Imagine pushing yourself like never before, conquering all doubts, achieving your greatest goals…just to end up in Weston-Super-Mare. Doesn’t bear thinking about
Wow, huge respect!🎉 Your videos gives me motivation to "those" harder days to get up and do the training (I'm still in the process building good habits, half way through on Atomic Habits audiobook).
The feet thing is common for longer distances. You need to see Bike Fit James - Richmond and get orthotics/new shoes which will relieve/eradicate the symptoms.
You know a video is good when it's over 23 minutes long and it seems like 5. Mark has that incredible ability. Kudos for the ride after all that extensive preparation. 😂👍👏👏👏👏👏
The fact that you ran a marathon the week before is full on lunacy to me. Massive respect, you do a good job pushing yourself hard while being aware of the risks and possibility (probability?) of failure and being entertaining and charming the whole time.
As one of the larger riders going past you in the day, I'm usually quite popular as a sizeable windshield for those behind, next time try and follow some wheels, so much easier, especially if it's mine! Good effort, was a memorable day out!
@@NotaNazgul I don’t know, not done this particular event but in the races I’ve done tends to be lots of people going various speeds and you can always find a friendly wheel to follow, how much time you spend out the wind is then up to you, I’m always ready to do my fair share ;)
Love your content Mark. I am a 44-year-old man who just started exercising a few years ago and just completed my first marathon earlier this month. Your videos are relatable, inspiring and funny.
For someone who overanalyses and over thinks to the point of just never attempting in the first place to see you just go for it is very inspiring. Well done mate. Amazing effort!!
If I had a duck pond and a podium, I would put you on top of it. Great job and great video. I really liked seeing the Garmin information. Especially the recovery information. Great storytelling!
As someone who has done several double centuries my suggestion for the feet is chewable salt tablets. I've always needed them even when taking in a good load of electrolytes. Depending upon the brand one tablet can have as much sodium as 20-30 oz of fluids with electrolytes added but you can just chew them quickly. Great job and as a cyclist I'll agree that anyone who takes up cycling for fun is indeed camping on Mount Stupid. The views are lovely from up here so enjoy!
I raced road bikes for about 20 years all over the world. Needless to say, I spent some time in the saddle. A 329Km day with 3000 m of climbing is a big day! RESPECT!
Riding in a group saves a huge amount of energy. One note about your bike is that the gearing on that gravel bike probably really helped you. I still reackon that most road bikes today are sold with gearing that is more suitable for pro riders, rather than average joes. Being able to just spin up the hills in an easier gear is a big advantage in a ride like this. Well done.
I would have said that was more the case 10 years ago. Now cassettes are wide enough ratio that gearing is more suitable for club level/leisure riders.
I've binged MANY of your videos and they were very pleasant, each of them. Every time you upload another one I think to myself "Meh, I'm not into fitness anymore" but every time I watch it anyway and can't shift my focus away from the video. You make everything very entertaining. "Going convertible" was such a good one.
Blimey, I limped over the finish line after the ride 100 London in absolute bits. Hope you gave yourself a huge pat on the back for what you achieved because it's really impressive and you should be very proud. Well done Mark.
Nicely done, Mark. Here on the west coast of Canada in years past, I have partcipated with about 100+ other cyclists numerous times in a single day 400KM ride (a group or team ride and also not a race) known as Ride2Survive for the purpose of raising funds in support of cancer research. It was always an emotional experience at the end with a large group of friends and families welcoming the entire group home. The unique thing about those rides was that everyone started together, rode together the whole way and finished together…a metaphor for the support of those afflicted with cancer.
As someone who did this in 2019, congratulations on your achievement. Really pleased to see you taking a sensible view on pacing yourself and not being tempted to chase those going by you. Big kudos.
Saturday I'm climbing a mountain near home for the first time, with my bike. It was the main goal when I got my bike last year. Now I feel I'm ready. I even convinced one or two friends. Videos like this helped me keep focus on the goal :)
Mark, as someone that has done 100 mile rides, I totally understand the slow growing pain. I am 55, 6'4" and 240lbs currently. I typically have issues with my hands, sit bones, lower back and knees on the 75+ mile rides early on in the outdoor season. Glad to see you made it and didn't have to fall off the bike at the end. :) Great channel, keep up the videos and exercise.
I am a similar size and age and also have issues and your simple comment makes me think about getting out on the bike tomorrow. Thanks a million for inspiration. Great channel and loved the video. Subscribed!
