# GBDuro



## Proto (15 Aug 2021)

Anyone else dotwatching? LEJOG off road, self supported. 4 timed stages, least cumulative time wins.

https://dotwatcher.cc/race/gbduro21

Leader Angus Young has done 600km without stopping 🙀


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## Cathryn (15 Aug 2021)

Has it started? Wasn’t sure of the date! I’m so impressed at how the % of female participants has increased this year!!


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## fossyant (16 Aug 2021)

Blimey.


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## steveindenmark (16 Aug 2021)

Yes. I am watching it as I know a few of the riders. Mark Beaumont is riding in his first ultra race. The race format is interesting.


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## Proto (16 Aug 2021)

Cathryn said:


> Has it started? Wasn’t sure of the date! I’m so impressed at how the % of female participants has increased this year!!



yep, almost 50%, including #2 daughter. It’s not going as well as she’d hoped. 🙈


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## Cathryn (16 Aug 2021)

Proto said:


> yep, almost 50%, including #2 daughter. It’s not going as well as she’d hoped. 🙈



Woah...your daughter? You must be so proud of her. Can you DM me her name so I can follow her? Sending her loads of love and virtual encouragement.


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## Ming the Merciless (16 Aug 2021)

Angus Young won the Pan Celtic just a few weeks back.


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## matticus (16 Aug 2021)

Proto said:


> Leader Angus Young has done 600km without stopping 🙀


Sounds like a Highway to Hell.

_(Oh come on, you were all thinking it!!!_)


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## Proto (17 Aug 2021)

Well, that was a long, tough day and I was only dotwatching! 

Daughter Rose has made it to CP1 but not without having to dig very deep. Left Usk at 6:30 ish and headed into Wales proper. Late morning met her sister who is on a walking holiday, and admitted to her that she was having a bad day, struggling, but she pushed on.

Had to be at CP1 by 8:00 this morning to be eligible for a finish time, and nothing for it but to ride deep into the night. Finally got there at 1:00 this morning. She’s still in it.

one problem she has is that she’s Coeliac, and finding suitable food at random shops is not so easy. Garage forecourt pies and sandwiches are out, limited selection at any supermarket she can find. but she has to get on with it.

some nice photos here : 
View: https://www.instagram.com/p/CSo0SYisYlB/?utm_medium=copy_link


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## Proto (17 Aug 2021)

PS I think it’s only 29 riders that have made the cutoff at CP1. I guess the rest will continue just for sh*ts and giggles, but won’t get an official finish time. Not sure.

4 have pulled out, including Liam Yates, hit a dog, hurt himself.


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## Cathryn (17 Aug 2021)

Proto said:


> Well, that was a long, tough day and I was only dotwatching!
> 
> Daughter Rose has made it to CP1 but not without having to dig very deep. Left Usk at 6:30 ish and headed into Wales proper. Late morning met her sister who is on a walking holiday, and admitted to her that she was having a bad day, struggling, but she pushed on.
> 
> Had to be at CP1 by 8:00 this morning to be eligible for a finish time, and nothing for it but to ride deep into the night. Finally got there at 1:00 this morning. She’s still in it.



She is an absolute star - well done Rose.


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## Proto (17 Aug 2021)

We think she's forgotten to switch her GPS tracker on.


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## Cathryn (17 Aug 2021)

Proto said:


> We think she's forgotten to switch her GPS tracker on.


I was wondering where she’d gone! I was worried she’d dropped out.


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## Proto (17 Aug 2021)

Something amiss with her spot gps device, I think. It burst back into life later afternoon. She’s not that far from Chester (40km) where she’ll stop for the night, will be after midnight though.

Rode/walked/crawled for 18 hours yesterda, will be over 16 today. Frankly, I don’t see how anyone can sustain this but we‘ll see!

One of her mates quit today, Issy Hill. Vomitin made continuing impossible. Her riding partner Lucy missed the cut-off but is continuing anyway. Top girl!


