Author Topic: Glenn Longland and Dominic Irvine's tandem LEJOG attempt (Read 3865 times)

Karla · « **on:** 04 May, 2014, 03:59:38 pm »

Yes folks, another record attempt. There are no olympic rowers this time: instead, we have the first man to clock 300 miles in a 12 hour TT. He's 57 now, but hopefully that won't stop him! Then there's ... some guy called Dominic Irvine. He failed an attempt a couple of years ago with a different partner, so has recruited Longland and is now back. Hopefully they can do this!

They started at 5:36 this (Sunday) morning and their tracker shows them approaching the Severn Bridge, so just under 200 miles in a bit over 10 hours - I make it a 19.15 mph average. The record is 50:14:25 for the 843 miles.

Intro on road.cc

Live tracker

Deano · « **Reply #1 on:** 04 May, 2014, 04:02:39 pm »

Didn't Dominic Irvine ride LEL? If it was him, he's a tough rider - Mrs d had to patch a fair bit of his skin at Barnie after he took a tumble in the Howardian Hills.

Deano · « **Reply #2 on:** 04 May, 2014, 04:05:42 pm »

Yes, it's the same rider:

http://www.epiphaniesllp.com/blogs/category/sports

(fourth article down)

mattc · « **Reply #3 on:** 04 May, 2014, 06:53:44 pm »

http://outsidetimes.com/inspired/interview-with-endurance-cyclist-dom-irvine-about-lejog-on-a-tandem-and-the-london-edinburgh-london-audax-4446/

He just about manages to say something complimentary about Audaxers, whilst thinly veiling his disgust

(he's registered on here, so if you're reading this mate ... well, 10/10 for diplomacy. Sorry we didn't have enough "Maverick Thinking" to impress you ... )

Karla · « **Reply #4 on:** 04 May, 2014, 08:46:39 pm »

If he's reading this, it's from a tandem currently 10 miles south of Shrewsbury.

Exit Stage Left · « **Reply #5 on:** 04 May, 2014, 08:47:54 pm »

We could tweet him a precis.

mattc · « **Reply #6 on:** 05 May, 2014, 08:40:52 am »

That tracking thingy is quite fun, but it's odd how many times I click and get a 0kmh. Most of the rest are 30kmh+, so it's working some of the time

(Has anyone got any info on what their schedule is, or anything like that, so we can actually judge how they're doing? Otherwise it's just random numbers on a map - and someone's LEJOG route (which is hardly a difficult thing to find) )

eck · « **Reply #7 on:** 05 May, 2014, 08:52:16 am »

mattc, found a link to this, not much info, but...

Quote

Monday, May 5
2:26am: Lancaster, 400 miles
7:23am: Ecclefechan, Scotland, 485 miles
2:11pm: Bridge of Earn, 597 miles
6:33pm: Dalwhinnie, 660 miles
Tuesday, May 6
00:28am: Dornoch Firth Bridge, 747 miles
7:47am: John O’Groats, 832 miles.
Read more at http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/lands-end-john-ogroats-tandem-record-attempt-gets-go-ahead-121787#8rI783tshrdqVCmQ.99

Aidan · « **Reply #8 on:** 05 May, 2014, 08:53:33 am »

Message off Facebook a minute ago

Quote

Bad news, unfortunately we've had to call off the record attempt this morning after 26 hours and 450+ miles. Glenn collapsed through exhaustion - he'll be ok but he's on his way to Carlisle Hospital to get checked out. Everyone is gutted. Thanks so much for all the messages and support.

Shame, seemed to be going well

mattc · « **Reply #9 on:** 05 May, 2014, 09:13:17 am »

Thanks Eck.

Looks like they were drifiting behind schedule by Lancaster.

Bad luck chaps, it's a tough thing to take on; if you're reading this*, put your feet up for a day or two Glenn!

_{*For Bunbury - this doesn't necessarily mean "right now". One can read these pages many many days after they are written! And for further clarity, I don't actually think Glenn will read this ...}

LittleWheelsandBig · « **Reply #10 on:** 05 May, 2014, 09:59:19 am »

I'm impressed by Glenn (and his achievements) but not by Dominic. He conflates advice for tandem newbies out for their first rides with maximising performance in a sporting endeavour. He appears to subscribe to the theory that talent is overrated in sport. In my opinion, he might be right about some other things but he's an idiot.

bodach · « **Reply #11 on:** 05 May, 2014, 10:04:04 am »

When we were riding the Deeside Loop yesterday McNasty said the RRA had a phone no. one could call for information. I may phone McNasty this morning for the no. when he gets up.

mattc · « **Reply #12 on:** 05 May, 2014, 10:05:40 am »

OT-ish, but Dominic writes some useful stuff here:
http://outsidetimes.com/skills/a-guide-to-prepping-your-bike-for-winter-training-5251/

(allowing for some over-simplifications for the sake of online brevity / punchy paragraphs )

bodach · « **Reply #13 on:** 05 May, 2014, 10:19:14 am »

Glenn Longland was taken to hospital in Penrith with exhaustion so attempt is off. They were apparently 2 hrs behind schedule at the time.

Exit Stage Left · « **Reply #14 on:** 05 May, 2014, 12:21:23 pm »

These attempts start from an interesting premise. They look at the male record, then the mixed record, and assume that the male record will be easy to raise. But the mixed record was set by Lynne Taylor and Andy Wilkinson. Something that won't mean much to anyone from outside the 24 and RRA scene.

mattc · « **Reply #15 on:** 05 May, 2014, 12:34:51 pm »

Quote from: Exit Stage Left on 05 May, 2014, 12:21:23 pm

These attempts start from an interesting premise. They look at the male record, then the mixed record, and assume that the male record will be easy to raise. But the mixed record was set by Lynne Taylor and Andy Wilkinson. Something that won't mean much to anyone from outside the 24 and RRA scene.