A proper bike fit is worth it's weight in gold. It will be able to address all of the issues you have on longer rides by dialling you into position. Happy cycling bud🚵
thank you for all your content, im about to turn 46 and completely out of shape and watching your channel made me want to change that, little by little
Catching this a year after posting and while I’ve watched other ‘Lewis’ videos of amazing feats, this one has also has me in great awe! ❤ Your a real athlete Mark who so many of us can relate to… not a pro but simply someone who pushes hisself to his fullest - I admire you Mark, your wit and transparency and just raw truths at times have me 😂 in stitches with laughter. Clearly, I’m laughing with you, not at you. Again, one of the many reasons you have followers - you can laugh at yourself and keep on trucking! Thanks for the laughs, lessons and inspiration! ❤❤🎉🎉 Congratulations on that ride!!!! 🥇 🎉
Superb achievement, and LOVE that you to the negative comments and used them to push you to achieve something most people will never get near. Props 🙌🏻
I have that very issue with my shoes. I'm fairly new to cycling in the grand scheme. The only thing I've found to fix my problem was to get shoes too big for me. I measure at 10.5 when walking so I bought 11 but after an hour of riding maybe 2 exactly that issue came where they were numb and then coming back to what I described at string tied around my toes cutting off the circulation replacing it with pain. I now wear size 12 with bridge support and ultegra wide back clip ins. I can now ride 3 hours without that pain tha5s my farthest being 45miles
Mark, I've been eagerly awaiting this vid and you didn’t disappoint! Impressed by your meticulous preparation (excluding training!), planning and strategic execution. So glad you didn't have any mechanical issues, either. Many congrats on your success.
Lots of respect for doing a double the hard way! Plus, I think you are understating the difference between solo (TT style / unsupported) and a proper group ride more than just a bit here. Most of your calories are spent fighting wind resistance and having a moment in someone else's wake does far more than just lowering your total energy expenditure. While in the pocket you are able to adjust, stretch, and reduce the load on those growing soar spots to really manage those longer rides. TTing and Zwift may suffer in common but a pack has it own pace (and it is a descending mount stupid kind of quick)
Try the new Specialized S-Works Torch Road bike shoes. They are already 3-4 mm wider in the toe box AND sole, unlike most other brands. Their WIDE version is even a further 3-4mm wider. Most brands “wide” version is just extra volume in the upper. The Torch shoes are wider in the sole and upper. Might help with the toe issues.
Absolutely love this video. How you run your channel is up to you but it’s honestly great to see some proper in-race challenge footage on the channel again! Great effort, crushed it
I would never dare criticize you or your methods of preparation but love it that you were able to take that criticism as mental fuel to finish tough. Congratulations on the successful ride and strong finish!
Numb feet sounds like a bike fit problem, possibly saddle height issue. From what little I know a good bike fit starts with the correct saddle height and position and if either of the two are wrong, they tend to throw off everything else. Well done for "scraping by" :D Awesome video as always!
13:02 the foot numbness could be a result of your saddle, either having it a touch too high for your flexibility, or not having it suit your body. Try dropping your saddle a 3-4mm, or also try a suspension seatpost. I did a US cross country ride last year on a Kinekt suspension seatpost, it really does help on long distance rides. [Edit] It could also be the fitting of your footwear. I opt to wear minimal shoes and flat pedals, I find being able to have my toes splay and feet free to make small adjustments key to comfort on long rides. Big fan of vivobarefoot. Great content, as always!
Kudos to you Mark, an inspirational achievement. And to the person who said tt bars on a gravel bike are unnecessary for this distance I would point them in the direction of the 100s of audax riders who swear by them.
I have got into running recently at 31, done about 7 or 8 5ks now without stopping and about to start working on 10k. Your channel has been extremely inspirational. I have my first 15k tough mudder booked for august and have some big hikes planned for july/sept. It just shows that its never too late to start, its just about getting out there and doing it! Hoping to get a bike soon as well to mix in more variety!
I done a 60 mile gravel ride 2 weeks ago and felt like i was going to die after lol so cant imagine 200 plus miles ,massive respect to you for completing that honestly a really tremendous achievement. Quality content keep up the good work, love to see you take on the UTMB or something similar next. Cheers
I'm 28 and working towars my first half marathon, I completed a 15K last weekendand hoping to fit in the half marathon sometime this year. You are an absolute inspiration, the cool dad on my shoulder whenI run
I got in to running at 28ish about 5 years ago. You'll smash a half mate! Just make sure you do some strength training and stretch/foam roll too! As this video says, the impact from running is a killer! Dropped out of a half tomorrow due to impact injury on my knee 😢 👍👍👍
Your tors, are bones etc, ache/painful, is because you are not used to spending extended periods on a cycle. I used to do a lot of riding and trained to do Way of the Rose's (178 miles in a day). I was really worried about my arse, wrists, feet, but was ok due to the training and previous mileage I had done. But really impressive for a virtual novice.
I'm a regular club rider and have always avoided that particular Sportive. That was a fantastic achievement and a good video. I recognised every emotion you experienced. Nice cycling shirt as well!
I love what you said about being self-sufficient on these kind of rides. I just finished a 410 mile trip to my grandparents house in 4 days. Feels really good to have everything you need to get through the night and move on the next day. That makes me feel good when people compliment myself reliance.
