Are we taking the alternative challenges too far?

[43019]

I've never done a challenge yet. Indeed, I only recently got the inspiration to do a full-blown challenge after seeing some of one on The Tube on Sky Travel. However, I have been advised it's extremely testing on patience and endurance (it could be argued that's the same thing, but hey), that Amersham is the only place to start. I'm not wasting £30+ on a B+B though, so stuff that. It also needs a monsterous amount of planning, something I can't exactly do as I'm not experienced enough on the Tube system to know the best interchanges, the best route to use in order to manage to get near the total. Now that the Piccadilly line at Heathrow is due to be re-opened again soon, I'm mighty tempted to do it. The dispute with GWR about Shoreditch though puts me off doing it for the duration.

Anyway, my point is that Zone 1 runs are the best for me at the moment, to get the feel of such challenging bashes. I need to see if I can handle the pressure of racing about the Tube network in a record time (I'm allowing myself 4 hours for this first challenge (there's a more posh word I am thinking of here, but I can't for the life of me remember exactly what it is!) to ensure I survive, I expect less than 3h 15m at the moment, depending on training levels coming up during the next week), then and only then will I set myself up for the Almighty's test of endurance that is the full challenge.

As for the number of alternative challenges, it adds variety. The spice of life, don't you know...

[Going Underground]

I'm with Going Underground on a number of points.

whereas I'm with Going Underground FOR a number of PINTS!

Too true Peter, a touch of friendly banter to this thread at last

[Dr Who]

As far as I can see the following are the Alternative Challenges that have taken place since the offical Z1 on 19th May 2006....

31st May, Z1 - total particpants; 8
(I believe that 2 may then have done an evening Bottle)

9th June, Pre Shoreditch closure Bottle - total particpants; 5

7th July, Evening Bottle's -
event 1 - total particpants; 3
event 2 - total particpants; 6

17th July, Tube Marathon Day comprising; South of the Thames, Bottle and DLR - total participants; 3

28th July, Z1 - total participants; 4

29th Aug, Z1 (evening) - total participants; 8

1st Sep, Mini Challenge Day
Event 1; 129 Snake - total participants; 5
Event 2; Evening Z1 - total participants; 7

I realise that there may well have been some other individual attemps during this period as well....

In summary a total of 7 days out of just over a 100 and fairly well spread with only 2 falling in the same week. With minimum attendance of 3 and maximum of 8........

There is a further Z1 planned for 19th Sept......

I will leave you to decide if this is considered to be excessive or not

[dr_chris]

I don't like the idea of doing too many alternative challenges because most of them involve a lot of rushing around in very central stations... I feel that to be seen doing this too often could cause you some serious problems, especially in the current climate.

Oh - and all this stuff about 'getting a feel' for the tube challenge by doing Zone 1 or whatever... not really... the Zone 1 is very much a light sprint compared to a 19 (or hopefully less) hour marathon which the All 274 comprises. If you want to get a 'feel' for it I feel it's much better to go out and do some test runs... or better still, get some attempts in. Sam, Steve and I didn't sit around working out routes ad nauseum - we got out there, tried out things on two attempts and a few opportunities for reconnaisance (sp.) and got a feel for the system, the little nuances, the irritating spots at different times along the route, things we could do to improve our time along the way... You can't manage it by sitting running around the central bit. You really need to get out there, try long sections of your route (seriously, in the 3/4 hours to do zone 1 you could easily practise most of the western end of the map...) and learn from experience...

[Starkey7]

Well, it does seem that a lot of people are now doing alternative challenges. I myself have done three zone 1s (including the "official" one) and two bottles since May. Nevertheless, the point that there are now a lot of people running around central stations and causing a fuss doesn't seem to be particularly well-founded. At the most you have, say, seven or eight people running around each week. So in order even to see these people, you have to be at the right station, at the right time, on the right day of the week. Moreover, I've seen quite a few people rushing around stations for various reasons, to catch trains, to meet people, etc anyway.

I'm not sure if that point was well-made, but the more important thing is that these events are sociable and fun. We have a laugh for three hours, get to know each other and sample the delights of Earls Court McDonald's. And this is often done in the evening anyway, thus not taking up much of our day. There's a record for the Zone 1 challenge. How many of you who've come within fifteen minutes don't think that there's a chance of getting that record? When you believe that you have a chance, you go for it!

Lastly I've met some really great people through this sort of thing, had a laugh and am now thinking about doing an all-275, something which I would have swiftly vetoed not too long ago. And a couple of my university mates have now got into this due to the non-severity of a little Zone 1 challenge.

So is there a lot more alternative challenging going on just for the sake of it? Yes, there is. But surely all challenges, and all sports, are done for the sake of themselves. They're done for enjoyment, socialising and perhaps exercise. Both the all-275 and the Zone 1 challenges do this, so regardless of their respective magnitudes I don't see too much of a problem.

