205 miles in a day (Tommy Godwin Challenge) - the Discussion thread

[ianrauk]

@Scoosh
I think both threads should be in the one section of the forum. Side by side.

 

[mcshroom]

Another article here: -
http://www.chapeau.cc/blog/tommy-godwins-wheel-tracks/

 

[Saluki]

This might be an odd question but it was one that a client asked me this morning.

If Steve is riding along and finds himself 50 miles from home but with a broken bike/blizzard white out/force 9 gale or something that stops him riding back, can he finish and log the ride on his GPS and then hop on a train home?
I said that I couldn't see why not as it's no different from finding yourself 150 miles from home and checking into a B&B to fix a bike or wait out a weather anomaly. Was I correct in that assumption or does he have to go to whatever destination that he has planned?

 

[mcshroom]

He's free to do that, or even be driven upwind and ride home with the wind behind him if he wants. Wastes time though.

The UMCA rules are here: -
http://ultracycling.com/sections/records/max-mileage.php

 

[ianrauk]

This might be an odd question but it was one that a client asked me this morning.

If Steve is riding along and finds himself 50 miles from home but with a broken bike/blizzard white out/force 9 gale or something that stops him riding back, can he finish and log the ride on his GPS and then hop on a train home?
I said that I couldn't see why not as it's no different from finding yourself 150 miles from home and checking into a B&B to fix a bike or wait out a weather anomaly. Was I correct in that assumption or does he have to go to whatever destination that he has planned?

Tommy Godwin used to get a train in the morning or evening and cycle to the destination or home.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Here is a great graph (thanks to Jo @ YACF)

Steve progress is Red
Tommy's is Grey
IronOx is Green

@ianrauk , is Jo at YACF planning to keep this graph going all year long? And if you're a regular over there, what's the post title?

 

[ianrauk]

@ianrauk , is Jo at YACF planning to keep this graph going all year long? And if you're a regular over there, what's the post title?

HERE you go

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

HERE you go

Thankliness from Deptford, Ian.

 

[Justinslow]

Forgive me if this has all been explained before but how does the body recover in such small time frames, how do you avoid tendinitis, repetitive strain injuries etc etc! I think it's an absolutely amazing challenge but doing it every day of the year, blimey.........tough. I just rode 41 miles and just about dragged my sorry arse home battling for 20 miles in a bitch of a headwind, and I'm complaining? KUDOS.

 

[Ian H]

Best to read Steve's short biography and his explanation of his preparations, both on his website.

 

[User6179]

Forgive me if this has all been explained before but how does the body recover in such small time frames, how do you avoid tendinitis, repetitive strain injuries etc etc! I think it's an absolutely amazing challenge but doing it every day of the year, blimey.........tough. I just rode 41 miles and just about dragged my sorry arse home battling for 20 miles in a bitch of a headwind, and I'm complaining? KUDOS.

That's the test, whether the body can recover quick enough , the guy obviously has the endurance to cover 200 miles plus a day quite easily so it will come down to how quickly he can recover ,.

 

[velovoice]

I too wonder about recovery time etc, but from what I understand of what Steve has already accomplished over the past 24 years, he doesn't wonder; he already knows. So those of us thinking this is something he is going to be exploring/discovering/learning over the coming year are probably (I dare to say) wrong: Recovery is not "the Test". Recovery, for Steve, is already a known, a given, a familiar friend.

Of course, this doesn't stop me wondering about how he does it but my doubt/fear/worry/whatever is informed by my knowledge of my body, wondering what I'd need to do if it were me attempting this challenge. Fact is, I don't know what I'd need because I've never attempted even one tiny miniscule portion of all the stuff Steve has already succeeded at doing. At the end of the day, what I "wonder" isn't relevant. Because it's not me doing it - it's Steve. And I am not Steve.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

He's going to have fun today with this wind.

 

[srw]

57 miles so far. Looks like it's a series of loops aroune the Oxon - Bucks - Northants borders.

 

[Mugshot]

He's going to have fun today with this wind.

Too right, I did 26 miles to work this morning and have rarely been so happy to see the front door of my shop. The thought of having to ride 8 times further wasn't a pleasant one!