LEL2022 Warts and All (1500km ultra distance cycling audax)

[@chandrakantsahoo7297]

Nice, Inspiring. We said 50% physical and 50% mental. As I prepare for LEL 2025 this experience of your would certainly help me

[@MichaelDavid7777]

My Audax career started last year (2021). I had no idea this event even existed. Great video,very inspirational!!

[@SaddleSore]

Thanks for your message Michael, and welcome to the world of audax. It can get quite addictive! You’ve got three years to get ready for LEL2025… I’ll be there to shout encouragement from the comfort of my motorbike (hoping to provide roadside assistance to stranded cyclists).

[@pyrkol]

Amazing run! Thank you for sharing!

[@ockipoki]

Brilliant video. I loved the crazy starting to come out about halfway round. You've made me feel much better knowing I'm not the only one that happens to. Kudos for the LEL finish. It's on my list 🤘

[@sivakanthansharma2846]

Excellent job, what an amazing mental strength 👏👏👏👏

[@paulmiller7671]

Massively well done Paul. Inspires me for 2025 - maybe. For many, it's difficult to comprehend the enormity of your achievement. Yes, they know it's a long way, but not many would have the sheer bloody-mindedness to keep turning the pedals. You should be rightly proud and will no doubt bore people to death with tales of your exploits for months if not years. Fantastic Paul. You nailed it, big time !!

[@SaddleSore]

Thanks Paul!! I hope you do ride it in 2025… so that I can support you from the comfort of my motorbike saddle. Oh… and I’ll be carrying tools and spares should you need mechanical assistance en route! Once is enough for me… my next big challenge will hopefully be an altogether more social affair with the emphasis on fun instead of punishment. Not sure what it’ll be, but I’m back on the bike and feeling motivated.

[@ketjurevoluutio]

Thank you for quality content! That looks quite a ride! Greetings to fellow audaxer from Finland!

[@josephxkendrick]

Incredible ride, dude! I know how tough it is to document it too so thanks for that. Enjoyable content. Cool to see Adam spinning away like a madman too.

[@mawonavelo]

Bloody marvellous ride champ. Those last miles of a ride like that just seem to last forever, so glad that you stuck with it. Thanks for sharing your experience with us. There weren't even that many expletives. I think I'm relieved that I didn't succumb to temptation and decide to ride it again. It looked like a really tough route this time around.

[@SaddleSore]

Thanks Marcia. It was fantastic and awful at the same time! Box ticked... time to find the next (more enjoyable) challenge.

[@Rupe]

Ridiculous. Amazing. Just so impressive. Well done. Enjoyed watching it too.

[@lucasainscough4887]

Ive just finished LEJOG and was toying with the idea of entering the ballot for 2025, this video has persuaded me to definitely go fo it!

[@SaddleSore]

Congratulations on finishing LEJOG… you’ll remember that ride forever. And LEL will be just as memorable… maybe see you on the road!! And thanks for watching.

[@lauramushrush2529]

I love how it doesn't matter if you are on your own talking to the camera, engaging with a stranger or with people you know - you are exactly the same! Amazing accomplishment! Especially for an egg on legs. Thank you for taking us along on the ride with this video.

[@jayking7713]

Started cycling properly about a year ago, this stuff is insanely impressive to me. Excellent work!

[@SaddleSore]

Thanks Jay. So you’re aiming for LEL2025 then?!

[@jayking7713]

@@SaddleSore I love the enthusiasm, we'll certainly see! 😂

[@oldmengosouth4201]

Great video. Amazing achievement. Well done.

[@SaddleSore]

Thanks!!

[@jonathanwalters5611]

Outstanding. Thank you for sharing everything with us. A great vlog.

[@rossheeley4400]

Excellent video and chapeau for keeping the lightheartedness all the way through the video. Brilliant!

[@SaddleSore]

Thanks Ross!

[@rotherwhite]

Well done....and thanks!

[@SaddleSore]

Thanks Jan

[@patsmith7710]

sometimes I ride fifty, yes fifty miles, riders like you are all blooming heroes

[@SaddleSore]

Kind words, but compared to those who ride 10, 20 or 30 miles, you too are a hero! The distance doesn’t matter… it’s the effort that counts.

[@patsmith7710]

@@SaddleSore wise words, thanks

[@leebending]

Great achievement, Congrats! 👍

[@SaddleSore]

Thanks Lee!

