Who to watch...

*Cover Image: London Edinburgh London; Hats off to that! Photo kindly shared by Ivo Miesen.* 

The endurance adventure which is London Edinburgh London 2022 has officially come to an end. Thank you to everyone who has shared their personal stories and achievements with us along the way, and of course all the Dotwatchers at home who have endured sleepless nights watching their loved ones in dot form, crawling at snail pace up and down the country. Team LEL were blown away by the sheer number of bystanders who came out and cheered/offered water, and it really seemed like the event was finally catching the imagination of the public. 

Now for some stats. Out of 1800 entries, there were 1550 starters. By 11pm on Friday evening 940 riders had returned to Debden, many well out of time but worthy of applause. The final number of riders finishing within time won't be known for a while, due to the validation process. However a provisional rate is estimated at 60%, up from 53% in 2017! 

Due to the numbers taking part, I feel like the commentary on Dotwatcher has barely scratched the surface in terms of the rich experiences and thousands of beautiful memories logged by the riders. There are countless amazing stories, such as the first ever Indian woman to finish or the first ever guy on a fatbike to finish, not to mention the numerous riders who packed in before pulling on a volunteers T-shirt in order to help those still going. And of course we do still have one very strong willed woman still going; Gareema Shankar (G32). At the time of writing, Gareema has checked into the control at Hessle with 330km left to go. There are reports that she's still insanely upbeat, despite being on the road for nearly a week. Perhaps she is enjoying the ride so much, she doesn't want it to end...

You might remember George Swain, the extraordinary recovery story who I mentioned earlier in the week. George made it to Brampton, looked at the clock and did some maths before putting operation Alt Tour into mode. This involved a route of lesser distance; London Brampton London was the new plan which allowed him to join the hundreds of riders on their way south. So instead of a finisher's medal, he got an amazing experience enjoying this beautiful country, meeting some wonderful people along the way whilst managing to squeeze in just shy of 1200km. He was even treated to an overhearing of Simple Minds sing “Don’t You Forget About Me” at an outdoor concert at Saffron Hall while grinding up a hill between St. Ives and Great Easton. What magic!

*Swain and buddies; Ice cream was devoured.* 

![LEL Swain Ice Cream](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/66Qv4kzXmFzpO3q1IjkRNg/eb5124ce86f05252a76c7da61338c971/298229002_1084560682427709_2755518360358625188_n.jpg)

I will close the commentary out with a series of photos kindly shared by Ivo Miesen taken during LEL. Until next time, a picture paints a thousand words. 

