[HAMR] Current thoughts on the record attempt?

[rabbit]

Have stayed out of this for a while, but now we are at the end of an amazing year my current thoughts are:

1) Well done Steve you are such an inspiration and I genuinely can't believe how you have continued to ride massive distances daily with everything that has happened on the illness, injury and weather fronts. You will be talked about for years and decades to come and you have reawakened the interest in the HAMR.  It's been amazing to watch from the sidelines.

2) It's time to stop, regroup and have another go in a few years when everything has settled, eating has been tested, health has been given a chance to return properly, and better plans are in place for the practicalities of trying to break the record in the UK with the modern traffic and road conditions.  Or head elsewhere.

If you do continue with the restart attempt, then best of luck.

[Exit Stage Left]

Another early thread.

https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=58795.msg1211561#msg1211561

[TimC]

It's important not to lose sight of what Steve has achieved in the past 364 days. 

He is demonstrably one of the most accomplished endurance cyclists of all time, who can look on the legends of first half of the 20th century and justifiably think "I have proven myself a match for them".  There is only one other living person who can also make that claim and he is about to take a record that has stood for longer than most of us have been on this planet.

It's fucking amazeballs.  Awesome.  I feel fortunate to have been witness to an epoch making attempt on a seemingly impossible dream.  I will be toasting Steve's success this evening and wishing him a happy and healthy New Year, wherever it takes him.

I totally agree.

[Wowbagger]

Indeed.

[crowriver]

Well done Steve for proving you have what it takes to keep riding, day in, day out, for a year. Beyond comprehension for most cyclists, I would imagine. You have already taken one record, despite suffering a broken ankle earlier this year. If you keep going, who knows what you can achieve?

Also to Kurt, what an amazing effort so far. The Tommy Godwin record is in sight. Just a few more days at current pace...

All the best to both riders for 2016, whatever it brings.

[Arry-R]

I have a feeling that Steve will continue (concurrent attempt )  to better his first great record in his age group

[Arry-R]

Jo,  how many miles a day would he need to average per day from now on his concurrent challenge to beat what he'll finish up after his attempt

[Bianchi Boy]

Like many on this forum I have watched Steve's attempt with interest and admiration. It looks from the outside that his problems have been caused by two specific issues -

1. Diet - he assumed he could just eat as on an Audax for the whole year. I saw Steve during the attempt once at a stop. McDonnalds, although not a scientific study I also stalked Steve on Strava  to see where he stopped during his rides. Most stops where garages and fast food places. He needs to eat a lot more goodness (minerals and vitamins) not from sports drinks but real food. Nuts, dried fruit, seeds are all high in calories and nutrients - Mcdonalds is high in sugar, fat and calories and little else.

2. He needs to ride faster to get the required rest each day, which is eight hours sleep or else chronic fatigue will set in. We have all burnt bright for a short time on PBP, LEL ... etc but for a whole year the pattern needs to be set and the rest is required. To achieve this Steve needs to stop riding long mileage for a while, have a complete rest and restart with a road racer type of training including short intense rides where he pushes his heart rate and lactic threshold. He will then increase his speed and be able to cruise at higher speeds. All my best long rides were done on the back of fast periods of riding. My preferred preparation for 400 and 600km rides is shorted club rides where I can speed up.

If Steve does not regroup and consider his options then (and I hope I am wrong) we will see a slow decline in mileage with the occasional big day or two followed by a dip.

Steve has nothing to prove to me. He has inspired me from my early days in Audax when during my second (and successful) attempt at the BCM I stopped at Whobley (sp?) on the second day. I ate all sorts of food I had purchased and Steve ate a block of cheese, when I asked him he said it was the only way to get the calories he required because he was going to ride to MK after the finish. We set off together and he dropped me while riding a low cadence on fixed at about 20mph.

So what ever you do Steve I will always admire you and you will have my support, but if you want the record some things have to change.

BB

[hillbilly]

Arry.

Let's say Steve wants to get 64,000
He's currently on 27,000 or thereabouts for the concurrent attempt
He has 219 days to go.

So (64,000 - 27,000)/219 = 169 miles a day.  Or thereabouts. 

