London Edinburgh London 2025

[LondonEdinburghLondon]

Who knows what the demand will be in Jan-Apr 2025.

If my inbox and facebook messenger messages are any indication, it's going to be very heavily subscribed, as it was in 2017.

 

[Ajax Bay]

If my inbox and facebook messenger messages are any indication, it's going to be very heavily subscribed, as it was in 2017.

Should still be able to fit all the stuffed bags in serried ranks A-AK and BA-BH in the same square meterage (ie a gym or similar) as at Loughton. And 'no', not on b****y canes. Drop bag return marquee worth having one additional 3m section (ie longer) so the returned bags can all be stored under cover (we were lucky it did not rain Thursday/Friday).

 

[Deleted member 121159]

If my inbox and facebook messenger messages are any indication, it's going to be very heavily subscribed, as it was in 2017.

Any thoughts on the point about equitable supply of food at controls to all riders? What changes if at all will be made in 2025 to ensure this?

 

[Ajax Bay]

Think Danial has this issue as one to grasp/grip and give controllers a clear message that the tail needs maybe more TLC (and food) than the bulge.

Any thoughts on the point about equitable supply of food at controls to all riders? What changes if at all will be made in 2025 to ensure this?

My thoughts are: planning will decide the number of riders that the event (in particular the controls) can cope with (and this is primarily a catering limitation) and entry numbers designed accordingly.
What sort of changes had you in mind?
Was there enough and variety of food in Louth for you this time?

 

[matticus]

On feeding I (ahead of the bulge, deliberately by front loading my effort (and start at noon, and touch and go at St Ives after only 100km) had square meals at 18 controls - value for money

Have you thought this through? Advising riders to sprint to the front of the field just moves the problem to different riders.
#imallrightJack

 

[Ajax Bay]

What other strategy would you advise, @matticus , to me or others? Integrating 1700 individuals behaviours for the common good (sufficient food variety and availability for all) seems to me to be a wicked problem.
I shall try to find the bulge progression animation which a clever person generated from the 2022 event.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/w...0gQKJw5nspmvHzT1wYJLW-oDhHxknk484RPxHug=w2400
In 2017 there were riders starting at 6am: I started at 12 (so with about 800 in front) and rode 310km in 13 hours before a 5 hour sleep stop: scarcely "sprinting" YMMV. Then 18 hours, 15 hours, 16 hours and fishing [edit 🎣 ]with 16 hours on Days 2345.
One change which Danial is making for 2025 is that there will be no fast cyclists (time limit 100 hours) get the first starts regime. I'm not sure what effects that might have but I'm sure a few clever people have modelled it.
I guess LEL could be run as an Audax (as opposed to a randonnée) and gruppettos of 50 (say) riding 15 minutes apart to a 18kph schedule with a set 30 minutes stop at every control, and a set 6 hour stop post sunset, for 5 days(!)
This board on another forum is worth mining for knowledge and insights to the planning for 2025:
https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?board=84.0
https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=124194.0

 

[Deleted member 121159]

My thoughts are: planning will decide the number of riders that the event (in particular the controls) can cope with (and this is primarily a catering limitation) and entry numbers designed accordingly.
What sort of changes had you in mind?
Was there enough and variety of food in Louth for you this time?

I've never ridden it but am tempted to try in 2025. Someone said there wasn't enough food?

 

[robjh]

I've never ridden it but am tempted to try in 2025. Someone said there wasn't enough food?

I think the problems were limited to a few controls at certain times only, when demand exceeded the anticipated capacity or certain supplies ran short. I think the organisers are well aware of this and are looking at how to learn the lessons for next time.

 

[Ian H]

The temptation going north to turn right to Innerleithen rather than the long way round via Moffat ...

Note that the route will be mandatory.

 

[Tribansman]

I think the problems were limited to a few controls at certain times only, when demand exceeded the anticipated capacity or certain supplies ran short. I think the organisers are well aware of this and are looking at how to learn the lessons for next time.

Yeah, that was my experience...I spent time at various points in the field, gradually gaining time over the last two days to finish in the top 300. I had a couple of issues at halfwayish, but even when most of the hot food was gone, there was still enough to fill up on and I was very well looked after by the volunteers who couldn't do enough for me.

Yes it's great if everything runs completely smoothly and we all know how emotional people can get when tired and hungry, but with an event like that, variable effort and energy is probably the only consistency. Chuck in the variable of the weather and I think in general the planning and provisions held up pretty well.

Always good if lessons could be learnt but don't think they need to be massive...from my experience on the ride anyway

 

[Deleted member 121159]

I think the problems were limited to a few controls at certain times only, when demand exceeded the anticipated capacity or certain supplies ran short. I think the organisers are well aware of this and are looking at how to learn the lessons for next time.

Yeah, that was my experience...I spent time at various points in the field, gradually gaining time over the last two days to finish in the top 300. I had a couple of issues at halfwayish, but even when most of the hot food was gone, there was still enough to fill up on and I was very well looked after by the volunteers who couldn't do enough for me.

Yes it's great if everything runs completely smoothly and we all know how emotional people can get when tired and hungry, but with an event like that, variable effort and energy is probably the only consistency. Chuck in the variable of the weather and I think in general the planning and provisions held up pretty well.

Always good if lessons could be learnt but don't think they need to be massive...from my experience on the ride anyway

Thanks for that

 

[Ajax Bay]

Thanks for that

If you want a broad spectrum of experiences look no further than the many accounts here:
The LEL Blog Roll:
https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=104384.75
including @DCLane 's I think.
Here's some remarks on this forum (2017): https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/lel-2017.157728/page-36#post-4936804

 

[DCLane]

@tripletail52 - my write-up from 2017 is here: https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/your-ride-today.173254/post-4911031 Not many photos as I started injured and had to just keep going and see how far I got. Back to London in under 100 hours as it turned out.

2022's route, as will 2025's be, was mandatory. That makes it tougher imo although I'm planning to register to take part.

 

[matticus]

What other strategy would you advise, @matticus , to me or others? Integrating 1700 individuals behaviours for the common good (sufficient food variety and availability for all) seems to me to be a wicked problem.
I shall try to find the bulge progression animation which a clever person generated from the 2022 event.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/w...0gQKJw5nspmvHzT1wYJLW-oDhHxknk484RPxHug=w2400
In 2017 there were riders starting at 6am: I started at 12 (so with about 800 in front) and rode 310km in 13 hours before a 5 hour sleep stop: scarcely "sprinting" YMMV. Then 18 hours, 15 hours, 16 hours and fishing [edit 🎣 ]with 16 hours on Days 2345.
One change which Danial is making for 2025 is that there will be no fast cyclists (time limit 100 hours) get the first starts regime. I'm not sure what effects that might have but I'm sure a few clever people have modelled it.
I guess LEL could be run as an Audax (as opposed to a randonnée) and gruppettos of 50 (say) riding 15 minutes apart to a 18kph schedule with a set 30 minutes stop at every control, and a set 6 hour stop post sunset, for 5 days(!)
This board on another forum is worth mining for knowledge and insights to the planning for 2025:
https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?board=84.0
https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=124194.0

You're missing my point!

No matter ...

 

[Deleted member 121159]

@tripletail52 - my write-up from 2017 is here: https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/your-ride-today.173254/post-4911031 Not many photos as I started injured and had to just keep going and see how far I got. Back to London in under 100 hours as it turned out.

2022's route, as will 2025's be, was mandatory. That makes it tougher imo although I'm planning to register to take part.

Great write up!