Midhurst 600

[Martin]

I thought I had seen you earlier in the ride (can't think where) when somebody shouted across from within a group (yellow & green livery) but you were in a different shirt at Fletching (I think)

I was in an Ardechoise top on Sunday ; there were no EGCC riders doing the 400 AFAIK unless Angela was doing it (unlikely as she's never done more than 200). If I'd known it went that way I'd have probably entered; I can navigate the whole Mid Sussex section without a route sheet. Which way did it go after Fletching? I accidentally ended up in Nan Tucks Lane after Buxted as used on the pre-PBP feast but wussed out at the "El Supremo special" hill and went through Framfield instead to regain the route to Isfield where my errant clubmates had gone.

[Greenbank]

Never done a 600 (my first will be the Border Raid 600 next month ) but...

It's quite possible to get through with cat-naps at every warm+dry place you find from 18hours into the ride onwards.

I'd been up for 21 hours, and on the bike for 19 hours, when I had a little sleep on the carpet inside Membury Services using my jacket as a pillow. When my alarm went off 45 minutes later I could so easily have turned it off and gone back to sleep. I was surprised just how comfy it was.

I wouldn't worry about needing a bed to sleep in, your body will oblige even if the only choice was a bed of sharp gravel.

[Martin]

I've never done a no-sleep 600 (the BCM came close; the others were fluffy duvet / sleeping bag heaven) and frankly don't see the point; even on PBP/LEL there is as much opportunity for sleep as on a 600.

[Mr Larrington]

On the STN last year I tried to get some kip at the Humber Bridge, but failed due to being bigger than my space blanket.  I was still awake enough to drive home afterwards too.  I did the Cambrian without even trying to sleep - if I had, I'd probably have been out of time due to brake issues and a dodgy ankle.

[border-rider]

I've never done a no-sleep 600

I've come close

On the Denmead 600 in 2001 I was first back to the hall at 400, and got to bed before midnight.  About 15 mins later I was awoken by the banging, crashing and shouting of the next group to arrive.  This showed no sign of abating so I got up and went out again.  I'd finished by 12 on the Sunday

I've done the Cambrian on a doze or two.

[frere yacker]

It is amazing how refreshed you can feel just by getting off the bike and resting for as little as 15 mins but preferably for at least an hour.

On the road, I will usually get to a stage where I am making such laboured progress that taking time out actually helps my overall on-road average speed and "comfort".  It's possible to sleep just about anywhere when I'm in this state, although for the sake of safety will always choose someplace covered (avoids exposure) and to avoid being mistaken for a cadaver (rather than zombie, which many of us will look like come sunrise without sleep).

Midhurst 600, I expect to be making use of service station tables (underneath) and bus shelters.  If desparation strikes possibly also phone boxes or church entrances.  Bliss would be an ATM that you need to enter a building for.

[marcus]

I've never done a no-sleep 600 (the BCM came close; the others were fluffy duvet / sleeping bag heaven) and frankly don't see the point; even on PBP/LEL there is as much opportunity for sleep as on a 600.

I've done 6 600s & have always ridden through the night without sleeping. This doesn't cause me any major problems although I must admit to being very tired by the end of each ride and needing to catch up on lost sleep for the next 2 or 3 days.  I seem to be able to manage reasonably well on very little sleep - on PBP last year I got less than 2 hours sleep in 70 hours & was still able to function fairly normally at the end (I think).

Although this works for me I wouldn't necessarily recommend this approach for others - everyone is different & you just have to find an approach that suits you.

[Martin]

I've done 6 600s & have always ridden through the night without sleeping. Although this works for me I wouldn't necessarily recommend this approach for others - everyone is different & you just have to find an approach that suits you.

quite

I like my bed; I would have quite liked some on the 1st night of PBP (even though I was buzzing after the first coffee for 3 weeks) and would certainly never have got through it on 2 hrs sleep. For me all the sleep dep had been working towards this and no other reason, in fact I only did one sleepless ride last year the Flattest Possible 300.

There are plenty of 600s with plenty of fluffy duvet potential. I've even done 2 sleeping 400s and am planning a 3rd; the first one went back to Denmead where I enjoyed 5 hrs sleep on a lovely soft mattress, when I kicked myself out to go and do the last 115km (pushing the finishing time envelope in the process which was quite goor adrenaline stuff especially with 2 fairy visits) I was amazed to see everyone sitting in the hall eating soup and being jolly; this convinced me even more that I was in the wrong job doing this sort of thing.

