Women's LEJOG record attempt

[Ian H]

Crossing the Forth now.

[Karla]

She's through Pitlochry, and absolutely bossing it!

[Ian H]

I'm beginning to think she's going to do it.

Do you think Christine MacKenzie will come back for another go? 

[Karla]

Perhaps?  I think Murray is the faster rider though, and will always have the advantage.

[Ian H]

Email from the RRA

Chris had just crested A9 Summit at 21:55. Had some rain and a change of clothes. Going well. Still about an hour up.

[JonBuoy]

Unfortunately it looks like she has abandoned.  The tracker is in a Lidl carpark on the outskirts of Tain.  I am pretty sure that she was north of there when I looked a while ago.

[MattH]

Yep:-(

https://twitter.com/2137Lejog/status/1551443896810586112

6:47 am - "Overnight the weather has been absolutely awful. Torrential downpours and as a result very cold temperatures have taken their toll on Chris. Her and the team have made the brave (but very sad) decision to conclude her attempt. She ended at Dornoch Bridge, still on schedule!!! 😢"

[Notfromrugby]

Damn... she must have been in a terrible state to give up so close to the finish...

[Karla]

Nooooooo  :'(

[JonBuoy]

Any idea how much notice you have to give for these attempts?  As far as I can tell there has been plenty of rain in last night's forecast for quite a while.

[Karla]

You submit a notice of attempt to the RRA which gives your first possible starting date, then usually postpone it immediately.  Chris's did this starting July 1st.  You then have to give something like three days notice once you pull the trigger, which is the point at which the RRA message all their observers (e.g. Ian) and tell them to go down to the route and clock you past.

[DuncanM]

I think you have to pick a window of a month, and then it's 48 hours notice for the start time?
This tweet seems to back that up - when she submitted her notice her earliest start time was 1 July:
https://twitter.com/RRA_GB/status/1541911606728212482
So you end up trying to pick the time in the following month that you get the best winds for most of the ride, and if the winds look like they might turn, you might just have to chance it. You also have to make sure your crew (and the RRA observers) are available. The logistics are a nightmare.

[Karla]

I hadn't heard the calendar month thing before?  I think it can go longer than that.  Anyway, according to the RRA rules on their website:

All notices shall become null and void at the end of the calendar year.

[DuncanM]

Maybe I'm mis-remembering and that detail was something specific due to personal circumstances (eg having to go back to work/school).

[Karla]

Oh dear that's quite some collapse, and on the downhill leg too.  She was looking so good at Drumochter summit.  Whatever it was that hit her must have been biblical 

[toontra]

Whatever it was that hit her must have been biblical 

Accumulated sleep deprivation heading into a second night combined with deteriorating weather conditions would certainly finish me off!

[Notfromrugby]

Another attempt... new player, Michelle Lee... as early as Saturday