[HAMR] 10th June 2015 Day 161

[red marley]

Maybe. But even that is looking pretty tough; that record stands at 200 miles per day over 500 days. Steve currently needs 222 miles (357km) per day beat that including all of the winter months through to May 2016.

[bryn]

I think Steve knows what he's doing.

Undoubtedly, but there is some understandable confusion here about what the current objective is, or if it is unchanged.

Incredible rides, whatever the answer.

[toontra]

For me this is why Kurt's Facebook diary is such an important part of his attempt.  You really get a feel for what he's going through every day - what equipment he is using, the type of roads he's riding, what his strategy is (and how he is forced to adapt it) and most importantly the psychological effect the challenge is having.  You really can feel part of the whole thing and I find it completely captivating.

Steve's team (not Steve himself), on the other hand, seem to be employing a virtual media blackout, other than the occasional very dry press release when something major happens (like the accident), and consequently no-one really has any idea what's going on at any given stage.  I'm sure they have their reasons for this approach but it certainly makes it more difficult to feel involved in his epic feat.

[bryn]

+1

[Canardly]

Some feedback would appear to be highly appreciated.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Steve's current team is only interested in helping Steve, rather than in low-level PR.

[toontra]

Steve's current team is only interested in helping Steve, rather than in low-level PR.

There's a difference between letting people know what's going on and "low-level PR". 

You seem to be implying that Kurt's Facebook blog is "low-level PR" (given that's what I referenced).  If so I think you are very wrong.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

You misunderstand. Newspaper articles and radio interviews are high-level PR. Steve's crew chief got rid of anybody who did low-level PR.

[toontra]

You're right - I don't have any idea what you're talking about!

In any case, I was merely making an observation, not a criticism.  Steve's team obviously have him and his attempt at the forefront of their efforts, as they should.  I'm just saying it's hard for outsiders to understand what's going on.

[mzjo]

You're right - I don't have any idea what you're talking about!

In any case, I was merely making an observation, not a criticism.  Steve's team obviously have him and his attempt at the forefront of their efforts, as they should.  I'm just saying it's hard for outsiders to understand what's going on.

Do we need to understand the strategy? That's a bit like reading the book when you know already where the plot is going. Just sit back and watch the rides unfold - let the others write the plot for you and be surprised by what happens. We have these posts and the trackers, surely enough (although it could be argued that event followers posting to ask about the strategy is part of the plot!!)

[wajcgac]

For me this is why Kurt's Facebook diary is such an important part of his attempt.  You really get a feel for what he's going through every day - what equipment he is using, the type of roads he's riding, what his strategy is (and how he is forced to adapt it) and most importantly the psychological effect the challenge is having.  You really can feel part of the whole thing and I find it completely captivating.

Steve's team (not Steve himself), on the other hand, seem to be employing a virtual media blackout, other than the occasional very dry press release when something major happens (like the accident), and consequently no-one really has any idea what's going on at any given stage.  I'm sure they have their reasons for this approach but it certainly makes it more difficult to feel involved in his epic feat.

I think that Kurt is very much helped in this department by Alicia who does an excellent job of filming his daily adventures. I'm sure she isn't with him all day whilst he is on the road but her support is on a different level on a day to day basis than Steves team.

It's nice for us to know what is going on but not essential to either of their record attempts.

[toontra]

Do we need to understand the strategy?

You're right - we don't need to understand the strategy, and the team are certainly under no obligation to tell us the minutiae.  I guess I was just commenting on the differing public profile of the two teams.

And yes, as wajcgac says that it is probably more to do with the make up of the teams, with Alicia being more "hands-on" (so to speak).

[clarion]

Ah yes.  That too.  I'd forgotten the 100,000 mile record.

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Of course, none of these are being done under Guinness rules, so none of them will appear in the Book of Records most people think of and refer to.

Guinness? 

Old brand.  Wikipaedia - more likely.  They don't care about paid for sponsoring records.  They just record them.

[TimC]

For me this is why Kurt's Facebook diary is such an important part of his attempt.  You really get a feel for what he's going through every day - what equipment he is using, the type of roads he's riding, what his strategy is (and how he is forced to adapt it) and most importantly the psychological effect the challenge is having.  You really can feel part of the whole thing and I find it completely captivating.

Steve's team (not Steve himself), on the other hand, seem to be employing a virtual media blackout, other than the occasional very dry press release when something major happens (like the accident), and consequently no-one really has any idea what's going on at any given stage.  I'm sure they have their reasons for this approach but it certainly makes it more difficult to feel involved in his epic feat.

I also very much enjoy watching Kurt and Alicia's video diary, and love the fact that through it we are able to get an understanding of the scale of the effort. But the lack of PR from Steve's team is puzzling given that he is sponsored by a number of organisations who presumably expect some exposure in return for their investment. This, along with the nagging feeling that his current - substantial but not quite substantial enough - efforts are lacking direction gives the impression that the post-accident targets have still to be defined.

[Legs]

Totally agree, Tim.  Given that a substantial amount of the wherewithal for Steve's being able to carry out the attempt comes from private, personal sponsorships, it is not at all unreasonable to keep his backers in-the-loop.  To dismiss the way in which Kurt and Alicia are putting their story across as low-level PR does them a great disservice.  Theirs is a very engaging and much more substantial lasting record of their MO than anything I've seen from Steve's camp.

I've C&Ped this from the 11/6/15 thread because this seems to be the place to put thoughts on strategy

[Yesterday's] is really the kind of effort that one wishes was contributing to the new, concurrent attempt.

If Steve really is going to be going for a concurrent attempt, then in the interests of financing the whole shebang it really ought to be starting sooner rather than later.  I'm sure that he and his team are thinking hard about what rest and preparation Steve's body needs to have in order to begin again as fresh as possible.  If rest is what he needs, that's going to come at the cost of progress on the 2015 attempt and the 100,000 mile attempt.  It'll be a good thing to get fully recovered from the ankle injury; though he seems able to knock out big mileage days already, he doesn't have the required consistency yet and his routine is still disrupted by hospital appointments.

When I rode the Mersey 24hr nine years ago, I told myself that there was no point doing any of my warmup at a faster pace than I'd be riding at the end of the race.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

I am not in Steve's support team. They choose what PR to do. Take it up with them.

[TimC]

I am not in Steve's support team. They choose what PR to do. Take it up with them.

I'm sure Steve's team read what's written here from time to time. I've no doubt their strategy will become clearer in due course. I very much hope so, anyway.

[bryn]

I am not in Steve's support team. They choose what PR to do. Take it up with them.

Steve's current team is only interested in helping Steve, rather than in low-level PR.

The team list has two members whose responsibilities include Social Media.  Are they no longer on the team?

Social media support is worth nurturing should a further call for funding be necessary