Author Topic: [HAMR] A new challenger - Miles Smith  (Read 77375 times)

Justin(e)

  • On my way out of here
Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #300 on: 20 October, 2015, 06:36:36 pm »
Personally, I'm supporting Miles just as much as I am Steve or Kurt.

Great post.

Allez Miles.

Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #301 on: 21 October, 2015, 08:24:07 am »
I doubt if anyone on this forum, even the highly experienced audax riders or time triallists, can even begin to imagine what attempting this record must be like, riding day in, day out.
Are you aware that Steve is one of the original members of this forum?

I think legs is being a little harsh on Miles, but reality is that Miles's daily mileage is not enough to keep him in sight of the record. That's just simple maths.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

crowriver

  • Крис Б
Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #302 on: 21 October, 2015, 08:58:03 am »

Are you aware that Steve is one of the original members of this forum?

Yes I'm aware of that, and of the material and logistical support several forum members are providing.

What I meant was, most people here will have had a taste of riding long distances for a number of days in succession. That's not that same as riding 350k every day for a year.


I think legs is being a little harsh on Miles, but reality is that Miles's daily mileage is not enough to keep him in sight of the record. That's just simple maths.

Entirely possible. We'll see what happens. All three challengers have faced difficulties. Miles' may be insurmountable, but we'll see.

Is it true Tommy Godwin had to learn how to walk properly again after a year of pedalling?
Embrace your inner Fred.

red marley

Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #303 on: 21 October, 2015, 09:03:59 am »
Is it true Tommy Godwin had to learn how to walk properly again after a year of pedalling?

My understanding is that yes he did have some, as we might call it today, 'physiotherapy' to improve his walking, but this was specifically for the army as he was enlisted immediately following the challenge. I know of no evidence that suggested he couldn't actually walk about after he was done with riding.

hillbilly

Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #304 on: 21 October, 2015, 09:04:57 am »
Let's be frank.  Miles isn't going to get the record unless he restarts. 

To suggest otherwise is either overly polite, overly optimistic or overly silly.  Just as to point it out is either overly rude, overly realistic or overly practical.

But what he is achieving is still mighty impressive and beyond what most cyclists I have met have either the hunger or ability to do.

Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #305 on: 21 October, 2015, 09:23:53 am »
I think it is unnecessary and rather disrespectful to be quite so critical of Miles.
If you read my post again, you'll note that my criticism is not of Miles' riding, which is impressive (it seems likely that he'll finish his year with one of the highest tallies ever recorded), but of his head-in-the-sand view of his progress, as highlighted by his response to TimC's Facebook post.  He has made no out-and-out acknowledgement that he is targeting anything less than the Godwin record (look at the cover picture on his Facebook page!), so to say that he's still on target rather undermines his credibility. 

See also, for example, his Facebook post from October 17:
Quote from: GoMiles
Should finish somewhere between 400 and 450 km's for the day.
I'm not going to go to the trouble of pointing out the exact distance he travelled on that day because I'm not sure whether he's really referring to a calendar day or a 24-hour period of riding, and to try drilling down into his Strava data would make me seem like a misanthropic, nitpicking bastard, so you might be best looking to Jo's daily summaries to get a feel as to whether this short-term target was met.

Are half of the posts in the IronOx thread unnecessary and disrespectful?

This is a well-known issue in sport. Say you are an amateur 10 000m runner. Your PB is 59m, you commonly run 65. At 5 000m you are on 29 [more like] 35m, well ahead behind of PB pace. You congratulate yourself....
FTFY  :-\

But what he is achieving is still mighty impressive and beyond what most cyclists I have met have either the hunger or ability to do.
Indeed, it's arguably more impressive to carry on churning out the big distances when/if you know in your heart of hearts that you're not going to break the record.

Go Miles!


crowriver

  • Крис Б
Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #306 on: 21 October, 2015, 11:35:49 am »
Let's be frank.  Miles isn't going to get the record unless he restarts. 

I never suggested otherwise. It's also the case that neither Kurt nor Steve can assume the record is theirs either. We shall see once their respective years are up.

But what he is achieving is still mighty impressive and beyond what most cyclists I have met have either the hunger or ability to do.

Indeed. For this he deserves credit and respect.
Embrace your inner Fred.

crowriver

  • Крис Б
Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #307 on: 21 October, 2015, 11:42:19 am »

If you read my post again, you'll note that my criticism is not of Miles' riding, which is impressive (it seems likely that he'll finish his year with one of the highest tallies ever recorded), but of his head-in-the-sand view of his progress, as highlighted by his response to TimC's Facebook post.  He has made no out-and-out acknowledgement that he is targeting anything less than the Godwin record (look at the cover picture on his Facebook page!), so to say that he's still on target rather undermines his credibility. 