Great job and way to persevere! Was waiting for this video to drop and the issues you had were, honestly, what I expected. That you would finish but your contact points would be a wreck. All I've ever really done is race a bike and - once you've got a decent fit -- those are "trained" as much as your aerobic/anaerobic fitness. You'll be better in that next event.
Absolutely well done! I definitely thought you were underestimating the difficulty, but I was also confident that you'd overcome it in the end. I'm completely the same with regard to enjoying self-supported, and thus I take back my earlier suggestion of trying to talk the family into supporting you :). By my rough math, you averaged around 160W (including the periods of no watts) over the ~16 hours.
@@NotaNazgul I'm not sure. That's just me doing the math as I know it based on the numbers given in the video. The chance for error is high. But I will say it's darn hard to keep up power levels over such a long day. Wouldn't shock me if the number is accurate
Since you completed this you should register for the Swedish "vätternrundan" next year =) 315km with around 20k cyclists participating. A lot of people even complete it on non-race bikes. But this event you did seems really tough considering the climbing!
You are a legend Mark. I love your videos and wish with every fat filled cell of my body that I could do half of what you do. Congrats man and much respect.
Some things from my long years of cycling: - Feet numbness was probably as much down to vibration through the pedals as anything else. - Riding group is far more efficient. You save about 30% energy/power just from being the 3rd wheel. - Lunch stop is debatable - IIRC you can only take on around 300cals per hour, so consuming more than that mid ride is arguably wasted energy
My big takeaway is that you've never ridden in a pack. I get the "solo self supported" but there's no reason you can't tag along with a group going your effort. Notice I say "effort" not "speed". If you had picked up the pace to latch on to a passing group, you might find you're expending the same number of watts, but going that extra bit faster with them. Even in a single line you can save 25%. Add in any headwind and the savings can be higher. That's not going to save your feet and butt of course, other than if you're going a bit faster you're spending less time on your butt.
Yes you can save easily up to 25% or go that much faster. But he wanted to challenge HIMSELF. He did it to as personal challenge. Riding in a group and then bragging with the time is meh. He did it all by himself. He now has every right to be proud of HIS time.
I was about to go for a midmorning ride but saw this dropped, now I'm going to do more of an early lunch ride. I haven't watched it yet, but I hope you made it across the UK before dark.
What an incredibly motivational video! Thank you Mark :) I ran the Race Across Scotland this year but pulled out at 100 miles....signed up again for next year with a much better idea of how to get it done. Watching your channel has motivated me to ramp the training up and have a different perspective. Thankyou and keep making the content, you're an inspiration.
I tried to run 45 miles (race started 10pm Friday night) on my 40th birthday (24th) and rolled my ankle at 3am 19 miles in and had to drop out, it was the right decision but gutting none the less. So I’m pleased you managed to finish you race mate well done.
This quite literally shows that mental barriers can be the most difficult thing to conquer, it also shows though that those mental barriers can be conquered too! Congrats Mark!
It's not as hard as running but you gotta train for very long cycles. If you just hop on it and want to cycle for 4 hours+ with no prior cycling endurance training you're not gonna have a good time past 1 hour.
I am almost 100% certain those drunk teenagers at that 24 hour McDonald’s (located just outside Sittingbourne next to the isle of Sheppey) was me and my friends. Apologies.
Great Job. Remember when i first started cycling and after about 2 months i undertook a massive ride (150km) with zero idea of what i was in for, huge climbs, no food, no water, weather too warm (over 30)... But i did it, and it only gave me more of a boost to keep on going. Keep up the great work.
Awesome job!!! I just did a 100mile gravel race (some road, but mostly dirt roads and sandy singe/double track). There was also a 205 mile option that had similar terrain (69% unpaved). 100 miles right now is my limit - KUDOS on the great job racing the star (I mean sun)!!
That has to be one of your best videos yet. Well done you absolutely smashed it 💪🏼 I ran my first half last month at the Chester half and had cramp in my calf for the last 4k. Never happened before and it just suddenly came and I just about managed to finish it. I actually did limp across the finish line but managed to do it still running tho 🏃
Well done and nice video. I liked how you kept us guessing, then maybe even doubting up until cheddar, then spoke of those negative comments, but came in strong at the end to show them!
Hey! Get yourself a full bike fit that measures shoes too! Makes a HUGEEE difference and they account for foot swelling when they sell you shoes. I think if you have a fit done already they would be willing to do shoes only too
Great work, I rode from the east coast at Arnside, over to Redcar on the west coast, then back again on the same day to raise awareness for male suicide just last week. That was 205 miles too, although we started the other way and had a block headwind going home! I share your pain, the hills and headwind combined were horrendous!
