whitestone wrote:Greg - any chance of another year by year comparison of the leader's current position? Pretty please

At work! Will get to it in a bit :)

The things I do for you lot... rushed, but you get the idea.

it would most likely have been a tough day heading west yesterday - i was out on the minigaig then gaick yesterday and it was hard work heading west on the A9 cycleway and in the west ish facing bits of the Gaick....i suspect would have been tough going further north and west, indeed. the coast after Kylesku would have been gnarly. hats off to these guys...amazing efforts!

Ok, I need some advice and talking to. Free hub split last night on the way in to Ullapool. Not repairable. Can order a replacement to be here by 9am tomorrow, but not sure if my head will be in the right place. WAs really enjoying it until that moment (11.50 pm last night!)

What would you all do?

I haven't scratched yet.

slarge wrote:Ok, I need some advice and talking to. Free hub split last night on the way in to Ullapool. Not repairable. Can order a replacement to be here by 9am tomorrow, but not sure if my head will be in the right place. WAs really enjoying it until that moment (11.50 pm last night!)

What would you all do?

I haven't scratched yet.

Sort your head out - then decide. Personally if I'm feeling good (fitness wise and have everything to survive etc.) and the only thing that might be holding me back is my head, maybe a change of plan to touring it rather than racing...then as you pootle on see where your head is and start upping the pace.
You can always scratch later
You could make this a good chance to get some rest/recovery too.

slarge wrote:Ok, I need some advice and talking to. Free hub split last night on the way in to Ullapool. Not repairable. Can order a replacement to be here by 9am tomorrow, but not sure if my head will be in the right place. WAs really enjoying it until that moment (11.50 pm last night!)

What would you all do?

I haven't scratched yet.

get it ordered. isn't there a little bike repair place in ullapool? Eat fish and chips, relax by the sea, get your wheel sorted, crack on You'll be adding a day to your time but if you are enjoying it why stop? Good chance to recharge your batteries (literally and figuratively!) before going again.

Also remember that most of us reading this are stuck indoors looking at computer screens in the urban sprawl of southern Britain (with apologies to our Scottish contributors!) ask yourself where do you want to be for the rest of the week?

slarge wrote:Ok, I need some advice and talking to. Free hub split last night on the way in to Ullapool. Not repairable. Can order a replacement to be here by 9am tomorrow, but not sure if my head will be in the right place. WAs really enjoying it until that moment (11.50 pm last night!)

What would you all do?

I haven't scratched yet.

First I'd find out if you can fix it in Ullapool

Was really enjoying it until that moment

So why stop?

Take 24 hours out, sleep and eat the contents of the Spar and then crack on

What would Mr Goldsmith do?

Thanks folks, that's what I needed! Part ordered!

slarge wrote:Thanks folks, that's what I needed! Part ordered!

good stuff, now you maybe familiar with the harbour side fish and chip shop - it should be opening soon. I've done 2 portions in a day before from there...

Just had porridge with syrup and bananas and a full fry up. Not sure what's for pudding yet. Next step a B&b

Tough luck Steve, looked like you were going well. Good to see you are continuing at least you can scope out the route for another effort next year.

Looks like its hotting up at the front. Has Tom closed any ot the gap to Josh? Both look to have refuelled at Kinlochewe
Tactics in the final 2 days will be interesting

Mart wrote:Has Tom closed any ot the gap to Josh?

Tom has and at this point he's only 40-60 minutes behind. Its some easy tarmac miles between Kinlochewe and Torridon

Depends on re-fuelling.
Looks like Josh may have popped to the shop in Torridon for Bacon sandwich and Tom's at the café in Kinlochewe.

Shall we say Josh got to Annat at 11:45 Lets see when Tom arrives

Chew wrote:

Mart wrote:Has Tom closed any ot the gap to Josh?

Tom has and at this point he's only 40-60 minutes behind. Its some easy tarmac miles between Kinlochewe and Torridon

Depends on re-fuelling.
Looks like Josh may have popped to the shop in Torridon for Bacon sandwich and Tom's at the café in Kinlochewe.

Shall we say Josh got to Annat at 11:45 Lets see when Tom arrives

it was about an hour and 20 at kinlochewe.

It's down to sleeping strategy now then. I guess SS is slower on the flats but faster uphill

Scratch Update:

Really sorry to announce that Steve Heading is pulling the plug. Head not in it.

GregMay wrote:Scratch Update:

Really sorry to announce that Steve Heading is pulling the plug. Head not in it.

thats a real shame, he looked to be going well too

That's a real shame. Big gap between 2nd and 3rd then

That's the spirit Steve ... keep on keeping on. Just remember, a finish is a finish and NO ONE can take it away from you.

Steve Heading seemed to be enjoying it at Ullapool! Just shows how tough this race can be mentally as well as physically.

Keep going Steve Large! The best bits are yet to come! It will be so very worth it when you get back to Tyndrum.

Looking like Rich and Tom are taking the road around Fisherfield:

There could of course be something else going on, maybe they know of a cake shop I don't.

looks like Rich and Minipips are avoiding fisherfield and cutting inland back to the main road.

Josh went through CP7 in torridon at 13.07 (by my estimation) Tom looks to be 600m from there now so may have closed the gap at little...

Tom through at 13.58 (or so) which means hes gained 20+ minutes on Josh since the torridon sandwich shop

The river crossing at Fisherfield is quite deep apparently, so maybe Rich thought he didn't want to take Tom through.

Looks like the race is hotting up.

Toms only a mile behind Josh now. He's going to be able to see him soon, although Josh is going to have an advantage on the run down to Stratcarron.

Quote of the day:

I train with Steve quite regularly and it's safe to say that he's harder than several bags of nails