Fwd: [RUSA-RBA] LRM 1200k Plans for 2025
Spencer Klaassen
From: Dave Thompson <thomp...@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Jun 16, 2024 at 11:42 PM
Subject: [RUSA-RBA] LRM 1200k Plans for 2025
To: RUSA RBAs <r...@rusa.org>
RBAs,
We need to know your plans for 2025 LRM 1200k events by July 31, even if they are tentative. We will circulate the tentative dates to the RBA list so that you can make a final determination before the end of September. If you have plans for 2026, those can also be included. We wouldn't expect to see a 2026 route now, unless it's a rerun, but if you have a general idea of the route, a rough draft description and/or ridewithgps would be useful.
We put more rigor into 1200k planning for several reasons:
- so your planned date doesn't conflict with another 1200k and create financial issues for you
- because there's interest world-wide in the 1200k schedule
- because these rides tend to be much more facility and volunteer intensive
- a 1200k is a Grand Randonnée, after all, and needs proper planning and execution.
1) New for 2025 is a 1200k Planning Form, to simplify your submission. All regions planning a 1200k for 2025 must submit the form but only the first part of the form is required for a rerun. There are additional questions to complete for a new route and even more information is required for a new organizer.
2) You will get a copy of the form that you submit with a link to edit your response, if you need to make changes. If you are a new 1200k organizer and find the form hard to use or would prefer to answer the organizer-qualifying questions in a Word Doc, let me know and I'll send you something to work with.
3) If you're familiar with the prior Word form, a number of questions in that form are automatically answered by including the ridewithgps route in the submission e.g. route shape, end point, total climbing, max elevation. The ridewithgps route that you submit must also include controls with custom cues and POI's, including expected overnight locations. We know that some of this can change before the route is submitted to the Routes Committee for approval but care needs to go into the route design.
4) As you know, we'll need final 2025 plans for ACP and LRM events in September. We are not asking about companion shorter events, e.g. 1000k, at this time, but you need to keep that in mind. The LRM submission will need a contact, which may or may not be you as the RBA, route length, climbing, a website link and time limit.
5) Note that even a re-run without changes requires a ridewithgps route - i.e. that used by the riders in the prior iteration. There are always tweaks to a long route and we would like to see the final. We are also asking for your observations about what worked and didn't work in the prior iteration.
6) Consider increasing the route distance to 1300k. At 1300k the minimum speed drops to 12kph from 13.33 and the time limit is increased from 90 to 108:20. That may or may not require an additional overnight and an increase in volunteer support. There are a variety of ways to structure the 1300k - 400+300+300+300, for example, or 400+300+300+200+100. The latter approach means adding an extra loop to a 1200k, if the riders will be back at the start.
7) How much climbing do you have? If it's a climbing intensive route, the LRM rules allow for an increase in the time limit but the Brevet Coordinator must apply for that extra time on your behalf. It isn't automatic.
From the LRM website, the following covers minimum speeds and additional climbing allowance.
Overall average minimum speeds for events shall be as follows
- For events from 1200 to 1299 km: 13.33 kph
- For events from 1300 to 1899 km: 12 kph
- For events from 1900 to 2499 km: 10 kph
- For events of 2500 km and above: 200 km per day.
- For events where the rate of climbing is greater than 11 metres per kilometre the President will give consideration to requests for extra time. This will normally be based on a 5% allowance for every full m/km of extra climbing. Specific authority to adopt these allowances must be sought from the LRM President.
Any questions or issues, let me know. I'm very interested in whether you find the Google Form a good approach. They're easily put together, can automatically send the submitter a copy as well as cc's and are easily maintained. You might wonder why the email address isn't question # 1 ... I couldn't figure out how to do that :).
Dave Thompson
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