[LEL17] Managing the spikes at controls

[Exit Stage Left]

There was no food voucher system at Thorne in 2009.

My memory certainly does play tricks. I recall some sort of meal request system. One would order a meal at the hatch, and that would be it.

Thorne was never popular as a place to work, as there are no windows, giving it a 'bunker' feel.

I took some video of the four times I visited. Thorne was the most rational of the controls in 2009, there was a list of prices for 'extras'. Which is something I didn't see anywhere else.

[alwyn]

A volunteer decided on a waiter system late in the day,  which caused conflict with the cook and was soon dropped.

Managing the cash at that control convinced me of the need to all inclusive in 2013.

[Exit Stage Left]

Every other control I saw on LEL 2009 was all-inclusive. Obviously your chance of getting a bed was pretty minimal, and depended on being fast. My step-mum Margaret expressed some concern about the commitment to provide beds in the pre-event information, as that might be construed as a contract. So I reckon the decision to charge for beds was a sensible response to that issue.

The general response at the final meeting in York prior to the event was that Mel had 'gone off on one', and everyone continued with their arrangements, apart from hiring a skip to throw the disposable plates and cutlery in, and hope it was cool enough not to attract flies.

Heather was somewhat distracted by waiting for a date for an exploratory operation for cancer. LEL took her mind off that. She got the date during the event, and we booked at ultra-short notice for Semaine Federale. Mel had personal issues of her own, and the post-LEL analysis fell into a heap.

[alwyn]

I had to charge for the beds, because I'd had to pay for them out of my own money. I didn't buy the argument that people would sleep on the floor, but was very surprised at how quickly the beds filled. By 10pm my mini dorm was full.

[Exit Stage Left]

I had no real experience of the start in 2009, as I had my own personalised 6am start on the number 666. I made my way to the first control at Thurlby via the A10, Ermine Street and the A15, so I could film the first arrivals. When I got there Gerry was hosting a pre-event party with sparkling wine, most civilised.

I got an insight into the behaviour of the front-runners, both at Thurlby, and then Washingborough, as I took the A15, and the field went on a tour of obscure South Lincolnshire lanes. I saw Bob Johnson on the A15 of course.

[mattc]

Mattc possibly has difficulty with IT, as he was unable to register himself as a volunteer.

Ooops! Sorry.

[Ajax Bay]

My instinct from an 11.45 start was that I needed to reach Pocklington on the first night to sleep, which would give me the best chance of finishing within time.

I saw riders trying to book beds at Louth northbound. I thought that was a terrible idea. I would expect that the majority of riders on a similar start time would have failed to finish if they'd slept at Louth. But it would be interesting to see how the numbers play out.

Deano
Had the urge to answer your question, having started with you, and enjoyed an early morning Louth to Horncastle with you and Graeme. Like you, I pressed on over the Humber (crossing about midnight).
Answer: Of the 450 I guess started 11:00 to 13:15, the number who logged out at Louth having spent at least 75 minutes there (ie more than eating and faffing) was 173. Of those 173, 95 finished and 78 did not: a 45% failure rate - above average (compared with the overall failure rate).
So "the majority of riders on a similar start time [to 11:45] who slept at Louth finished".

[Deano]

My instinct from an 11.45 start was that I needed to reach Pocklington on the first night to sleep, which would give me the best chance of finishing within time.

I saw riders trying to book beds at Louth northbound. I thought that was a terrible idea. I would expect that the majority of riders on a similar start time would have failed to finish if they'd slept at Louth. But it would be interesting to see how the numbers play out.

Deano
Had the urge to answer your question, having started with you, and enjoyed an early morning Louth to Horncastle with you and Graeme. Like you, I pressed on over the Humber (crossing about midnight).
Answer: Of the 450 I guess started 11:00 to 13:15, the number who logged out at Louth having spent at least 75 minutes there (ie more than eating and faffing) was 173. Of those 173, 95 finished and 78 did not: a 45% failure rate - above average (compared with the overall failure rate).
So "the majority of riders on a similar start time [to 11:45] who slept at Louth finished".

Thanks AJ - I had a quick scan of the figures myself and couldn't find any support for my thoughts either.

I'm still pleased I rode on though - coming south was tough, and having that time in hand made for a more relaxed ride.

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Just coming back to this thread after a while.  I put together a list of all the things we planned for catering at St Ives, what worked and what didn't work so well, that I'll put into the planning process for next time.  It's about a 10 page document based on learnings from St Ives in 2017 and Barnard Castle in 2013.

As I'm hoping to ride it in 2021 whilst I'm still fast enough to enjoy it. 

Happy to send to any who PM an email address.