GBDURO 2020 starts today

[Jamesh]

Looks like the leader Angus is out after a thunderstorm and vomiting.

It's a really hard race with the need to be self sufficient, water harvesting and poor weather!

Cheers James

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Guessed the weather would crucify them
Tough luck.
All that prepacked food was not going to help.
After 12 hrs at a pace I lose my appetite then I force feed and there is always regurgitation.
If you dont eat then you nose dive into the tarmac..............any thing that happens then is just the way you feel.

[1982john]

Looks like the leader Angus is out after a thunderstorm and vomiting.

It's a really hard race with the need to be self sufficient, water harvesting and poor weather!

Cheers James

He was Thunderstruck....

I'll get my coat

[Redvee]

This is Molly Weaver's first Instgram post since retiring from the race

I hadn’t considered that I might not finish GBDURO, and certainly not that it would end so soon and so abruptly. I would say that this was naïve of me, but instead I think it was optimistic. I don’t think you can reach the start line of an event like this if you don’t believe you’ll also make it to the finish.

But all it takes is one tiny mistake, one moment of bad luck, one oversight, and months of work and days of riding are gone in an instant. It’s a bizarre feeling. You’re in it and everything’s going well, and then just like that you’re out. Then you're at home watching others continue the adventure without you.

Every single person involved in this event was brilliant. In personality, in attitude, and in their ability to ride a ridiculously heavy bike through extremely challenging terrain. I'm incredibly sad not to be out there with them, but I am following their dots and willing them all on.

Maybe I'll go into more detail at some point, but I suffered a pretty nasty freak injury on a difficult descent in the rain. I was being careful, and I didn't crash, but I hit a rock and then hit the saddle hard. I could no longer sit down after this, which is a major issue. I tried everything to relieve the pain, then tried again, but it became clear that reaching John O’Groats was no longer possible. The injury was only getting worse.

This isn’t just a long ride, this is pushing your body to the extreme for 16hours+ a day over and over again. With a 35kg bike and very little time to rest. It’s beautiful and it’s brutal in equal measure. Even for the hours I continued to make it to the next section, and the next kilometre, I knew that I couldn’t keep it up for another 1700kms.

I'm already looking ahead and not dwelling on this situation, because I was privileged to even be here in the first place. It's a luxury not everyone has.

Now I have some unfinished business to attend to. Plans are already being made, and the adventure isn't over yet.

Thank you to everyone who made any of this possible, and for all of the support since then. Every message, every bit of encouragement, and every person who came out to cheer. It means more than you can know. You're amazing❤️

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Five riders have now crashed out.
I'm not sure you will see half of starters finish the ride?
edited for clarity.

[1982john]

6 Now.

I don't know how many started in 2019 - I know it was more than this year - but only 10 finished. And it's much more tricky this year.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Not sure there is a cutoff time.
But I now predict only three finishers.

The problem for those not on the pace is you need more food to get through even a rest day.
Already one mentioned rationing..................

[Jamesh]

Rabbit it phesant anyone!!!

Cheers James

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Looks like we are down to 200 k a day with 600 left for the winner.
Good effort.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
State of play, this is the second half of the competition (last 1000k)
1st is on 1640k appx. Josh ibbet
last is on 950k appx. Chris bower & sharon calton both are riding 2x2 in pairs, or they are a pair?? I am not sure what pairs are, I suppose it two riders, they are within spitting distance or each other.
Problem still exist that food will run out for many of them before they finish?
Gail brown is in forth, effort!
https://gbduro20.maprogress.com/
https://www.dotwatcher.cc/race/gbduro20

[Jamesh]

It's like the tdf run by the marines.
Chapeau to them all.

Monster effort from them all.

Cheers James

[1982john]

Josh could ride through the night and finish for sunrise tomorrow?

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
200 K to go yes probably. Eight days.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
45 miles to go for Josh Ibbett.
what an effort

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
20K and he's finished....................
Edited-
Must of finished now, 7 & 3/4 days.
Spare a thought for the rest of the field yet to finish.