I suppose it's possible they look at the record being from 1966.
(google gives me this as a source: http://www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=62&Itemid=60 )

Tandem experts; at what point does a solo become quicker than a tandem? I assume terrain is the key?

Karla · « **Reply #16 on:** 05 May, 2014, 06:20:39 pm »

The Longland/Irvine schedule is on their facebook page. They were lagging behind by the time they got to Shrewsbury - they'd had a mechanical, but I think they were dropping further behind rather than catching up. I think they might have actually made up some time on that by the time they quit.

Quote from: Exit Stage Left on 05 May, 2014, 12:21:23 pm

These attempts start from an interesting premise. They look at the male record, then the mixed record, and assume that the male record will be easy to raise. But the mixed record was set by Lynne Taylor and Andy Wilkinson. Something that won't mean much to anyone from outside the 24 and RRA scene.

I remember reading James Cracknell saying that he talked to a cyclist friend about the mixed record before he attempted it. The conversation went something along the lines of "Who's got it at the moment?" "Andy Wilkinson and Lynne Taylor." "Forget it."

Ray 6701 · « **Reply #17 on:** 05 May, 2014, 06:40:45 pm »

I've read that someone will be attempting the ladies tandem trike record in August.
No one holds the record at all he mo & the standard to beat is 4 days.
http://www.rra.org.uk/records time/distance.html

Don't know who is riding though

Edit: as per the website - Notice has also been received of the following attempts:

Women's Tricycle 12 Hour, 24 Hour, Lands End to John o’ Groats and 1000 miles, by Jane Swain.

Currently there are no records held.

The French Tandem · « **Reply #18 on:** 05 May, 2014, 08:24:09 pm »

Quote from: mattc on 05 May, 2014, 12:34:51 pm

Tandem experts; at what point does a solo become quicker than a tandem? I assume terrain is the key?

We do not agree with the common belief that there are "tandem-friendly" terrains, read long flat stretches, and "non-tandem-friendly" terrains, everything hilly and/or twisty. During LEL last summer, many solo riders told us things like "this is really not a course designed for tandem, you must be really brave do do it". We really felt at odds with these opinions. For us, the main point is that on a tandem, you should know each other very intimately. If each tandem partner knows very well when the other will be strong, and when it will have moments of weakness, then the tandem will be faster, whatever the terrain. On the other hand, if you ride a tandem with a perfect stranger, then for sure you will go slower than on 2 solos.

I do not know whether or not Dominic and Glenn took enough time together to know each other sufficiently, but this might have played some role in what happened.

Frank9755 · « **Reply #19 on:** 05 May, 2014, 09:31:59 pm »

Quote from: The French Tandem on 05 May, 2014, 08:24:09 pm

I do not know whether or not Dominic and Glenn took enough time together to know each other sufficiently, but this might have played some role in what happened.

I read a comment by Pete Swindon somewhere that he thought they had been able to ride so well together because of the amount of time they had spent riding a tandem together to prepare for the attempt: six years!

The French Tandem · « **Reply #20 on:** 06 May, 2014, 09:13:55 am »

I reckon six years must be enough to know each other!

Assasin · « **Reply #21 on:** 06 May, 2014, 11:02:36 pm »

Jane is leaving Lands End at 06:00 on Monday August 4th.
Schedule is fairly relaxed as the standard to beat is quite generous.
If the wind is good we might pick up the shorter ones but the big two are the primary objectives.

Logistical nightmare but all part of the fun.

Ladies longbarrow is for later as is the mixed

There might be another solo bike attempt to - but that isn't official yet.

Kishrider · « **Reply #22 on:** 06 May, 2014, 11:54:28 pm »

Hi All,

Well I guess I seemed to have insulted quite a few of you. So first off, apologies if that's the case. Dealing with your issues:
1) LEL was a revelation - yes I had a preconception about audax but that was totally challenged by LEL and I came away inspired by many people I met
2) Yes it was me who was patched up on LEL after crashing and losing a fair chunk of skin - wonderful treatment that meant I could continue riding
3) Yes I did state I would aim to kick out 240w on the LEJOG record attempt - I got it wrong - I averaged 235w to the time we abandoned, if you're interested, my LT is 350w, VO2 is 76% and I'd been training to ride long distances at between 230 and 250w.
4) My writing is not aimed at experienced cyclists like yourselves but those not involved much
5) It was an audacious attempt to try and break this awesome record - I sought expert advice and spent a long time training of which riding LEL was a part. I assumed it would be me that would be the weak link in our attempt, unfortunately Glenn, after an incredibly awe inspiring effort simply collapsed . Thankfully we had a doctor on the team and within minutes he was on oxygen, with a drip in him and covered in a sleeping bag until the ambulance could get to him.

I hope this helps clarify and assuages some of the frustrations voiced.

Best wishes to one and all.

Dominic Irvine

Kishrider · « **Reply #23 on:** 07 May, 2014, 10:00:27 am »

Thankyou Oranj

Exit Stage Left · « **Reply #24 on:** 07 May, 2014, 10:15:05 am »

I'd be interested to see a breakdown of record attempts against weather events and by time of year. Isn't it usual to stage the rides in September, when there's a strong likelihood of a South-Westerly? That also gives a full season of build-up. Gethin Butler won the Mersey Roads in 2001, after riding the first 800km of LEL the week before.
I'd also like to know the effects of traffic, the 1966 Tandem record was before much of the motorway network was completed.