[@jonathansapier7574]

Watching you from a sun lounger on holiday in Croatia and you’ve exhausted me! What a great ride though - full kudos for the mental & physical tenacity. I’ll be back in “ bloody Yorkshire “ next week and back on it 😅👍🏼

[@SaddleSore]

I’d be inclined to stay in the lounger a little longer… it’s dark, cold and wet back in Blighty!

[@jonathansapier7574]

@@SaddleSore I wish 😂

[@davidburgess741]

Great accomplishment! I also spin away like a madman, only a very large madman! As always, look out for gout!

[@torurdalen3303]

Congratulations 👏 A great video! You must have passed me somewhere along the route. Greetings from rider S25 🚴‍♂️

[@edvaldeel4999]

Tremendous. Hats, sir.

[@andyjamestf]

Some graft there mate, huge kudos

[@SaddleSore]

Thanks. More of the same in 2023… watch this space!

[@philcollard]

Enjoyed that, buddy - thank you. And congrats on a great ride!

[@C345OFR]

People talking about the distance (and rightly so) but what about the heat?! Almost 30°C FCOL! Chapeau, sir! Mind you, given the way the weather's plummeted in the last 3 weeks, I wouldn't mind one last mini-heatwave to get back out on some longer rides before the clocks go back ...

[@DustySingletrack]

Think the last minute really encapsulates what I imagine to be the experience (only up to 300s currently myself). The overwhelming happiness when you see your van - priceless ☺

[@SaddleSore]

Thanks Dusty. Seeing my van was such sheer relief!

[@DustySingletrack]

@@SaddleSore I bet! Hope to see you out on a ride 👍🏽

[@l139x3]

Awesome achievement!

[@johnaldred6864]

How the heck do you do such a thing.. it's amazing & you entertain us as you go ...! Well done 👍

[@SaddleSore]

I didn’t entertain myself that day!!!

[@alanfletcher5404]

Great video Paul, you captured the progressive toll on you as the video went on, I could feel your tiredness in the end.

[@SaddleSore]

It’s a good job it wasn’t smellivision… you’d had been able to smell the tiredness as well!

[@adamwatkins]

Might get a van , you looked so happy

[@SaddleSore]

Sheer relief!! You looked almost as happy when I drew alongside you on that descent… I was laughing like a drain and so we’re you!

[@davidp7414]

Here from adam's channel, watch out for gout! Thank you

[@SaddleSore]

Thanks for coming over!!

[@timhobin8490]

Respect

[@michaeldenton2581]

Fantastic vid mate, I was in the 11am group. What an emotional journey, I came home 90mins after your good self 🎩👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@SaddleSore]

Well ridden Michael! It certainly was emotional. I don't think I'll be doing it again!

[@paulcole2242]

@@SaddleSore You will. The itch will start again and you will be back. DAHIK

[@shaunhargreaves7281]

Finally LEL is over and you can stop stalking me at the controls!! Great video and nice to see Adam feature, see you in 2025 on your road bike!

[@SaddleSore]

“HIYA SHAUN!” I can’t believe I didn’t get any footage of you … I guess you were just too fast for my camera to capture!

[@shaunhargreaves7281]

@@SaddleSore I was too busy making a guest appearance on Adam's video!!

[@totalrepawns]

epic!

[@gerarddriscoll5599]

How to make the LEL harder video the ride. Well done and keep up the good work 🚴🚴🚴

[@spikedickey5703]

Unbelievable 👍👍👍

[@Bijou-Bob]

Great stuff👍👍🏆congratulations to you I called it a day Brampton going South with a saddlesore Saddlesore 😉

[@SaddleSore]

Ah that’s a shame. My gooch held up remarkably well. My neck was an issue for the final 24hours: a known problem that made it difficult to pedal efficiently. All good lessons learned.

[@adamwatkins]

So many good bits! Apart from leaving the gooch butter in eskdale muir 😭

[@SaddleSore]

Note to self… divide my gooch butter into two tubs next time… so that when the first is inevitably left and in the disabled loo at Eskdale I’ll still have an emergency supply. Always learning!

[@adamwatkins]

Loving this! And well done for cleaning your teeth!

[@SaddleSore]

Oral hygiene and gooch hygiene… the two pillars of professional randonneuring!!

[@philtucker856]

Loved the vlog. Don’t think I’ll give it a go 😂 although long distance cycling does appeal. Well done.

[@paulwinder4219]

Ah, the highs and the lows.. enjoyed that

[@SaddleSore]

Thanks Paul. Those bloody lows!!