![LEL Misen_1](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/oe8SBOgNXXMTUuDkb9GjL/246cab7126d3e3ae289d2e647810c59b/297992481_1434214753714632_5568433635596306683_n.jpg)
![LEL Miesen 2](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6rRkkkh3H2c2gSGYcGzbBA/b631bb09e91048cd7fd5653d7312524d/298367059_1682882718776953_2293260134731895980_n.jpg)
![LEL Miesen 3](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/29zKUF91SSUItLj9V9qH4C/1412666098a4ebf15305a35b53102bdb/298197233_583354153258891_2701046834729698869_n.jpg)
![LEL Miesen 4](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5iTDQ1IyjrXAfbFOTG0ct6/003dd1e3af638ce55c1f48ca9e8453f2/298245740_656698926003282_6467821998391338602_n.jpg)
![LEL Miesen 5](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5I9HFFRQgty8RaOevLA4h4/561859bc6ef78a4a5b49b4095cff6055/298256543_585474759895862_3316014412177569319_n.jpg)
![LEL Miesen 6](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/oYptran43gDs30VEdcRTA/a327a382f4063d26409d6e815cf11663/298307890_1174753193103880_7184984055229743992_n.jpg)
![LEL Miesen 7](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/bfRbRHCLOZvCLOlTYKuko/ac55a5038e28c8ab091e38d27103c2fe/298315575_516250626934838_3465411081197900162_n.jpg)
![LEL Miesen 8](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3bd9lSlsKEGABH8Te6JF51/b78469327befe89a2a5a7af96f4a6fd5/298325979_1352641165263047_2223116013770561512_n.jpg)
![LEL Miesen 9](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6XhXaHeUC1Z6KXswIPxtDt/b4bf5096599b1b85aed53bb2b79bfa50/298359645_439960531208113_3174076851038547302_n.jpg)
![LEL Miesen 10](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/400qFjr4yOlD5toCNTQSBz/4e3f6ba290397e26e0fc1094b69a4791/298359653_1034037617474796_4589680592656534319_n.jpg)
![LEL Miesen 11](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4mfWXZVzV7mPAGkvFz1Vml/2579035b61b699e0f1e54e170576e767/298371036_605407224441295_295892038482167833_n.jpg)
![LEL Miesen 12](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/96KOBZicu1Sdix1Wq2AHz/ab6a9046a07b93458601795663278c1a/298371813_3351051975176687_3221288774661640417_n.jpg)
![LEL Miesen 13](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2HfPLJl4Ru1QYX8OdGtBWr/3623f7be88fd8305dbd896da201c1c3c/298472351_750208283438519_1370503347110667281_n.jpg)
![LEL Miesen 14](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/143anue3nrA2xnuGzCAy7r/9933e20da15ce8694200bf4cd62d339f/298473991_786851059299806_2789820379773389306_n.jpg)
![LEL Miesen 15](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7A6U6N4NH5TWA3VDQn0FE3/90fc771afb041efa60120ab2e8c2a9ae/298491722_2948569328621132_6564343510344366436_n.jpg)
![LEL Miesen 16](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2h0dvTSQ03o9UFjHhvbdQp/6d5c99ad527aa1e64b65d2927714bca9/298525125_604451797754982_8602058248365450467_n.jpg)
![LEL Miesen 17](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5wwXptgDKxfuLMvYREl233/d950f8a8b3708e601c3b9883ceb33c19/298568239_773170747219538_3317704070448078781_n.jpg)
![LEL Miesen 18](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/H2bb5gH7MBsGobOS4W9jQ/6b9615025ec4009799a4a3ca320a0d6f/298668668_468067848661089_1548241214981872467_n.jpg)
![LEL Miesen 19](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3zfeWeYQNOTctNceEhX4jF/7b937b98137b065f27816cfd8bc35039/298689301_382322410684927_2933445496805022726_n.jpg)
![LEL Miesen 20](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6hLhabN2D8pcJv4NRmHwg5/08495db637d3267970c1d21b0e27d24d/298706846_631190444861859_959263218285164861_n.jpg)
![LEL Miesen 21](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/326EuXr33JGOdZWEqXg6x8/ed1598aeacadfee3f8a084687ed0178f/298711453_438495211630430_6861068962922743899_n.jpg)
![LEL Miesen 22](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6Ec0yfUMMzl10BdsLXsWJG/3a214b1235741a4f4b8e17353b851faf/298788406_2626973687438249_1200094636320839415_n.jpg)
![LEL Miesen 23](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2lTPmiwRlIfDgM8AdPuiRT/812582ae12a6e1e69bc394538121341c/298812783_1427958217701426_8605627779293212663_n.jpg)

It's a wrap!

*Cover Image: The Humber Bridge; a glorious sight for LEL riders on their return to Debden. Thankyou to Mark Nicholson for the photo.* 

Thursday PM. 

Today marks the home straight for a lot of riders, with many leaving the hills of the Pennines and Moors behind in exchange for a very welcome flat roll through Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire. Mark Nicholson took these stunning photos of his ride. Despite having to scratch in Edinburgh, his highlight was the descent out of the Pennines as dawn broke, along with random people cheering him on from the road side. And that is exactly what this LEL has been about; celebrating the joy of riding long distances whether first or last. 

