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Cycle ride - Southampton to Sunderland - Last away game


Dr Who?
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Hi all,

 

I am looking for serious cyclists to take on the challenge of cycling from Southampton to Sunderland all 316 miles (could be more or less having to find a suitable cycling route), for a charity of your choice.

 

This would be a 3 day cycle event, Friday/Saturday/Sunday.

 

Day 1 - set out about 9am for 9 hour cycle to Royston, where I have accommodation for (4 people). (115 miles)

 

Day 2 - set out from Royston 7am, where we will try and get 12 hours in and 135 more miles on the clock (end of day two 250 miles)

 

Day 3 - just the 70 odd miles in 6 or 7 hours, and arrive for kick off.

 

I think this would be an amazing thing to do, and I do not really want to do it on my own. As I said you would have to be a serious cyclist who is up for a very hard challenge, and then to watch Saints.

 

After the game, my wife will drive us all back to Royston, after meeting us up there for the game. We have a 7 seater. So ideally I am looking for 5 others, but if there are more then I have family in Royston with spare rooms, and you could arrange travel back.

 

Also need someone to help with the route.

 

So who is up for his challenge?

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This sounds like a great idea!!! Unfortunately i wont be able to make day 1 so i'll have to meet you on day 2 but again unfortunately I cant get there until about 9am. Could you please PM me your address and a picture of your wife, just so that i know i've got the right house to set off from when i turn up a couple of hours after you've left.

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Hi all,

 

I am looking for serious cyclists to take on the challenge of cycling from Southampton to Sunderland all 316 miles (could be more or less having to find a suitable cycling route), for a charity of your choice.

 

This would be a 3 day cycle event, Friday/Saturday/Sunday.

 

Day 1 - set out about 9am for 9 hour cycle to Royston, where I have accommodation for (4 people). (115 miles)

 

Day 2 - set out from Royston 7am, where we will try and get 12 hours in and 135 more miles on the clock (end of day two 250 miles)

 

Day 3 - just the 70 odd miles in 6 or 7 hours, and arrive for kick off.

 

I think this would be an amazing thing to do, and I do not really want to do it on my own. As I said you would have to be a serious cyclist who is up for a very hard challenge, and then to watch Saints.

 

After the game, my wife will drive us all back to Royston, after meeting us up there for the game. We have a 7 seater. So ideally I am looking for 5 others, but if there are more then I have family in Royston with spare rooms, and you could arrange travel back.

 

Also need someone to help with the route.

 

So who is up for his challenge?

 

I don't want to **** on your fire, but have you any idea how hard that will be? Don't take offence but looking at the cycling thread in the other forum you haven't done many rides over 70 miles? And how many times have you ridden that distance on consecutive days? Thats the real killer, even if you do manage the first day you have to get up and do it all over again without a day of recovery.

Like I said I don't want to **** on your fire, and fair play if you have a go, but give it some serious thought, and training. IMO to stand a chance you will need a few 100+ mile rides in your legs before you start.

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I don't want to **** on your fire, but have you any idea how hard that will be? Don't take offence but looking at the cycling thread in the other forum you haven't done many rides over 70 miles? And how many times have you ridden that distance on consecutive days? Thats the real killer, even if you do manage the first day you have to get up and do it all over again without a day of recovery.

Like I said I don't want to **** on your fire, and fair play if you have a go, but give it some serious thought, and training. IMO to stand a chance you will need a few 100+ mile rides in your legs before you start.

 

I'm more thn happy to look after his missus and his house while he's doing the journey though.

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I don't want to **** on your fire, but have you any idea how hard that will be? Don't take offence but looking at the cycling thread in the other forum you haven't done many rides over 70 miles? And how many times have you ridden that distance on consecutive days? Thats the real killer, even if you do manage the first day you have to get up and do it all over again without a day of recovery.