None of us can truly know what is going on unless we are riding with him. Yes it may be unlikely he'll beat Godwin, but he may yet claim other scalps in the history of this record. Let's wait and see what transpires before criticising too harshly, is what I am saying.


Are half of the posts in the IronOx thread unnecessary and disrespectful?


That comparison in itself is rather unnecessary and disrespectful. Miles' efforts may not gain him the record, but are noteworthy nevertheless.


But what he is achieving is still mighty impressive and beyond what most cyclists I have met have either the hunger or ability to do.
Indeed, it's arguably more impressive to carry on churning out the big distances when/if you know in your heart of hearts that you're not going to break the record.

Go Miles!

This I can agree with you on. Let's see what Miles has in the tank now that the southern hemisphere is warming up. Maybe not the Godwin record, but something impressive looks likely to be achieved nevertheless.
Embrace your inner Fred.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #308 on: 21 October, 2015, 03:02:15 pm »
I just can't get interested in someone aiming for 2/3rds of an existing record (especially knowing nothing about the guy beforehand).

( Then why are you posting on this thread, eh Matt?? - Ed )
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

TimC

  • Old blerk sometimes onabike.
Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #309 on: 21 October, 2015, 05:28:21 pm »
Miles' riding is indeed impressive in an absolute sense, and very few people could hope to do similar, but he has expressly and publicly targeted Tommy's record and so must be judged on that basis - especially when he's already restarted once because of earlier difficulties. It is evident that he does not have, and has never had, a plan to achieve the 75,000 miles he needs, and is not realistically assessing his progress against the increasing daily target distances. Every day he completes significantly less than (the currently required) 240 or so miles is a day further away from the record. Kurt and Steve have both recognised and assimilated the difficulties of the task, and have adapted their riding accordingly. I see no evidence that Miles is doing so, or intends to. So, impressive and creditable as his riding is, in the context of the record it's not good enough.

Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #310 on: 21 October, 2015, 05:59:15 pm »
I get the impression that Miles doesn't actually know how far behind target he is.

red marley

Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #311 on: 22 October, 2015, 06:09:06 am »
I was just reading back through the OYTT thread to revisit our expectations during the early months of the challenge. It is interesting to note that Steve posted this in April after 4 months of OYTT riding, during the period when he was on the trike with his leg in plaster:

Quote from: Steve
I reckon that if I am 6000 miles down when I get back on the Raleigh and can get back onto the 82000 mile schedule I should just do it. I started this in January with 2 months of no cycling and went straight onto the 87000 mile schedule. I am not beaten yet."

That's not so different to Miles's self-belief. Maybe that kind of optimism is necessary to get you up in the morning, day after day, for another couple of hundred miles of riding.

red marley

Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #312 on: 22 October, 2015, 10:39:33 pm »
Despite wishing Miles well on his challenge, I have to confess to being rather frustrated by his GPS ineptitude compared to Kurt and Steve. Today's riding, which totalled 130 miles within the 24 hour period, comprised no less than 8 separate GPS uploads. Yesterday's 4 uploads included a 30km stretch at unfeasibly high speed, presumably because he left the GPS on while on the train. The day before that included an upload of 0km...

One GPS upload per day would be very nice Miles.

Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #313 on: 22 October, 2015, 11:42:59 pm »
Despite wishing Miles well on his challenge, I have to confess to being rather frustrated by his GPS ineptitude compared to Kurt and Steve. Today's riding, which totalled 130 miles within the 24 hour period, comprised no less than 8 separate GPS uploads. Yesterday's 4 uploads included a 30km stretch at unfeasibly high speed, presumably because he left the GPS on while on the train. The day before that included an upload of 0km...

One GPS upload per day would be very nice Miles.