![LEL Nightrider](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2XSYJG9v18hqt6IAfef7hK/53ab7975614daa3f6972718e55e70462/298458720_10222168156578209_8801682689718251810_n.jpg)![LEL Sunrise](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3Fm6zMvH4D0xvgcXFAYgqo/dc5c792ad8c212dfbc45bfe1ad389abe/298651776_10222168156258201_3404634623559924553_n.jpg)
![LEL Moors](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7aroH1UD1tV1hMbWa7Ul01/6b0cb9da4211a1a59422c718202e2630/298415576_10222168157578234_6733390787125866629_n.jpg)

A lot has changed since the first edition of LEL, way back in 1989 when 29 riders started and the event was sponsored by Lonsdale Road Fish Shop. There was no such thing as Social Media, or any advice about strategy and equipment. Even the distance was an uncertainty! You just turned up with a lot of unknowns, with the adventure spirit and motivation to ride your bike a long way. 

Chris Todd was riding LEL this year whilst aiming to raise money for Acorns Children's Hospice, a charity close to his Grandparent's hearts who both volunteered there for 26 years. They were both keen cycle tourers back in the day and would have firmly approved of this type of activity. Sadly, Chris' Grandad passed away earlier this year so the ride was not only to raise funds for the hospice but also a tribute to him. I'm sure that had he known about LEL in 1989, he would have been lining up with those 29 other intrepid souls. Chris has had a sucessful ride and aims to finish tonight, all whilst raising nearly £2k for the Hospice. Chapeau!   

*Back in the day.*

![LEL Todd](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/f9F6KAUcZe1VVgKQ2YiDX/71f5c0cc2f3d1ee976e55ee4b71104d9/295317865_3131266557126573_90928144556700163_n.jpg)
![LEL Todd 2](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4B2Zvazx1iBCou1bxBx1Bl/c24567f8088658393437b5bf39f8f6d6/296250251_622524185877431_7912866267029834014_n.jpg)

Back to the present day, and news just in that the ElliptiGO rider Stuart Blofeld (ref. previous post's cover image) has suffered a burst tyre near Grimsby. He's having trouble sourcing the correct size tyre, after trying a BMX tyre which was too fat for the forks. Stuart needs to find a 20' x 1.35' tyre in order to keep rolling and make it back to Debden. Stuart - we hope the Tyre Gods come to your rescue and you can get rolling again!  

![LEL ElliptoGO](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5ZsmKCL5uSCVpKscMhIbtR/77ba756e4d16043b81dbf91e6f3a0edd/298167846_5334361733314640_6934687287714652673_n.jpg)

A few of your have been asking how our LEL Hen Party are getting on. That is Sarah Hughes (AJ32) and her friend Rocio Miguez (AJ31). What a fabulous pair - despite the heat they have pushed on as a team, having crossed the Humber Bridge earlier this evening. This leaves around 300km to go, and they have just over 24 hours to cover with their cut off time being 21.15 on Friday. Time to put the Champagne on ice... 

![LEL Hen Party](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7WYudA64MwDy3M1vaZ3rA/3f3f224a53ae98fa86487bd6275b5eef/298494402_10159554804253283_2063664377836864256_n.jpg)

Day 5 - The Home Straight

*Cover image: Stuart Blofeld takes on LEL on his ElliptiGO, which he has also completed Paris Brest Paris and The Pan Celtic Race on. *

Wednesday PM

We have our first finishers of London Edinburgh London! Matthew Page (A16) arrived back at Debden in the early hours of Wednesday morning, followed by Anco De Jong (A1) a few hours later. The tracking shows a total of 6 riders having completed the ride, but there is likely a lot more than this that aren't carrying trackers. The element of Dotwatching is an addictive process, but it is worth remembering that there are a lot more people out there not carrying trackers. Flying under the radar, these are our unsung heros pushing on to finish by Friday evening. The list of DNFs is growing, but we have huge respect to every rider setting off on this beautiful adventure. 

