CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Events, rides etc.

LEL 2017 riding or volunteering?

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  1. chdot
    Admin

    "

    London Edinburgh London is a cycling adventure like no other. Starts 30 July 2017. See our website for more information. #LEL2017

    http://londonedinburghlondon.com

    "

    Cyclops has written on the Audax 2015 thread -

    "LEL can't happen without volunteers. There are 4 Scottish controls planned in 2017 - Edinburgh, Moffat, Traquair and Eskdalemuir. It can sometimes be difficult to recruit enough volunteers, especially for the rural controls. You can commit for as little or as long as you can manage. No knowledge of Audax required!"

    LEL 2013 thread

    http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10784

    Posted 8 years ago #
  2. crowriver
    Member

    I am (quietly) hoping to ride this in 2017. There, I said it. Now I have to do it! :-)

    Posted 8 years ago #
  3. crowriver
    Member

    On second thoughts, maybe I'll just volunteer for LEL 2017, and ride other audaxes.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  4. paddyirish
    Member

    Half thinking about volunteering myself-with a young family, a one-off few days is a much easier commitment to make

    Posted 8 years ago #
  5. HankChief
    Member

    Seeing the impressive list of 2016 rides people are signing up for on the Audaxes thread got me wondering about LEL and just how difficult is the 1,400km of LEL?

    Appreciate that it is a long time on the bike, but what's it like on the legs. What sort of training should you be doing the year before? Any other words of wisdom?

    Asking for a friend ;-)

    Posted 8 years ago #
  6. Uberuce
    Member

    Don't buy the bike ARobComp bought to do it.
    Consider the bike that Darkerside did.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  7. Darkerside
    Member

    I was doing 150km a week in commuting, but that was pretty much it in the way of preparation. The Metabike arrived a few weeks before the start.

    In short, if you're on a recumbent and have any sort of base fitness, you'll be fine.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  8. HankChief
    Member

    I was hoping it wouldn't become a n+1 adventure...

    Posted 8 years ago #
  9. acsimpson
    Member

    You could get a partner and ride on the tandem.

    Willing participants for the tagalong might be limited though.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  10. paddyirish
    Member

    "Are we nearly there yet?"

    Posted 8 years ago #
  11. acsimpson
    Member

    "Are we nearly there yet?"

    "Yes, then we'll have time for a 45 minute nap before we get back on the bike and ride south again."

    Posted 8 years ago #
  12. HankChief
    Member

    <gulp>

    Just got a space...

    Posted 7 years ago #
  13. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    I saw your post on Twitter and thought you might mention it here. You do know you're completely mad?

    Posted 7 years ago #
  14. Stickman
    Member

    Are you doing it on the Big Rig?

    Posted 7 years ago #
  15. HankChief
    Member

    Mad? - it's just riding your bike for a bit...

    No idea how long it will take, but I do know I need to be back in Edinburgh by the Friday and not too wrecked so I can go on a family holiday.

    It's really hard to figure out when I might finish - somewhere between ARobComp and Darkerside I guess...

    And @Stickman no I won't be on the big rig - unless I have offers for some strong stokers ;-)

    Update: my mate has just got a place so I'm not the only nutter

    Posted 7 years ago #
  16. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Oh my word.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  17. fimm
    Member

    Oh, wow. Good luck HankChief!

    Posted 7 years ago #
  18. ARobComp
    Member

    Good Luck! It'll be a fantastic experience.

    Intervals and some distance tempering is the best option for training IMHO unless you've got the time to hit up some 200's and 400's.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  19. HankChief
    Member

    Thanks for the support/ confirmation of madness.

    Now I just need to work out what training I need to do and how on earth I'm going to fit it in.

    Short sharp efforts may be the way forward and trying to extend one of my long rides.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  20. Greenroofer
    Member

    @HC - does this imply that you've successfully passed all the regulatory hurdles necessary for this jaunt, and obtained all the local sign-offs and approvals that you might need?

    Posted 7 years ago #
  21. HankChief
    Member

    Negotiations are still ongoing...

    Posted 7 years ago #
  22. amir
    Member

    A 600 may help you test equipment, food & drink (not necessarily the same as for shorter rides), sleep, luggage etc as well as practice dealing with the mental side (going through ruts and coming out the other side)

    Posted 7 years ago #
  23. dessert rat
    Member

    anyone volunteering for this ? I got my email from them this morning

    Posted 7 years ago #
  24. crowriver
    Member

    I think I registered as a volunteer some time ago. Haven't heard anything, which is maybe just as well as I'm not sure I can make it any more...

    Posted 7 years ago #
  25. Cyclops
    Member

    I've now taken over at the Edinburgh control. I'll get in touch with everyone who's volunteered shortly to confirm. We're still looking for more volunteers for Edinburgh and/or Innerleithen - Volunteer for LEL.
    We won't have volunteers washing dishes or cleaning toilets this time as we've got paid staff to do that so you just get to the fun, public facing stuff.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  26. dessert rat
    Member

    I'm down to help at Eskdalemuir - although happy to swap to Edinburgh if needed, as closer to home.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  27. HankChief
    Member

    As a potential (negotiations continuing) recipient of the services of the volunteers at Edinburgh, it would be great have some familiar faces at the control.

    Who knows what state I'll be in when I get there but the camaraderie of volunteers & riders is one of the reasons I signed up for it and I'm sure that a smiling face will do wonders to morale after many hours on the bike.

    My training is continuing, with a recent 300 & 200k going okay. I'm contemplating changing my saddle which was replaced last autumn and I've not found very comfortable over distances - but the replacement will need to be worn in over one of my longer rides coming up (a hilly 300 at the end of May and a 500 in June) which may not be ideal.

    My mate who also has a place is on the brink of pulling out after an unfinished 200k at the weekend. I think it's dawning on both of us just how far it is, day after day...

    Posted 6 years ago #
  28. ARobComp
    Member

    I've signed up for either Inners or Edinburgh.

    Hopefully will be able to do the whole weekend and take the wifey down for a holiday if we're in Inners. She came and met me at the Edinburgh control on my LEL so knows what to expect. Although I spent only about 20 minutes there as it was too tempting to head 1 mile down to town and my lovely bed!

    Posted 6 years ago #
  29. paddyirish
    Member

    "As a potential (negotiations continuing) recipient of the services of the volunteers at Edinburgh, it would be great have some familiar faces at the control. It would be great have some familiar faces at the control."

    reads it as
    He's looking for bodyguards to protect him from Mrs HC...

    Posted 6 years ago #
  30. HankChief
    Member

    Well, 1 week from now I'll be on the road heading North from London destination London via Edinburgh.

    No idea what to expect or if I will finish it, but a voyage of discovery is what it is all about, right? Train home is booked for 3pm Thursday, 104 hours after I set off.

    Wish me luck and track my progress via https://londonedinburghlondon.com/tracking-rider/ rider F15

    Anyone volunteering in Edinburgh, I hope to be with you Monday night. Please ensure I turn round and head South when I set off...

    Posted 6 years ago #

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