He's doing it via Garmin Connect I think. Every time he stops an activity he's syncing it via a mobile phone I guess. It's been set up to do it for him by one of his team AFAIK. I get the impression from his FB posts that he's a bit technically challenged  ;D

Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #314 on: 30 October, 2015, 03:45:26 pm »
Just LOVE the fact that Miles is still heading out there - for what reason I have no idea, but it's obviously keeping him motivated.  Lets not forget riding even 100-150 miles every day day after day after day would be hard, but even more so surely when the likelihood of taking the record is becoming infinitely small.  Hope he gets a book deal or something or whatever it is he wants from this huge effort of his.  It's very bizarre, but brilliant all the same  :thumbsup:
Does not play well with others

Justin(e)

  • On my way out of here
Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #315 on: 30 October, 2015, 04:02:04 pm »
It's very bizarre, but brilliant all the same  :thumbsup:

Maybe he just enjoys bike riding.

crowriver

  • Крис Б
Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #316 on: 31 October, 2015, 03:24:35 pm »
Isn't he still in with a chance of beating the Australian record?
Embrace your inner Fred.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #317 on: 31 October, 2015, 05:55:30 pm »
I had a conversation with my daughter, who also lives in Melbourne, the other UK evening whilst she was on her way to work. Although a fervent Wales supporter, she was hoping for an Aussie win in the World Cup as apparently Australian Prime Ministers are in the habit of awarding impromptu public holidays when there is some kind of notable national sporting achievement*. If Miles were to break this record then he might well become a national hero.

*She was in the car with her boyfriend, the phone on speaker. I asked if they had had a public holiday when Australia came second in the Ashes a few months back. She thought that was quite amusing.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #318 on: 01 November, 2015, 12:58:08 pm »
Just looking at the official spreadsheet  http://ultracycling.com/sections/records/data/hamr/official_results/. It's got Miles listed as having 3 concurrent attempts. The most recent starting on Sept 23rd. Did he announce this elsewhere? Does this make sense of his optimism? Anyone have any further knowledge about this?

 ???

Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #319 on: 02 November, 2015, 04:29:48 pm »
Just looking at the official spreadsheet  http://ultracycling.com/sections/records/data/hamr/official_results/. It's got Miles listed as having 3 concurrent attempts. The most recent starting on Sept 23rd. Did he announce this elsewhere? Does this make sense of his optimism? Anyone have any further knowledge about this?

 ???

Interesting. Miles' starts #1 and #2 are listed as inactive from 16th October so does that mean he only actually has one attempt running from 23rd September? Steve is shown as still having two starts running.

red marley

Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #320 on: 02 November, 2015, 05:31:32 pm »
Even starting from the 23rd September, Miles is only averaging 163 mpd, requiring 211 mpd for the remaining 325 days. In his three attempts so far, he has not managed a 211 mpd average for more than a couple of days consecutively, so I can't see him hitting the record on this third try.

I can't remember if I've said this before, but I think it is pity UMCA are allowing restarts within such a short time period, especially if for no particular reason other than wanting to do a bit better than a rider's previous average. It reminds me of being a teenager playing computer racing games and pressing restart at the merest hint of a poor cornering in the hope of doing a 'perfect' lap.

Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #321 on: 02 November, 2015, 06:51:31 pm »
Even starting from the 23rd September, Miles is only averaging 163 mpd, requiring 211 mpd for the remaining 325 days. In his three attempts so far, he has not managed a 211 mpd average for more than a couple of days consecutively, so I can't see him hitting the record on this third try.

I can't remember if I've said this before, but I think it is pity UMCA are allowing restarts within such a short time period, especially if for no particular reason other than wanting to do a bit better than a rider's previous average. It reminds me of being a teenager playing computer racing games and pressing restart at the merest hint of a poor cornering in the hope of doing a 'perfect' lap.

Most modern racing games have rewind functionality where you can replay the last few seconds where you messed up a corner. No need to restart the whole race :)

Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #322 on: 03 November, 2015, 11:39:54 am »
Just posted on FB...

Quote
Better day today. Things running to plan. Will clear daily the WR figure plus our target daily figure. If I do this 40 times, I will pass both of the other guys average daily figures, more importantly I will get all the way to Warrnambool tonight for 6:08 AM return train in the morning.

Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #323 on: 03 November, 2015, 11:56:23 am »
Even starting from the 23rd September, Miles is only averaging 163 mpd, requiring 211 mpd for the remaining 325 days. In his three attempts so far, he has not managed a 211 mpd average for more than a couple of days consecutively, so I can't see him hitting the record on this third try.

I can't remember if I've said this before, but I think it is pity UMCA are allowing restarts within such a short time period, especially if for no particular reason other than wanting to do a bit better than a rider's previous average. It reminds me of being a teenager playing computer racing games and pressing restart at the merest hint of a poor cornering in the hope of doing a 'perfect' lap.

The critical difference between the two is that the cyclists have to "pay" for their laps by knocking out day after of 200-ish mile rides, I think that earns them the right to press the restart button.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: A new challenger - Miles Smith
« Reply #324 on: 03 November, 2015, 12:02:56 pm »
If you need a doctor's note to restart, I am sure Steve could have provided one.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.