Any potential new Long-distance cyclists after riding LEL?

[nic]

I was pleasantly surprised to find that one of my club mates wished he'd done LEL after following the tweets and he's now fairly keen to the idea of longer rides. I think I have a acquired a ride partner for next year's longer audaxes and qualifiers for PBP

Have you experienced anything like that in your riding circles? Club or otherwise?

nic

[Mr Larrington]

I'd previous had no desire at all to ride LEL - blame Martin Zoom - but in spite of the wrecks and people being drownded, I'm tempted.

(Adminsters sharp blow to own head with Mr. Shovel)

[LEL]

I'd previous had no desire at all to ride LEL - blame Martin Zoom - but in spite of the wrecks and people being drownded, I'm tempted.

(Adminsters sharp blow to own head with Mr. Shovel)

I think you are developing serious short term memory problems......

[Bigsybaby]

I am gradually building up my conditioning to cope with longer distances.

I have just completed my first SR this year but did not feel ready for LEL. I am therefore amazed to have read on another thread that someone had a go not having done more than a 300km before. He did pack though.

In principal I am mentally geared up to do he next LEL, but intend to do the next PBP which comes first.

I have been told that is a wise choice because the support of the French citizens will carry me a long way.

[mattc]

I shared many miles and meals with 3 guys (2 riding together) with NO audaxes and no rides over 300km between them
(I think that's right Nic?).

However, all 3 were much faster than me, and had done over 100 miles in a day (which I feel is an important landmark). They were riding well within themselves.

I think LEL suited these people better than PBP will, but they'll probably fly round that too!

[Greenbank]

I have just completed my first SR this year but did not feel ready for LEL.

Similar to my first Audax season. I decided not to go for PBP qualification as I didn't think I'd be ready for it. Knowing what I know now I would have certainly struggled as, back then, I had nowhere near the same physical or mental toughness that I have now. There's no rush as far as I'm concerned.

I am therefore amazed to have read on another thread that someone had a go not having done more than a 300km before. H did pack though.

At least one person I know of on here finished LEL and it was his first ever Audax.

[stubbo]

This was my first Audax and it has to be said an absolute excellent adventure!

up until February this year the longest ride i'd completed was a couple of Dunwich Dynamo rides and one 200k ride, Bristol to London, last year.

This under my belt i felt i'd introduce myself to this Audaxing malarky with a simple one! 

So Jan09 came and the training started, the following 6 months broke down as follows and does not include my daily commute of 25km...
Jan
4 x 60km + 1 x 100km (all very very cold)
Feb
2 x 200km (again... very very cold)
March
1 x 300km + 1 x 200km + 2 x 100km (not as cold!)
April
1 x 300km + 2 x 100km (starting to thaw..slight hiccup in the plans having gotten knocked off by a dozy motorist)
May
2 x 400km + 3 x 200km = 2 x 100km (starting to feel my toes again, just! back in the running though)
June
4 x 200km + 1 x 100km (no longer numb! really low on motivation here though)
July
1 x 880km (bristol-dunwich-bristol) + 1 x 1400km (LEL)

Finished in fine fettle apart from the saddle sore, which i never got on the 880km ride, or nay other ride for that matter. I've put this down to the padding in my shorts getting wet and staying wet.

The last two rides were an absolute pleasure and i got exactly what i wanted from the adventure, i.e. meet like minded people and have an excellent time riding my bike through some of the best areas this country has to offer.

All my training was spent on my own and required a hell of a lot of will power to carry on with, especially through those dark (cold) winter months. The reason for this is mainly due to the fact we have a young family, two daughters 2 and 5, and i wanted to schedule my time training to have as little impact on family life as possible. This said though its an area that i would change, now with the benefit of hindsight, and this would be to sign-up to AUK and go along on some of the organised rides, SR series etc.

Hindsight's a wonderful thing!

All in though, anyone who enjoys riding a bike should seriously consider entering the LEL, or equivalent, as it has been the most fantastic experience and i for one will be signing up for the PBP (just need to tell Mrs Stubbo). Having just got back from a few days camping down in sunny cornwal, it really has been sunny, i'm still feeling the buzz of the LEL and with saddle soreness gone i'm happy to say come Monday i'm really looking forward to getting back on the bike.

Andy

[Pilsbury]

I have just completed my first SR this year but did not feel ready for LEL. I am therefore amazed to have read on another thread that someone had a go not having done more than a 300km before. He did pack though.

But I had a great time, and was not dissapointed with how I did. I met plenty of folk on LEL who had done nothing like that before, and to my knowledge most of them finished. Nothing ventured.....

[geraldc]

One of the foreign legion I rode the last leg with, had never ridden audax. His furthest ride previously was London to Brighton and back...

[velocitizen]

After Following the ride via the thread on here and Twitter I am really drawn to helping out at one of the controls at LEL next time.

[L Hedley]

After Following the ride via the thread on here and Twitter I am really drawn to helping out at one of the controls at LEL next time.

Recruitment for Coxwold starts here!!! Come to Coxwold 

[nic]

That's correct mattc.

My longest audax ever was a 200k.

My only audax this year was the Tan hill 200 - very nice and hilly but short in the grand scheme of things. 

Longest ride of the year was in June 550k over 3 days (Ardechoise). Again, relatively short daily distances compared to LEL and many less hours on the saddle but quite hilly.

I have to thank my commute which offers me good options through the hills of Lancashire, the very good club runs and also being lucky to overcome a problematic ITB / knee from Jan to late february.

Best of all is that I have enjoyed LEL - I thought I would enjoy it but it has surpassed my expectations. In particular I loved how it feels to finish such a long ride in what I believe is a better state of fitness than ever before.

I have to say though I was a little worried about my lack of long rides and experience.

If I can do it, anybody can do it.

[DrMekon]

After Following the ride via the thread on here and Twitter I am really drawn to helping out at one of the controls at LEL next time.

Me too. Gamlingay is just up the road from me, and had I not been camping in the South, I'd have dragged the family over to cheer people on. I've loved reading various peoples accounts.

[alan]

I didn't ride this year's LEL,I only did some volunteering at Thorne BUT it provided a spark that I hope will burn to become a conflagration in 2013.
Marj reckons I am certifiable