Reply to: Macmillan Cancer Support

[TimberWolf]

Nice one

[mudskipper]

Well done! Sounds like a real challenge.

[FiveTimes]

Well done Dave

[DaveB]

Well we did it. Along with 4000 or so other people, over 81 Miles with 2000ft of climbing, in a grand total time of 6 hrs 5 mins and 20 secs. A little below the official pace time but we dodged the Broom Wagon.

Weather was great in the end, cool for most of the morning with the sun coming out later on. Glorious blue skies and sunshine at the top of Schiehallon. There were no major incidents or breakdowns between us, although Son did have to be pushed up the hills from about the 70 mile mark. Yours truly clocked the fastest time down the mountain, although not up it. That went to Phil who came 26th overall in the king of the mountain competition. Top speed on the descent of 45 mph. I knew it paid to be a lardy git

We've raised a total of £1040 so far with donations still to come in. We should have at least another £250 yet to add to the total.

Huge thanks to everyone here who donated, you were all extremely generous and we wouldn't have hit our target without you.

I'm off to have a long hot bath and a snooze!

[DaveB]

Right, thats it, packed and ready to go.

See you all on Monday at some point, assuming I don't do myself an injury in the meantime.

Thanks to all who have donated, you've all been extremely generous!

[Tingles]

Good luck - lost both parents to cancer.

Dad, Xmas day 1975 and I went to my Mum's funeral yesterday.

I will visit and give.

[DaveB]

Just another bump on this thread - Dave only needs a couple more sponsors to get to his target.

Thanks 5*.

Yep, almost there!

Just checked the weather forcast 7c max temp and chance of storms!

[FiveTimes]

Just another bump on this thread - Dave only needs a couple more sponsors to get to his target.

[TimberWolf]

Frankly at this point I'm more worried about doing it into the teeth of a blizzard than exactly how far it is

Yeah, I noticed on the weather forecast Scotland has been having some record cold nights and early morning temperatures

[DaveB]

I was half expecting you to correct my 100km distance figure, which should have been 130km not 100km (81miles * ~8/5).

The reason I got it wrong is that rather than multiplying directly by 5/8, I noticed a quicker way. 8 is 2^3 and 5 is 10/2. Resulting in 2*2*2*2/10 which is quick to do mentally. And the reverse (5/8) = 4 divisions by 2 and a multiply by 10 (shift the decimal point right 1). But I must have done 3 divisions by 2 and have been distracted.

So as I think I'm likely make that mistake again, it's best to keep more in touch with the magnitude of the answer and see that it's 1.6x = 1.5x + 0.1x. Or just halve the number and add to the original to get close to the answer and then add 0.1x of the original number to it, both of which operations are quick to do mentality and with less possibility of error.

Frankly at this point I'm more worried about doing it into the teeth of a blizzard than exactly how far it is

[TimberWolf]

I was half expecting you to correct my 100km distance figure, which should have been 130km not 100km (81miles * ~8/5).

The reason I got it wrong is that rather than multiplying directly by 5/8, I noticed a quicker way. 8 is 2^3 and 5 is 10/2. Resulting in 2*2*2*2/10 which is quick to do mentally. And the reverse (5/8) = 4 divisions by 2 and a multiply by 10 (shift the decimal point right 1). But I must have done 3 divisions by 2 and have been distracted.

So as I think I'm likely make that mistake again, it's best to keep more in touch with the magnitude of the answer and see that it's 1.6x = 1.5x + 0.1x. Or just halve the number and add to the original to get close to the answer and then add 0.1x of the original number to it, both of which operations are quick to do mentality and with less possibility of error.

[DaveB]

Shameless self promotional bump.

[TimberWolf]

14mph sounds like a respectable average speed given the terrain. 100km distance and 2km ascent according to the website. According to my quick calculations, the ascent will use up slightly more energy than the flat.

[DaveB]

Crikey, that's a bit harsh.

Does this vehicle have a large cowcatcher, or do they find a set of prongs like a tractor are more of an incentive for stragglers to keep up?

It's done so that they can run it on closed roads. They do it as a rolling closure so not all the course is closed at the same time. If you're too slow the road you are on will re-open to traffic while you are still riding.

The recovery vehicle is optional, you can choose to continue and take your chances with the traffic, but you effectivly count as a DNF since they wont coun't you as completeing the course if you do and you won't get any further support from the feeding stations or support vehicles if you have a mechanical.


The average required is 14 mph, which doesnt sound like much but thats an average over 81 miles...

[OwlHoot]

Just to add to the challenge it's run over closed roads with a minimum average speed. If you go too slowly you get swept up by the recovery vehicle at the back of the field!

Crikey, that's a bit harsh.

Does this vehicle have a large cowcatcher, or do they find a set of prongs like a tractor are more of an incentive for stragglers to keep up?