Author Topic: [HAMR] Current thoughts on the record attempt?  (Read 252813 times)

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #875 on: 21 December, 2015, 01:15:38 pm »


That actually calls into question what the point of The Team actually is, apart from the domestic duties back at Steve's flat, assuming that he is still having someone in to do his shopping, cooking and laundry.

Currently?  Those things, and getting the bikes maintained; keeping up interest on the FB page. Plus advertising for car-assist volunteers.  There's been a good response so far – complying with UMCA regs is a bit of a faff, but they're pretty responsive.

Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #876 on: 21 December, 2015, 01:37:18 pm »
Once you have sponsors be they jo public or of the type the Pro teams have or the big amateurs teams, I would say you have a duty to keep the people that are paying for you to ride updated and informed.  It's part of the deal. If you don't want that, then take Kurt's approach and self fund.

And I would say that keeping people informed on a project like this goes beyond FB - lots of people don't do FB.

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #877 on: 21 December, 2015, 05:38:27 pm »
That very right hk, i and others from portsmouth area have monthly payments to steves fund plus one off donations made from the audax club Portsmouth chirstmas bash and my racing club. And in months we not had a word from his team. My feeling this is very poor show on there part. I will continue to support steve as he is a long standing friend.

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #878 on: 21 December, 2015, 06:26:05 pm »
To me - speaking as a friend of Steve - I just find this snide and nasty.

Don’t be ridiculous, although that’s your prerogative I suppose.  It’s a reasonable question, given the hitherto resolute adherence to a tortoise strategy that was clearly not going to work once it became obvious (many months ago) that the days aren’t long enough to succeed on the average speeds being achieved.  Especially as through the winter the situation could only get worse.

However, that some of Steve’s friends believe stifling debate about efficacy of strategy is more appropriate than trying harder to convince and help their friend to consider changing the doomed strategy is really rather surprising.  It’s taken this long for any change in strategy to be tried - maybe if the deniers had encouraged the debate instead of the repeated “Steve knows best”, “energy vampires” short-sighted shouting down of the perfectly reasonable discussion, the move to a possible record-rescuing strategy would have been achieved a lot earlier.

If those friends are more concerned with his health, then they probably ought to be persuading him to stop rather than keep banging away at the 30lb-tourer-fully-Carradiced headwind-chewing audax approach when the record is clearly out of reach that way.  At the very least they should have tried, and exhorted others (including those here), to persuade Steve that changing strategy was the only way the record could come......and I'm sure it gives no one any pleasure that it has/had to be this way.

mattc

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Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #879 on: 21 December, 2015, 06:59:34 pm »
To me - speaking as a friend of Steve - I just find this snide and nasty.

Don’t be ridiculous, although that’s your prerogative I suppose.  It’s a reasonable question,
No, it isnt.

It was snide and nasty. (That is what I think and feel. It may be my "prerogative" to be ridiculous, but that is irrelevant here.)

As are all your comments telling Steve's friends what YOU think they should be doing for him.

Your tone is very different from a concerned party looking for constructive discussion. End of.




Now: anyone fancy a friendly positive discussion, free of dick-waving? If so, bring it on :)
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

mattc

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Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #880 on: 21 December, 2015, 07:22:59 pm »
I would think that a tracker showing within a few minutes exactly where Steve is in the course of a day is pretty good feedback. In March, when he stopped for all that time in Devon, the longer it went on, the more worried I became. Likewise, in recent days the state of Steve's alimentary canal has been broadcast far and wide for our delectation.

OK, this isn't being given a glimpse into the finer points of team Steve's strategy, but if, after more than 11 months, it hasn't sunk in what that is (Steve gets up, rides a huge distance with occasional meal stops, goes to bed and does the same again every day) we haven't got the grips with what his strategy is, well...


 :thumbsup:
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

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #881 on: 21 December, 2015, 07:26:09 pm »
Saucer of milk anyone? :-*
DJR (Dave Russell) now retired. Carbon Beone parts bin special retired to turbo trainer, Brompton broken, as was I, Whyte Suffolk dismantled and sold. Now have Mason Definition and Orbea M20i.

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #882 on: 21 December, 2015, 07:36:23 pm »
My current thoughts about the record attempt are much the same as they were a year ago.

