[LEL17] Shall I or shall I not?

[vorsprung]

In 2005 I rode LEL, starting in London (there was a another start about half way then too) I took 108h and did in my Achilles but I feel it was a success

In 2009 I entered it but felt that I couldn't spare the time out of family stuff  so I was DNS

In 2013 I was a volunteer at Brampton

Since 2005 I have also done a couple of PBP and lots of long rides.  I don't see LEL as necessarily a big challenge.  I could ride it as fast as possible or something like that if I wanted to make it more difficult.  But if I just stuck to the time limits and if the weather was ok I don't believe it would be very taxing

As I was a volunteer last time I will get preferential treatment on a place so that's not a problem

I think the ride will feel "different" from 2005 as the field is bigger now. 

The northern half of the route is pretty good.  I was riding in the Pennines this year and it looks fabulous as ever.

I believe that the cost of the ride is cheap for what you get

But somehow I can't get excited about it, so I am undecided at this point if I will enter.

[Ben T]

I don't know either. If you manage to find any clues as to whether one should enter or not kindly do share.

I agree that it's not a massive challenge but it will be a good event with loads of people and camaraderie. Might also even be sunny for some of it. I think for me it will depend on whether there are travelodges at opportune locations.

[Ian H]

I've been cogitating along the same lines as Vorsprung.

[ElyDave]

It would be my first challenge of that nature.  Too many feet problems to contemplate multi day running, and not enough time for the constant training with my job.

I think the cycling equivalent is lighter on the body, heavier on the mind, which would be a new challenge, and I think I could manage the progression in both phsysical, mental and domestic terms.

I've already expressed my interest

[Deano]

I had the same debate - I've never ridden it, though. I did volunteer in both 2009 and 2013, and I thought that the route didn't hugely appeal as it's all familiar and I can ride the best bits at pretty much any time as I live in Darlington and my go-to ride is up Teesdale, so the best bit's on my doorstep, and the bits I don't know around London and Essex aren't places I desperately want to ride my bike (with apologies to the Essex lot!). I told loads of people that I wouldn't bother to ride it, usually after explaining that the price increase still represents bloody good value.

However, I had a change of heart, especially after riding the Mille Pennines, which was also all on familiar roads, but I enjoyed the event. It was a smaller field and a tougher ride, but I enjoyed seeing the roads through others' eyes, and meeting the same people, and I expect LEL to be even better as an event, and I'm looking forward to the atmosphere and the buzz of a big event on roads I already know and love.

[Tomsk]

1] More aches, pains and minor bodily malfunctions both during and after my two LELs, possibly due to taking the challenge less seriously than PBP. [Or the foul weather, riding fixed, lots of hills in quick succession and generally being a soft southerner].

2] The DNF rate is about the same between LEL & PBP - around 20%. Similar level of difficulty, I'd say, though I've always seemed to get more sleep on LEL, with the generous time allowed.

3] Northern scenery is a fine reward for the effort; fenlands are more of a mental challenge, especially with a headwind. Ask any Ancien du Flatlands/Flatliner 600...York Arrows from the Eastern Counties, York-Cambridge-York etc

4] Given that it's much larger and more of an international event now and that I too have a guaranteed place after helping last time, I'd say it'd be rude not to...

[Phil W]

4] Given that it's much larger and more of an international event now and that I too have a guaranteed place after helping last time, I'd say it'd be rude not to...

As an controller from LEL 2013 you have a better offer than just guaranteed. If you have forgotten what the offer was, remind me when you see me on Saturday.

[Greenbank]

If anything having a guaranteed place (twice over, once for volunteering at LEL 2013 and again just for keeping my AUK membership going) is what's making me less than 100% committed.

Right now it doesn't look like the best use of a weeks' worth of summer holiday away from my family.

My guess is that January will come round very quickly...

[Phil W]

You have to want to do it, in your heart of hearts. No one else it going to answer that for you. As Yoda said, do or do not but no try.

[jsabine]

You have to want to do it, in your heart of hearts. No one else it going to answer that for you.

That's fair enough.

As Yoda said, do or do not but no try.

This is bollocks though.

That nice Mr Beckett has the right of it:

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.

[Phil W]

Will we be seeing you on the start line next year?

[ElyDave]

You have to want to do it, in your heart of hearts. No one else it going to answer that for you.

That's fair enough.

As Yoda said, do or do not but no try.

This is bollocks though.

That nice Mr Beckett has the right of it:

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.

Didn't Edison say something similar after the umpteenth light filament fail "I have merely eliminated materials that don't work, leaving fewer to try"

[jsabine]

Will we be seeing you on the start line next year?

No doubt I'll be skulking around.

Unfinished business after my performance last time.

[mattc]

Didn't Edison say something similar after the umpteenth light filament fail "I have merely eliminated materials that don't work, leaving fewer to try"

More like:
"Excellent - I'm minted for life! "

[Divingrob]

Spoke to the good lady wife about the LEL over the weekend, she was very positive and said to me "would you regret it if you didn't try"  Wise words I thought.

I then asked her if she would mine driving me down to the start which she said" of course, How will you get back from Edinburgh?"  I looked at her and said "on my bike dearest" I got that look and the reply "Are you mental? "   

[The French Tandem]

Are you mental?   

Yes, but life would be so boring if I was not 

[LittleWheelsandBig]

She is probably wondering why you just don't ride to the start and back as well.

[veloboy]

Just go for it...
You won't be disappointed! 

[yanner]

"It's not a massive challenge" could only be said by an experienced audaxer, everyone I tell about wanting to enter this gives me the "Are you mental?" response.

I'm not an experienced audaxer and my inner self is saying "Are you mental?" for wanting to do this.

[Wycombewheeler]

"It's not a massive challenge" could only be said by an experienced audaxer, everyone I tell about wanting to enter this gives me the "Are you mental?" response.

I'm not an experienced audaxer and my inner self is saying "Are you mental?" for wanting to do this.

So true. I reckon I could do this, but it really is a huge time commitment. I'm wondering if I should just go for it, or look for a 1000km for this year, and do LEL n 4 years when my children will be 19 and 17 and getting a one week pass would be easier/more reasonable. The mille penine is also apealing as it is only 2 week days. But that is so tough my inner voice says 'you are mental' not "are you mental" for wanting to try.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

There is no difference in difficulty between a normal 1000 and LEL. Just a couple more days of riding, at a lower overall speed.

[Wycombewheeler]

There is no difference in difficulty between a normal 1000 and LEL. Just a couple more days of riding, at a lower overall speed.

It's asking for the pass that concerns me, not the ride difficulty.  I'm thinking of LEL as a normal 1000 with 200 flat km across the fens added in both directions and extra time. The mille penines is not a normal 1000 in my opinion.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Once a few days are set aside for a big ride, a couple of extra days doesn't make a huge difference to the scale of the question but YMMV.

[mattc]

@WW: everyone has different pressures in their personal life, so we can't really help you with that question!

(although I'd say that the training time over the year will be >> the extra 2 days that LEL itself requires. But perhaps your family don't miss you when you disappear for just a few hours, even a hundred times a year )

Good luck with whichever you choose.

[IanDG]

I had every intention of riding after helping at Brampton in 2013. Unfortunately my work situation is so crap at the moment (and is likely to continue well into the new year) I'm not sure I could put the miles in to be confident enough to finish the ride - so I've volunteered to help at Brampton again