HT550 - 2024

[Alexinthepeaks]

Looks like i got a golden ticket!

Anyone else from here?

[Mart]

Bugga - that mean I’ve not but I’ve got a plan
——————

Edit
Grrrr - knee surgery was not part of the plan.
We need a grumpy emoji!

[Boab]

I forgot to apply... Blame the lurgy.

[fatbikephil]

I think I missed the cut off....
Hey ho, I was in two minds in any case but I fancy an ITT, albeit missing a few bits out

[Valerio]

Applied but didn't get an entry....and i had not even mentioned my gravel bike!
probably a good thing!

Not sure if there's any point applying again mext year, considering the number and CV of applicants.

[Dave Barter]

Applied but didn't get an entry....and i had not even mentioned my gravel bike!
probably a good thing!

Not sure if there's any point applying again mext year, considering the number and CV of applicants.

Always try. I think Alan welcomes new faces

[whitestone]

Applied but didn't get an entry....and i had not even mentioned my gravel bike!
probably a good thing!

Not sure if there's any point applying again mext year, considering the number and CV of applicants.

Always try. I think Alan welcomes new faces

Indeed. Looking at the list so far https://highlandtrail550.weebly.com/startlist.html there's only 9 out of 48 who've been on previous start lists. To date Alan has always seemed to go for a mix of abilities and experience so while it might be considered the premier UK ITT it's still open to new riders.

[Stinginglip]

Well done to anyone who got it, might apply one day ,but I fancy actually riding it at a more leisurely pace first. Maybe 2024 I could commit & pull my finger out?

[Keith74]

Not this year but hardly surprising I didn’t get a space since I have hardly ridden my bike since July.

Just need to go for a pedal round it in April and try again next year.

[slarge]

Interesting that Alan himself hasn't entered ' that's a first!!

And Tom Rowntree is back in - a winner from 2014 I think!!

[sean_iow]

Escape Goat is in

[Hyppy]

Nah, not this time round. Even more gutted that this year's attempt went to sh1t now.

[thesloth]

I applied and didn’t get the nod.
Rather gutted as it’s been on my to do list for a few years. I hadn’t really considered how popular it’s become. 160 male entrants for 35 places. Assuming that 10 or so places will go those with proven race pedigree, the odds aren’t great for a first timer getting a spot. I doubt those odds will improve in future either.

I did want to have the pressure of the race & get to meet the likeminded souls, but as that’s not an option I’ll consider riding the route solo.
Will be hard to find the motivation to train when I know I can make my way round at a “leisurely” pace (can one ever truly find leisure in the mud?).
I guess when you’re all alone in a bog in the middle of the night it matters not if there is a large audience of dot watchers following your tracker, or just your mum…

[Richpips]

I applied and didn’t get the nod.
Rather gutted as it’s been on my to do list for a few years. I hadn’t really considered how popular it’s become. 160 male entrants for 35 places. Assuming that 10 or so places will go those with proven race pedigree, the odds aren’t great for a first timer getting a spot. I doubt those odds will improve in future either.

I did want to have the pressure of the race & get to meet the likeminded souls, but as that’s not an option I’ll consider riding the route solo.
Will be hard to find the motivation to train when I know I can make my way round at a “leisurely” pace (can one ever truly find leisure in the mud?).
I guess when you’re all alone in a bog in the middle of the night it matters not if there is a large audience of dot watchers following your tracker, or just your mum…

I'm going to say that the only difference in ITTing it vs "racing" is that you'll be more inclined not to skimp on sleep. I very much doubt your "cycling" speed will be any different.

[boxelder]

Interesting that Alan himself hasn't entered ' that's a first!!

And Tom Rowntree is back in - a winner from 2014 I think!!

He's bagged Lane 35

Tom won in 2015

[Hyppy]

160 male entrants for 35 places

I hadn't heard that. Not great odds at all in that case, either from the off or via any reserve list.

That also makes for 120 latent ITT attempts, assuming the group start wasn't the be-all and end-all. If I'm not the only one now thinking of going down that route next year, a busy week could end up bigger than the group start!

[boxelder]

50:50 gender split - that's a great effort and hopefully a little bit of pay back for all the 'under the radar' efforts Alan puts in.
Good luck with the prep folks.

[boxelder]

160 male entrants for 35 places

I hadn't heard that. Not great odds at all in that case, either from the off or via any reserve list.

That also makes for 120 latent ITT attempts, assuming the group start wasn't the be-all and end-all. If I'm not the only one now thinking of going down that route next year, a busy week could end up bigger than the group start!

I have a route in mind for around then, that fatbikephil put together - 500 miles around West Highlands. Takes in bits of HT550, but heads west through Ardnamurchan, Mull and Oban. I'm thinking the week before HT, and would be travelling up from Cumbria. Let me know if it's of interest.
Hopefully a few of us will be out on the weekend of March 23/24 for the 'West Lakes Spring Break' - probably from Broughton if you fancy a sociable overnighter that's pretty local to you Hyppy.

[Hyppy]

… I'm thinking the week before HT, and would be travelling up from Cumbria. Let me know if it's of interest.
Hopefully a few of us will be out on the weekend of March 23/24 for the 'West Lakes Spring Break' - probably from Broughton if you fancy a sociable overnighter that's pretty local to you Hyppy.

Ooh, keep us posted! I'm being as crap as ever at making plans but that sounds like a definite maybe.

[slarge]

160 male entrants for 35 places

I hadn't heard that. Not great odds at all in that case, either from the off or via any reserve list.

That also makes for 120 latent ITT attempts, assuming the group start wasn't the be-all and end-all. If I'm not the only one now thinking of going down that route next year, a busy week could end up bigger than the group start!

I have a route in mind for around then, that fatbikephil put together - 500 miles around West Highlands. Takes in bits of HT550, but heads west through Ardnamurchan, Mull and Oban. I'm thinking the week before HT, and would be travelling up from Cumbria. Let me know if it's of interest.
Hopefully a few of us will be out on the weekend of March 23/24 for the 'West Lakes Spring Break' - probably from Broughton if you fancy a sociable overnighter that's pretty local to you Hyppy.

I could be interested in that also....

[fatbikephil]

I'm going to do some work on the route to miss out one bit of trunk road so watch this space. (and keep nagging me) Somewhere on this forum is a link to the current route although this may now be broken....

Spoiler alert - no death marches, no tussocks and definitely no big puddles!

[boxelder]

..........but maybe some mild ferry anxiety? Cycleway to the start from Glasgow rail station

[Keith74]

I'm going to do some work on the route to miss out one bit of trunk road so watch this space. (and keep nagging me) Somewhere on this forum is a link to the current route although this may now be broken....

Spoiler alert - no death marches, no tussocks and definitely no big puddles!

If you need help with anything up Oban or ardnamurchan area then let me know spent a while up there with work in the forest.

[fatbikephil]

I'm going to do some work on the route to miss out one bit of trunk road so watch this space. (and keep nagging me) Somewhere on this forum is a link to the current route although this may now be broken....

Spoiler alert - no death marches, no tussocks and definitely no big puddles!

If you need help with anything up Oban or ardnamurchan area then let me know spent a while up there with work in the forest.

[NewRetroTom]

Yep, as a couple have spotted up thread I'm in!
Big excitement, as it's 10 years since my last attempt!
I had a place for 2020 (we all know what happened then).
That got transferred to 2021 but as I had a 6 month old son and a daughter on chemo I wasn't able to take up my place

Let's hope the weather is better than 2015 was - my memories are mainly soggy from that year, plus a lot of hot food and good breakfasts and the odd pint of ale.