Quote

I remember Mc Nasty telling us that he once met the bloke who got the highest mileage in a year. He mentioned that he had to re-learn how to walk afterwards and that he caught night trains into the wind so he could ride all day with a tailwind.
I'd check the facts before taking it as true, but Mc Nasty does know a thing or two about long distance cycling.

It's certainly worth finding out that sort of detail, otherwise you're working against an impossible target; chasing Godwin's record in a different ethical climate.

We know he had support from an elite group of Raleigh professional riders, and that place-to-place records were run at times when suitable winds were likely, and still are.

https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=72564.475

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #883 on: 21 December, 2015, 07:47:15 pm »
Thanks for a re-read of all that, most interesting

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #884 on: 21 December, 2015, 07:54:21 pm »
The main difference in my thoughts is the knowledge that it was Sturmey Archer, a subsidiary of Raleigh that ran a team of record-breakers.


Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #885 on: 21 December, 2015, 09:25:01 pm »
Hi all.

I've not posted for quite a while now - I've taken a year (or so) out of cycling and audaxing to focus on family life BLAH BLAH.

Anyway, I've been prompted to this thread as I have been in training for next year's London Marathon and I have noticed through Strava some of the challenges Steve is currently coming up against. Unfortunately, the weather has generally been awful for the past month or so, with wind and rain typically in order.

I'm not privy to the current health problems, but it sounds digestion related which must be pretty grim and I guess would have occurred if this was still the first attempt.

I don't know Steve, but he is clearly in another league to many of us mere mortals, but I followed every single day that went by on here - not necessarily posting, but I was pretty captivated by the attempt.

It has to be said though as soon as I heard of the awful accident earlier in the year, I knew that suddenly this challenge changed in it's emphasis from a heavily weighted physical challenge to a mental one. One has to commend and admire Steve for the way in which he battled on with one legs etc etc, but I cannot imagine the mental turmoil that the lad must be going through - i'm sure he would never admit it, but the pressure of having donors, sponsors, taking a year out of work and the huge amount of latent expectation both offline and online must be absolutely horrendous to deal with and my worry is that whilst everyone is querying his physical condition, which admittedly right now doesn't sound great - some counsel over his mental state must be sought.

Whenever I have faced a challenge and for me anything over 200km's in a day was a challenge - it was always overcoming the mental challenges that were the toughest - the physical ones can be pushed through.

I hope this isn't construed as sticking my oar in where it is not wanted - but as I said I was only prompted here again out of worry.

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #886 on: 21 December, 2015, 10:39:11 pm »
On contributions, entitlements to updates, being “bad” for being - in my case - somewhat worried about how Steve is, and being a damned spoilsport for wondering if a different strategy might be worth considering by way of achieving his goal.

I don’t feel entitled, as such, to special updates of any kind as a result of making a small contribution. As Wowbagger has said, it is possible to get a fair understanding of Steve’s progress via Jo’s superb infographics, this forum, and social media. However, as I mentioned earlier, I would like to be more reassured that by chipping in I am not in any small way adding to pressure on Steve to persist with any particular approach - such as riding when unwell, for example, although I do of course appreciate that Steve has vast experience of pushing himself to the limits and that experience must be respected.

That is the essence of my minor gripes in relation to updates or information provision: that it almost always lacks the personal touch that would provide that reassurance.

On the other hand I fully appreciate that Steve may be someone that chooses not to divulge such information, even in vague terms, and that is a right that remains his regardless of any financial support from whatever source.

Anyway, I see he has had a couple of good days with tactical headwind avoidance, so onwards and upwards.


Jaded

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Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #887 on: 21 December, 2015, 10:54:26 pm »
I don’t feel entitled, as such, to special updates of any kind as a result of making a small contribution.

I feel the same, and I think the quote from Peter Hammill's "Energy Vampires"

"I've got every one of your records, man,
Doesn't that mean I own you?"

is apposite here.

There are trolls on this thread, there are supporters and there are concerned people. The shame is if the concerned people get swayed by the trolls to expect beyond what is reasonable and what is fair.

