BB200: Newcomer (to that)

[Matt]

I’d suggest you fine a long hill with no obvious path on it.

Make your bike really heavy

Put a hose pipe in your shoes to fill them with water

Then go push your bike up that hill 20 times at 3am in the morning.

Don’t be tempted to ride down you need to find a hill you have to push down also.

[lune ranger]

1)Stoppage time is crucial. To give yourself the best chance don’t faff around.
As Whitestone said. Try to have more than one reason to stop if you have to. Eg check map + take a piss or open gate + put on coat etc.
2)I like to have a few shot milestones in my mind like a food stop or passing a village to break up the route. Passing each seems to freshen me up.
3) Set your GPS with an overall average speed that takes into account stops. This shows you how you are progressing against any target you have set. For example if you target a Black Badge that’s 200km in 24hrs so it’s 8.33km/h. Quite achievable if you don’t stop to much.

[whitestone]

1)Stoppage time is crucial. To give yourself the best chance don’t faff around.

3) Set your GPS with an overall average speed that takes into account stops. This shows you how you are progressing against any target you have set. For example if you target a Black Badge that’s 200km in 24hrs so it’s 8.33km/h. Quite achievable if you don’t stop to much.

I think I got this tip from Ian Barrington:

On a data screen on your GPS set up two fields, one for moving average speed and one for overall average speed. Do another two fields for moving time and overall time. Your aim is to try to keep the moving and overall figures as close as possible.

That 8.33km/h becomes 8.69km/h if you stop for an hour and 9.1 km/h if you stop for two hours.

[redefined_cycles]

Spend the next few months developing a positive relationship with misery. Never ever doubt that you're going to finish and don't give yourself any sort of bail-out option. There will be times when you'll feel as low as you've ever felt but there'll be times when you feel greater than the greatest great thing and it can happen within the space of a few minutes. It's just part of the journey ... learn to enjoy it all.

I think me and misery (according to some of the locals that think Mary Townley Loop is tough) have a good working relationship already. But my Misery and your Misery... I reckon they are worlds apart... Mines is surely the Crikey, how much version (for want of a better word )

[Leerowe76]

After speaking to many people over the WRT weekend about the BB200 I'm likely to enter the BB200 just to experience the torture that Stuart has laid out as most of whom I spoke to say its a real test so hopefully between now and then I'll be somewhere near ready for when it comes around or I wont be stepping out the comfort zone for sure which should be done every now n then right

[redefined_cycles]

Excellent... I'm glad I've got another retard (never go full retard they say!) on board with you Leerowe...

[Leerowe76]

Very true on the never go full retard quote but in for a penny in for a pound I say

[macinblack]

There's a lot of psychology involved - Don't treat it as a race, more a personal challenge. Don't be disheartened when it seems that everyone is passing you, that's their challenge not yours. If you find yourself on your own, talk to yourself about any old lobbocks. Remind yourself that you still have to get back to the start regardless, so you may as well carry on than bail.
Watch what you eat, I spent a significant portion of 2017 with heartburn, which didn't stop me but didn't help at all and kicks positivity in the shins.

I find keeping a small ferret in my shorts helps me get round.

[Jurassic pusher]

I find keeping a small ferret in my shorts helps me get round.

So that's what it was!
I was too polite to ask

[redefined_cycles]

There's a lot of psychology involved - Don't treat it as a race, more a personal challenge. Don't be disheartened when it seems that everyone is passing you, that's their challenge not yours. If you find yourself on your own, talk to yourself about any old lobbocks. Remind yourself that you still have to get back to the start regardless, so you may as well carry on than bail.
Watch what you eat, I spent a significant portion of 2017 with heartburn, which didn't stop me but didn't help at all and kicks positivity in the shins.

I find keeping a small ferret in my shorts helps me get round.

So much inspiration coming from everyone... Yes getting back to the start regardless and not treating it as a race (not that I would be capable to do such a thing)..