At this point in the ride, deep fatigue is really starting to set in as the dots return for home, many operating on little and low quality sleep. The temperatures have also have soared today, making for tough riding conditions. A scene from the control at Eskdalemuir; a classic Sleepy Randonneurs scene which could be mistaken for an Air Raid Siren in another world. A picture paints a thousand words; these Dots can sleep anywhere.    

[LEL Sleep](https://images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/mmFOusAH9gjSaVIh2Iyq8/6a022c2b7bf375223ec1395351f45912/298616289_10160751044210530_448948594108573026_n.jpg)

The army of volunteers are continuing to go the extra mile for riders today, with several stories from the front line. The Michelin Star School Dinners award goes to Team Boston for their dedication to foraged food. The volunteers here have picked and washed fresh blackberries from the school playing field to go with desert. That is some dedication to service! 

To finish this brief update, I wanted to do a big shout out to George Swain. This is one particular rider who has overcome a huge amount of adversity just to be at the start line of LEL this year. George originally rode LEL in 2009, back when it was still growing and there were 600 riders. The following year, in 2010, he was hit from behind by a car during a 1000km Audax. As a result of the crash, George had 28 broken bones, five surgeries including a total hip replacement, and a month in hospital. George undertook a long recovery process and an eventual return to his love of long distance cycling. In 2015 he completed Paris-Brest-Paris, and vowes to continue riding these ultra distance Audaxes as long as he is able. After 13 years he has returned to LEL, and is interested to see how his perception has changed after all this time. 

Once a cyclist, always a cyclist at heart. Thank you for your story George - what an inspiration you are and we look forward to checking in with you after the adventure.

Day 4 - First Finishers and Wild Blackberries

*Cover image: Bromptonneurs Sandi Adila (LG26) and Hendriyanto Wijaya (LG27), the first Brompton riders to reach Eskdalemuir this afternoon.*

Tuesday PM

Day 3 of London Edinburgh London is drawing to a close. By now we have The Bulge up and over the top, and as our riders start to head south with it brings a renewed sense of motivation as they head for home. 

Along with the Bromptonneurs earlier today we had our first woman Leonie Dijkstra (B30) to pass Control 11 at Eskdalemuir. It's worth mentioning that riders have to make it successfully past the peacocks which roam the roads in these parts, if they are to make it to the industrial quantities of custard that the volunteers are supplying here. And on that note, lets just take a moment to appreciate the amazing job that the team (ahem, Army) of volunteers are doing between London and Edinburgh in looking after the riders. The role of a control volunteer isn't an easy one, the roles of waiter, hotelier, cleaner and masseur rolled into one all whilst operating on little sleep. The reported support along the road has also been incredible to see, with several Dotwatchers coming out to offer water and refreshments to the riders during another hot day. Drew's Pop Up Cafe is back for another edition of LEL, a prime example of a 5* Road Angel. In 2017 he was reportedly approached by the anti doping agency for samples of his Magic Flapjack. I think it was just an excuse to sample the deliciousness for themselves.   

![296893424 3242876506032634 7806431430168679827 n](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6Ilkz7UI1ccrx0uuQ7rPvf/877268b57f0eefeabebdb47eb9d113a1/296893424_3242876506032634_7806431430168679827_n.jpg)

![LEL Flapjack](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7rBqTp9cvtFDazaOaBCrZR/9f3f64204ba2a8fff2482fa21373fa60/297657430_3242876559365962_5010436435999235550_n.jpg)

In other news we have a sighting of Ian McBride (flying under the radar with no tracker) suffering from Shermer's Neck; a conditon whereby the neck muscles start to fail from fatigue and can no longer support the head. A contraption devised from an emergency inner tube has been deployed to hold his head up for the 'home straight'. Ian has been riding with his accomplice Anco De Jong (A1) for much of LEL and since this is not a race, drafting is allowed. At the time of writing, the pair are arriving at Control 18, St Ives, with approximately 140km left to go. Further down the road Matthew Page (A16) has extended his lead, and with less than 100km is expected to return to London late this evening. 

