LEJOG 4 Days - Solo Unsupported

Specific board for this popular undertaking.
nboyer79
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LEJOG 4 Days - Solo Unsupported

Post by nboyer79 »

Hi there,
I'm new to the forum and very happy to have found this page and my place alongside a few like-minded sadists and type 2 fun enthusiasts.

I will be taking on the LEJOG challenge in June.

Over the past few years I've completed a number of events of 300/400km and a 4 day event of 270km-300km per day. With a 600km Paris Brest qualifier coming up, this LEJOG attempt will be the biggest challenge I've ever undertaken.

As I'm doing this solo, I'm opting to pretty much follow the Audax LEJOG route for 2024 avoiding as many A roads as possible. I'm happy to sacrifice speed by taking quieter roads and country lanes. I'll be raising money for a local hospice that relies on donations so I want to do my best for the charity.

I plan to complete the challenge in 4 days solo unsupported. I've accommodation booked for each night.. assuming I get there at an appropriate time. If not, it's fields....

I'd love to get feedback from the group on the route I've selected here and tweak it with any required changes. Ideally, I'd prefer to avoid cities where possible.

Day 1 - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42051982 - Lands End - Almondsbury
Day 2 - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42051985 - Almondsbury - Kendal
Day 3 - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42051988 - Kendal - Onich
Day 4 - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42161145 - Onich - JOG

Planning for 16 hours a day in the saddle but imagining days 1 and 3 being up to 18 hours.

however, this ends up going it will be an epic journey.

Any feedback, advice and help welcome.

Bring on the challenge.
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Paulatic
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Re: LEJOG 4 Days - Solo Unsupported

Post by Paulatic »

Day 3 on your schedule I’d stick to the A6 from Penrith -Carlisle
I wouldn’t go through Lockerbie unless you need anything. Stick to the B7076. The lorry park just north of Lockerbie is now closed so roadside eating opportunity lost.
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Mick F
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Re: LEJOG 4 Days - Solo Unsupported

Post by Mick F »

I agree.

I drove a van in support of LEJOGers who did it in five days, and they took a shorter and faster route than the one "nboyer79" has outlined.

LE to Almondsbury up the A30 to Exeter, then B3181 (old A38) and then A38.

Then, follow A38 to Gloucester, and head for Kidderminster, Brignorth, Telford, Whitchurch, and Warrington.
Then up the A49 to Preston and A6 to Kendal.
Stay on it to Carlisle and then up the Old A74 and head for Lanark and Broxburn to cross the Forth, then Crossgates, Kelty, Kinross and Bridge of Earn to Perth on the Old A90.
Then up the A9 and A99 via Wick to JOG.

Highly recommended by me. Short, fast, and simple.
I've done that route myself though not on the main roads.
Mick F. Cornwall
rareposter
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Re: LEJOG 4 Days - Solo Unsupported

Post by rareposter »

nboyer79 wrote: 29 Mar 2023, 9:53pm As I'm doing this solo, I'm opting to pretty much follow the Audax LEJOG route for 2024 avoiding as many A roads as possible. I'm happy to sacrifice speed by taking quieter roads and country lanes.
That sentence is completely at odds with the routes you've then posted which use LOTS of A-roads (as I suspect you'll have to if you want to do it in 4 days...)

Some random screenshots:
Day 1, the A38 near Sampford Arundel
https://goo.gl/maps/gFAkLBGRgc2ER1LF8

Day 2 through the middle of Warrington, complete with helpful "Collision Hotspot" warning sign:
https://goo.gl/maps/KWzoiJSPLb3gUq6z7

Day 3, Paisley
https://goo.gl/maps/bS4ZTcVok2SsnVeJ7

Day 4, the narrow and very busy A82 alongside Loch Ness
https://goo.gl/maps/ihFvcwgiA1hMLt7h9

I get that the Audax route was created to serve a purpose - a fast and reasonably direct option - and I don't really disagree with that, it's just it's the opposite end of the spectrum from your desire to avoid A roads and use quieter roads and country lanes. Cos there aren't many of those along that route!
PH
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Re: LEJOG 4 Days - Solo Unsupported