This can be refined with more accurate distances, but it gives a sense that he is currently achieving daily distances around the mark he needs to slightly exceed that total.

[Oakhambike]

Like many on this forum I have watched Steve's attempt with interest and admiration. It looks from the outside that his problems have been caused by two specific issues -

1. Diet - he assumed he could just eat as on an Audax for the whole year. I saw Steve during the attempt once at a stop. McDonnalds, although not a scientific study I also stalked Steve on Strava  to see where he stopped during his rides. Most stops where garages and fast food places. He needs to eat a lot more goodness (minerals and vitamins) not from sports drinks but real food. Nuts, dried fruit, seeds are all high in calories and nutrients - Mcdonalds is high in sugar, fat and calories and little else.

2. He needs to ride faster to get the required rest each day, which is eight hours sleep or else chronic fatigue will set in. We have all burnt bright for a short time on PBP, LEL ... etc but for a whole year the pattern needs to be set and the rest is required. To achieve this Steve needs to stop riding long mileage for a while, have a complete rest and restart with a road racer type of training including short intense rides where he pushes his heart rate and lactic threshold. He will then increase his speed and be able to cruise at higher speeds. All my best long rides were done on the back of fast periods of riding. My preferred preparation for 400 and 600km rides is shorted club rides where I can speed up.

If Steve does not regroup and consider his options then (and I hope I am wrong) we will see a slow decline in mileage with the occasional big day or two followed by a dip.

Steve has nothing to prove to me. He has inspired me from my early days in Audax when during my second (and successful) attempt at the BCM I stopped at Whobley (sp?) on the second day. I ate all sorts of food I had purchased and Steve ate a block of cheese, when I asked him he said it was the only way to get the calories he required because he was going to ride to MK after the finish. We set off together and he dropped me while riding a low cadence on fixed at about 20mph.

So what ever you do Steve I will always admire you and you will have my support, but if you want the record some things have to change.

BB

+1 

[Arry-R]

Arry.

Let's say Steve wants to get 64,000
He's currently on 27,000 or thereabouts for the concurrent attempt
He has 219 days to go.

So (64,000 - 27,000)/219 = 169 miles a day.  Or thereabouts. 

This can be refined with more accurate distances, but it gives a sense that he is currently achieving daily distances around the mark he needs to slightly exceed that total.




Thanks for that swift reply Hillbilly.  I reckon he'll do that  (even with Doctor reccormennded ) rest days
Great and thanks again.
 

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Why bother? That distance would end up 3rd or 4th in the all time list, depending on whether the latest bloke finishes his year. Steve is already 3rd and will be 4th when Kurt finishes.

In round numbers:
To beat Tommy (75,000 - 27,000)/ 219 = 219 miles every day
To beat Kurt (76,000 - 27,000)/ 219 = 223 miles every day

[toontra]

Why bother? That distance would end up 3rd or 4th in the all time list, depending on whether the latest bloke finishes his year. Steve is already 3rd and will be 4th when Kurt finishes.

In round numbers:
To beat Tommy (75,000 - 27,000)/ 219 = 219 miles every day
To beat Kurt (76,000 - 27,000)/ 219 = 223 miles every day

Those figures surely put the record beyond reach on this attempt.  That being the case, I can only assume Steve has some other goal in mind.  If that's the case then the new goal should be publicly stated.  People can then decide themselves whether or not to continue their support in full knowledge of the facts.

That's another of Kurt's advantages - as he's self-funded he's under no obligation to explain anything to anyone and is a free agent (other than a couple of commercial sponsors who arrived mid-way and I'm sure aren't particularly bothered about their investment).

[LMT]

Why bother? That distance would end up 3rd or 4th in the all time list, depending on whether the latest bloke finishes his year. Steve is already 3rd and will be 4th when Kurt finishes.

In round numbers:
To beat Tommy (75,000 - 27,000)/ 219 = 219 miles every day
To beat Kurt (76,000 - 27,000)/ 219 = 223 miles every day

Those figures surely put the record beyond reach on this attempt.  That being the case, I can only assume Steve has some other goal in mind.  If that's the case then the new goal should be publicly stated.  People can then decide themselves whether or not to continue their support in full knowledge of the facts.

