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So the itch to try a quad century is getting stronger. But my main problem is that I'm a fat greedy bastard who eats loads. I cannot function for a day on gels, bananas and other rankness. I need reasonably nice food to keep me going. And loads of it.
To have any chance at my target I need to limit stationary time to below 2 hours, which means no time to cook or prep food. So I was thinking of trying the event in the hope that they'll have some form of catering laid on
Are there any places selling half decent food at the event or is everyone else too focussed on fructose, protein and pain caves...
Could you not just get a couple of mates to support you and provide food?
I suspect you'll be disappointed if you turn up with no food.....
My mates always take support who feed water and clothe them.and in some cases reverse the car over the entrants bicycle .
They just ride.....
Not sure any TT provides food or sells it for riders (other than cake after the event) all my club mates who’ve done 12s and 24s sort out support crews to feed them
Definitely echo the comments above, a 24hr Time Trial is not remotely similar to a sportive or even audax, you need a support team with all the sustinance you will or might need for the duration. If it's anything like the 12 hour I did, it's also important to know that the course is not cast in stone. The organisers will put you on different sized loops depending on your pace relative to the other riders which keeps the field bunched and easier to marshal. This makes the support crew's life tricky as you may come through a point out of sequence with riders you were previously close to. If say the first section is a 100 mile loop and you average 17mph whereas the guy a minute in front of you averages 25mph. After 6 hours you've done 1lap but the quicker guy won't be at the other end of the lap 50 miles away, he may even be behind you on the road having been directed onto 2x25 mile side loops to bring him back to the group. A bit of a clunky example but it's how long distance TT's run. I found taking gels and sugary drinks gave me a bad stomach after 5 hours and went on to savoury stuff like pork pies and sausage rolls. It's important that your crew carry a wide range of different food and keep up with your pace and strange demands at 3 o'clock in the morning.
I've supported guys doing this event and have marshalled on it.
Food situation is simple. If you want it, you supply it. End of. Doing it on your own is really a no no. For one thing are you intending driving home straight after 24 hours without sleep?
Get a support crew. Really you need a minimum of 2 helpers but as many as you can bribe into turning up. Route regularly changes but is basically loops so you can warn them what to have ready for you next time round. Echo the comment about moving riders onto different loops.
Do some sort of trial run so that you know what you will want at 4 in the morning. Everybody is different.
You might get tea and cake at the finish: then again you might not.
Thanks for all the replies.
I've no chance of getting a support crew. All my ex cycling mates are into that wife, mortgage and two young kids stage of their life. No way they would get a weekend off.
And if by some miracle they did get pink leave, there is no way in hell that I'd want them wasting it pit bitching for me.
Back to the drawing board. Alderley bypass is again looking favourite. Fill the van up with krispy kreme doghnuts and park it on the verge
Cheers
A 12hr is possible unsupported, did one last year on my Jack Jones. They had three feed stations on the three loops we did. I just sorted out my rations into three separate bags and handed them in at sign on. Wouldn’t want to do a 24 on my own though, that’d be a step to far imo. Especially driving back home after the event.
I’ve no chance of getting a support crew. All my ex cycling mates are into that wife, mortgage and two young kids stage of their life. No way they would get a weekend off.
Is there nobody in your club planning to do it next year? They usually do.