Author Topic: [HAMR] Current thoughts on the record attempt?  (Read 252819 times)

red marley

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #275 on: 08 August, 2015, 05:52:45 am »
I don't think there needs to be one. We can just label each new day's thread '8th August - Teethgrinder Day 1 / 220' etc.

mattc

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Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #276 on: 08 August, 2015, 08:55:15 am »
Doesn't look like to on Trackleaders yet, but is there going to be new page for the new attempt?
After decoding the post above [ to / it ? ],
I assume the question is about getting a new map page on trackleaders.com

Which seems a jolly sensible idea!
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

Grandad

  • Once upon a time
Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #277 on: 08 August, 2015, 09:17:18 pm »
Now that the new attempt is definitely on it would be nice to see this confirmed as a News item on Steve's website.

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #278 on: 09 August, 2015, 09:00:14 am »
If I understand things correctly, presumably that come next year in addition to a potential HAM'R/Tommy Godwin year record, the total miles that Steve may have cycled from Jan 2015 - Aug 2016 will form an 'unofficial' (within HAM'R regs) but still verified possible absolute mileage total record of 100K+ miles...(?)
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

mcshroom

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Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #279 on: 09 August, 2015, 09:49:10 am »
I raise the comms topic with trepidation as I think there are far more important things than feeding our desire for news/gossip, but I think it would be a good idea for Steve to turn the 'Share to Facebook' option on in Strava. It shouldn't cause him any extra work, but the daily posts with amazing distances will keep droping onto people's newsfeeds, keep the profile high and generate their own debate in the comments.
Climbs like a sprinter, sprints like a climber!

TimC

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Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #280 on: 09 August, 2015, 10:06:05 am »
I agree, though I find that feature fairly unreliable, tending to turn itself off randomly and for no obvious reason, which means someone's got to keep an eye on it.

red marley

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #281 on: 10 August, 2015, 01:40:43 pm »
From the Tarzan thread...

Steve is indeed inspirational and it is such a massive shame that his initial effort was cut short by a piss-head. I wonder where he would have been now if he hadn't been injured.

But starting again must take a determination which is impossible for most of us to comprehend.

It's good that Steve appears not be giving in to an "if only..." view of the incident and challenge.

My own view is that most of us, riders included, have underestimated just how hard keeping up Tommy's (paced) summer ride distances would be. In the early part of the year we all thought that falling behind that 205.6mpd average would be OK because it would be made up by monster miles in the summer. The reality is that it is just not possible to do 300mpd unaided and uninterrupted for weeks on end.

For that reason, I don't think Steve would have made the record on his original schedule even without the incident. He did have a spell in late June where he appeared to be upping the speed and distance to try to bring back the 2015 attempt, but that soon resulted in fatigue (around the Mersey 24 time) that showed this is not sustainable. I wouldn't put that down completely to a healing ankle. For similar reasons, I doubt that Miles will make it either. Without paced riding and a lot more team support, I think the only way to beat 75,065 miles is to ride a little more than average pace for most of the year, much as Kurt is doing.

mattc

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Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #282 on: 10 August, 2015, 03:45:48 pm »
A pretty sound analysis jo.

Although I would say we can't know how much damage the accident did - he was riding big miles a long time before any doc would have predicted, so there MAY be long-term affects in there. Yes, he could never match Tommy's paced days, but he might have been capable of big summer averages.

Also I think that with our climate, for an MK-centric attempt SOME concession to the seasons seems sensible. So a schedule somewhere between dead-even pacing and Tommy's schedule is probably optimum.
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

hillbilly

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #283 on: 10 August, 2015, 04:46:04 pm »
Agree this is sound thinking.  I'd come to pretty much the same conclusion on those days when you are pedalling along thinking how you'd do it. 

Kurt's strategy of banging out consistent miles over 365 days is entirely sensible.  I think this is possible in the States, where you can flit between states with (broadly) consistent weather conditions. 

Whether it is possible in the UK, with shorter days and colder weather in winter, remains to be seen.  Personally I suspect it means that UK riders would need to do more miles in the summer and less in the winter, but not to the same extremes as were being scheduled by Steve at the start of the year.  I also suspect it needs some opportunistic riding, particularly in the winter, to take advantage of breaks in conditions as an offset against those occasions when the weather isn't playing ball.

I think Miles is making a fundamental mistake seeking to mirror Tommy's progression.  Come 6 months, he is going to struggle to keep pace and will fall behind.  He will then be left seeking to do more in the last 3 months of the year than Tommy did.  Will be interesting to see the progress on Jo's fabulous charts.

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #284 on: 10 August, 2015, 06:41:17 pm »
I am surprised that Steve seems unwilling to partake of pacing offers which have been made.  I can understand the worry of a wheel touching scenario but PBP is likely to have more wheels around that he would ever have on his record attempt.
We eagerly await today's (higher we hope) mileage   ??? ???



Kim

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Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #285 on: 10 August, 2015, 06:51:05 pm »
I am surprised that Steve seems unwilling to partake of pacing offers which have been made.  I can understand the worry of a wheel touching scenario but PBP is likely to have more wheels around that he would ever have on his record attempt.
We eagerly await today's (higher we hope) mileage   ??? ???

Steve was (and I assume still is) riding to a heartrate.  That doesn't make pacing (or more correctly, drafting) impossible, but would probably need a bit of tech-fu to put a realtime display of his heartrate somewhere where the person on the front of the group could see it.  I doubt that Ant+ has sufficient range on its own.