[@londoncenturies]

Great stuff Paul, another top video, except for the fact that the steepness of those hills does NOT come out, not even close! And I love your comment about being on your own in the pitch black, with the moon up and you're feeling strong. Then the depths of despair that follow. Amazing event. Are you going to do it again?

[@SaddleSore]

I’m doing it on my motorbike in 2025… with a bag full of spares and sustenance to get stranded and stricken riders back in the game!!

[@londoncenturies]

@@SaddleSore Nice one! You'll be extremely popular...!

[@damianlud]

👍👍👍😂😂💪💪🚴🚴🍻. Emotional rollercoaster.

[@SaddleSore]

Too much time spent sleeping, yet I only slept for about 10 hours in total. Not sure how the maths works?! I think my lack of company/slip-streaming accounts for the extra hours above my target time.

[@damianlud]

@@SaddleSore the heat, wind and fatigue played a big part in the ride. Riding through the night was a lot of fun.

[@garyfraser4762]

Hi can you tell me the make of your riding glasses ? Do you change the lenses or are they reactive 😊

[@SaddleSore]

Gary… they are Smith Reverbs. I’ve got three lenses… clear, dark and pinky/yellow for low light conditions.

[@simonleeofficial]

It's too hard IMO. ..digs out brevet card from '97.. Starting from Doncaster I did the first 400k in 24hrs. Second 400km (back to Doncaster) 31hrs. 300km to Epping in 24hrs, back up to doncaster 21hrs - total 100hrs. Starting in the south now, so you're pooped for the hilly bit, plus an extra 150km is just too much. Wouldn't try it again unless it was as "easy" as '97. Anyway enough about me :D well done Saddlesore!!, probably the toughest ever LEL!! you'll be back!!

[@thisishere3071]

very cool

[@SaddleSore]

Thanks!

[@pictureframe3171]

Just found it great video,any way we had a chat about halfway you asked me would i do it again and i said yes i asked you and you said no now you have finished will you be doing 2025.👍

[@SaddleSore]

I'll be on my motorbike for the 2025 edition... offering mechanical assistance to stranded riders!

[@pictureframe3171]

Nice one i will look out for you.👍🙂

[@chap666ish]

Yad Moss was open in both directions. Just FYI.

[@SaddleSore]

Bugger.

[@tlingitbob3510]

Yes, but not on the official route! (Would have been a lot easier mind)

[@chap666ish]

@@tlingitbob3510 I've done four LELs and they have always been advisory routes. That an LEL route is mandatory goes against the grain for me and quite a few other old-time audaxers too. The LEL route has varied quite a bit over the years for example, we never used to go over the Humber bridge. The controls change and change again, we even used to start in Yorkshire for goodness sake. But the one thing that never changed was that we went over Yad Moss in both directions. It just ain't LEL otherwise 🙂

[@KNURKonesur]

Sounds like someone had a sore bottom (but in the best possible way :D)!

[@SaddleSore]

My gooch was remarkably ok. It was my emotions that took the biggest battering!

[@KNURKonesur]

@@SaddleSore oh the big test, you either get swallowed and give up or you come out stronger and better! Congrats on doing the latter!

[@SaddleSore]

@@KNURKonesur thank you! I had one big moment when I thought I couldn't continue (it was hot as hell and I was dehydrated and sleep deprived) but I pulled myself together, had a snooze and bit the bullet. I'm definitely stronger physically and mentally as a result.

[@nickp4760]

Fanboy? Steady on old chap, we'd only just met! 😉

[@SaddleSore]

Ha! I thought we’d had a chat about some of my earlier videos… maybe I imagined it?! Either way, nice to meet you on the road for a brief time! 🤡

[@nickp4760]

@@SaddleSore Enjoyed the video 👍

[@MarkoftheShire]

All that way and no donkeys, meh, you could have at least CGI’d some in … I’d ask for a refund. Anyway, SWEETBABYJESUSTHATSALONGWAY well done. PBP next then …

[@SaddleSore]

PBP is on hold… I want to go back to having fun on my rides instead of flogging myself. I’m still going to do an SR series each year, but my ‘big’ goals will be more about the laughs and less about the outright achievements.

[@Stevehatesgravel]

As a fellow donkey fancier I’m very dissatisfied with this video do better next time 😳

[@SaddleSore]

Imagine how annoyed I was after all that ‘effing pedalling!! I’ll try harder this year.