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## Cathryn (18 Aug 2021)

Rose has her tracker working again! Go Rose!


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## Proto (18 Aug 2021)

Big wobble over night, completely spent.

She'd booked a hotel in Chester but still had 40km to go at 11.30 and realised she was'nt going to make it. Fed up, cold, wet, knackered, she bivvied somewhere along the trail, middle of nowhere. Got to Chester this morning and gave serious thought to taking a room for tonight, basically taking a day out to recover and think. Long stop, food, coffee, refresh, lots of thinking. Decided to press on. Hopefully she can recover some lost time and find somewhere decent to sleep tonight and still make CP2 in time. Fairly flat for this section to beyond Manchester, so can perhaps get a wiggle on, make up some lost time.

I notice a few more have abandoned, including Lee Craigie, who was flying yesterday, so not sure what's happened there.

Organisers ought to be arrested for physical abuse!


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## GuyBoden (18 Aug 2021)

"Angus continues his domination of this year's race, but it should be remembered he was in a strong position in 2020 before hypothermia saw to the end of his challenge"


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## matticus (18 Aug 2021)

Proto said:


> Rode/walked/crawled for 18 hours yesterda, will be over 16 today. Frankly, I don’t see how anyone can sustain this but we‘ll see!


In the world of audax/ultra events it's very common to be on the go for more than 18 hours, day-on-day. *But *you have to pace yourself, and that's often difficult without experience. If you're utterly spent after 18hours, it's a hard thing to repeat the next day.

Good luck Proto Junior, just keep turning those pedals!


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## Proto (18 Aug 2021)

To give a flavour of some of the Welsh terrain .........


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## Ming the Merciless (18 Aug 2021)

Proto said:


> To give a flavour of some of the Welsh terrain .........
> View attachment 604872



On a mtn bike you’d be flying along riding that. But I’m sure the gravel bikes they appear to have will be much faster (than a man bike) elsewhere.


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## Ming the Merciless (19 Aug 2021)

Angus has 15 hour lead over Mark Beaumont. As we wait for riders to reach CP2 at Garrigill


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## steveindenmark (19 Aug 2021)

Rose pulled out at the 923 stage. A good effort though . Nothing to be ashamed of. Its a real learning curve just turning up.


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## Ming the Merciless (19 Aug 2021)

steveindenmark said:


> Rose pulled out at the 923 stage. A good effort though . Nothing to be ashamed of. Its a real learning curve just turning up.



Hand numbness apparently. A well known condition afflicting distance riders.


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## steveindenmark (19 Aug 2021)

There are still riders suffering with hand and foot numbness from the Pan Celtic Race and that was weeks ago.


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## Proto (19 Aug 2021)

matticus said:


> In the world of audax/ultra events it's very common to be on the go for more than 18 hours, day-on-day. *But *you have to pace yourself, and that's often difficult without experience. If you're utterly spent after 18hours, it's a hard thing to repeat the next day.
> 
> Good luck Proto Junior, just keep turning those pedals!



Pacing tricky when you’re up against the pressure of a cut off!


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## Ming the Merciless (19 Aug 2021)

steveindenmark said:


> There are still riders suffering with hand and foot numbness from the Pan Celtic Race and that was weeks ago.



Can take a few months to recover depending on how bad the nerve damage is.


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## Proto (19 Aug 2021)

Ride report coming, but here’s a taster.


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## matticus (20 Aug 2021)

Good effort 👍

Sounds like a proper adventure


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## DCLane (20 Aug 2021)

Well done to her for trying. Having ridden PBP and LEL this looks much tougher. I scratched from 2019's All Points North due to illness and that was similarly tough. Riding 18+ hours a day is _really_ hard, particularly over rough terrain.


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## Ming the Merciless (20 Aug 2021)

In the dot watcher latest description they called it the GB Divide. Are GB Duro and GB divide one and the same?


