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

[Custom24]

I suggested much earlier in the thread that I thought that the rules for this record should have included the riders starting each day where they finished the previous day's ride. That would prevent the driving out to get tailwinds trick, and also driving to the top of long descents, though that one may already be covered by the rules.

No, the rules cover neither

http://ultracycling.com/sections/records/max-mileage.php

 

[Mugshot]

Oh ...

What's happened ?

He definitely had some health issues, which prompted the restart. I believe from reading some Facebook posts that a close friend died recently. Plus he was falling further behind, so I guess it all got a bit much.
Massive kudos to him though, he's done something phenomenal and given it a good go, unlike that idiot Iron Ox who I suspect was simply trying to drive traffic to his work website/Facebook page.

 

[ColinJ]

No, the rules cover neither

http://ultracycling.com/sections/records/max-mileage.php

Rule #6 says no teams, but rule #19 says that drafting is allowed. So ... the rider does actually have to ride all of the miles, but that can be achieved by being driven to the top of the nearest mountain, deciding which direction to descend based on the wind direction, and then being paced down the descent by an entire peloton if one happened to be available.

I really don't think that would be in the spirit of the challenge, but there appears to be nothing to stop somebody doing it!

I think if someone did that then it would bring the record into disrepute, so then the UMCA would have to change the rules to what they should have been in the first place, and put the unsporting records to one side.

 

[ianrauk]

I really don't think that would be in the spirit of the challenge, but there appears to be nothing to stop somebody doing it!

Godwin used to get trains in to the wind and tailwind it back

 

[Ian H]

Would anyone with a camper van please take Steve at the end of each windy day to a place where he will have a tailwind for his next 200 miler. I guess that might be seen by Steve as not playing fair, oh wait a minute.....

The logistics are pretty daunting, which is why we haven't tried it so far.

 

[ColinJ]

Godwin used to get trains in to the wind and tailwind it back

That makes my proposition a bit awkward then ...

Still, you can see what I am getting at?

 

[Custom24]

That makes my proposition a bit awkward then ...

Still, you can see what I am getting at?

Steve Abraham himself helped draft the rules for the HAMR, if I remember correctly.
With a challenge like this, you're never going to be able to make the playing field entirely level.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Godwin used to get trains in to the wind and tailwind it back

Thanks for posting that. I was going to post similar but I couldn't remember where I'd read it, and I feared that I might have made it up.

 

[totallyfixed]

The logistics are pretty daunting, which is why we haven't tried it so far.

Fully understand, unfortunately it is of course entirely possible for strong winds to blow for a week or more at a time, a couple of days you can deal with but much more than that and mileages will inevitably drop, to say nothing of the mental and physical strain Steve will have to endure. Having ridden with him I know how single minded he is, but even Steve is not super human, if I had a camper van I would definitely be helping as much as I could. Any chance of Steve riding from west to east then someone driving him back to MK at the end of the day to repeat the following day? Very strong winds forecast for tomorrow, going to be a tough one, our thoughts are with him.

 

[ianrauk]

From Jo from the other place

ay 320 / 101: Kurt does 28 repeats of a loop through Flatwoods with friends providing welcome relief from motor traffic and and 228 miles. He's now over 460 miles above the Godwin line. Steve heads though the Chilterns for a visit to Amersham and a shorter, hilly and windy day. His 147 miles leaves him around 140 miles below WR pace.

 

[ianrauk]

From Jo from the other place.. The OYTT Website HERE

 

[Dogtrousers]

Go Steve. Fiercely windy in Steve's neck of the woods over the last 24 hours.

A tree blew down onto the railway power lines at Harpenden last night, causing my comfortable enclosed, train travel some minor inconvenience. I imagine it may be even more inconvenient if you happen to be riding a bike. Flags flapping wildly on flagpoles in Northamptonshire at the moment.

 

[Mugshot]

Steve Abraham
10 hrs ·
It's been a brutal few days of slow riding for Steve, with ferocious winds battering the UK since the weekend. But he's 'slaving on' and trying to work with the conditions. Nobody said this would be easy wink emoticon

 

[Mugshot]

Steve Abraham
1 min ·
Steve Abraham is contemplating yet another windy weekend and one wonders how many miles he'll manage to cover on Saturday and Sunday. Any predictions...?

 

[ianrauk]

[QUOTE 4015021, member: 9609"]Steve is certainly not a 'morning' person, yet again we have a late start, 10am, he seems very content to cycle into the wee hours but regularly misses a few hours daylight at the beginning of the day.

Saturday looks like it is going to be horrendous with force 7 Northerlies, he should try to get up to Darlington today and take advantage of the wind the morn.

GO STEVE[/QUOTE]


He's always been one for late riding. The few times I rode with him at least a couple of those times he had a sleeping back on the back of his bike.