Let's check in with some of our riders in the main bunch, and back to that quartet of questions:

1. In a single line, please state your inspiration/motivation for taking part in London-Edinburgh-London 2022.
2. What's your favourite mid-ride snack?
3. What's the weirdest place you've ever slept during a long ride?
4. In three words, how do you expect to feel after finishing LEL?

Rider: Graham Morrison (AC29)
![LEL Morrison](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/66tQWJp7hde0yG8uCD8l1P/acf1aa19c71c948b6a1996fea03bc88b/IMG_9647.JPG)
![LEL Morrison 2](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/360gkB9Tt2ANtAvW5eoDQz/935b68306eed47e979882f5378581eb8/IMG_9648.JPG)
1. Dotwatching Lachlan Morton. Also to see if I can, but Morton's rides have to take most of the blame. 
2. Soreen, easy. 
3. In a shipping container on a children's playground on the Isle of Harris. 
4. Cross that bridge when I get to it...

Graham is well into the return leg, having covered 825km and checked into control 10 at Innerleithen this evening. 

Rider: Richard Bragg (AD3)
![IMG 9646](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1GJIeg0BMUbK8g8xEx0QPc/92dffec05cd80258cb72853e5200f4d1/IMG_9646.JPG)
1. I'm riding because it's the best ride with the best people in Britain. 
2. My wife's Christmas cake!
3. Standing up in the back of a cow shed at the bottom of the Gospel Pass. 
4. Sleep. Deprived. Contentment. 

Richard is flying under the radar with no tracker. 

Rider: Alison Wood (N22)
![LEL Wood](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4NAziNxfVnZ6pjfnSHJTpj/27bbd3037292f2768c90f9c0d3993c94/IMG_9645.JPG)
1. To challenge myself, expand my comfort zone etc. But also to show other women of colour that this is a space they are welcome in and belong in. 
2. Chocolate peanuts. I have extra bags waiting for me in each drop bag!
3. On a bench outside a Co-op at 7am, after riding through the night.
4. Sore. Proud. Accomplished. 

Alison has had a strong ride despite the challenges that cycling 1500km brings. Having made it to Brampton this evening, she has made the sensible call to devise her own event aptly named London Brampton London, considering that the control at Brampton will close before she has time to get to Edinburgh and back. The time limit is a key challenge that a lot of riders are now facing. In order to complete LEL within the 125 hour time limt, a daily average of 300km must be achieved. And over 5+ days, this is no mean feat!

Day 3 - Over The Top

*Cover image: Fruit from the Randonneur Tree in Barnard Castle.*

Monday PM

Day 2 of London Edinburgh London is drawing to a close. A glance at the map suggests a party along the entire length of the route between London and Edinburgh, with the highest density of riders traversing the North Pennines at present. Today has been a day of suffering for a lot of the field who are widely discussing switching to a daytime sleeping strategy to avoid the heat and wind. The good news is that our riders will have the worst of the wind out of the way once they reach Dunfermline, with Zephyrus the God of West Wind attempting to play havoc toward Edinburgh. But the riders are hardy and  veterans will be pleased to know that a repeat of 2017 is unlikely, when the field turned into bad weather on the way home and carnage was unleashed.

![LEL Windy](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1SrcxvqaYmRtqYwvYOMcfM/d4410a8670cb6bb61d0006f4ee067f7a/IMG_9628_2.jpg)

I expect that many will be pushing well into Scotland to make it to Moffat or Dunfermline for a sleep tonight, and the regular audax game of Musical Beds will ensue in the early hours of the morning. A handful of riders have already passed the halfway point of Dunfermline, and at the time of writing four riders have passed Control 11 at Eskdalemuir. An idyllic part of Dumfries and Galloway, Eskdalemuir lies in the tranquil Valley of the White Esk. Soon enough it will be enshrouded with weary cyclists, bringing with them tales from the road and a fair few saddle sores. 