[redefined_cycles]

Out of interest... How many people actually complete it in Black Badge time as a percentage (guesstimately)

[Bearbonesnorm]

Out of interest... How many people actually complete it in Black Badge time as a percentage (guesstimately)

It really all depends on the year. Some years maybe 35% other years probably less than 10%.

[In Reverse]

repeatedly ride that distance over that terrain so that you knew you could do it and then get to work on getting faster

I'd say that's very sage advice.

It would be good for you to have a go (or a few goes) at the Peaks 200 Shafiq. Similar distance and amount of climbing to a BB200 but generally faster terrain and no real hike a bike or carrying (just a few hundred metres up the steep side of Cut Gate). If you can't get round the Peaks 200 in under 30 hours I'd keep away from the BB200 until you can tbh - the BB200 will be a slower, harder route and, to quote Stu:

While there's no time limit or cut-off for finishing, we anticipate all riders to be back within 36 hours. Remember, the BB200 is designed to be a true test, it's not a social ride or a 'tour' and should be undertaken in a manner that reflects that. If 36 hours sounds like an unrealistic timescale or you'd prefer to ride at a more leisurely pace, then we'd prefer that you don't enter, leaving the place from someone willing to give it their all and rise to the challenge.

[whitestone]

Out of interest... How many people actually complete it in Black Badge time as a percentage (guesstimately)

As Stu says, it varies. Plus the numbers are so small you can't really be particularly accurate: it only takes one person to go from Blue to Black to have a massive effect. Last year only 17 finished for example so each finisher accounted for 6% of the total.

I'm not sure if anyone has bivvied and got back in under 24hrs. Assuming that that's the case then the first target is to be riding for 200km in one go (I think the Peak 200 is actually 220km). Knowing you can do that then try and get quicker and introduce hike-a-bike, etc.

Psychology plays a big part IMO, 2016 was an "easy" course and benign weather so a lot got round in under 24hrs. Last year was harder riding and much tougher weather but having already done one BB200 in 24hrs meant I knew that was achievable. It's a bit like the four minute mile, until Roger Bannister broke it no-one knew if it was actually possible. One he'd done it, it opened the flood gates and runners who'd been almost there suddenly broke the four minute barrier. The same is happening today with the two hour marathon.

A question for Stu: what's the split between repeat and new winners of black badges?

[In Reverse]

I think the Peak 200 is actually 220km

It is, as was the 2017 BB200. To quote Stu again

Yes, but the last 20km is downhil

[Bearbonesnorm]

what's the split between repeat and new winners of black badges?

All I can really say Bob, is that once someone has got a black badge it's very rare for them not to continue collecting them, unless they decide to go for a set

[whitestone]

what's the split between repeat and new winners of black badges?

All I can really say Bob, is that once someone has got a black badge it's very rare for them not to continue collecting them, unless they decide to go for a set

Kind of what I thought.

Just came across this video which is part of the GCN ride around the NC500 (mostly, to appease Colin ) with Mark Beaumont.

https://youtu.be/maryPEcVt24

Obviously he's looking at it from a road ultra perspective but the mental aspects he talks about apply whatever.

[redefined_cycles]

Thanks again BoB (sorry for making it capital... just so used to writing like that for Brother on Bikes) and everyone else. Anyone got a link to the peaky200. I'll look at it with a cuppa coffee tonight

[redefined_cycles]

http://www.selfsupporteduk.net/routes/Peak200.html

Think I found it...

[Dyffers]

what's the split between repeat and new winners of black badges?

All I can really say Bob, is that once someone has got a black badge it's very rare for them not to continue collecting them, unless they decide to go for a set

Black on first attempt in 2012, then green on the 2014 route, then blue having got lazy and slept for a bit in 2015. Oh, and no badge for DNF last year. Probably reset my expectations and go for the 200 again this year even if the 300 runs again.