2016 Highland Trail (group start)

[landel]

Best of luck everybody, I'm nervous and excited for you all

[Mart]

Off and pedalling, let the dot arching commence

[Yorlin]

Good luck to all!

(I'd forgotten where I'd put the link, it's here http://trackleaders.com/highland16 )

Is that someone not managed to start/left their spot behind?

[GregMay]

A few people not started their SPOTs - possibly on, but not tracking - like IanFitz.

Also, there are probably some people who didn't make the start.

[GregMay]

Very, very impressed at how fast people are riding.

Nice to see riders bouncing Ft.Aug as well - Race on.

[whitestone]

Very, very impressed at how fast people are riding.

Nice to see riders bouncing Ft.Aug as well - Race on.

Seems like one or two devices aren't uploading data for a while, say twenty minutes, then suddenly the track gets updated with the missing stuff. Is this common?

[GregMay]

Yesm they only chirp every 10 mins if there is signal

[AlasdairMc]

What happened to Petr Sifta as it looks like he rode to Ballachulish and back before rejoining the course?

[Wildcat]

I managed to get to see the start of the Highland Trail this morning. Have put some photos up on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/Wildcat-Gear-1 ... 4/timeline

Looks like the riders are making the most of this stunning weather today and eating up the miles as well as the Pizza in Fort Augustus.

[ScotRoutes]

What happened to Petr Sifta as it looks like he rode to Ballachulish and back before rejoining the course?

I think he actually drove to Ballachulish and back. Maybe left something behind (staying at Inchree before the race?) Not sure if he managed to get back to Tyndrum or if he joined the course at Glen Lyon.

[GregMay]

What happened to Petr Sifta as it looks like he rode to Ballachulish and back before rejoining the course?

Not sure, probable he forgot something.

As to where he started from.... I'll leave that up to Al when he gets back.

[slarge]

Stu Cowp is doing well. Apparently he like hills......

[voodoo_simon]

Been looking at Beth's photos, I'm impressed with some of the packing! Rich and Shona only have a frame bag and two small front and rear harnesses between them I carry more on my commute

[NewRetroTom]

Philip and Stuart are not far from the Hydro bothy now. Will they stop there for the night or press on into the dark?

[JohnClimber]

Been looking at Beth's photos, I'm impressed with some of the packing! Rich and Shona only have a frame bag and two small front and rear harnesses between them I carry more on my commute

I thought that when I saw the photos, maybe as they have shut their shop maybe they've roped in Steve M to drive their camper van around Scotland for them.....

Only joking, honest

[Bearbonesnorm]

I think anyone wondering just how you can set off into the Highlands carrying (what looks like) so little, needs to remember ... these people are racing. They won't be stopping at 5 pm to admire the view or planning on 12 hours kip each night. In reality, you don't need much to keep bike, body and soul together in these circumstances - with the correct mindset.

[slarge]

I think anyone wondering just how you can set off into the Highlands carrying (what looks like) so little, needs to remember ... these people are racing. They won't be stopping at 5 pm to admire the view or planning on 12 hours kip each night. In reality, you don't need much to keep bike, body and soul together in these circumstances - with the correct mindset.

This is very true. You really don't need cooking stuff, more than 1 day of food, more than 1 spare set of clothes, and sleeping stuff can pack down quite small if you have "racing" gear.

The front ones are flying , I just hope they can sustain it.

[adjustablewench]

Good to see a pink dot in the lead! Lee Craigie seems to be smashing it - hope she manages to keep up the pace

[Dan_K]

Good to see a pink dot in the lead! Lee Craigie seems to be smashing it - hope she manages to keep up the pace

Yep. Go Lee!

[jameso]

Good to see a pink dot in the lead! Lee Craigie seems to be smashing it - hope she manages to keep up the pace

Yes! A suprise as well as a '---- yeah' here when I opened up trackleaders. She rides with Rickie Cotter so must be pretty quick : )

[Zippy]

She rides with Rickie Cotter so must be pretty quick : )

Rickie is an endurance monster (but speed wise, I can give her a run for her money round an XC course), Lee however would smash me round an XC course!

Some interesting dot watching happening here

[sean_iow]

Good to see Javi is right up there in the front group as a fellow singlespeeder, proving that you don't need gears, they're just surplus weight

I'm moving house in 11 days time and should be packing and sorting stuff out but I think progress on that for the coming days will be slow as I'm going to be distracted watching the dots.

[Trail-rat]

Lee Craigie is no stranger at all to endurance cycling.

just look at where she took her fat bike last year. :)

+ she will monster most blokes round an xc course.

gearing up for the big one she says. TD 2017 looks interesting already!

[whitestone]

It's worth looking at the "Race Flow" tab as well: Lee along with Javier took just 4 1/2hrs sleep/stop overnight whereas Phil Addyman and Stuart Cowperthwaite took nearly 7hrs.

Which will turn out to be the right strategy?

How does this compare with Phil Simcock's time?

[GregMay]

How does this compare with Phil Simcock's time?

Times are out comparison wise for day 1 - different start section. Start figuring it out from today on would be my suggestion.

But, I didn't suspect so many to get to Ft. Aug so fast yesterday, we're possibly seeing the best trail conditions for the HTR since 2013 - if, you were in the dry bubble like most of the first 10 were (bar Aidan and Phil who got rained on). I think I saw 30mins of rain for the whole thing that year.

I suspect the longer sleep strategy is similar to what a lot of the faster XCO people do - go hard day one so you can rest - then decline sleep over the next few days. Makes sense to me for a 4-6 day race.