London-Edinburgh-London Coaching: From a Coach Who’s Finished It

We establish your aerobic foundation with Zone 1-2 endurance work, progressively increasing volume while keeping intensity controlled. For LEL, this means rides at 55-65% FTP, building your body's ability to sustain effort day after day without accumulating excessive fatigue.

This phase introduces LEL-specific demands:

• Back-to-back long rides: Weekend blocks of 200-300km rides on consecutive days to simulate cumulative fatigue
• Night riding practice: Learning to ride safely and efficiently through the night
• Control stop simulations: Practicing efficient control stops (in/out in 10-15 minutes)
• Nutrition dialing: Testing real-world fuelling over 12-16 hour days
• Sleep strategy testing: Experimenting with different sleep durations and timing
• Climbing under fatigue: Preparing for Pennines and Scottish Borders when legs are already tired

We run multi-day simulations: consecutive long days (250-350km), night riding, minimal sleep, control stop practice. These reveal what works before the event. The final 2-3 weeks taper volume while maintaining sharpness.

Both times I rode LEL, the lesson was clear: 60-70% FTP is a ceiling, not a target. Successful LEL riders pace conservatively: 55-65% FTP on flats, 50-60% on climbs, often lower. This feels too easy on Day 1but by Day 4, you're still riding while others are suffering. We establish your sustainable power and practice staying within it even when grouped with faster riders.

LEL sleep strategy makes or breaks attempts. My approach from 2022: short blocks (90-120 minutes) at strategic locations (Brampton, Alston), avoiding the temptation to "sleep properly" which burns too much time. We develop YOUR sleep strategy during training: how much you need, when to take it, how to recognise dangerous fatigue levels, and how to maximise recovery quality in control-stop environments.

LEL demands 3,500-5,000 calories per day for 4-5 days straight. Control stops provide food, but appetite often disappears by Day 3. We develop a fuelling strategy that works: calorie targets, macronutrient balance, control-stop efficiency, and how to keep eating when nothing appeals.

LEL creates dark moments most riders don't expect. The crushing loneliness at 3am riding through empty villages. The temptation to sleep too long. The psychological battle when pain becomes constant. We practice mental strategies during training - visualisation, staying present, breaking the ride into manageable chunks so they're automatic when needed.

Time management at controls separates successful finishes from time cuts. We practice the control stop drill: arrive, stamp card, use toilet, fill bottles, grab food, eat while preparing to leave in 10-15 minutes maximum. No sitting around, no getting comfortable. Every minute at controls is a minute lost on the road.

The Pennines, Scottish Borders, and the return south all have different demands. We study the route profile so you know when the big climbs come, where the exposed sections are, and how to pace each major segment. Mental preparation means no surprises. You know exactly what's ahead.

No, London-Edinburgh-London has no formal qualification requirement. Unlike Paris-Brest-Paris which requires completing the Super Randonneur series, LEL is open to any rider who successfully registers when entries open. However, this does not mean LEL is suitable for beginners. The 1,550km distance with 125-hour time limit demands extensive long-distance experience. Most successful finishers have completed multiple 400 to 600km brevets before attempting LEL. While no formal qualification exists, substantial audax experience proves essential for successful completion.

London-Edinburgh-London is 1,550km (963 miles) following a route from London north to Edinburgh, then returning to London. The route includes roughly 11,000 metres of climbing through the Pennines and Scottish Borders. Riders must complete LEL within 125 hours, though many finish in 80 to 120 hours. The route runs continuously day and night, requiring navigation through darkness, managing sleep deprivation, and maintaining forward progress despite cumulative fatigue. LEL runs once every four years, alternating with Paris-Brest-Paris.

London-Edinburgh-London typically sees a finish rate around 75 per cent, though this varies by edition depending on weather conditions. Most dropouts occur after Edinburgh when riders face the psychological challenge of riding back south with another 750km still ahead. The 2025 edition faced Storm Floris creating particularly challenging conditions. Successful completion requires systematic preparation through progressive long-distance riding, realistic time management, tested systems for sleep, nutrition, and mechanical support.

Sleep strategy makes or breaks LEL attempts. LEL offers sleep stops at locations like Brampton and Alston, but many riders underestimate how much sleep they need. Some try to ride straight through but most regret it by York. Others sleep too much and run out of time. The most effective approach involves short, strategic sleep blocks of 90 to 120 minutes timed to prevent dangerous fatigue while maintaining forward progress. This requires practice and self-awareness developed during training. Most successful finishers sleep 90 to 120 minutes at strategic locations rather than attempting one long sleep or riding entirely without rest.