Reasons for not completing an End to End

[BottomGear]

Just out of curiosity I wonder what the reasons were for those who didn't complete their End to End?

It must be totally devastating to not be able to complete the ride. If this happened to you how did you get over the disappointment?

Not dwelling on the negatives I was speaking with my other half and told her it would take catastrophic failure for me not to finish (touching wood) the trip but it did make me wonder... only a bit mind.

[Paulatic]

I've know of two young women, I've met on the route, who didn't complete. They were travelling independently I must add.
The first, I heard, was involved in an accident very close to her home in Perth.
The second, doing a JOGLE, had a mechanical problem and in, perhaps, a low moment took the train home.

[horizon]

It must be totally devastating to not be able to complete the ride. If this happened to you how did you get over the disappointment?

Bottomgear: if you don't mind me saying so, there's some funny psychology going on here. If anyone is "totally devastated" then I think they need counselling - not to get over the disappointment but to explore why they wanted to do the ride in the first place and what expectations they had built into completing it. Because whatever they were were most likely inappropriate.

The other point I would make is that, by its nature, LEJOG is challenging and there's no guarantee of being able to finish it. It's not a walk in the park. If it were, then the very feelings of elation that you might hope to experience wouldn't be realised. So there must be an element of the possibility of failure. Not to take that into account and to build exaggerated expectations of completion seems daft to say the least. The great thing about LEJOG (I haven't done it but can understand those who do) is that it demands completion, thus pushing you physically and mentally. But not finishing is also part of attempting it which is really the essence of it, not the completion.

[Si]

I've a friend who didn't complete. I think it was because of a combination of really bad weather and a very tight time scale. The were pretty stoical about it: didn't look at it was a defeat but as an enjoyable cycling holiday that didn't quite end up where it was meant to.

[ferrit worrier]

I completed my first end to end in 2009. From the onset of planning through the training getting up to the standard of fitness required I always had it in the back of my mind... can I do it! As I got closer to JoG I think I would have crawled the last mile to finish it.

Whilst writing my blog for it http://e2ein10days.blogspot.co.uk/ a little voice came over my shoulder (Mrs FW) "what are you going to do to beat that?" and a seed was sown for the double attempt in 2011. This with the knowledge that I could do it at least one way, so why not both. I started the ride at home and rode to JoG then down to Lands End. one mistake I made was to vary my original route and chose to come down through Kidderminster and Bath to Okehampton. not the flattest of routes Bath to Okehampton was Hot and I was getting tired. Okehampton to Penzance was even hotter. I had factor 50 sun cream turning to oil on my arms and legs, Darwin would have been so impressed with the insect collection on my arms. I arrived at Penzance YHA totally wiped out. 1,500 miles 16 days. I decided to call it a day. Yes I was gutted, sad, all the preparation but didn't make it. the following day I rode down to Lands End to complete the JoGLE and then on to the station for a train home. Mulling it over whilst waiting for the train I was thinking well If I did this or that could I do it. I would have needed at least a couple of days to recoup some energy but then time was against me as I had to get back for work. Yes I was disappointed with having to bail out. but it was a big learning curve, I was attempting nearly 2,000 miles in 20 days of continuous riding. I learnt my limitations, next time build in some shorter days. with a rest day perhaps. Perhaps a bit more training might have helped. more attention to diet (I'd lost about 20lbs) I was fortunate that at work there were a number of GP's who worked from the building I look after and with whom I discussed the ride, they were all asking how I was doing while I was out. the conclusion from them all was I'd made exactly the right decision, I could go back and revisit the challenge again.

Perhaps if the weather had been a touch cooler I might have made it, We'll never know, disappointed? yes. Am I bothered by it? No I've learnt a lot from it. Life is a huge learning curve, I'd just a good lesson. Would I do it again? Well I did do another LEJoG in 2014 12 days via Lizard Point, ( watch the hill out of Helston it's a killer) would I try the double again? who knows, MMMMM might have a chat with Mick F about Cornwall.

[bikepacker]

I know of two who had to give up for various reasons both went on to complete at a later date. First one was an Evesham lady who suffered a heart problem at Bristol. The second had time constraints because of work and encountered bad weather on route which made it impossible to complete within his time limit.

The only time I didn't complete a long tour was the first time my wife and I rode from home to Gibraltar. A few miles short of Bayonne we got a message that caused an immediate return to home. After soring out the problem we returned to Bayonne two months later and completed the ride.

[robgul]

I know of two who had to give up for various reasons both went on to complete at a later date. First one was an Evesham lady who suffered a heart problem at Bristol. The second had time constraints because of work and encountered bad weather on route which made it impossible to complete within his time limit.

The only time I didn't complete a long tour was the first time my wife and I rode from home to Gibraltar. A few miles short of Bayonne we got a message that caused an immediate return to home. After soring out the problem we returned to Bayonne two months later and completed the ride.

Indeed - I know the lady from Evesham - IIRC she went back sometime later to the point where she had the heart attack and finished the job! Chapeau.

Rob

[DaveP]

I've a friend who didn't complete. I think it was because of a combination of really bad weather and a very tight time scale. The were pretty stoical about it: didn't look at it was a defeat but as an enjoyable cycling holiday that didn't quite end up where it was meant to.

Admirable - at the end of the day, that's what it is.
If you didn't make it, it was still fun trying...

[BottomGear]

I completed my first end to end in 2009. From the onset of planning through the training getting up to the standard of fitness required I always had it in the back of my mind... can I do it! As I got closer to JoG I think I would have crawled the last mile to finish it.