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## Proto (20 Aug 2021)

Sadly, she quit yesterday near Rossendale in the Pennines. 950kms in. An accumulation of niggles that grew and eventually overwhelmed her. Probably down to lack of experience and route knowledge, and the consequences of planning decisions made which reveal themselves to be poor over the ride.

Weather shocking weather through Wales and Lancashire didn’t help, either.






Where to start. One big factor was not appreciating the horrendous terrain to be covered. It's not just a bike ride, it's not an audax, it's a serious race. She's confident that she'd manage big distances on tarmac fairly happily, 18 hours in the saddle not necessarily an issue. She was entered in last years Transcon but it was cancelled so this looked a reasonable substitute. HaHa!

This, though, was very, very different. Bikepacking to the extreme, against the clock, Lots of the terrain unrideable, with and lots of pushing the bike up and down (!) hills, and took its toll on feet and knees. Others factors were kit errors stuff got wet, and stayed wet, nowhere to get dry, nowhere to dry clothes so riding wet through for a big part of 1000km does damage. Bum, hands, feet all bruised, blistered worn out.

She used her Trek CX bike (she’d used it in the Rapha Pennine Rally - 500km Edinburgh to Manchester - successfully) but it was the wrong bike. Not enough tyre clearance, limited to 38mm, which made for walking some sections where others could ride. Slow, slow, slow. Her shoes, great for cycling but less good for walking, and with the wrong bike forcing the walking issue her feet took a beating. Blistered, swollen. Not pretty. The amount of walking/pushing started to give her problems with tendonitis behind her knees.

Bigger tyres might have helped with cross country riding comfort. Her hands took a battering, gradually developing numbness and loss of strength, not to mention the blisters. Double bar tape? Specialized Diverge with front suspension? Hands got so bad it was impacting her ability to control the bike, and she was very concerned that if she suffered a mechanical or puncture somewhere remote she’d be unable to fix it, top of the moors in the rain, no one for miles. Help!

Kit issues. Her bivvy bag wasn’t good enough, she got wet, and cold, and with not much chance to recover, as the weather being so bad, all her kit eventually got wet, too. She knew there are better bivvy bags out there but for reasons unknown (!) nothing was available in the UK at this time. Riding/walking for 18 hours in wet shorts is not fun, after sleeping in wet clothes, and was starting to get nasty sores. Getting back on the bike an ordeal.

Her bike failed a couple of times - cable/shifter - and was a big pain to repair, the cable nipple coming out of its seat in the shifter and getting jammed. Shifter is probably worn out. Lesson is your kit has to be tip top. Losing your gears halfway up a mountain on a rainy night not ideal.

Her Wahoo Element Roam worked perfectly, her lights both, Glowworm and Exposure (borrowed from Emily Chappell, thank you). too. Take two phones, one as a back up. Her phone got soaked and stopped working for a while. Not ideal if you get in trouble, or are looking for a shop or somewhere to sleep. Luckily it revived itself after the hotel stop the night before she quit.

Tactical errors didn't help. For example, first day she did well and could have done more. Another 20km? 40km? Would have reduced next days burden, more time for rest. Who know what's coming so take those extra Kms when you can.

So, that’s a summary, lots of little niggles build up. As she says, you bike goes, your body starts to go and eventually your head goes too.
Very proud of her.


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## Cathryn (20 Aug 2021)

Poor Rose - it sounds horrible, frankly. But I am genuinely so impressed at all she achieved. I wouldn't have the guts to even stand on the start line. 

(I'm also quite impressed she knows Emily Chappell).


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## Ming the Merciless (21 Aug 2021)

I’m sure she’ll be back next year to turn it around


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## Proto (21 Aug 2021)

Ming the Merciless said:


> I’m sure she’ll be back next year to turn it around



funny you should say that, she’s being making noises ……….


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## Cathryn (22 Aug 2021)

Philippa Battye (one of the leading women) posted a pic of her feet! This doesn’t look much fun!