Hi Mark, well done. Some cyclists think its only worth doing events flat out racing and will scoff at people doing these endurance events, ignore them and enjoy doing your own thing. Try cycling standing up every 10 minutes or so to avoid numb arse. I did the Marmotte Alpes at the weekend riding slowly but finished and was also suffering from Hot foot, its common.
Mark, this was epic! In 2009, I decided, on a whim, to do JOGLE with little training. I too was solo and unsupported. Wick to Inverness was the first time I’d cycled 100 miles. What got me more than anything was the wind. Take your rain, your hills, your heat, wind is the killer. I did it in 8 days. Just the greatest experience.
We have a 200 mile ride where I live too it's called "Seattle to Portland" did it 7 times. You rode that intelligently, if you do it again you'll now know where and when to ride harder than u did this time. Nice job.
Mad Man! Listening to you talk about how little training you did I am amazed that you didn't start hurting a lot earlier, then you siad that you felt sick and I thought, oh no he is going to bonk...have five minute sit down and get some food in you! I do a lot of bike riding and I have had nightmares after 5 miles in! At one point up that hill I thought you might quote Goggins (which is my new favourite motivator thanks to you!)Total kudos that you did it, you were under the time, you looked super happy (which is all its about) and you weren't too broken. I do think you need to do some mountain biking as its much more fun but that can be something you do next! Brilliant video as always!!
Firstly, very well done, one hell of an achievement. Secondly, I can massively relate to this with all my sportives I've done, constantly being camped on mount stupid throughout all. I'm so glad someone else can relate to what I go through, gives me all the hope going forward. Brilliant film!
![Blox Fruits Dragon Rework Update [Full Stream]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EqDAp8udhm0/mqdefault.jpg)
this is v impressive 💪🏾💪🏽💪🏻💪🏿💪🏼 well done mark!
Thanks RUclips 😁
Wow. Never seen YT actually comment before.
Well done boss
@@jackiechan8840l feel like this is a Easter egg 🥚😂
Achievement unlocked 😅
@@jackiechan8840 RUclips comments almost exclusively on UK creators lol
Imagine pushing yourself like never before, conquering all doubts, achieving your greatest goals…just to end up in Weston-Super-Mare. Doesn’t bear thinking about
😂
😂
It’s not called Weston super mare on the mud for no reason
😂. I thought that was every Brummies dream?
It was Burnham-on-sea when I did it and I even managed to miss the place and eventually rode across the finish line the wrong way!
Props for doing an 8 mile chaser pre-ride. Solid commitment to exhaustion that Mark
Trust me - if there had been a closer hotel - I'd have been in it!!! 😂
That is proper cycling 👍
It put me right off going to the seaside for a while...but fun all the same 😂
That wasn’t the ride. That was finishing at WSM that done that 😜
Good effort though chap! That’s a great achievement 👊
Wow, huge respect!🎉
Your videos gives me motivation to "those" harder days to get up and do the training (I'm still in the process building good habits, half way through on Atomic Habits audiobook).
You're amazing for completing that in that time and taking it on the chin from all those haters is so English and Noble.
well done🎉
The feet thing is common for longer distances. You need to see Bike Fit James - Richmond and get orthotics/new shoes which will relieve/eradicate the symptoms.
Feel for your feet but I lost it when you said you went convertible 😂
You know a video is good when it's over 23 minutes long and it seems like 5. Mark has that incredible ability. Kudos for the ride after all that extensive preparation. 😂👍👏👏👏👏👏
The fact that you ran a marathon the week before is full on lunacy to me. Massive respect, you do a good job pushing yourself hard while being aware of the risks and possibility (probability?) of failure and being entertaining and charming the whole time.
Fair play Mark, tough mental game to stick to the pace that feels right for you
Yep. Too old to be too stupid !
Smart mental game. Guess he's done a few races before in his time
As one of the larger riders going past you in the day, I'm usually quite popular as a sizeable windshield for those behind, next time try and follow some wheels, so much easier, especially if it's mine! Good effort, was a memorable day out!
Good point, the lone wolf approach v drafting in a bunch makes it a much tougher challenge
@@mikerimmer835depends on the speed of the pack and if you can stay in the back all day, doesn't it?
@@NotaNazgul I don’t know, not done this particular event but in the races I’ve done tends to be lots of people going various speeds and you can always find a friendly wheel to follow, how much time you spend out the wind is then up to you, I’m always ready to do my fair share ;)
@@NotaNazgul 30% less effort drafting, this is not an event to do as a lone rider
Being on the small size does have an advantage as nearly everybody is bigger than me and I’m always grateful for someone to draft behind!
Love your content Mark. I am a 44-year-old man who just started exercising a few years ago and just completed my first marathon earlier this month. Your videos are relatable, inspiring and funny.
For someone who overanalyses and over thinks to the point of just never attempting in the first place to see you just go for it is very inspiring. Well done mate. Amazing effort!!