Whilst writing my blog for it http://e2ein10days.blogspot.co.uk/ a little voice came over my shoulder (Mrs FW) "what are you going to do to beat that?" and a seed was sown for the double attempt in 2011. This with the knowledge that I could do it at least one way, so why not both. I started the ride at home and rode to JoG then down to Lands End. one mistake I made was to vary my original route and chose to come down through Kidderminster and Bath to Okehampton. not the flattest of routes Bath to Okehampton was Hot and I was getting tired. Okehampton to Penzance was even hotter. I had factor 50 sun cream turning to oil on my arms and legs, Darwin would have been so impressed with the insect collection on my arms. I arrived at Penzance YHA totally wiped out. 1,500 miles 16 days. I decided to call it a day. Yes I was gutted, sad, all the preparation but didn't make it. the following day I rode down to Lands End to complete the JoGLE and then on to the station for a train home. Mulling it over whilst waiting for the train I was thinking well If I did this or that could I do it. I would have needed at least a couple of days to recoup some energy but then time was against me as I had to get back for work. Yes I was disappointed with having to bail out. but it was a big learning curve, I was attempting nearly 2,000 miles in 20 days of continuous riding. I learnt my limitations, next time build in some shorter days. with a rest day perhaps. Perhaps a bit more training might have helped. more attention to diet (I'd lost about 20lbs) I was fortunate that at work there were a number of GP's who worked from the building I look after and with whom I discussed the ride, they were all asking how I was doing while I was out. the conclusion from them all was I'd made exactly the right decision, I could go back and revisit the challenge again.

Perhaps if the weather had been a touch cooler I might have made it, We'll never know, disappointed? yes. Am I bothered by it? No I've learnt a lot from it. Life is a huge learning curve, I'd just a good lesson. Would I do it again? Well I did do another LEJoG in 2014 12 days via Lizard Point, ( watch the hill out of Helston it's a killer) would I try the double again? who knows, MMMMM might have a chat with Mick F about Cornwall.

That's a hell of a ask Ferrit, I tip my hat to you as there's few who would attempt such an undertaking. I guess when you train so hard and then give it your all then you can at least hold you held up high and say you could not of done any more.

That learning curve you mention is so true, I guess the trick is to learn from the lessons we throw ourselves into and prepare ourselves for the next challenge, whatever it may be, with that knowledge.

[Mick F]

I did the double End2End in 2006 ............. but although I completed it, it wasn't easy at all.

I'd done JOGLE in 1994 and when I arrived at LE, I was feeling great and could easily have carried on riding. When I planned on doing LEJOG and Back, I really expected it to just be "double" what I'd done before, so all I did was double the time.

Big mistake!

I left LE, and 10 days later was in spitting distance of JOG. The 11th day saw me get to JOG at lunchtime, turn round and head back to where I'd left that morning. The next few days were easy peazy, but eventually I tired and tired and tired. By the time I got to Carlisle, I was worn out and there was no way that I could keep up my schedule.

Frantic phonecalls from wonderful Mrs Mick F, and she managed to shift the rest of my accommodation one day later, and I added one more day to the ride. Instead of doing two 100m days back-to-back, I had two easy 50mile days. This gave me a well-earned rest, and I was able to do the other 100mile day ok.

I nearly gave up at Carlise TBH, but sheer grit and determination got me through.

I learnt one thing for sure ................. long rides need a day off half way!

[Ben@Forest]

Doing JOGLE in 2013 I met couple in or near Beauly completing a LEJOG. They had started in 2012 and given in somewhere around the border after days of incessant rain (if you remember 2012 started with drought warnings and then there was rain and flooding from April). So in May 2013 they picked up where they left off and were obviously within a spit of finishing when I met them.

[PH]

I had no problem completing my E2E, I’d overestimated how tough it would be and was well prepared. A couple of tough days weather wise early on, made the rest seem plain sailing.
A couple of years later and I totally underestimated the difficulty of an East to West, the flat counties were nothing like as flat as I’d imagined and going across the grain on the hilly counties involved a lot more climbing than I’d prepared for By the time I’d reached the Scottish border I was a day behind plan, exhausted and couldn’t see myself catching up. Gave up and within an hour of making that decision was on a train home, once home regretted it. I was disappointed, annoyed with myself for not doing the research and being prepared, even more annoyed with myself for going home rather than changing the plan and still doing something interesting. Did it 7 months later with ease.
I get it when people say it’s a holiday, enjoy it. But for me such rides are a challenge, there is an element of success or failure. If I wanted a touring holiday (Which I often do!) there are IMO better things to do than an E2E, something that leaves time to explore and where changing plans, distances and destinations is part of rather than detracting from the aim.

[horizon]

Bottomgear: did you really mean "totally devastating". I took it literally (hence my rather serious response) but reading it again I realise it might have been tongue in cheek (no emoticon though ).

Can you confirm?

[BottomGear]

Bottomgear: did you really mean "totally devastating". I took it literally (hence my rather serious response) but reading it again I realise it might have been tongue in cheek (no emoticon though ).

Can you confirm?

Hi Horizon. No worries, I totally got your point, but I did mean something of a great upset perhaps. I think the posts here do reflect a degree of this for those for whatever reason were unable to continue but it's been refreshing to read how many bounced back to continue their journeys at a later date.

I guess I used the word 'devastated' because that's how a friend of mind felt after she had to pull out of what was a very long charity walk after suffering from terrible blisters for many miles. She left the group in tears not so much because of her feet but because she was unable to complete the challenge.

[horizon]

Yes actually that's a good point - when you pull out through exhaustion, injury or whatever it can be a very emotionally charged time. Later on it can be seen in perspective of course. And I do agree with PH that success or failure is important - that is definitely part of it.