General Category > Audax
LEL - Advice for a nervous first timer
Pilsbury:
In the spirit of adventure and challenge, I've got myself into the LEL for the first time. I may have bitten off more than I can comfortably chew, and I'm looking for any advice or words of audax wisdom that may help me avoid failure / embarrassment / death.
I have not ridden more than 60 miles in one go since I was 20 (17 years ago); I'm a good 12 kilos overweight, and I only have 4 months before this thing starts. I've been trying to cycle a couple of times a week through the winter, and can now manage a local 25 mile loop (involving about 2500ft of climbing) in about 1 hr 35mins.
What would you suggest I try to acheive before LEL? What kind of benchmark pace / distance should I try to aim for? Do you think I am hopelessly optimistic to be setting out on this at such a late stage?
How about the bike - just anything comfortable with a low enough gear and a pannier rack?
How about lights - I expect to be riding at least 4 or 5 hours in the dark each night - do most people go for dynamos, or have batteries got good enough to last the distance? If not, is it possible to charge up at controls?
Any advice greatfully received..... even if it's 'stay at home'.
border-rider:
Ride. A lot.
Start doing audaxs and ride every damn weekend between now and July
Start with a 100 (k) and as soon as you can graduate to 200s. Loads of 200s under your belt will get you used to days on the road and the way audaxs work, and you'll start to get a feel for issues like nutrition and drinking.
Then when 200s aren't a problem do some longer rides - I'd do one 300 and then as many 400s as you can. 400s will get you used to riding into/through the night and you'll get a feel for 20+ hours on the bike and also sort out lighting issues.
People have done LEL on just a 400 or two, but if you have time ride a 600.
LittleWheelsandBig:
MV is spot on IMHO.
If you can't ride a 600, do back-to-back 200s over a weekend. Work on your speed a little but that will come with the increased fitness you'll get from riding more. I don't think you'll have time for more than a couple of 400s before the start, which would be sufficient (one would be enough).
While a couple of people have done LEL as their first ever Audax ride, it isn't the easiest way to do it. In most people's experience, 100s are the first level of difficulty , 200s and 300s the next level, 400s and 600s harder again and the 1000+ brevets are more a matter of being comfortable and staying determined than needing more fitness (compared to 400/600).
Have a look through the A & S and LEL sections of the forum for equipment suggestions. Your fitness and preparation for LEL is more important.
Julian:
You're clearly barkingly mad, Mr. Pilsbury - exactly what we on this forum like to see. :thumbsup:
I find long distances (and I've only ever done a 600, nothing as long as LEL) to be more about the sheer bloody-mindedness than anything else. Keep riding 200s between now and then, don't get put off by how much your first 200 will hurt, make sure your bike is comfy, and get a good iPod or similar with your favourite music on.
I'm not doing LEL but if you get round I'll buy you a pint. And with that sort of motivation, you can't fail. :D
vorsprung:
I agree with MV that your priority should be to ride more
Let me address all your concerns
--- Quote from: Pilsbury on 26 March, 2009, 10:10:45 pm ---I have not ridden more than 60 miles in one go since I was 20 (17 years ago);
--- End quote ---
That's ok. Being able to ride 100km is irrelevant anyway. You need to be able to do 100 miles+ or 200km at an average speed of 15kph+ and not feel afterwards like you need to sleep for a week. I did a few 100 mile+ rides a few weekends on the trot at the start of March. The last one seemed much easier, the body adapts
--- Quote ---I'm a good 12 kilos overweight, and I only have 4 months before this thing starts.
--- End quote ---
You can easily loose a kilo a month, so at the start of the event you will be 8 kilos overweight
This is not a problem
--- Quote --- I've been trying to cycle a couple of times a week through the winter, and can now manage a local 25 mile loop (involving about 2500ft of climbing) in about 1 hr 35mins.
--- End quote ---
That is an average speed of 25.4kph which is fine for that distance. Now it is spring you need to increase your distance
--- Quote ---What would you suggest I try to acheive before LEL?
--- End quote ---
Do a 200 asap. I suggest the following plan for your first 200. This is what I did in 2004 when I did my first 200
1) Try to ride a longer and longer distance every weekend. Ideally increase the distance by 10% a week
2) Try to ride in the week too
3) Get to a point where your total mileage for the week adds up to 200km
4) Find out what the easiest, most local 200km is that you can do
5) Do the 200km
6) Keep increasing the mileage and start looking for a 300
Don't worry if you can't find the time to get your weekly score to 300km
Once you have done a 300, do a 400. Then a 600
--- Quote ---What kind of benchmark pace / distance should I try to aim for?
--- End quote ---
The time limit for LEL is 116 hours based on an overall of 12kph
But you have to sleep. Let's assume 4 hours each night. Let's also assume that you will waste 1 hour every 200km on eating/controlling etc etc
So that's 4*4 hours sleep + 7 hours faffling about = 23 hours "used up" not moving
That leaves 93 hours actually moving so an average speed of 15.05km is required
The lower speed limit for shorter events (300,400 or 600) is 15kph, so once you've done them you can be confident that your speed is good enough for LEL
--- Quote ---Do you think I am hopelessly optimistic to be setting out on this at such a late stage?
--- End quote ---
You should be fine
--- Quote ---How about the bike - just anything comfortable with a low enough gear and a pannier rack?
--- End quote ---
Low gears are good. Can't say anything against them.
The problem with pannier racks is that there is a temptation to take a kitchen sink with you
Carefully work out what the minimum amount of tools/food/clothes you need is and work back from that to the smallest luggage carrier possible
Please have good tyres. At least 25mm, no tread, fast but also durable
--- Quote ---How about lights - I expect to be riding at least 4 or 5 hours in the dark each night - do most people go for dynamos, or have batteries got good enough to last the distance? If not, is it possible to charge up at controls?
--- End quote ---
You do not want to be messing about charging batteries at controls
Let's assume that you have to ride 20 hours total in the dark
Let's also assume a worst case kind of light such as my dinotte
The run time I get off my 5W dinotte high powered LED light is 3.5 hours from a set of 4 AA
So I'd need 20/3.5 = 6 sets of batteries
Start off from London with a set of rechargables + 2 spare sets of deposible lithiums
Leave exhausted rechargables at bag drop and pick up more batteries
Exhausted lithiums go in the bin. If you run out, get some more at a garage.
--- Quote ---Any advice greatfully received..... even if it's 'stay at home'.
--- End quote ---
Go for it
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