That's another of Kurt's advantages - as he's self-funded he's under no obligation to explain anything to anyone and is a free agent (other than a couple of commercial sponsors who arrived mid-way and I'm sure aren't particularly bothered about their investment).

100,000 miles?

When did Tommy hit 100k miles and what average MPD does Steve need from his first attempt?

I say first attempt, because to go for the 100k miles from his second attempt would mean riding beyond August 2016 until completion which would possibly bring him to the end of 2016.

Can't happen surely? Anyone know the figures?

[Wowbagger]

Is the 100000 mile record once that is recognised by UMCA - or any other body? And if so, does the challenger have to state in advance which 100000 miles he or she demands to be recognised for the purposes of two consecutive HAMR attempts?

[SoreTween]

When did Tommy hit 100k miles and what average MPD does Steve need from his first attempt?

It took Tommy exactly 500 days

I say first attempt, because to go for the 100k miles from his second attempt would mean riding beyond August 2016 until completion which would possibly bring him to the end of 2016.

Can't happen surely? Anyone know the figures?

No.  Using UMCA official results up to 8th December, Jo's daily post after and assuming no improvement on the 115 so far today then Steve's 2015 total is an utterly astonishing 63481.4.  For the 100k he would need a further 36518.6 in 135 days or 270.5mpd. 

[Wowbagger]

Can anyone on the team tell us what Steve's target distance is for the August attempt? And what weekly and monthly targets have they set to measure whether it is realistic?

[mattc]

Can anyone on the team tell us what Steve's target distance is for the August attempt? And what weekly and monthly targets have they set to measure whether it is realistic?

Interesting questions (although I'm pretty sure they are both rhetorical!). Some possible answers:

A) either "The record" or "Godwin's figure (as targetted on 1st Jan 2015) with a stretch goal of Kurt's  "

B) A bit odd; have any other recent attempts had such targets?

[Wobbly]

Those figures surely put the record beyond reach on this attempt.  That being the case, I can only assume Steve has some other goal in mind.  If that's the case then the new goal should be publicly stated.  People can then decide themselves whether or not to continue their support in full knowledge of the facts.

That.

I've been supporting Steve all year via a Standing Order. I would be delighted to continue to do that if I knew what he is now trying to achieve.

[Wowbagger]

Can anyone on the team tell us what Steve's target distance is for the August attempt? And what weekly and monthly targets have they set to measure whether it is realistic?

Interesting questions (although I'm pretty sure they are both rhetorical!). Some possible answers:

A) either "The record" or "Godwin's figure (as targetted on 1st Jan 2015) with a stretch goal of Kurt's  "

B) A bit odd; have any other recent attempts had such targets?

Well, as I said above, there needs to be a get-out clause in every major project and if there is a specific target milage in mind for August, then what is it? It's pretty easy, by doing some sums, to find out whether the end target is still achievable.

Most of us, of course, have already done those sums. It would be good to see the Team's thinking on this.

[Mr Larrington]

100,000 miles?

When did Tommy hit 100k miles and what average MPD does Steve need from his first attempt?

I say first attempt, because to go for the 100k miles from his second attempt would mean riding beyond August 2016 until completion which would possibly bring him to the end of 2016.

Can't happen surely? Anyone know the figures?

Tommy did the 100k miles in 500 days so ramped down his daily distances in the opening months of 1940.  Though I believe the winter of 1939-40 was pretty grim.

[Frank9755]

Why did the Team go cold on YACF / the audax community?

This is essentially Steve's background, or even cycling 'home', is probably where most of his supporters are and where most of his support has come from. But there seemed to be some break earlier in the year. Hence info occasionally comes out via press articles, such as the very good one by Zoe Williams the other day, or Facebook. But none of the team post here. And supporters / sponsors don't get told anything either. Steve obviously does post the odd update on here. But he hasn't got a lot of time! 

Hence we don't know the answers to the very pertinent questions above. 

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Due to the blackout, Tommy was virtually riding without lights through his second winter.

[Polar Bear]

Why did the Team go cold on YACF / the audax community?

Given some of what is posted, especially in this thread, are you really in the dark?

[LittleWheelsandBig]

The justifiable criticism and questions have come a long time after Steve's team climbed into their bunker. Their whole secrecy thing started ages ago.