If I had a duck pond and a podium, I would put you on top of it. Great job and great video. I really liked seeing the Garmin information. Especially the recovery information. Great storytelling!
200 miles and almost 10k feet of climbing is nothing to sneeze at. Great job.
As someone who has done several double centuries my suggestion for the feet is chewable salt tablets. I've always needed them even when taking in a good load of electrolytes. Depending upon the brand one tablet can have as much sodium as 20-30 oz of fluids with electrolytes added but you can just chew them quickly. Great job and as a cyclist I'll agree that anyone who takes up cycling for fun is indeed camping on Mount Stupid. The views are lovely from up here so enjoy!
I raced road bikes for about 20 years all over the world. Needless to say, I spent some time in the saddle. A 329Km day with 3000 m of climbing is a big day! RESPECT!
Is 100km and 2000m uphill good
Riding in a group saves a huge amount of energy. One note about your bike is that the gearing on that gravel bike probably really helped you. I still reackon that most road bikes today are sold with gearing that is more suitable for pro riders, rather than average joes. Being able to just spin up the hills in an easier gear is a big advantage in a ride like this. Well done.
I would have said that was more the case 10 years ago. Now cassettes are wide enough ratio that gearing is more suitable for club level/leisure riders.
I've binged MANY of your videos and they were very pleasant, each of them. Every time you upload another one I think to myself "Meh, I'm not into fitness anymore" but every time I watch it anyway and can't shift my focus away from the video.
You make everything very entertaining.
"Going convertible" was such a good one.
I'm going after the "given up on fitness" demographic 😂
Amazing! From falling off your kikr to crushing this ride, you sir are an inspiration for all of us middle aged fitness seekers! Thank you ❤
i attempted a 2400km race last year. This basically compacts my emotions. I love your videos. Hilarity ensured.
Blimey, I limped over the finish line after the ride 100 London in absolute bits. Hope you gave yourself a huge pat on the back for what you achieved because it's really impressive and you should be very proud. Well done Mark.
Nicely done, Mark. Here on the west coast of Canada in years past, I have partcipated with about 100+ other cyclists numerous times in a single day 400KM ride (a group or team ride and also not a race) known as Ride2Survive for the purpose of raising funds in support of cancer research. It was always an emotional experience at the end with a large group of friends and families welcoming the entire group home. The unique thing about those rides was that everyone started together, rode together the whole way and finished together…a metaphor for the support of those afflicted with cancer.
As someone who did this in 2019, congratulations on your achievement. Really pleased to see you taking a sensible view on pacing yourself and not being tempted to chase those going by you. Big kudos.
You're amazing for completing that in that time and taking it on the chin from all those haters is so British and Noble.
well done
Saturday I'm climbing a mountain near home for the first time, with my bike. It was the main goal when I got my bike last year. Now I feel I'm ready. I even convinced one or two friends. Videos like this helped me keep focus on the goal :)
Solo and unsupported... the only way to go! Nice work ML 👊🏻 GREAT VIDEO!
Mark, as someone that has done 100 mile rides, I totally understand the slow growing pain. I am 55, 6'4" and 240lbs currently. I typically have issues with my hands, sit bones, lower back and knees on the 75+ mile rides early on in the outdoor season. Glad to see you made it and didn't have to fall off the bike at the end. :) Great channel, keep up the videos and exercise.
I am a similar size and age and also have issues and your simple comment makes me think about getting out on the bike tomorrow. Thanks a million for inspiration. Great channel and loved the video. Subscribed!
A proper bike fit is worth it's weight in gold. It will be able to address all of the issues you have on longer rides by dialling you into position. Happy cycling bud🚵
As an ultra endurance cyclist, this is very inspiring, Mark! Ignore the naysayers. TT bars, gravel bike, whatever… keep these coming 💪
thank you for all your content, im about to turn 46 and completely out of shape and watching your channel made me want to change that, little by little
Catching this a year after posting and while I’ve watched other ‘Lewis’ videos of amazing feats, this one has also has me in great awe! ❤ Your a real athlete Mark who so many of us can relate to… not a pro but simply someone who pushes hisself to his fullest - I admire you Mark, your wit and transparency and just raw truths at times have me 😂 in stitches with laughter. Clearly, I’m laughing with you, not at you. Again, one of the many reasons you have followers - you can laugh at yourself and keep on trucking! Thanks for the laughs, lessons and inspiration! ❤❤🎉🎉 Congratulations on that ride!!!! 🥇 🎉
Superb achievement, and LOVE that you to the negative comments and used them to push you to achieve something most people will never get near. Props 🙌🏻
I have that very issue with my shoes. I'm fairly new to cycling in the grand scheme. The only thing I've found to fix my problem was to get shoes too big for me.