Crumble and custard appears to be the food of warriors, with all our front runners having generous servings while the volunteer crew eagerly whip up more custard for the advancing appetites. Matt Page (A16) has set a blistering pace, covering 930km at an average speed of 24kmph with little stoppage time. His dot has finally stopped to rest at Control 12 in Brampton, crossing paths with those riders still heading north. I dont expect he will hang around for too long, especially considering that Anco De Jong (A1) has cruised past and into the lead.

![LEL Page 1](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3sABK7DXTnMGRxmxTLCVGm/ae41be056a9f5dea5d523536ad127241/c5787142-9d0f-42a2-a3a1-2748195ac9b2.JPG)

Fourth place rider Jonathan Spencer-Jones (A25) has recently completed RAAM just 7 weeks ago. With nearly 5000km in the legs from RAAM he's putting on a cracking ride, and despite some minor nerve damage to the hands the legs are clearly in great form. 

![LEL Spencer-Jones](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3ZFW3Vp9UlyzEAN53kkf2W/fccaa84f1db6970dcf26d85a50dc12f8/544f8102-774c-47ae-90a3-8cd19d481748.JPG)

Let's check in with some of our riders in the main bunch, and back to the quartet of questions:

1. In a single line, please state your inspiration/motivation for taking part in London-Edinburgh-London 2022.
2. What's your favourite mid-ride snack?
3. What's the weirdest place you've ever slept during a long ride?
4. In three words, how do you expect to feel after finishing LEL?

Rider: Cheryl Reid (E23)
![LEL Reid](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/ShBYMlbOYQ8hjgjK7OrOX/189576ab651cb2fd70f2895f9559372a/IMG_9633.JPG)
1. I'd like to do PBP and thought that this would be a good practice event (not comprehending that this was longer and hillier).
2. Scrambled eggs on toast. Scrap that.. Vegetable Samosa (discovered on route).
3. The floor of a disabled toilet.
4. Knackered. Relieved. Happy. 

Cheryl is currently pushing on into the night through the North Pennines and approaching Alston. Next stop, Brampton! 

Rider: Christian (LB18)
![LEL Christian](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6tBrA2Tbi2eKfjdth4xyWs/6d8ea81abdc388afc779bf4dc1b4e632/IMG_9634.JPG)
1. To ride alongside other crazy and friendly folk.
2. Fruit purée (for babies).
3. Under the canopy of a chapel of rest (funeral home chapel).
4. Glad. That's. Over.

Rider: Richard Sanderson (LF5)
![LEL Sanderson](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6rSkuNzGJ3BCq9MOejxcY/99ed9fe2647ac0ac6c6b34b5a67c1a2a/IMG_9635.JPG)
1. Love bikes, love long distance audax, and hoping to raise a few pounds for the MS Society. 
2. An empire biscuit - can't wait to get to Scotland to top up on these.
3. Under some stacked chairs at John o' Groats War Memorial.
4. Hungry. Accomplished. Satisfied. 

Richard has made it to control 8 at Moffat, go Richard!

That's all for now; Dotwatching is tiring work but somebody's got to do it. Let's check back in tomorrow and see how our Dots are getting on. 

![LEL Stones](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7gnPi5nLeIEHVGznws7rGu/29938770d7c89dc5469d93493765ada6/298580075_10160748585895530_1784073421676266889_n.jpg)


Day 2 - Wind, Crumble and Custard

The sun has set on Day 1 of London Edinburgh London, and what a fine first day it has been for our riders. All 1550 of them! Roughly half of the riders are not British, which just shows what a strong international following this prestigious audax has. There's a big contingency from Audax India (which has a surprisingly large Randonneur scene) along with riders from France, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, Australia, you name it. Not forgetting the group of Indonesian Brommies (all riding Bromptons), and of course the British folk who probably have the best idea out of everyone just what they have let themselves in for.   