You could argue for a change in strategy, of course.

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #286 on: 10 August, 2015, 08:19:50 pm »
I agree it is surprising.  At the start of the year I thoguht it was one of the big advantages Steve had.
It shouldn't be that hard to do.  After a short while people would get the hang of the pace Steve wants.  If they rode alongside him for half an hour they would pick it up.  If all else fails, he could shout, or just wait for them to look back and see that he is not there.

hillbilly

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #287 on: 10 August, 2015, 08:37:27 pm »
Isn't there something more noble about not being paced?  Sometimes it is not just what you do, but how you do it.  Steve has, if anything, always given the impression that it is about more than just the score on the board.  Panache, of a sort, and all the better for it.

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #288 on: 11 August, 2015, 08:19:44 am »
I don't usually post my thoughts on the current record attempt but seeing that we have near perfect riding conditions at the moment shouldn't Steve be putting in some big distances right now instead of 200-and-a-bit distances?

And does anyone know if Steve is indeed doing PBP? I keep hearing it mentioned but I don't recall seeing any actual details.
You're only as successful as your last 1200...

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #289 on: 11 August, 2015, 08:38:54 am »
I don't usually post my thoughts on the current record attempt but seeing that we have near perfect riding conditions at the moment shouldn't Steve be putting in some big distances right now instead of 200-and-a-bit distances?

And does anyone know if Steve is indeed doing PBP? I keep hearing it mentioned but I don't recall seeing any actual details.


couldn't agree more with your posting. mileages far too low

as for PBP all quiet.  a request was put out for a Driver to look after him over there,  recharge thingies download data etc
 was that role forefilled?

Salvatore

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Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #290 on: 11 August, 2015, 08:39:26 am »
He's T166 according to the tracking page. Same start group as I'm in.
Quote
et avec John, excellent lecteur de road-book, on s'en est sortis sans erreur

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #291 on: 11 August, 2015, 08:41:20 am »
Thanks Salvatore. Which group's that?
You're only as successful as your last 1200...

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #292 on: 11 August, 2015, 08:42:57 am »
Note to self: Have a word with Iddai about publicity or lack of. We're both in the same PBP starting group...
You're only as successful as your last 1200...

Salvatore

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Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #293 on: 11 August, 2015, 09:16:20 am »
Thanks Salvatore. Which group's that?

The last of the 90 hour groups.
Quote
et avec John, excellent lecteur de road-book, on s'en est sortis sans erreur

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #294 on: 11 August, 2015, 10:00:50 am »
I don't usually post my thoughts on the current record attempt but seeing that we have near perfect riding conditions at the moment shouldn't Steve be putting in some big distances right now instead of 200-and-a-bit distances?


couldn't agree more with your posting. mileages far too low


Isn't it more a case of the average riding speed being too slow (as it has been from the very start back in January)?  Unless Steve can get consistently above 16mph (Kurt is somewhere near 18) then he'll always be struggling with sleep and rest deprivation.  The limiting factor is the hours in a day - certainly not Steve's determination.
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Fidgetbuzz

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Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #295 on: 11 August, 2015, 10:04:52 am »
I have Steve's PBP bike now -.....   complicated checking it in, picking up documentation etc , Linking with support vehicle and TG himself as my start is 5.30 -- but as far as I can foresee- we have all bases covered at the moment.

Personally I was surprised when he chose the 9.00pm start , rather than the Monday morning - when he could have had 5 or 6  hours sleep in a booked hotel and would have been faster thru controls  .. which had been the plan put in place months ago.

BUT - I was told it was his choice and there was no point in discussing or debating  it -- but to me it still does not seem the right start time to maximise sleep, minimise control time etc
I was an accountant until I discovered Audax !!

red marley

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #296 on: 11 August, 2015, 10:32:44 am »
Isn't it more a case of the average riding speed being too slow (as it has been from the very start back in January)?  Unless Steve can get consistently above 16mph (Kurt is somewhere near 18) then he'll always be struggling with sleep and rest deprivation.  The limiting factor is the hours in a day - certainly not Steve's determination.

Looking at his and the others' average speed, he has been increasing his speed over the last couple of weeks, to the extent that he is currently riding faster than Kurt and as fast as he has at any point during the year.



Zooming in a little...



Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #297 on: 11 August, 2015, 11:37:38 am »
Upthread, Kim suggests Steve is pacing with a HRM. That’s a sensible approach.

Steve will know how fast he can ride at a HR, and he knows how much sleep he needs. He will have enough experience to know what HR can be maintained without it becoming cause of insomnia.
Steve would have done the maths. He must assess he can beat Tommy’s record.

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #298 on: 11 August, 2015, 01:00:03 pm »
to the extent that he is currently riding faster than Kurt and as fast as he has at any point during the year.

Not really.  He has ridden faster than Kurt on a few days, but that probably coincides with days that Kurt has experienced adverse weather conditions or medical issues. 

His speed has certainly increased recently - let's hope that can be maintained for the next 12 months, because that's what it will take (amazing to even consider).  However it's noticeable that Kurt's speed has dropped off slightly over the year - perhaps that is the reality as the challenge takes it's toll, rather than hoping for increased speed as a result of repetitive effort and fitness.
The sound of one pannier flapping

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #299 on: 11 August, 2015, 01:09:17 pm »
Remember,,,

The hare was faster than the tortoise for the time he wasn't asleep.  ;D