Post by PH »

You seem to have divided the route into four equal distances with no regard for terrain! The first days climbing is 50% more that the subsequent days, and IME the relentlessness of it will make it seem a bigger difference. if you've still got the legs on day 2, you'll sail through the rest.
It's too much for me, but if I was contemplating it, I'd knock 50 miles off the first day and add it back over the other three - though a bit late for you if the accommodation is already booked.
As already noted there's a lot of A road on your route, I doubt you could avoid that without considerably increasing the challenge. Evan at my touring pace, A roads are likely to be 2kph ave faster, plus often more direct and easier gradients.
Good luck
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horizon
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Re: LEJOG 4 Days - Solo Unsupported

Post by horizon »

Might help if we clarified what we mean by an A road. I've seen cyclists on the A30 dual carriageway in Cornwall, somewhere I would choose not to cycle. The A38 in Devon similarly but that has a cycle lane alongside but still slower. Parts of the A38 in Somerset though are fine.
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Mick F
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Re: LEJOG 4 Days - Solo Unsupported

Post by Mick F »

I agree.

A38 in places through Devon has a cycle way alongside the "motorway by any other name" A38.
A30 is horrid, though I would recommend it if you want to do and End2End in four or five days.

Given the choice, I would do it again and take ten or eleven days.
A30 in a few places, A38 in a few places, Let alone the A49 and A6 and A7 in a few places too ............ also let alone the A9 in places too.
Mick F. Cornwall
nboyer79
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Re: LEJOG 4 Days - Solo Unsupported

Post by nboyer79 »

Thanks, everyone here, for the feedback.

Will definitely be making adjustments based on this feedback. :D

Apologies for the confusion around A roads. Conscious, I'll be taking a fair few A roads on this epic journey. What I essentially wanted to avoid is the dual carriageway type A roads / the ones where I'll be fearing for my life. ;-P... It is indeed a tricky challenge to avoid them all completely, but if I can minimise the time spent dancing with death, I'd prefer to do so.

One other thing to mention is that my departure times will be between 2 to 4 am each day, so I'm hoping to get a few hours on quieter roads.

Re Day 1 - that is indeed a fruity day in the saddle and the one sparking the most fear... If I can get through that in one piece I feel I should be ok for the remainder.

I did a recent 300km audax, and it was a few hundred meters less in elevation than Day 1. I stayed in my zones, fuelled well... no fireworks and I got through it fine with plenty left in the tank. However, I'm not convinced. I'll be heading down to Cornwall to do a big chunk of the route out to Dartmoor and back as a tester. That day will be 310km with 5000m of climbing. If I can get through that monster day... I'll make a call if I shorten day 1 and extend the others. Day 4, for example, is the shortest. I'm able to change hotels, so no worries there. I also have a couple of multi-day events coming up that should really test the pins and let me make the right decision on daily distances.

It does feel like a very big stretch and the absolute limits of what I think I can do... but that's why its so appealing. It's a challenge.

Audax Easter Arrow 400km coming up on Friday which will be a real test of character if the flooded laneways are as they were on the weekend.
toontra
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Re: LEJOG 4 Days - Solo Unsupported

Post by toontra »

Fully agree with early start times - on both my LEJoGs and other multi-day long rides I aim for a 3am start. It gives you a huge psychological advantage to have covered a fair chunk of your miles on quiet roads before people start getting up to go to work. It also maximises daylight. June is the perfect month - you'll barely need your lights!

Also think you're right in front-loading. Get the hardest day done when you're fresh.

I did a 6 and then 5 day solo unsupported a few years back and have toyed with attempting a 4 day but the weather would have to be near perfect for it to work and that's what deters me from planning in advance. An open schedule would be ideal (i.e. go when the short-term forecast is favourable) but that gets more expensive and adds other complications.