But as you say whatever works for you  FWIW I think El Supremo's rides, whilst being very well organised and exremely good value, are aimed towards your end of the spectrum, even the silly  o clock start 300s which is why I concentrate on his 200s and below.

[border-rider]

I like my bed

I like mine too.  I don't get on with lack-of-sleep.  At all.

I would have quite liked some on the 1st night of PBP

And me - to the point that I did. 

[Martin]

I like my bed

I like mine too.  I don't get on with lack-of-sleep.  At all.

and for someone who can average 22kph riding time there is absolutely no need to go sleepless on any ride. The riders who did without sleep on PBP were mostly either going for a very fast time or called Beauchamp. I was going for sleep and 89.59

[border-rider]

Quite

Peter M and I made that decision before riding.  We had plenty of sleep, and rolled in at 82 hours with no drama.

LEL is even better; the upper time limit on that allows you to really get some decent overnight stops in.  Since the times aren't ever published, there's no reason to do any night riding at all if you don't want to.

The NF1000 had a 9 pm start time; I had to do 4 hours night riding at the start, and after that I didn't do any.

[LEE]

My question was really about what options do people take when there are no comfy options available.  South Wales is booked up (maybe something on in Cardiff).

[border-rider]

OK all you experienced 600ers.

Give me some hints and tips on getting thru a 600 when there's no obvious means of getting a comfortable few hours in a hotel.

Am I entering a world of bivvy-bags?

bus stops.

park benches.

If it's raining, phone boxes.

I'd not bother with a bivvy bag.  If you can't get a decent sleep then a series of power naps will get you through the night OK.

MV top tip:

If you're going to ride an overnight perm, start on Friday.  Supermarkets are open all night on Friday and the baby changing room makes a great doze stop, with comfy chair

If a control is at a motorway services, there's often a comfy-enough chair to doze in too.  Gonnerby Services is a traditional doze-stop on an Easter Arrow from the South.

[Martin]

My question was really about what options do people take when there are no comfy options available.  South Wales is booked up (maybe something on in Cardiff).

There are options; in my limited experience they have included bus shelters (seriously, the one near El Supremo's control was a proper building), wheatfields (me, 5hrs sleep, not recommended for wet weather) and motorway service stations (Membury seems to have cracked down on this by replacing the nice carpeted corridor with a locked shopping mall)

[Greenbank]

motorway service stations (Membury seems to have cracked down on this by replacing the nice carpeted corridor with a locked shopping mall)

It was perfectly fine on the Severn Across. The cafe upstairs was warm and the carpet comfy. And I was surprised at how helpful the young bloke serving in the cafe was.

[Martin]

The e-mail re-posted;

Reading the route sheet, where to sleep is a bit of a problem.  I cannot readily see anywhere except Magor at 400km ish.  To get there before dawn on the second day Dave is letting people start earlir than the posted start time of 6am, ie from 4am as the minimum speed for a 6am start is 15km/hr, as 14.3km/hr gives 42hrs and this is a 40hr event (607km in 40hrs 28mins with a 10:28pm finish on the Sunday). 
 
Also the 607km is really 6km to 13km longer
 
Magor is at 396m officially but Dave reckons it is at somewhere between 402 and 409km so this is a hard event, and if you leave at 6am then you probably will not get to Magor much before 6am next day (4am means a 22hr 400 which is about my limit speed wise!) hence riding  through most of the night is the most likely outcome.  The stage to Magor is the long stage of 104km to 111km and the one that ** reckons was short!
 
I cannot see any way of avoiding a long night ride as Magor closes at 08:24 (opens at 19:12 for the fast ones!!!!!).  Also the previous contro is one of Dave's in a lay by! Times opening and closing are 15:56 and 01:52, and no toilets.
 
On the night stage to Magor there is a 24hr petrol station, which is not a control, at about 12.7km from Abergavenny, at about 70km into the stage, and about 30km from Magor. 
 
I have done Dave's 600km events before now without a sleep stop (in 2001 and 2006) as there were no inside controls suitable and last year I froze at Middle Bridge having got to Pease Pottage with you and the Collective too early, you may recall

I didn't even do Dave's 600 last year he's getting confused with the 400; but you get the general idea, fluffy duvets are not on the menu. Having said that; if you can finish this you can probably cruise LEL/PBP

[LEE]

OK.  I've spent today feeling pretty depressed about this ride, but I think this is down to following factors

1) The New Forest 200 (actually 271km because I rode to/from event) has left me feeling pretty sore but I found out my seat pin had dropped 5mm and I'm hoping that's why my legs are so sore.
2) I've been very tired. This maybe because I haven't got over 4am-1am New Forest ride on Sunday yet.