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## Ming the Merciless (22 Aug 2021)

Angus set a fastest known time in stage 3. Mark Beaumont in a solid second place ahead of Ollie. Then Jaimi only 30 mins behind Ollie. Can she overtake him in stage 4 for a podium place? Think it’s tomorrow at 8am that they get going again. Quite nice having the regroups at the checkpoints


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## GuyBoden (23 Aug 2021)

Look what I found on my Cheshire ride today, I was riding down a narrow farm lane near Norley and there it was at the side, a GBDURO21 sign, it was very unexpected, as I didn't know the exact route they rode.





Look at the message underneath, a tribute to Mike Hall?


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## Ming the Merciless (23 Aug 2021)

GuyBoden said:


> Look what I found on my Cheshire ride today, I was riding down a narrow farm lane near Norley and there it was at the side, a GBDURO21 sign, it was very unexpected, as I didn't know the exact route they rode.
> 
> View attachment 605726
> 
> Look at the message underneath, a tribute to Mike Hall?



Did you take the abandoned bike with you?


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## Ming the Merciless (23 Aug 2021)

JaimI is chasing Ollie all the way to the finish. I’d estimate she’s about 18km behind him. About an hour. Neither can afford to stop if they want third place. Mark Beaumont meanwhile just needs to finish this stage less than 14 hours behind them to finish second overall. He’s currently about 1.5 hours down on them on this final stage.


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## Ming the Merciless (24 Aug 2021)

Angus disqualified after borrowing a dot watchers bike when his freehub failed. It all happened last night. Not what I expected to read this morning.


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## matticus (24 Aug 2021)

GuyBoden said:


> Look what I found on my Cheshire ride today, I was riding down a narrow farm lane near Norley and there it was at the side, a GBDURO21 sign, it was very unexpected, as I didn't know the exact route they rode.
> 
> View attachment 605726
> 
> Look at the message underneath, a tribute to Mike Hall?


Yup, it's for Mike Hall. I found this nice summary:
"
In the days after his death, the hashtag #bemoreMike appeared. It was even on the number boards at the Dirty Reiver I rode in April. I saw it as a call to ride more, keep going when the going gets tough, explore, push yourself even when you’re suffering. A more palatable version of ‘man up’.
"
https://singletrackworld.com/2017/06/be-more-mike/


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## matticus (24 Aug 2021)

Ming the Merciless said:


> ...
> Think it’s tomorrow at 8am that they get going again. Quite nice having the regroups at the checkpoints


OK - dunce hat on here - I've dipped into their website, and can't work out how this works! Is it like Rallying?
I can't see how everyone can restart at - say - 8am from the same place, when this far into the race some riders will be a whole day behind the leaders. 
(I do love a regrouping, however it comes about  )


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## Ming the Merciless (24 Aug 2021)

Found this youtube video of Lachlan in 2019. He was the pro who took part that year. He also rode solo ahead of the TDF this year.


View: https://youtu.be/e74xncSCoqw


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## Ming the Merciless (24 Aug 2021)

matticus said:


> OK - dunce hat on here - I've dipped into their website, and can't work out how this works! Is it like Rallying?
> I can't see how everyone can restart at - say - 8am from the same place, when this far into the race some riders will be a whole day behind the leaders.
> (I do love a regrouping, however it comes about  )



It’s not a single stage race like other events. It’s split into four stages. When you get to the end of a stage you get to rest up till the next stage start time. Which is not that long after the previous stage deadline. The winner is the one with the least accumulated time across the four stages. Time stopped at the end of each stage isn’t counted.

This does mean the faster riders get more rest without it affecting there cumulative time. So can generally keep going at a reasonable pace. Whilst if your on the limit. You are without rest and will see your speed drop and drop and drop.

You can’t gain time by not resting at the end of a stage. You can only gain time during a stage.

I think the deadline of each stage is set so riders have to cover a min of 210km every 24 hours or there abouts.