I measure at 10.5 when walking so I bought 11 but after an hour of riding maybe 2 exactly that issue came where they were numb and then coming back to what I described at string tied around my toes cutting off the circulation replacing it with pain.
I now wear size 12 with bridge support and ultegra wide back clip ins.
I can now ride 3 hours without that pain tha5s my farthest being 45miles
Mark, I've been eagerly awaiting this vid and you didn’t disappoint! Impressed by your meticulous preparation (excluding training!), planning and strategic execution. So glad you didn't have any mechanical issues, either. Many congrats on your success.
Epic, inspiration to us all💪🏼💪🏼
Lots of respect for doing a double the hard way! Plus, I think you are understating the difference between solo (TT style / unsupported) and a proper group ride more than just a bit here. Most of your calories are spent fighting wind resistance and having a moment in someone else's wake does far more than just lowering your total energy expenditure. While in the pocket you are able to adjust, stretch, and reduce the load on those growing soar spots to really manage those longer rides. TTing and Zwift may suffer in common but a pack has it own pace (and it is a descending mount stupid kind of quick)
This!
Try the new Specialized S-Works Torch Road bike shoes. They are already 3-4 mm wider in the toe box AND sole, unlike most other brands. Their WIDE version is even a further 3-4mm wider. Most brands “wide” version is just extra volume in the upper. The Torch shoes are wider in the sole and upper. Might help with the toe issues.
Absolutely love this video. How you run your channel is up to you but it’s honestly great to see some proper in-race challenge footage on the channel again! Great effort, crushed it
I would never dare criticize you or your methods of preparation but love it that you were able to take that criticism as mental fuel to finish tough. Congratulations on the successful ride and strong finish!
Numb feet sounds like a bike fit problem, possibly saddle height issue. From what little I know a good bike fit starts with the correct saddle height and position and if either of the two are wrong, they tend to throw off everything else. Well done for "scraping by" :D Awesome video as always!
I’ve ridden over 160miles unsupported and can massively respect that. Well done and thanks for the chuckles as always. Ending was great and spot on.
13:02 the foot numbness could be a result of your saddle, either having it a touch too high for your flexibility, or not having it suit your body. Try dropping your saddle a 3-4mm, or also try a suspension seatpost. I did a US cross country ride last year on a Kinekt suspension seatpost, it really does help on long distance rides.
[Edit] It could also be the fitting of your footwear. I opt to wear minimal shoes and flat pedals, I find being able to have my toes splay and feet free to make small adjustments key to comfort on long rides. Big fan of vivobarefoot.
Great content, as always!
Hot foot is horrible! 200 miles is no joke! Killed it man, its always the last stint that burns and hurts.
Loved every bit, Mark. Always inspiring, always pushing. Thank you for the video!
Well done Mark. I was one of the:
“you have chosen the wrong bike” brigade
Great achievement. I'm doing it in 2025 so this inspires me👍💪
Kudos to you Mark, an inspirational achievement. And to the person who said tt bars on a gravel bike are unnecessary for this distance I would point them in the direction of the 100s of audax riders who swear by them.
They were great. If only for a position change
Wow! Congrats 👏👏👏👏 you fully did smash it!!!
I have got into running recently at 31, done about 7 or 8 5ks now without stopping and about to start working on 10k. Your channel has been extremely inspirational. I have my first 15k tough mudder booked for august and have some big hikes planned for july/sept. It just shows that its never too late to start, its just about getting out there and doing it! Hoping to get a bike soon as well to mix in more variety!
As my dad always said, "hills build character!"
Well done tackling such a monster ride after so little training.
Cheers
Huge respect Mark.. I’m a cyclist and you did a sterling job.. well one done chapeau to you 🚴🏻🚴🏻😃👍
Never seen a cycling video so well planned, unique and inspiring. Lots of amazing content on bikes, but this earned a subscription.
I love it when you take on this bonkers shit. It makes me feel better about doing similar, albeit less extreme, things myself. Top marks sir.
Well done Mark. Another bucket list box checked and in marvelous fashion too. You will look back on it fondly. Thanks for the content!
Way to go Mark. That was an impressive result. Very inspiring.
I done a 60 mile gravel ride 2 weeks ago and felt like i was going to die after lol so cant imagine 200 plus miles ,massive respect to you for completing that honestly a really tremendous achievement. Quality content keep up the good work, love to see you take on the UTMB or something similar next. Cheers
Way to get after it - haters be damned! Always inspiring, Mark.
I'm 28 and working towars my first half marathon, I completed a 15K last weekendand hoping to fit in the half marathon sometime this year.
You are an absolute inspiration, the cool dad on my shoulder whenI run
If you can do 15k, then you totally have the half! Good luck to you!
I got in to running at 28ish about 5 years ago. You'll smash a half mate!
Just make sure you do some strength training and stretch/foam roll too! As this video says, the impact from running is a killer!
