[Closed] The SDW - just how hard to do in a day

@thegeneralist - If you are wanting to do the SDW in a day (as per the thread title) then any time not moving is essentially time wasted. It doesn't mean you don't eat well, you just don't spend lots of time doing it. If you want to tour the route then you can afford to spend time finding pubs, cafes, etc. otherwise just get on and ride and step up to the challenge.

On a similar length ride I ate:

coffee
scone and jam
two cheese, ham and picked
Blah
Blah
a boiled egg

[b]Gnome gnome[/b]

TEAM EatMore

2 Gnomes! That’s not on

[img] [/img]

It's fine. I'm no xc rider and I was disappointed in 14 hrs total time. I had to wait on each hill from Brighton to Eastbourne for my mate to walk up (wasn't gonna leave him).

Do a bit of training. As many hills as you can rather than outright distance. The hills are the killer. I did ride xcfor about 4 months before hand which was shit and got up to 40miles feeling like I could do more. I trained on the Brighton to Eastbourne bit.

A gravel bike with fatish tyres would be a bike of choice. I did it on a 10yr old commencal meta4 26er that was slightly too small.

I did it in 2017 with BHF. The first 40ish miles are easier than the last 60 miles. I used my Scott Spark, XC full sus, which I found perfect for this ride.
The flint can be a bugger on tyres, but it's not that bad. The checkpoints are well stocked with water, but I got the Mrs to meet at 20 mile intervals with my energy drink and real food. Energy bars and gels are only so good. On an endurance ride you need real food too.
I'd advise doing the stretch from Washington to Eastbourne as a trial. It's hilly, but the views are fantastic when you're up on top of the South Downs. Pace yourself from the off and be prepared for a long, memorable day in the saddle.

Might do it again this year. Last year I met someone who did it on a fattie!

Just signed up for BHF next weekend, any others on here doing it?

Not exactly ready due to crazy work commitments. Mind and body shattered at the mo.

Wally (Nothing more needs to be said)

Hopefully weather holds out for that, though if it's still stupidly hot you're going to need a lot of water, and bottles/bladder probably won't be enough. I went through 4 litres last week just with an off road loop round Farnham to Hindhead.

Noting the tap points will be essential.

Off road miles vs road is not simple as it depends on the terrain and technicality. I'd just go on the time. People say 10-15 hours. Takes me 8 to 10 hours to do a 65ish off roader at the moment, but that's with stops to take photos, eat, play on singletrack if I'm passing any as can't resist, bump into people and chat, and some explore or getting lost checking the map moments. To do SDW I need to learn to crack on and not get distracted. Though I wonder if I'd enjoy it so much then.

It'll be cooler next weekend Wally.

Take it slow. Eat something every 20 mins. Don't stop for more than 10 mins and keep drinking stuff with electrolytes in.

You'll be in Eastbourne before you know it but if you're anything like me you'll be ready to jack it in somewhere between Ditchling and Firle Beacon Masts (hill after Southease station). Keep going and push up the hills if you need. After the radio masts there's only really 2 bigs hills left.

Good luck. I'll be riding it on thur/fri for the 8th time. Sucker for punishment...

I'm doing it next Sat too. I did it back in 2016 with the BHF.

My training was 2 longish (40 mile) rides a week with 2 or 3 smaller ones. I live 3 miles from the route so used the hills from the route on my training rides.

I Did winch to qe and back yesterday afternoon and the heat was a killer. Drank 4 litres of water, 3 energy bars and a sausage roll at qe.

My tips;

Have a bell. Walkers appreciate it and they might even hold gates open for you.

The chalk is very fast and grippy because it's so dry, BUT, because there's nothing binding the gravel patches together it's like patches of sand/ball bearings. Be careful.

Have a bell.

Make a mile chart of the water stops on the route so you dont miss them. It's seriously hot.

Have a bell.

Take really stodgy food like sausage rolls, pork pies etc. Proper morale booster. Gels are good for quick fixes.

Don't stop for more than 5 min.

Pace yourself. There no shame in walking up either. There s plenty of climbing in the 2nd half.

Have a bell.

Start in the first wave.

Vasaline for the bits.

Sun cream.

Have a bell.

Look up. The views are stunning.

Cobrakai, what ya riding?

i will be on a supermarket decathlon Rockrider, if you spot it, say hi.

It's cooled down a bit over the past couple of days - there's been a few attempts by people that would normally have ridden it that have stopped at Brighton due to the heat in the past couple of weeks.

On the plus side - mud's not an issue currently 🙂

With the current conditions I would also recommend a dust mask.

Certainly my riding mates reckon that when following my fat bike 🙂

I'll be on my t130s. I'll look out for you. I did winch to old winch hill and back yesterday at midday. Significantly cooler thank **** with a nice northerly.

I would be taking 3  - 4  High 5 Zero  Electrolyte tabs as well. Just piling in water will help, but if you are loosing body salts at a high rate then cramp is a real possibilty.

Take it very easy  for the first 1/3, then try to push on for  the middle 1/3, and  then hang in for the last 1/3.

Do  not hit every hill intending to smash it, go at each one very slowly at the bottom. Keep  control of your effort and breathing. If after 5 mins  you are fine spinning an easy gear open it up abit.

If you havent done it before and are not used to riding 100 miles a  week I would also take a  sachet of bum cream. 12 -14hours attatched  to your bike will lead to some  discomfort

I'm definitely tempted to try it in these conditions. Some mates did it in 8hrs a couple of weeks ago but they're full-time roadies. The easiest way home for me would be to cycle back - any recommendations for bike-friendly accommodation in Eastbourne?