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## Proto (24 Aug 2021)

Angus Young disqualified 🙀

Freehub failed with 120km to go and a random dot watcher lent him a bike to get him to the finish, which the organisers have decided is against the rules. He should have somehow (taxi?) got to a bike shop (where?), got it fixed then returned to the course and then carried on.

That’s very tough. 🙁


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## Ming the Merciless (24 Aug 2021)

Proto said:


> Angus Young disqualified 🙀
> 
> Freehub failed with 120km to go and a random dot watcher lent him a bike to get him to the finish, which the organisers have decided is against the rules. He should have somehow (taxi?) got to a bike shop (where?), got it fixed then returned to the course and then carried on.
> 
> That’s very tough. 🙁



All described in Dotwatcher. It was with 222km to go and taxi to Inverness.


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## chriswoody (24 Aug 2021)

Incredibly cruel luck, there's a bit more here:

https://bikepacking.com/news/angus-young-stage-4-gbduro-freehub-failure/

It does seem to be a harsh decision, especially in light of this passage from the above article:

"The rules are slightly nebulous as many ultra-endurance race events require any support to be “unplanned” or “from commercially available sources.” GBduro’s own race manual states that no support, “from other riders or friends/family or make bookings in advance of the ride; all food, repairs, etc, must be acquired from commercial sources or from the kindness of strangers.” In my opinion, the latter _kindness of strangers_ statement seems to theoretically legitimize it, but organizers are reviewing the facts and will make a decision regarding the legality of a bike swap shortly.

It looks like Jaimi Wilson has grabbed third though, which is fantastic. 

Massive respect to everyone who took part this year, it really has been a tough event.


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## Proto (24 Aug 2021)

Someone told me Angus Young helped write the rules!


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## neil_merseyside (24 Aug 2021)

chriswoody said:


> I In my opinion, the latter _kindness of strangers_ statement seems to theoretically legitimize it, but organizers are reviewing the facts and will make a decision regarding the legality of a bike swap shortly.



All you'd need is kindly strangers with freshly charged bikes every 50 miles then...


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## matticus (24 Aug 2021)

@Ming the Merciless but this confuses me:
"For some of the pack they were setting off for the final push to John O’Groats whereas we had our remaining riders cross the border into Scotland ready for the final stretch North."
... which implies that some riders are further up the route. I think!

EDIT: oh hang on - maybe they're talking about riders still in GC, then a separate group who are outside time limits but still riding?


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## Ming the Merciless (24 Aug 2021)

matticus said:


> @Ming the Merciless but this confuses me:
> "For some of the pack they were setting off for the final push to John O’Groats whereas we had our remaining riders cross the border into Scotland ready for the final stretch North."
> ... which implies that some riders are further up the route. I think!
> 
> EDIT: oh hang on - maybe they're talking about riders still in GC, then a separate group who are outside time limits but still riding?



Your edit has it. Riders who are outside the time limits and therefore GC. Have decided to continue. But obviously outside of the race by that point.


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## Ming the Merciless (24 Aug 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> These rules can be a bit tough. Some of them seem a bit weird and obsessive to me as an outsider, but I'm sure they make sense to the participants.
> 
> Still, Angus Young must be getting on a bit now, AC/DC have been around for ages. So fair play to him.



The self support rules that he fell foul of are an ultra racing thing. Audax is also self supported. Other than what the organiser lays on. But in audax if you borrowed a bike or someone (another rider or random person) gave you an inner tube. As long as you rode the route and pass through controls in time limits you’d be fine. So less strict, but the latter isn’t racing.

Same with accommodation. Pre booking in ultra races is a big no no. But if you want to book accommodation on an audax. Crack on. In fact on a few multi day audax the organisers even suggest where to book a stop.


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## Ming the Merciless (24 Aug 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Yeah, they tend to seem a bit extreme to me. For example your pal texting you "Big storm forecast for tonight" would be a no-no, but you looking at weather.com would be fine. They remind me of Eugene Christophe getting into trouble in the TdF for getting a boy to operate the forge bellows when he fixed his fork. And maybe that's right, as ultra racing is in part going back to the roots of early, self reliant, racing.
> 
> But as I'm not an ultra-racer and never will be it's absolutely none of my business, and it's not really important what I think.