At the time of writing, our leading bunch are fast approaching the checkpoint at Barnard Castle before heading into the North Pennines with 500km under their belts. Anco De Jong (A1) is among these, who was mentioned on the previous post for being the first rider to finish the previous two editions of LEL. The peloton (word used in the loosest sense!) stretches across the Linconlshire Fens and Wolds; a place with little shelter and the wind is notorious, always seeming to blow in the opposite direction to the way you are travelling. For those a little further up, crossing the Humber Bridge during sunset must have been a magical experience.  
Lets take a deeper look at some of our riders in the 'peloton'. We posed the following four questions to riders, and will be sharing their varied responses over the coming days. 

1. In a single line, please state your inspiration/motivation for taking part in London-Edinburgh-London 2022.
2. What's your favourite mid-ride snack?
3. What's the weirdest place you've ever slept during a long ride?
4. In three words, how do you expect to feel after finishing LEL?

Rider: Sarah Hughes
![LEL Hughes](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/53Y6JTgDCrTerUWycfKae1/743db947c6f2b9c689fe4f2691d510e0/IMG_9623.JPG)

1. Riding with a friend, and it has turned into a certain celebration (read below).
2. Dried Mango.
3. On a stage behind a curtain (the only way to get darkness when it's summer in northern Scotland). 
4. Exhausted, Accomplished, Delighted. 

Rider: Nigel Greene
![LEL Greene](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7vuwzwki3m4QCJh2RKywEM/00b32ebf25e65511b627a7124c2095b1/IMG_9624.JPG)

1. To see England and Scotland for the first time in the most memorable way possible. 
2. Burger and Fries.
3. On a park bench on the side of the road in France during Paris Brest Paris.
4. Tired. Elated. Thankful. 

Rider: Sebastian Imhof
![LEL Imhof](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7L5HPNeMbxi9ypEQpTeLBw/c9a3ff885719c9b9a6f28f9223160121/IMG_9625.JPG)

1. To do something that I've never done before.
2. A steaming plate of salty fries.
3. A hotel somewhere near Mount Ventoux. 
4. Alive. Motivated. Happy.

Finally, I must do a shout out to Sarah Hughes (AJ32) who is riding LEL with her friend Rocio Miguez (AJ31). Rocio is getting married on the 28th August, and this is... the Hen Do! I like to think that Hen Do goers fall into two distinct types: The Active Type and The Party Type. Then there are those who decide to ride 1500km up and down the country in lieu of a good knees up. I think we can call these girls The Extreme Type, but we love it. I gather that they have ordered Prosecco and Canapes to be served upon arrival at the controls, but suspect that they might have to make do with spud and beans like everyone else. Champagne corks will be popping when they make it back to London. 

![LEL Hen Do](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4qcGtUoZipVrYn3kNSqtgB/2a1e900e8705da6bdaf58b526199080d/IMG_9622.JPG)

Day 1 - Heading North

That will be all of them! London Edinburgh London is a bit different to other events that we follow in that it is not a race. Some riders will aim for a fast time, but the Lanterne Rouge is just as important as the rider who returns first. The stories at the back of the field can be just as interesting as those at the front. It will be incredible to see the first riders return late on Tuesday evening, but what will be equally rewarding will be to see the rider who rode through the final night to reach the finish in time, or the injured rider who dashes back from having stitches in hospital to ride the final 100km. 

During the event we will highlight some of the ordinary riders who are quietly doing something amazing, quietly and determinedly. Having said that, there are a few riders we’d like to draw your attention to before things kick off.

- Anco de Jong (A1) from the Netherlands was the first finisher of LEL in 2013 and 2017. He rides fully self supported and after he finishes usually heads back to his tent with a beer or two. Will he do the triple in 2022?

