, and the organisation cater for the self-supporting.

[rob]

I just queried my mileage as I couldn't reconcile it to the handbook, honest bloke that I am.

Apparently the spreadsheet had a bug and everyone is overstated by 1.9miles.   My final distance was 461.39m.   Doesn't change my placing but no club record any more.   

[Karla]

 

[cygnet]

If Byron gets his extra lap I think he'll pip me for 9th spot: interesting that from ESL'S video it looks like we both ran out of time at TK2. I'd quite like to stay top ten though.

Sorry Cygnet, I'm not sure of your real name (are you Philip?). I've had confirmation of my new distance from the oganiser and it's 456.31...by my reckoning, comparing to the most recent provisional results on Facebook, that puts me in 11th place.
Would have been dead happy with that beforehand, but slightly disappointing to miss out on the top ten by 0.06 of a mile! Unfortunately, this clearly resigns me to having to do it again, to see if I can get in the top 10. Still 30 miles short of our club record though.

Hi Byron, no I am Sam (Dulwich). Given your revised distance and both finishing between TK1 and 2 I have queried mine; I can't reconcile my provisional with your checked distance. So you may be good for the Top 10 ahead of me yet.

Edit: I see Rob's post about the bug. That makes a bit more sense.

[Frank9755]

I just queried my mileage as I couldn't reconcile it to the handbook, honest bloke that I am.

Apparently the spreadsheet had a bug and everyone is overstated by 1.9miles.   My final distance was 461.39m.   Doesn't change my placing but no club record any more.

Bad luck, Rob!
Only consolation is that it is probably the only thing you could have done that could earn you more respect from your club than actually breaking the record.

[marcusjb]

Gutted for you Rob. That is a heartbreaker for sure.

[Exit Stage Left]

You have to feel for George Marshall, suddenly he's hasn't done 500 miles plus. Zigzag now falls below evens, but he's thinking in metric anyway.

[Byronius Maximus]

If Byron gets his extra lap I think he'll pip me for 9th spot: interesting that from ESL'S video it looks like we both ran out of time at TK2. I'd quite like to stay top ten though.

Sorry Cygnet, I'm not sure of your real name (are you Philip?). I've had confirmation of my new distance from the oganiser and it's 456.31...by my reckoning, comparing to the most recent provisional results on Facebook, that puts me in 11th place.
Would have been dead happy with that beforehand, but slightly disappointing to miss out on the top ten by 0.06 of a mile! Unfortunately, this clearly resigns me to having to do it again, to see if I can get in the top 10. Still 30 miles short of our club record though.

Hi Byron, no I am Sam (Dulwich). Given your revised distance and both finishing between TK1 and 2 I have queried mine; I can't reconcile my provisional with your checked distance. So you may be good for the Top 10 ahead of me yet.

Edit: I see Rob's post about the bug. That makes a bit more sense.

Ah okay, it's all a bit confusing then. Not sure if the revised distance I've been given accounts that that error or not. We'll just wait and see I guess.

Think I remember waving to you a few times as we passed and said hello in the HQ afterwards - I remember because you looked how I felt!

[rob]

Fingers crossed on that club record.  That's going to be tight.

Amazing performances - zigzag in particular for a first attempt! 

Well done to all and I am sure there are some amazing tales to be told.  Huge team performance.

Record is officially quoted as 463 miles and 508 yards.

Fuck yeah.

Now there's an Internet posting I'm going to regret for some time.....

[zigzag]

is there an updated spreadsheed posted anywhere (can't find it on the official mersey roads fb page)? my garmin showed 772.xx km at 24hrs so if the official mileage is not too far out i'm happy 

[Greenbank]

No, nothing uploaded yet.

I got my missing QB lap added, but my increase was 2.2 miles less than the stated QB lap distance.

I'm about 2.5 miles down on my Garmin distance, but that's understandable given the vagaries of GPS distance measurement and also it took just over 3 minutes to reach the next timekeeper after my 24h was up and only stopped the GPS then.

[Greenbank]

New post on the FB page with updated results:-

https://www.facebook.com/MerseyRoads24/posts/1051812911561408

[cygnet]

To steal a line:

Unfortunately, this clearly resigns me to having to do it again, to see if I can get in the top 10.

[Greenbank]

Still gathering my thoughts before I try and write any of it up.

The major stat is that I had a sum total of 58h on the/any bike in the whole of 2016 before starting this ride (this includes commuting!) Only 766 miles. My only Audax in 2016 was a single 200. Hardly great prep.

I've also never finished a 400km Audax in less than 24 hours, and have never completed a 600km Audax in anything under 39 hours (and the most sleep I've had on a 600 is 15 minutes so it's not as if I was lounging around).

So I'm very happy with clocking up 292.39 miles with only 19h50 moving time. Goes to show what sheer bloody-mindedness and grim determination can do.

No energy drink (hadn't trained on it, hadn't really trained, and didn't want to risk it on the day); just bidons of Robinson's lemon squash and electrolyte tablets, a few gels and food from petrol stations, the chippy and one hotdog from the Espley feed.

Will definitely be back for another go, but a little better prepared. Probably still unsupported (at least throughout the night when small people need to sleep). Maybe not 2017 but the year after for sure.

I reckon I can put at least another 108+ miles on with better prep, more aero bike/wheels, improved fitness, consistent use of aerobars, and feeding on the bike to keep time off the bike to under an hour.

[Peter]

Well done, Greenbank - well done everyone!

[Peter]

Thank you to the chap in the Dulwich Top who was very helpful to Mrs Revellinho when I was riding and confusion reigned.    Off on the ferry now for some more gentle riding in France.

Paul, if I'm converting correctly, you've done a 600 in 24 hours - is that right?  I'm mightily impressed - though not surprised.  Were you wearing the red socks?

peter

[rob]

To steal a line:

Unfortunately, this clearly resigns me to having to do it again, to see if I can get in the top 10.

As at last night I wasn't going to do it again.   What a difference 24hrs makes.

GPS says I stopped for 13 mins.  2 of that was trying to pee early evening and failing.  Probably little to be gained there.   Need to sort my back out.   I'm wondering if I need a TT bike with gears.

[Revellinho]

Thank you to the chap in the Dulwich Top who was very helpful to Mrs Revellinho when I was riding and confusion reigned.    Off on the ferry now for some more gentle riding in France.

Paul, if I'm converting correctly, you've done a 600 in 24 hours - is that right?  I'm mightily impressed - though not surprised.  Were you wearing the red socks?

peter

No - should have done as I wore spanky leg warmers at night and the grippy bits gave me blisters.  Rode it on my 'tt' bike not my audax bike... a Genesis flyer with 77".

[24hourmaths]

I tried to give blood yesterday but couldn't - I failed the haemoglobin test. My score of 12.3 was well below the threshold of 'normal' which is 13.5, so I've now been banned from donating for a year 

By coincidence I donated on the Tuesday after the Mersey in 2015, and all was fine.

[zigzag]

I tried to give blood yesterday but couldn't - I failed the haemoglobin test. My score of 12.3 was well below the threshold of 'normal' which is 13.5, so I've now been banned from donating for a year 

By coincidence I donated on the Tuesday after the Mersey in 2015, and all was fine.

for that reason i only donate in november and march, after the cycling season is over and before it starts. kudos to you for doing a good deed.