Dropped out of a half tomorrow due to impact injury on my knee 😢
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Your tors, are bones etc, ache/painful, is because you are not used to spending extended periods on a cycle. I used to do a lot of riding and trained to do Way of the Rose's (178 miles in a day). I was really worried about my arse, wrists, feet, but was ok due to the training and previous mileage I had done. But really impressive for a virtual novice.
I was looking forward to this video! It did not disappoint!
I'm a regular club rider and have always avoided that particular Sportive. That was a fantastic achievement and a good video. I recognised every emotion you experienced. Nice cycling shirt as well!
Well done Mark ! It’s a pleasure and and fun to watch your channel
I love what you said about being self-sufficient on these kind of rides. I just finished a 410 mile trip to my grandparents house in 4 days. Feels really good to have everything you need to get through the night and move on the next day. That makes me feel good when people compliment myself reliance.
'Unnecessary burden on the event organisers'! That had me creasing up 😂 Loving your great content Mark as ever. Best of luck in your next event!
Great job and way to persevere! Was waiting for this video to drop and the issues you had were, honestly, what I expected. That you would finish but your contact points would be a wreck. All I've ever really done is race a bike and - once you've got a decent fit -- those are "trained" as much as your aerobic/anaerobic fitness. You'll be better in that next event.
Nuff respect big guy!! I am in complete admiration of you bloody mindedness, tenacity and bottle. Good work and congratulations!
Absolutely well done! I definitely thought you were underestimating the difficulty, but I was also confident that you'd overcome it in the end. I'm completely the same with regard to enjoying self-supported, and thus I take back my earlier suggestion of trying to talk the family into supporting you :). By my rough math, you averaged around 160W (including the periods of no watts) over the ~16 hours.
160W sounds too low for such a heavy and trained bloke with near to zero breaks and such a climb and strong finish. Do you think that is accurate?
@@NotaNazgul I'm not sure. That's just me doing the math as I know it based on the numbers given in the video. The chance for error is high. But I will say it's darn hard to keep up power levels over such a long day. Wouldn't shock me if the number is accurate
Being a cyclist myself, I really like your cycling content! And: This was a great job. Sustaining this without any real training is very impressive!
Well done! I perform my best when I know others think I can’t do something. Awesome motivation to see you crush it!
Nice. Epic ride Mark, so glad you made it. Cheers!
Less than 1min in and I know this is going to be good, script is already on point. Man when you upload you deliver the goods.
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@@MarkLewisfitness Thoroughly enjoyed that. Not a single instance of limping sighted.
Since you completed this you should register for the Swedish "vätternrundan" next year =) 315km with around 20k cyclists participating. A lot of people even complete it on non-race bikes.
But this event you did seems really tough considering the climbing!
Good job Mark!!!!
Why do people have to be rude?! I am proud of you for working hard!!! You inspire me to push myself!!! 👏👏👏
You are a legend Mark. I love your videos and wish with every fat filled cell of my body that I could do half of what you do. Congrats man and much respect.
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Some things from my long years of cycling:
- Feet numbness was probably as much down to vibration through the pedals as anything else.
- Riding group is far more efficient. You save about 30% energy/power just from being the 3rd wheel.
- Lunch stop is debatable - IIRC you can only take on around 300cals per hour, so consuming more than that mid ride is arguably wasted energy
My big takeaway is that you've never ridden in a pack. I get the "solo self supported" but there's no reason you can't tag along with a group going your effort. Notice I say "effort" not "speed". If you had picked up the pace to latch on to a passing group, you might find you're expending the same number of watts, but going that extra bit faster with them. Even in a single line you can save 25%. Add in any headwind and the savings can be higher.
That's not going to save your feet and butt of course, other than if you're going a bit faster you're spending less time on your butt.
Yes you can save easily up to 25% or go that much faster. But he wanted to challenge HIMSELF. He did it to as personal challenge. Riding in a group and then bragging with the time is meh. He did it all by himself. He now has every right to be proud of HIS time.
Doing my first solo 100 miles this Sat, on a route I’ve planned, and on an old 90s steel tourer. As you say, there’s no feeling like self sufficiency.
I was about to go for a midmorning ride but saw this dropped, now I'm going to do more of an early lunch ride. I haven't watched it yet, but I hope you made it across the UK before dark.
What an incredibly motivational video! Thank you Mark :) I ran the Race Across Scotland this year but pulled out at 100 miles....signed up again for next year with a much better idea of how to get it done. Watching your channel has motivated me to ramp the training up and have a different perspective. Thankyou and keep making the content, you're an inspiration.
I tried to run 45 miles (race started 10pm Friday night) on my 40th birthday (24th) and rolled my ankle at 3am 19 miles in and had to drop out, it was the right decision but gutting none the less. So I’m pleased you managed to finish you race mate well done.