I think ultra racing is something I’d have got into if it’d kicked off 20 years ago. GBDURO is just the thing that would have caught my eye in my 30s when I was doing multi day off road mtn bike tours.

As it was, 11 years ago, I found audax in mid 40s as I switched back to road riding.

In my 60s I think I’ll be moving more towards touring with time to divert and proper sleep!


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## matticus (24 Aug 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Regardless of when it started I don't think I'd ever have had *the physical ability to go in for ultra racing*. Or, indeed any kind of racing. In my 30s I was plodding round half-marathons with the sole aim of getting to the finish before everyone went home.


If "ChrisX" can complete a "typical" audax, ChrisX can do a bike race. Thing is, you have to pick the right one according to ability! 
<_deletes long essay talking about 24h TT, 'Cross, velodromes yada yada ... _>

ChrisX could ride a 10mile TT. ChrisX might be able to complete an Ultra race inside cut-offs; there is a spectrum out there. GBDuro is NOT at the easy end of that sepctrum, and I know I couldn't complete in GC limits (and that's a year with good weather)!

The faster/fitter* ChrisX is, the more races are available. Of course being at the sharp end is a totally different thing, and isn't even on my radar.

*add in other mental/skills/experience stuff as desired.


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## Dogtrousers (24 Aug 2021)

We seem to be drifting OT a bit. To come back to GBDuro, I wonder what the legal position is, holding what is essentially a stage race on (or partly on) public highways. I wonder if it falls under the same set of laws/regulations as "ordinary" racing.


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## GuyBoden (24 Aug 2021)

Well done Mark Beaumont. 
Mark Beaumont has won GBDURO21 in 135h 24m
Another success to add to his great cycling achievements.


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## matticus (24 Aug 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> We seem to be drifting OT a bit. To come back to GBDuro, I wonder what the legal position is, holding what is essentially a stage race on (or partly on) public highways. I wonder if it falls under the same set of laws/regulations as "ordinary" racing.


[As no-one else has had a go at this ...]
I think races are acting on precedent here. The laws of "ordinary" racing are focused on bunch racing (very highly regulated), and time trials (less so). Long-distance stuff is ridden a lot less franticaly than TTs, so there's an argument that they need even less regulation.
In the UK, TCR has tested the water with a race of sufficiently high profile that the police can't have failed to notice it (Westminster Bridge start initially, IIRC!)
UK sportives are IMO much higher risk to the public. [dons flameproof suit ... ]

So I don't know any legal details, but I'm confident it's of little concern. Insuring the riders is probably the bigger concern - the TCR people are very diligent around that, much more so that audax bodies.


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## Ming the Merciless (24 Aug 2021)

I’d agree with that. The GBDURO riders are typically in their Z1 / Z2 heart rates with Z3 on hills. They are not in bunch sprints, going as fast as possible, mm apart, chasing diminishing gaps on a tight corner.


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## Ming the Merciless (24 Aug 2021)

They have this in their rules

”Our rides are not races, they are reliability trials for solo riders riding a bicycle without any dedicated assistance. There are no entry fees and no prizes. There are no officiators, no marshals, no ride leaders, no rescue services. There is no support.“

Neither a trial of speed or race. More a test of endurance. Mind with a max fine of £10..🤔


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## Ming the Merciless (24 Aug 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> But the risk in question is mainly one of getting caught for a short while behind a bunch of cyclists and being slowed down a bit.



Hmm, no drafting would sort that. But being caught for a short while behind one or more cyclists doesn’t break any laws I’m aware of.


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## matticus (24 Aug 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> But the risk in question is mainly one of getting caught for a short while behind a bunch of cyclists and being slowed down a bit.


