I didn’t mean take a tent, but for more than a powernap you need at least a decent mat, lightweight bag and a tarp or bivvy or get lucky with some sort of shelter
I’m with you on this - Ed’s has stopped for approx 20% of the race time (let’s assume that the bike repair stop would have been a food stop somewhere else and hence the same amount of time). Once you know you’ve got to stop for a considerable sleep, you have to either have some kit or risk not finding somewhere and being cold and wet. Looking at the route, I can see a few places where you might be overtaken by nightfall in a fairly bleak spot. Also, hard to predict how fast you will go as the event unfolds - Ed’s been going pretty slowly today and obviously struggling with it; adding the stress of having even one more thing to worry about can tip you over a mental edge.
Now, clearly if you’re racing and fast, then the above is less important - but if you’re pushing hard and not so quick, I think most people would err towards caution. Anyone who’s spent the night out in the open will know that wind and rain can quickly go from being unpleasant to dangerous.
This is an event that’s taking very capable people roughly 10 days (Ed’s just gone over the half way mark). Going ultra light for that length of time is something not many people will do - in my opinion quite sensibly 
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The event will take everyone 10 days as it’s predecided by the checkpoints and starting of the stages. The kit/weight thing is a bit chicken and egg. All those hike a bike sections your literally carrying all that kit along with the bike and you’ve got to get it over all those climbs too.
If the weather is bad and there’s nowhere to sleep then keep on pedaling 
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So look, you’re clearly in the hardcore brigade and that’s fine - most of us are not.
When I cycled round Wales over 6 days, I took your approach as I was staying in B&Bs. However, I’ve also been hiking in the wilderness and approaching that with the same mindset is potentially very dangerous.
The GBDuro is somewhere in between - Ed’s extremely capable and has roughed it on plenty of ultra events that I’ve seen him do - and I’m just seeing what he posts, I presume the worst is not faithfully recorded for social media.
So, no doubt he’s judged the balance of speed vs weight for this event on this occasion - with experience maybe that would change on a future event, that’s true for all of us who’ve got involved in reasonably extreme activities.
This approach wins races but also - literally - gets people into very serious trouble when events conspire against them. Exhaustion and decision making are not good bedfellows.
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Looks like sense of humour has returned … 14km to go, well done Ed.
Looks like he might be the last one in - there’s a couple of guys with c100 miles to go who might just about make it if they push hard but the field has been basically halved since CP1
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Having done hotels and B&Bs I definitely cannot claim to be hard core. After 300km and 15 hours on the bike in the rain with wet gear, bivvy / tarp / tent / bus stop etc are not attractive. I think that multi day ultra events running and bike will feature in my future plans, I guess in will learn
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Looks like 4 more people made it in overnight, so 16 in total.
I’m off to a festival for the weekend so will catch up with the latter part of stage 3 on Monday
I stood behind David Schofield in the Costa queue (Southwaite Services) a few years back. I didn’t have the balls to make Slaughtered Lamb reference. YOU MADE ME MISS!
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Ed is up to 12th according to the Leaderboard on the tracker.
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Is the tracker still working?
@ed_m seems close to CP3, but Mark Beaumont is also near there…
I had a look earlier, just assumed they were just at CP3? The all leave the CP for the last stage at the same time.
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Really???
So they have to wait for Chris Bower, who is 200km away???
Not sure I’m a fan of that
I don’t know the rules exactly but they start the stage together and there is a cut off for finishing the previous stage. You would assume the cut off is before the next stage starts but maybe il not?
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Perhaps, but I’d be getting antsy and wanting to get going again after a day (he says, having never done anything longer than 12 hours ish!)
Yep, they all start each stage at the same time. So the quicker you ride the more rest you get at each CP.
@ed_m reached CP 3 at about 5pm and they are all off again 8am tomorrow for the final leg.
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Do you know when the cut off is?
To start stage 4 or at the finish 
Start of stage 4
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Do they get a ‘drop bag’ at the CPs? The faster riders have time to check into a Spa hotel before the off tomorrow. If they can get a booking 
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