- We also have an Indian movie star taking part for the first time! Jamshad Cethirakath, aka Arya (M41), is hoping to complete in 125 hours. He’s riding with a group of fifteen friends, setting off from central London early on Sunday morning.

- Kirsty Gunstone (A44) is our sole female rider in our 05:00 group of the fastest riders. Will she stay at the front of the event until the finish?

- Geert De Mulder Oinos (N43) from Belgium is taking to the ride on an ElliptiGO. He aims to beat the Elliptigo record from 2013 (4 days, 18 hours). A tall order ;) Especially considering that the route is an additional 100km this year.

Bon Voyage to these four riders, along with all the other intrepid cyclists departing from London on Sunday. 

London Edinburgh London. It's not often than an event's name evokes such a feeling of excitment. Even the names of these two world cities is enough to create a sense of adventure. First run in 1983, this iconic event featured just forty riders who set off from Doncaster on a ride down to London and
up to Edinburgh, before returning to Doncaster. 

This August, over 1800 riders from 54 counties will set off from two locations in London – some from the Essex border, others from the heart of London financial district in the Square Mile. From these start points the riders will sail across the Fens of Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire before rolling over their first hills in the Lincolnshire Wolds. The Wolds also herald one of the first highlights of the event, an evening or night-time crossing of the Humber Bridge.

![Humber Sunrise ](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4BU60MXchguT46Piz2bFFJ/a87c10d81cbd956c9ffa7b8d3658c197/2016-12-17_08.41.26.jpg)

Most of the riders will make it to Hessle by the end of the first day, meaning that day two features rolling hills and moorland of the north of England. Starting with the gentle hills of the Yorkshire Wolds, the climbs become longer and steeper as the riders head out towards bleak moorland of the North Yorkshire Moors. It will be here that the weaker riders will begin to realise that they will not perhaps make it back to London after all, as the hills mark the beginning of nearly 700km of climbing.

The riders stop briefly in the beautiful market town of Barnard Castle, based in a school that looks like like a stately home, next door to a museum that also looks like a stately home. From here is another route highlight, the climb over the desolate and bleak Yad Moss before the never-ending
descent into the Pennine town of Alston. The riders enjoy a brief respite with a fast and easy descent through moorlands to Brampton before pressing on to the border towns of Gretna Green, Lockerbie and Moffat. From Moffat there is a tough and at times remote 110km section, with the monster climb of the Devil’s Beeftub soon followed by a long and soaring descent into Biggar. The route skirts the mighty Pentland Hills before the riders catch a glimpse of the iconic Forth Rail Bridge before they begin their
slow descent to the Firth of Forth and their first crossing of the Forth. And from here is just a short ride to our half-way point in Dunferlime. So that’s the easy bit done!

From Dunfermline is probably the toughest section of the event, where the riders have to cross the Forth road bridge, navigate central Edinburgh, and then negotiate a series of tough and steep climbs to take them into the lowland town of Innerleithen. This section will be test of navigation skills, of urban riding skills, but also of riders’ fitness and endurance. If they can clear this section, they have every chance of getting back to London in time.

Now the riders are in the heart of the lowlands. The 50km leg to Eskdalemuir passes through only a couple of small settlements as it winds over the hills and through the remote windfarms of Scotland. However bit by bit the bleak moorlands slowly give way to farmland as we head back to Brampton. After our Scottish loop the riders follow broadly the same route back to London, calling in through the centre of the city of Cambridge on their return.

![IMGP8801](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/YKEmi7t6E8dVgluUPz61Z/5c758939c59c1698d264d6b898cd1f46/IMGP8801.jpg)

Ride Preview

Nicky Shaw

The world acclaimed audax London Edinburgh London is a 1540km self-supported cycle ride across the United Kingdom, between the iconic capital cities of England and Scotland.

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London Edinburgh London 2022

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