The previous Sunday was intended as a last training ride before my first 600.  I mistakenly (perhaps) thought that, because I had completed a fairly easy Denmead 300 a fortnight before, this would be a simple pub ride.  In fact it was harder than I had planned, leaving me feeling really tired. I realise now that I had under-estimated 271km.  I think I may risk not riding for another couple of days and grabbing some early nights in order to regain a positive mental attitude.

I definitely want to attempt this ride as my first 600km.  I think that company is essential thru the night stage (does anyone really want to ride 5 hours alone, at night, through Brecon Beacons and Black Mountains?) and I'd have loved a hotel bed for 5 hours but it isn't to be.

I think I may treat this as my PBP 'Entrance Exam'.  If I can get through this then I have nothing to fear (sort of thing).



PS. I want to do BCM next year (but mainly because of the large attendance and facilities)

[Greenbank]

(Again, no 600 experience here but I'll answer based on an overnight 400km ride).

I think that company is essential thru the night stage (does anyone really want to ride 5 hours alone, at night, through Brecon Beacons and Black Mountains?) and I'd have loved a hotel bed for 5 hours ut it isn't to be.

5 hours alone at night isn't that bad. As you've probably realised from other Audaxes you're only really ever 5 minutes behind AND in front of other people anyway. I've done long long stretches of miles in the dark within a mile of another rider but barely saying a word to them for hours, despite catching up and dropping/being dropped by them every 20 minutes or so.

I chased Maladict's rear light for *hours* on the Elenith, and Arabellas rear light for hours on the Severn Across. Just knowing someone is going roughly the same speed as you (i.e. you've not dropped to a snail's pace) is very comforting.

Beds are for when you've finished.

[LEE]

But it's still nicer to chat the hours away in company than to watch a tail-light in the distance.

Your examples remind me though of LEJoG.  I rode it solo over 9 days.  When I arrived at JoG, there arrived, after me, a steady stream of cyclists, every 15 minutes or so, completing similar rides.

I hadn't seen any of them before.

There is obviously a constant, never-ending chain of cyclists doing LEJoG at about 15 minute intervals who never actually meet.

I wonder how many people are doing LEJoG at any given moment.

[Hummers]

Lee,

Chin up old chap. 

As Mr Phipps once said to me (as I grovelled around the Winton 200 - bemaoning how I'd lost my form in just a few weeks) : "No Hummers, you're not as good as your last ride, you're only as good as this ride".

He was right.

I am still exhausted after Sunday and although I am not optimistc about record breaking times on the 600, am determined to finish it.

You are a strong rider and last Sunday was a mental setback. Ultimately, you have put the miles in and this will come through on the 24th.

Now stop your whinging and get on with it. 

H

[LEE]

Sir Yes Sir.

Yesterday was black day at Black Rock.  I think the 4am Saturday - 1am Sunday shift caught up with me yesterday.

Feeling better today, decided to give the bike a miss until tomorrow, concentrate on things non-cycling for a day and then get back to planning for Midhurst.

[frere yacker]

We've all been there on our first 600.  Most of us got around.

Respect the distance.  Be in awe when you complete it.

[Hummers]

Yesterday was black day at Black Rock. 

We all have those.

Especially when an 'easy' ride we've sailed around before proves tougher than expected - hence the pearly wisdomery of Mr Phipps.

H

[Danu]

I belive to much thinking is going on here.
As a audax rider of some little experience i think you are talking your self 'down'
If you have the miles the only problem is in the head, i want to say 'let the force be with you ' but it would sound naff and patronising.
Audax is not difficult and really belive me the hardest part is really getting your mind round it.
Try to form small groups to help each other thru bad spells and head wind sections.
It amazes me how riders struggle on their own when riders are only minutes behind, work together, it really does work.
At the end you will be wondering what you were worried about, either that or i wont be reading the forum for awhile

[mattc]

Try to form small groups to help each other thru bad spells and head wind sections.
It amazes me how riders struggle on their own when riders are only minutes behind, work together, it really does work.

Of course you do realise that there is always 1 rider who does not have this option? That rider is also likely to be the one most needing it. Or are you volunteering as Auk Tail End Charlie ?