I'm not sure what legal framework - or branch of Health and Safety - would consider this a "risk".



Dogtrousers said:


> So unless they have squared things legally the participants could be at risk of facing enormous fines (not exceeding ten of your English pounds).


So is the issue now resolved to your satisfaction? :-)

I hope my input was helpful!


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## Ming the Merciless (24 Aug 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> It's still a pretty disastrous outcome for many. Depends who you ask.



Not disastrous when stuck behind vehicles of the same type as theirs or they are holding up someone behind them. Which let’s face it is what happens 99% of the time.


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## steveindenmark (25 Aug 2021)

The rules for this ride are basically the rules written down by Mike Hall for the Transcontinental Race. Had Angus been halfway down the field, there would have been a chance that his change of bike would have been overlooked. But a lot of the Ultra rules are open to interpretation and often comes down to how much do you want to cheat yourself? Angus had such a lead he could maybe have got the wheel repaired and still won the race. I look forward to seeing why that did not pan out. But his disqualification was the right thing.

My mate, Nick Spencer- Vellacott came in 6th. Other friends, Chris Bower and Sharon Calton set off as a pair but Sharon had to pull out due to injury. This was their second attempt. Chris carried on and will finish today. Sharon is miffed as she has done the hardest part of the course twice now. 😊


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## Ming the Merciless (25 Aug 2021)

Couple of riders from pairs about 4 hours from finish. One guy still coming and down in the borders. The non GC riders just trying to finish.


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## matticus (26 Aug 2021)

Ming the Merciless said:


> In the dot watcher latest description they called it the GB Divide. Are GB Duro and GB divide one and the same?


Somewhere on their fun-but-anarchic site I found something like:
"GBDuro uses the same route as our GB Divide"

HTH!


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## matticus (26 Aug 2021)

Ming the Merciless said:


> It’s not a single stage race like other events. It’s split into four stages. When you get to the end of a stage you get to rest up till the next stage start time. Which is not that long after the previous stage deadline. The winner is the one with the least accumulated time across the four stages. Time stopped at the end of each stage isn’t counted.
> 
> This does mean the faster riders get more rest without it affecting there cumulative time. So can generally keep going at a reasonable pace. Whilst if your on the limit. You are without rest and will see your speed drop and drop and drop.
> 
> ...


<re-dons dunce hat>
So there is a rest day after 3 of the 4 stages ... Presumably the cut-off (for Stage 3) is many hours before the permitted start of Stage 4. Is that right? Very unusual format, but I rather like it! 

It's funny how Ultras are mainly a solo event (i.e. limited riding in bunches, grouplets etc) compared to audax/sportives, but the events strongly promote hanging out together "off the clock".


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## Proto (11 Feb 2022)

Ming the Merciless said:


> I’m sure she’ll be back next year to turn it around


She‘s entered this years event 🙈


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## Ming the Merciless (11 Feb 2022)

Proto said:


> She‘s entered this years event 🙈



Good for her not being put off. If at first you don’t succeed…


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## Proto (11 Feb 2022)

She also entered the Montañas Vacias - 680km and 13000m, riding with her elder sister. Looks very tough terrain.

https://montanasvacias.com/


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## GuyBoden (5 Aug 2022)

Fantastic, they're doing it again in 2022. 

https://www.theracingcollective.com/gbduro.html

"We'll start out from Land's End on 13 August 2022 and end at John O’Groats on
23 August 2022 for the Finishers' Party."

Wow, a tough ride, for tough riders......


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## GuyBoden (6 Aug 2022)

A film about last years GBDuro ride following a lot of Mark Beaumont's ride.


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## GuyBoden (12 Aug 2022)

GBDURO 2022

Starts Saturday 13th Aug.
https://www.theracingcollective.com/gbduro.html

Dot watching here:
https://www.followmychallenge.com/live/gbduro22/?50.132469,-5.44883,9


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## GuyBoden (13 Aug 2022)

Started at 8am Sat 13th.