That’s a grim time to drop out. 😳
Way to go Mark, awesome achievement. Great to see a fellow Clydesdale pushing it and grinding to the finish line. 👊👊
Amazed this hurt so much with all that training you did 😂 Love your vlogs and impressive example of mental fortitude, if not physical preparation 👏🏻
This quite literally shows that mental barriers can be the most difficult thing to conquer, it also shows though that those mental barriers can be conquered too! Congrats Mark!
Cycling is not as hard as running, that said I tried a really long cycle and overestimated how far I could go. Easily done.
It's as hard as you make it
@@LR6092 my point is cycling will take more out of you than people think.
Overall fitness should not be confused with specific fitness required for certain event.
It's not as hard as running but you gotta train for very long cycles. If you just hop on it and want to cycle for 4 hours+ with no prior cycling endurance training you're not gonna have a good time past 1 hour.
@@PwnCTFdepends on power output etc. 300 watts an hour at 78kg is much harder than running a 6 minute mile for an hour etc
Lost your contact and couldn't really even see the road....I literally laughed out loud. Great job and congratulations!! What a wonderful effort!
I am almost 100% certain those drunk teenagers at that 24 hour McDonald’s (located just outside Sittingbourne next to the isle of Sheppey) was me and my friends. Apologies.
Thanks!
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Great Job. Remember when i first started cycling and after about 2 months i undertook a massive ride (150km) with zero idea of what i was in for, huge climbs, no food, no water, weather too warm (over 30)... But i did it, and it only gave me more of a boost to keep on going. Keep up the great work.
Awesome job!!! I just did a 100mile gravel race (some road, but mostly dirt roads and sandy singe/double track). There was also a 205 mile option that had similar terrain (69% unpaved). 100 miles right now is my limit - KUDOS on the great job racing the star (I mean sun)!!
Congratulations🎉🎉🎉. I was shocked by those comments though. Omg. "Scraping by". Lord 😮. So glad you made it... To shut their pie holes.
That has to be one of your best videos yet. Well done you absolutely smashed it 💪🏼
I ran my first half last month at the Chester half and had cramp in my calf for the last 4k. Never happened before and it just suddenly came and I just about managed to finish it. I actually did limp across the finish line but managed to do it still running tho 🏃
Well done and nice video. I liked how you kept us guessing, then maybe even doubting up until cheddar, then spoke of those negative comments, but came in strong at the end to show them!
Oh this one had again the exquisit humor at the right places. Got some great laughes from it. Keep on limping mark :D
Hey! Get yourself a full bike fit that measures shoes too! Makes a HUGEEE difference and they account for foot swelling when they sell you shoes. I think if you have a fit done already they would be willing to do shoes only too
Great work, I rode from the east coast at Arnside, over to Redcar on the west coast, then back again on the same day to raise awareness for male suicide just last week. That was 205 miles too, although we started the other way and had a block headwind going home! I share your pain, the hills and headwind combined were horrendous!
Hi Mark, well done. Some cyclists think its only worth doing events flat out racing and will scoff at people doing these endurance events, ignore them and enjoy doing your own thing. Try cycling standing up every 10 minutes or so to avoid numb arse. I did the Marmotte Alpes at the weekend riding slowly but finished and was also suffering from Hot foot, its common.
Mark, this was epic! In 2009, I decided, on a whim, to do JOGLE with little training. I too was solo and unsupported. Wick to Inverness was the first time I’d cycled 100 miles. What got me more than anything was the wind. Take your rain, your hills, your heat, wind is the killer. I did it in 8 days. Just the greatest experience.
We have a 200 mile ride where I live too it's called "Seattle to Portland" did it 7 times. You rode that intelligently, if you do it again you'll now know where and when to ride harder than u did this time. Nice job.
That was genuinely impressive! You showed some serious grit there. It makes we want to have a go! Thanks for the video, really enjoyed it
Loved this video. I do enjoy the warts and all commentary. Also love you showing what the human body can go through. 👍
Mad Man! Listening to you talk about how little training you did I am amazed that you didn't start hurting a lot earlier, then you siad that you felt sick and I thought, oh no he is going to bonk...have five minute sit down and get some food in you! I do a lot of bike riding and I have had nightmares after 5 miles in! At one point up that hill I thought you might quote Goggins (which is my new favourite motivator thanks to you!)Total kudos that you did it, you were under the time, you looked super happy (which is all its about) and you weren't too broken. I do think you need to do some mountain biking as its much more fun but that can be something you do next! Brilliant video as always!!
Excellent video of another heroic effort - well done, Mark! 👏👏👏
Well done Mark. You inspiration keeps me reaching for endurance goals!!!!!
Firstly, very well done, one hell of an achievement. Secondly, I can massively relate to this with all my sportives I've done, constantly being camped on mount stupid throughout all. I'm so glad someone else can relate to what I go through, gives me all the hope going forward. Brilliant film!