I do not contribute to Steve's challenge so that I am party to the contents of his bowel.
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #888 on: 21 December, 2015, 11:00:01 pm »
The last couple of posts ^ are spot on :thumbsup:
DJR (Dave Russell) now retired. Carbon Beone parts bin special retired to turbo trainer, Brompton broken, as was I, Whyte Suffolk dismantled and sold. Now have Mason Definition and Orbea M20i.

CrazyEnglishTriathlete

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Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #889 on: 23 December, 2015, 01:09:29 pm »
Just a thought on the stomach troubles - it could easily be a bug that he picked up from some roadside muck.  I struggled round the 2nd day of the Brimstone last year because of a campylobacter infection picked up from a muddy lane on the first day (confirmed by a GP who was also on the same event and was laid low in exactly the same way). 

And a thought on December mileage.  Tommy's mileage wasn't brilliant in December either.
Eddington Numbers 130 (imperial), 182 (metric) 571 (furlongs)  114 (nautical miles)

LEE

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Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #890 on: 23 December, 2015, 01:39:00 pm »
Just a thought on the stomach troubles - it could easily be a bug that he picked up from some roadside muck.  I struggled round the 2nd day of the Brimstone last year because of a campylobacter infection picked up from a muddy lane on the first day (confirmed by a GP who was also on the same event and was laid low in exactly the same way). 

Can someone confirm that Steve is using covered Water Bottles?

If he isn't then he will be sipping small amounts of cow-shit all winter (actually any time you get run-off from fields or cycle through the mud at a farm gate). 
I've posted on the subject of covered water bottles before.  I started using them after several winters of stomach issues (with me it was the feeling I had swallowed a bowling ball for a few days).

So much of the Godwin attempt is down to the luck of not getting ill (or hit by a motorbike) and covered water bottles are a simple way to "increase your luck".
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

LittleWheelsandBig

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Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #891 on: 23 December, 2015, 01:43:03 pm »
I think he is using standard Nuun bidons as he is sponsored by them.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Kim

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Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #892 on: 23 December, 2015, 01:46:07 pm »
Can someone confirm that Steve is using covered Water Bottles?

Doesn't look like it, from the photos I've seen.  He is at least using proper mudguards.


Quote
If he isn't then he will be sipping small amounts of cow-shit all winter (actually any time you get run-off from fields or cycle through the mud at a farm gate).

Given where he's riding, some of it will be pig shit.   :hand:

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #893 on: 23 December, 2015, 01:49:30 pm »

[quote author=CrazyEnglishTriathlete link=topic=90295.msg1962699#msg1962699 date=14508

And a thought on December mileage.  Tommy's mileage wasn't brilliant in December either.
[/quote]

Yes, but Tommy was significantly faster then Steve and as Citizenfishy has explained had a very organised, well thought out and supported summer months.

Steve's plan seems to be one of doing the average daily mileage of each and every day. I would think that using this approach you can only go into miles debt so far before the debt exceeds your ability to pay back.

Martin

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #894 on: 23 December, 2015, 02:18:45 pm »
Kurt's average was 201 for the early part of the year; it's taken him until now to get it to 208. Getting Steve's current average up by nearly 20mpd before August is going to take a new strategy IMHO (and it will need to be a bit higher once Kurt has set the new record)

Chris S

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #895 on: 23 December, 2015, 06:49:34 pm »
Meanwhile, weather forecast looks full-on for Christmas Day and Boxing day, so while we're opening presents, eating Christmas Dinner, getting royally pissed in front of The Queen, and (in full hangover mode) take on the masses at the Boxing Day sales, Steve'll be out there slogging away in the wind and rain.

I hope his support team have some form of Christmas planned for Steve.

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #896 on: 23 December, 2015, 07:20:40 pm »
If Steve heads west there'll be a festive welcome for him here
You're only as successful as your last 1200...

Wowbagger

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Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #897 on: 23 December, 2015, 07:51:21 pm »
I shan't be watching the queen!
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LittleWheelsandBig

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Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #898 on: 23 December, 2015, 08:08:01 pm »
Apparently Steve doesn't need this experienced helper at all between Christmas and New Year. Good to see that Hoppo has Steve's best interests at heart.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Tail End Charlie

Re: Current thoughts on the record attempt?
« Reply #899 on: 23 December, 2015, 08:53:30 pm »
Nice bunch of sour grapes there. I'm not one who thinks Steve's approach shouldn't be questioned, but that's not the way to do it.