Alexander Kopp currently in front near the 200km point, but not too far in front.

Molly Weaver riding well in 6th position.

A very challenging ride, made more difficult in this heat.


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## GuyBoden (14 Aug 2022)

Alexander Kopp is still in front by about 25km, but with no sleep, he seems to have gone off route before the Severn Bridge.

Molly Weaver has moved into 5th position, but did she also go off route before the Severn Bridge.


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## GuyBoden (15 Aug 2022)

Alexander Kopp, Huw Oliver, Christophe Dijkmans, Molly Weaver, Samuel Thompson and Bryn Davies are the first few to ride to control point 1 (latest update 9:30am), so the end of stage 1 for them, well done a truly excellent ride in this heat. Stage 2 starts at 8am Tuesday and is also the cut off time for riders to complete stage 1, so a good rest for the leaders and less for everyone else.

If Stage 1 was Heat, then Stage 2 looks like Rain and Thunder.

Stage 2 passes my local rides, so hopefully I might see a few of these tough, brave, endurance riders.


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## GuyBoden (16 Aug 2022)

Stage 2 got underway at 8am, 27 riders started, Alexander Kopp is leading from the front again.

Write up and dot watching here:
https://dotwatcher.cc/race/gbduro-2022


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## GuyBoden (17 Aug 2022)

Alexander Kopp has dropped back due to a rear derailleur cage break.

Molly Weaver has tested positive for Covid and feeling unwell, so is out.

Huw Oliver has taken the lead and has passed the 1000km point near Pen-Y-Ghent at 8:30am.


Alexander Kopp's broken rear derailleur cage bodge below:






Write up and dot watching here:
https://dotwatcher.cc/race/gbduro-2022


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## GuyBoden (18 Aug 2022)

I waved to about 6 GBDuro riders while I was on my usual Cheshire ride to Beeston Castle yesterday, they were easy to spot, all were fully loaded with bikepacking gear with big heavy tyres, riding very slowly. Cheshire is probably the easy bit of the GBDuro ride.

Seven riders are currently at CP2 Garigill (10am), it will be a 8am start tomorrow morning for Stage 3.
https://dotwatcher.cc/race/gbduro-2022


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## GuyBoden (19 Aug 2022)

Stage 3 started today at 8am

24 riders are left in the GC, with Huw Oliver the current leader in GC.

The riders had to climb up Great Dun Fell, one of the steepest climbs in England, then up a gravel path to the top before decending to complete stage 2, many riders were in the rain.

A few riders who didn't make the cut off times are still out there enjoying the ride.

More info here:
https://dotwatcher.cc/race/gbduro-2022


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## GuyBoden (21 Aug 2022)

Riders are at check point 3, with Huw Oliver still the current leader in GC.
More info: 
https://dotwatcher.cc/race/gbduro-2022


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## GuyBoden (22 Aug 2022)

The final stage started today at 8am. There are 19 riders still in the GC.

Just a shorter 378k ride to the finish at John o’Groats.

More info here:
https://dotwatcher.cc/race/gbduro-2022


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## GuyBoden (23 Aug 2022)

First at John o’Groats:


Huw Oliver1994.08 KM122 hrs 14 mins

More info:
https://dotwatcher.cc/race/gbduro-2022

I'm hoping that Simon Wareing makes the cut off for GC at 8pm tonight, I spoke to him near Delamere last week, he looked tired then and had crashed, but hopefully will keep on pedalling to the end. What an adventure for all the GBDuro riders.


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## matticus (24 Aug 2022)

GuyBoden said:


> First at John o’Groats:
> 
> 
> Huw Oliver1994.08 KM122 hrs 14 mins



Bonkers. Most of us couldn't do back-to-back 250 mile days on a *proper *surface! [even allowing for the extra rest the leaders get].


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## GuyBoden (24 Aug 2022)

GBDuro 1994.08km





Leszek Pochron-Frankowski is still pedalling to the finish.


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