Best of luck and look forward to the ride report!
rareposter
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Re: LEJOG 4 Days - Solo Unsupported

Post by rareposter »

nboyer79 wrote: 3 Apr 2023, 9:14pm One other thing to mention is that my departure times will be between 2 to 4 am each day, so I'm hoping to get a few hours on quieter roads.
There's an argument there that you could probably do the first 25% and last 25% of each day on the bigger / faster roads as they'll be much earlier and later respectively and therefore (hopefully) less traffic - although do be aware that sometimes less traffic means that the few drivers who are out and about will be going faster and with much less expectation of seeing cyclists!
But it's worth then looking at the middle 50% and routing that as per your original desire of avoiding A-roads and cities.

I've not done a true 400km Audax for ages but I've ridden Manchester to London a couple of times via marginally different routes and that's about 370km. Each time took about 13.5hrs riding and about 15.5hrs total without particularly rushing anything. 10,000ft (ish) climbing.

But the main point of it was we managed to avoid most of the main roads; it was a lovely collection of lanes, a few dips into smaller towns but the only really busy bit was coming into London. We rode within a couple of miles of Luton Airport and it was all on quiet lanes through fields!
You don't need to take huge main roads to get the ride done. 15h.5rs total time was fine, that included a stop for a pub lunch and a couple of shorter cafe stops, 13.5hrs riding time wasn't too extreme.

The key is minimising off-bike time but then I expect you know that already as you seem quite experienced with the whole long-distance thing! Looking forward to hearing about the ride!
jamesoneil
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Re: LEJOG 4 Days - Solo Unsupported

Post by jamesoneil »

I'm going for an audax style LEJOG in May as well. I'm aiming for Gloucester the first night, so a tough day, but managable. I've riden much of my Cornwall route on a 300k audax a few times, so won't have to spend much energy navigating little lanes.

As an aside, if you're planning on riding past Trago Liskead on your training ride, be prewarned it'll be stressful.
Fezes are cool.
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Mick F
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Re: LEJOG 4 Days - Solo Unsupported

Post by Mick F »

Trago is on the A38, and it's stressful to say the least!
Many an accident and road closure along through the Glynn Valley.

Rather than A38 Glynn Valley, turn off from Bodmin and head through Lanhydrock and West Taphouse on the A390. Go on the old road through Dobwalls village and then up the hill into Liskeard.
Mick F. Cornwall
nboyer79
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Re: LEJOG 4 Days - Solo Unsupported

Post by nboyer79 »

Thanks so much for this all this information. Can't tell you how appreciative I am. I'll tweak the routes based on this feedback.

Prepping for the Audax Easter Arrow tomorrow, so trying to get my head in the zone for cycling for 24 hours :shock: once I get through that I'll be able to get more time to plan.

One good call out here is the time off the bike. Every Audax I've done, I feel like I step into the timing vortex of doom, and the minutes waste away pretty quickly.

To get through this Lejog, I'm doubling down on the timing efficiency at stops. Even if I'm going slower moving and taking on fuel, i'd prefer to move than sit around. Not sure I'll be as dramatic as setting a stopwatch alarm at each stop, but its crossing my mind.
toontra
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Re: LEJOG 4 Days - Solo Unsupported

Post by toontra »

To minimise "faffing" time it's a good idea to plan ahead of each stop exactly what needs doing and in what order and make a mental list. I always try and drink the contents of water bottles ahead of stopping so I'm properly hydrated and the bottles are ready for re-filling. I've decided small shops and garages are better for buying provisions than supermarkets as you have less distance to walk, parking the bike close to the entrance is easier and they are more likely to be found on directly on route than taking detours (even relatively short ones can take valuable time).

Good luck with the arrow tomorrow! Haven't done one for a few years but always enjoyed them.
nboyer79
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Re: LEJOG 4 Days - Solo Unsupported

Post by nboyer79 »

jamesoneil wrote: 4 Apr 2023, 12:59pm I'm going for an audax style LEJOG in May as well. I'm aiming for Gloucester the first night, so a tough day, but managable. I've riden much of my Cornwall route on a 300k audax a few times, so won't have to spend much energy navigating little lanes.

As an aside, if you're planning on riding past Trago Liskead on your training ride, be prewarned it'll be stressful.
Any chance you can share the 300km cornwall route with me so as I can compare?

Note taken on Trago Liskead - I'm currently rejigging the route :D
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