Which challenge?
Discussion
I'm looking in to doing a U.K. domestic riding challenge next year. I want to do it for a worthy local charity. The two recognised challenges I've been looking into, are the London Edinburgh London, or the LEJOG. I'm planning on doing it pretty much unsupported. Has anyone done them, and if so, which one would you recommend as more suitable for an unsupported ride. I guess it's a better idea to do it during the summer months as well.
I did LEJoG at the end of July over 10 days. It was supported, in that our bags were transported between the hotels/B&Bs and lunch was provided. Cornwall and Devon were hilly and the scenery north of the central belt in Scotland was fantastic.
It was easier than I'd imagined, although we had a couple of days of heavy rain and head winds.
It was easier than I'd imagined, although we had a couple of days of heavy rain and head winds.
Bbunter said:
I'm looking in to doing a U.K. domestic riding challenge next year. I want to do it for a worthy local charity. The two recognised challenges I've been looking into, are the London Edinburgh London, or the LEJOG. I'm planning on doing it pretty much unsupported. Has anyone done them, and if so, which one would you recommend as more suitable for an unsupported ride. I guess it's a better idea to do it during the summer months as well.
There is a lot to be said for going for the supported option. It takes the stress of it. The London-Edinburgh is called the Rat Race and I quite like the look of doing that next year. If memory serves its 400 miles and done over two days 
There are numerous other events besides LEJOG. If you are going unsupported, then you have numerous route options to explore.
bakerstreet said:
There is a lot to be said for going for the supported option. It takes the stress of it. The London-Edinburgh is called the Rat Race and I quite like the look of doing that next year. If memory serves its 400 miles and done over two days
There are numerous other events besides LEJOG. If you are going unsupported, then you have numerous route options to explore.
"London - Edinburgh - London" and the London - Edinburgh "rat race" are two different events, www.ratraceroadtrip.co.uk and www.londonedinburghlondon.comThere are numerous other events besides LEJOG. If you are going unsupported, then you have numerous route options to explore.
Personally I'd make up my own long distance route based on two places with good train links or hunt around on the Audax UK route for something that you like the look of as they tend to use good (low traffic) routes which are safer when you have tired legs. It never ceases to amaze me how many groups of LEJOGers use the A30....
did you get that cheque?!
sorry!Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 24th September 15:30
LotusMartin said:
The Rat Road race is excellent, very well organised and supported. I did it in 2013 over 4 days, and will enter again for 2015.
When you say 'supported', is that like with the LEJOG, where you have camps and technical support, or is it more like bags on a bus and we'll see you when you get there?swerni said:
From 9 days upwards.
I don't want to ride to a timetable, I want to go at my own pace, if it takes 10 or 12 days, so be it .
It's all about the journey
I couldn't agree more. The only thing that would make me nervous, would be the logistics of getting home in the event of a technical / mechanical / injury abort. Can you stick a bike on a TGV / Eurostar?I don't want to ride to a timetable, I want to go at my own pace, if it takes 10 or 12 days, so be it .
It's all about the journey
MEVILAZY said:
I'm doing LEJOG next Summer unsupported. Aiming for 6 days with B&Bs booked in advance and kit posted to them also in advance.
To be fair, the LEJOG is the one that I'm not so interested in. It reminds me a bit too much of a sumit attempt on Everest (not in it's challenge, or difficulty) more in the way that you find a queue of people waiting their turn to take a selfie at the summit, most years. I'd rather do a round trip challenge without having to find the time to do a LEJOG to JOGLE. I would make an exception for the London to Monte Carlo challenge, mentioned earlier. I really need it to be a known challenge, for purposes of sponsorship. I reckon it would be a lot easier to get sponsorship for the charity doing a recognised challenge.Bbunter said:
When you say 'supported', is that like with the LEJOG, where you have camps and technical support, or is it more like bags on a bus and we'll see you when you get there?
Good route signaged/downloadable route to follow - Quality Feed stations every 35-40 miles with iso drinks flapjacks, sarnies, some hot food snacks. Bag portage between days. camp grounds with food (we B&B/Hotelled it). masseuses at some end of day stops. Only s
t but was the mechanic - he was shocking / hopefully replaced.2 day option available for the really saddistic !
Great sense of comradery also.
I'm eyeing up Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way, it's 1500km from Donegal to Cork following the coast, Malin Head to Mizen Head, it's a lejog equivalent in that it is most northerly to most southerly but it all coastline so amazing scenery but likely seriously windy at times, still that beats the a30 and the featureless grind across middle England.
Edited by Jayfish on Wednesday 24th September 23:15
There are some cracking rides, challenges appearing in this thread. All food for thought. I quite like the sound of the Irish one. I have plenty of relatives down in Waterford, I could work in a stop over, catch up whilst I was about it. On the Charity side of it, my initial thoughts were to give the proceeds to a children's hospice / respite home which is fairly local to me, and maybe the air ambulance service which is fairly near to me also. I'm open to suggestions of worthy causes anyone else would care to suggest. There seem to be enough established challenges to keep me occupied, and getting some sponsorship cash to them anyway.
Over the next couple of years I'm hoping to tick off London-Monaco or London-Chamonix, Coast-to-coast, Mont Ventoux Club des Cingles, one or more Monuments, Alpe d'Huez, lots of the 100 Climbs, London-Edinburgh-London (2017) and possibly the Transcontinental Race. After that I may start looking outside of the UK/France for more inspiration. I'm really enjoying the closed road events so I may travel for more of those.
Gruffy said:
Over the next couple of years I'm hoping to tick off ... Mont Ventoux Club des Cingles ... Alpe d'Huez,
Do a week in the Alps [June], Huez is minor compared to some of the epic riding nearby. Drive down to Ventoux for a last day of madness if your legs will take it. I'm looking at some of these long distance rides, but it won't be for charity. I'm in the 'can't ask people for money for me to enjoy myself' camp.
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