Like I said I don't want to **** on your fire, and fair play if you have a go, but give it some serious thought, and training. IMO to stand a chance you will need a few 100+ mile rides in your legs before you start.

OK DW I agree with everything Huffton says. I won't be able to join you but started toying with route planning through my Garmin Connect account. You maybe underestimating distances. Obviously the A33 and A30 pretty much follow the M3 north-eastwards, but it starts to get a little messy as you head beyond Hartley Wintney. This is clearly because at some stage you will have to head northwards to skirt the western side of London Getting to the Chalfonts fairly directly on a route which will keep riders as safe as possible is 72 miles. I'll admit to a tiny little detour around Finchampstead up a climb I regularly do called Dell Road (for its Saints significance) but your estimate of 90 miles to Royston looks to be on the generous side. With this route I've attempted to keep travelling north-east, running wherever possible parallel to motorways without too much deviation i.e the M3, M25 and A1(M) before crossing the latter and heading to Royston running roughly parallel to the A10. I don't know what the roads are like as such but just using these principles it will be in excess of 120 miles from Southampton to Royston. 30% longer than estimated. Just looked at route on a small scale map and the route devised pretty much does not deviate from a north easterly direction which is basically the straight line direction from Southampton to Royston. Wish I could share this route with you, but not paying a fiver to be a full member. Any ideas? I've put it on MapMyRide.

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DW, in 2005 5 of us did Middlesbrough to Southampton and we did it in 5/6 days with an average of 70 miles a day. We started at the Riverside (Boro v Spuds game) and the club were great to us allowing us into the changing areas and then onto the pitch to meet Steve Mclaren (then Boro manager). We cycled out of the stadium and about 10 miles to hotel for the night. We then did stages to York (over the N York moors which was hard), then to Lincoln which was mainly flat but the cycle into Lincoln was tough as very hilly, then to Peterborough, then to Reading and the last leg into Southampton and finishing at St Marys. None of us were cyclists and all of us the wrong side of 40, we did training rides of up to 60 miles to prepare us but it does not really as you only do it once not day after day. I think it is a great idea but do think you are optimistic to try it in 3 days. We also had a van following us to help with the route etc and somewhere for all our kit, spare water bottles etc, have you thought of that?

 

As others have said not wanting to put you off but it is a hard slog and I think we prepared for it over the space of about 5 months, you have a little over 3 to do it. Good luck.

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DW, in 2005 5 of us did Middlesbrough to Southampton and we did it in 5/6 days with an average of 70 miles a day. We started at the Riverside (Boro v Spuds game) and the club were great to us allowing us into the changing areas and then onto the pitch to meet Steve Mclaren (then Boro manager). We cycled out of the stadium and about 10 miles to hotel for the night. We then did stages to York (over the N York moors which was hard), then to Lincoln which was mainly flat but the cycle into Lincoln was tough as very hilly, then to Peterborough, then to Reading and the last leg into Southampton and finishing at St Marys. None of us were cyclists and all of us the wrong side of 40, we did training rides of up to 60 miles to prepare us but it does not really as you only do it once not day after day. I think it is a great idea but do think you are optimistic to try it in 3 days. We also had a van following us to help with the route etc and somewhere for all our kit, spare water bottles etc, have you thought of that?

 

As others have said not wanting to put you off but it is a hard slog and I think we prepared for it over the space of about 5 months, you have a little over 3 to do it. Good luck.

 

Aye... I remember the pain ...especially tht 4th day from Luton to Reading through the Chilterns - against the wind - also worth pointing out that although the road route was 350 miles - the actual ride was closer to 500 as we could not really safely use dual carriage ways etc and tried to avoid trunk roads.

 

I would be up for trying it again at some point, and like the OP's enthusiasm - but as you rightly recall, it took us months to sort out and the support van is a must... also got to get your bikes back etc, spares, luggage - van was also great to show sponsor logos etc...

 

Dr Who - If you ant to do this, which is great 3 months will be tricky, unless its just a couple of you.

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