Been following the build up on social media, and a friend is volunteering at Louth. I know we have a few audaxers on here, wondered if anyone is riding or supporting?
Storm Floris is going to make it interesting though. They've already put a message out warning people to be prepared, and penalties for disobeying safety instructions.
Yep! 10.15 on Sunday. Nerves not helped by the appalling weather forecast.
Good luck @ransos! I bailed on both my big 600 and 1000's this year to shitty forecasts and a general lack of fitness.
Good luck @ransos! I bailed on both my big 600 and 1000's this year to shitty forecasts and a general lack of fitness.
Good luck ransos, hope the weather is not as severe as forecast
Yep , I’m volunteering at Brampton, I’m taking my waterproofs as the forecast is wetter than an otter’s pocket
good luck to everyone doing the event
Tracking shows first rider reached Hawick at 6am. That's insane. Pushing on to Moffat.
My friend did an 11 hour shift at Louth control yesterday. She expects riders to be in a much worse state on the return leg.
Cheers! Did you plan to do Mille Pennines? You dodged a bullet... only four finished I think.
Yea, I had a sense of humor failure riding in the rain to the start of the PPP (a month before MP) and ever since my legs have felt crap.
No idea what went wrong, I was feeling really good in April but May/June/July have just gone backwards.
Having read a few reports from the MP I'm actually kinda glad I didn't make the trip!
Notice on the event FB page that the ride has been "paused". Basically everyone is being held at the next checkpoint they arrive at.
Seems to be a positive response to it though, various riders posting updates about where they are, weather conditions local to them etc.
Notice on the event FB page that the ride has been "paused". Basically everyone is being held at the next checkpoint they arrive at.
Seems to be a positive response to it though, various riders posting updates about where they are, weather conditions local to them etc.
Looking at the tracker the first rider has checked in at Dalkeith and is on his way back!
Hope he doesn't ignore any instructions to stop and gets himself disqualified!
Crazy event that would be a serious undertaking, but I'd rather put my balls in a vice than do it. There's not even a sweet bit of singletrack for all that effort 😂
They've announced that riders are to head south from wherever they are now.
Pisser of a decision but makes sense considering the weather and logistics.
Tough call but safety comes first. Gutting for all the riders who've trained for this and travelled from around the world. Think there were riders from 57 countries this year.
Hmm, and 2000+ bananas going spare in Eskdalemuir cafe, along with vast pots of pasta and other foods. They’ve put out a plea to locals to come and help themselves, as they dont want to throw it all away.
A lot of cafes along the route were stocking up and opening 24 hours to act as pop up food stops, so much effort come to nothing.
There were 40 cans of coke originally at hawick. They emptied the supermarkets just before it was called. 26 people Hawick overnight. Mrs 100th is heading down to help dismantle.
There maybe just one finisher! He left Innerleithen at 7.45am and riding south, and aims to finish the proper route and complete brevet card. His "pause" point was at Dalkieth the turn point. One drop bag left for him here at Inners . The rest were on their way south again. A nightmare for the organisers as well as the all riders.
He may catch up riders heading back south!!!!
The rate he's been going he may still be first back to Writtle!
I don’t know why they called it last night, when the worst was over? Just seen large numbers heading I guess to Darlington train station this morning
I don’t know why they called it last night, when the worst was over? Just seen large numbers heading I guess to Darlington train station this morning
It was still incredibly windy on the exposed sections. "the worst" flattened road signs 😂 so just being better than that isn't going to be great. The difference between making a judgment for yourself and as an organizer is you might accept a 1in100 chance of having a crash because of the crosswinds, that's probably no worse than the risk on a slightly sketchy c-road descent. When you've got 2000 riders, most of them having been awake and riding for 24h+ that's 200 crashes and a lot of explaining to do when asked why you chose to run a cycling event when there was a weather warning.
There were also lots of riders bunched up at controls, rather than spread out. The controls are intended to let a few hundred riders eat/sleep at a time and wouldn't have coped. Then there's the issues with potentially large pelotons forming on the road.
The other issue was a lot of international riders obviously have return travel booked so even if the clock is paused they still need to be back at the planned time.
I've only seen one negative comment on the LEL page, by an account that only joined yesterday, everyone else seems to think it was the right decision. Although gutting for the guy who was 80km behind Ian and had to turn round!
All great points. Just can’t wrap my head around the decision point timing!
Just can’t wrap my head around the decision point timing!
You have to call it at some point.
Too soon and you risk a sort of "cry wolf" accusation that you cancelled the whole thing and actually it was fine.
Too late and you risk a real worse case scenario (like, someone dying).
But in the middle is a whole grey area where it's still "convenient" to reach most people, make sure everyone is safe, re-jig your volunteer crews and ensure that everyone can still get home (or back in time for booked flights etc).
It's never easy making the call but having watched bits and pieces on the tracker dots, I reckon it was about as good a time as it was ever going to be.
Fair play. And what a shame. Lots of places round us trying to get rid of food and stock!
There's some phone footage of conditions on Yad Moss last night - awful. It was taking twice as long to get over as it normally would.
People pointing out that a mechanical up there last night would have likely involved hyperthermia and/or emergency services to get you back.
Not seen any comments from riders criticising the decision to call it off. A few armchair experts have opinions, obviously
Too late and you risk a real worse case scenario (like, someone dying).
Does anyone else remember that fell race in the Lakes a few years back where the weather closed in and the organiser was interviewed on TV and basically accused of being cavalier and risking peoples' lives by not cancelling (he did say "they're all experienced, they know the risks, and I'd expect them to bivvy down until the weather improves")
I think I’ve been interpreted as either an armchair expert, or cavalier. I am neither.
I think you’ve assumed from what I’ve written that I’m criticising them cancelling it. I’m not. I can’t wrap my head around waiting til the evening to do it!
I’m also not judging. Just saying I don’t understand.
Does anyone else remember that fell race in the Lakes a few years back where the weather closed in and the organiser was interviewed on TV and basically accused of being cavalier and risking peoples' lives by not cancelling
That was the Original Mountain Marathon - 2008 maybe? I remember it cos I was still living up that way at the time.
The main person doing the criticising was the guy who owned Honister Slate Mine. He was killed in 2013 in a helicopter crash - he was flying and it was poor visibility, bad weather and he had no night flying qualifications which always struck me as highly ironic given his media-hungry attitude about safety a few years previously.
I think you’ve assumed from what I’ve written that I’m criticising them cancelling it. I’m not. I can’t wrap my head around waiting til the evening to do it!
There was a "Pause Ride" notice issued at about 1pm, notices issued on all their social media for everyone to stop at the next control point if safe to proceed there or - if not safe - to find shelter which many riders did. I saw several posts from riders who were conveniently "stuck" in a pub! 😉
That then gives everyone time to sort themselves out, the organisers to account for everyone and it will take a few hours. If a rider has just left a control point and doesn't check their phone for 4hrs, it may take them until 6pm to reach the next control (or make their own decision that it's too risky and find shelter) and actually find out about the Pause Ride instruction.
In the meantime, the organisers will have assessed the weather, the risks, and having presumably worked out where everyone was, made the decision to end it there, get everyone sorted for the night then send everyone back southwards the next day.
Also not connected to the event in any way but I know a couple of people who were riding it (hence why I was following the info).
Sounds thoroughly sensible at 1pm and you’d hope you found yourself in a very good pub!!!! There were a lot of riders near us still going at at that time
I think I’ve been interpreted as either an armchair expert, or cavalier. I am neither.
Any comments I've made were aimed at some of the comments on the LEL socials.