It is properly fast out there and where there is gravel it is properly drifty (word?).  The only downside is the amount of vegetation, but most of that is not a problem unless you go off piste and then some tracks are impassable.

Bum butter packed. I will be riding very light with no backpack. The stations look more regular than last year? and with proper food this time.

I’m doing the BHF on Saturday - Christ knows what I was thinking when I signed up!? I’m going with a mate - we did the SDW in 2.5 days last year, so a big step up for us.

Got bars, gels etc and two water bottles.

Hoping for cooling dry weather with a tail wind.........

Wally you taking arse cream with you? I was just planning on ‘lathering up’ before the off. We are hoping for a sub 14hr time and looking to get off as close to 04.30 as possible.

I lathered up with vasaline at the start 2 years ago and was fine by the end.

I 2nd the comment about the gravel patches. Pretty drifty.

My plan is to take the first half slightly faster as I know it better than the 2nd and it will be cooler then tone it down after the YH just after amberly.

Don't know if I mentioned it before but take a bell. 😀 it really is worth it.

I'll be the one ringing at the start.

Did Winchester to Amberley today, it's dusty and hardpacked. Wear a buff if you're doing it with the BHF as you'll need to cover your nose and mouth on some bits (unless you're out front!).

Also very loose gravelly bits in places so careful on fast corners, its sketchy!

Weather looks like blue skies and a tailwind for Sat.

I will pack the buff.

Good luck anyone riding this at the weekend. Have a great time

Just rode QE to Cocking as part of a loop.

The descent to Coulter’s Dean Farm is mega loose with a deep gravel bed at the bottom. Take care.

Rest was just mega dry & dusty really. All the signs appear to be out for the BHF ride, have fun if you’re doing it!

its the third and fourth legs that are hard, though they are generally on the second day.

I've been long distance kayak racing since Christmas and this weekend is my first back on the bike proper..... may fit in a SDW in the next couple of weeks and remind myself how hard it is on those final hills.

Will report back soon.

I have managed it 4 times now;  I would suggest start early, don't faff (keep going) , drink plenty, go in a small group of similar riders and finally.. if you are a racing snake (my son not me!) get a carbon 29er hardtail, get a lift to Winchester and then just do the whole thing in 8:24 flat out no stops 🙂 then get the train home in time for tea.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1680499018

Well that was emotional. Was in the 2nd wave at 0435 and rolled over the finish line at 1655.

Felt like I really struggled this time round but when I checked Strava, I PB'd almost every segment on the first half. Now considering that I've ridden those segments more than 20 times, it made me realise that my pacing was well off. Still bet my previous by 2hrs though.

That is very impressive. Well done .I’m currently in the pub sorting logistics for another attempt....hurrah.

I took a little longer due to food poisoning/heat exhaustion at about 1pm. I rolled over finish line at 8pm.

I lost 4 pounds on the day :-0, mainly through by anus. I honestly felt terrible.

I did it last weekend, it was hard in the heat, I woke up with heavy legs and struggled for the first 70 miles then miraculously got a second wind, will train harder next time. Ti 29er hardtail was a perfect, although a short travel full suss would also be good.

All sounds delightful, well done everyone!  Especially Wally, I'm pretty certain I'd have bailed feeling like that.

Are there any taps out of action at the moment?

Yes, the one at the farm before Exton (going east) is bust.

Only tap I noticed that was out of action was at a farm about 5mikes outside Winchester.

Planning on doing the SDW next year with my son over two days.  Anyone got any recommendations where to stay overnight, just need somewhere to get a bite to eat, a couple of pints and somewhere secure for the bikes.

Cheers guys.

Truleigh Hill YHA is the default suggestion. 60 miles in if you're going west to east. so you've got less distance on the second day with the bigger hills and tired legs.  Right on the trail, so no extra mileage, order a pizza or taxi into Shoreham for said pints and a pub dinner.

Other suggestions are available, but that one takes some beating for convenience

That sounds just the ticket, thanks for the info. Just need to get some dates sorted and jobs a good un!

We've stayed at the Fox Goes Free pub near Singleton before, which worked really well and is in a great setting. Food's good too.

The White Horse in Chilgrove is a similar distance off the SDW to the Fox... and is another really nice pub with rooms. Food is better than the Fox too.

Nice one  guys, all appreciated, will look into them all.

Also, keep an eye on this when you get a bit closer.  It's nice not to be threading though a few hundred sponsored walkers if you can avoid it!

http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/south-downs-way/calendar

I just read that on one of the websites, will definitely avoid those dates.

Brilliant video that btw!

Ha ha - Naked Rambling Man! Bumped into him quite a few times over the years, most recently a couple of weeks ago.

Holy cow batman! It was quite hard today.! Hotter than I would have preferred;-)

I did it though.....hurrah for me.  🙂

Good effort that man!

Thanks cogglepin.

I just watched seosamh's vid  - quite good. But that bloke in it didn't look as knackered as I did at the end! ha.

this is on my bucket list (living close to the Winchester end) but I just don't have the bike fitness at the moment -

I would be relying mainly on Concept 2 rower fitness which definitely helps on 2-3 hour rides but not the full SDW.  Maybe I'll try next summer assuming we get some decent weather again...

I heard the SDW Trailwalker event was cancelled this year at short notice due to the heat - it was scheduled for the same weekend as the BHF SDW ride so I guess the powers that be thought MTBers could handle it?

Ha ha – Naked Rambling Man! Bumped into him quite a few times over the years, most recently a couple of weeks ago.

If it was the actual Naked Rambler (the bloke from Eastleigh) he wouldn't have bothered covering his modesty up as Neil Donoghue describes

Which means there's more than one???