[londongirl]

Oh - and all this stuff about 'getting a feel' for the tube challenge by doing Zone 1 or whatever... not really... the Zone 1 is very much a light sprint compared to a 19 (or hopefully less) hour marathon which the All 274 comprises. If you want to get a 'feel' for it I feel it's much better to go out and do some test runs... or better still, get some attempts in. Sam, Steve and I didn't sit around working out routes ad nauseum - we got out there, tried out things on two attempts and a few opportunities for reconnaisance (sp.) and got a feel for the system, the little nuances, the irritating spots at different times along the route, things we could do to improve our time along the way... You can't manage it by sitting running around the central bit. You really need to get out there, try long sections of your route (seriously, in the 3/4 hours to do zone 1 you could easily practise most of the western end of the map...) and learn from experience...

I'm not knocking you down on this comment, I agree that getting out there, making attempts at an actual 275/4 will be better. But for me the Zone 1 did give me a feel for a challenge. Not the slog and the hard work, but what changes will be like and the little things. Maybe not the overall route, the places that will give me trouble, but the fact that running around can get crazy, that I'm probably going to need to rethink strategies. It doesn't prepare me for an uphill run to make a connection but it does prepare for navigating passengers at full speed and such.

[Going Underground]

As mentioned before in others topics debate is healthy....

But this particular topic/poll appears to be driving a wedge between those that are only interested in the full 274/275 and chasing GWR glory and those that see a tube challenge as a tube challenge in whatever guise that may be......

There also seems to be a great deal of misunderstanding and controversy surrounding the merit of the alternative challenge's where some view them only as building blocks for the full 274/275....
Where as in fact they are challenges within their own right in which useful information can be gleamed at the same time IF one so desires....
Do you have to be out on the tube all day for over 19 hours for it to be considered the only real challenge?
The 129 snake and Z1 were pretty demanding when done on the same day recently with over 40 changes and over 10 hours challenging with several fast and furious interchanges.....


This particular site and many of our more long standing members own websites have references, rules, write-ups and photos about alternative challenges...

I believe that as Dr Who's post confirms they have not become obsessive or being done to death, with a handful of people having done them on a few occasions...And if they were what is the problem or harm in it?

let's be honest the tube challenger is a "spit in the ocean" as far as LU or anyone else is concerned. What is it something like 3 million people a day that use the tube...?? How many of those run, cause disruption, hold doors and delay trains on a regular basis?? Several thousand more than us I would suggest......

Just to finish by saying that we ALL belong to the same community here and hopefully can remain as such......

[nozzacook]

I have to agree with Going Underground there is no point or need to drive a wedge between those who prefer to do alternative challenges and those who prefer the 274/275.

At the end of the day we all joined this forum for one thing and that was to read and comment on tube challenging in all its aspects.

And lets keep it that way.

[Sam]

I don't see where any of the posts have been driving a wedge between people.
It's all a matter of opinions, some people will enjoy doing zone ones etc whilst others prefer to complete 275's.
The point raised wasn't about whether people shouldn't do alternative challenges, just whether it is getting towards the point of obsession, some people like myself and Neil think it is whilst others such as yourself don't, once again, it is all about opinions

[editorsfoot]

I have to agree with Going Underground there is no point or need to drive a wedge between those who prefer to do alternative challenges and those who prefer the 274/275.

or those of us who enjoy doing both.

As a matter of interest, how many people attempt the 274 / 275 each month or year? Going Underground was doing a food drop for a 274 / 275 before going to Z1, but looking through the forum that particular full challenge wasn't mentioned until after the event. I think there isn't a massive difference in numbers, back in April someone was going on about all these 274 / 275 challenges. Zone 1s are publicised more, as there is less mileage in saying 'I'm doing a full challenge next week, be at Amersham at 5.15 if you want to join in.'

Good luck to all tube challengers.

[Starkey7]

Didn't Geoff do the full challenge nine times in about two years?

[Dr Who]

[As a matter of interest, how many people attempt the 274 / 275 each month or year? Going Underground was doing a food drop for a 274 / 275 before going to Z1, but looking through the forum that particular full challenge wasn't mentioned until after the event. I think there isn't a massive difference in numbers, back in April someone was going on about all these 274 / 275 challenges. Zone 1s are publicised more, as there is less mileage in saying 'I'm doing a full challenge next week, be at Amersham at 5.15 if you want to join in.'

Good luck to all tube challengers.

Another reason they wouldn't be publicised so much and "the why don't you join us at 5.15 etc.." is the fact that 90% of the time the 274/275 attempts are for GWR and those already taking part wouldn't want all and sundry turning up to join them with the possibility of sharing the record with several others and doing the "their" route which they had been planning for ages....
Where as the alternative challenges are viewed as all welcome and the more the merrier....

As far as I can see there have been 6 full attempts (other's may well not have been posted?) in the same period since official Z1 in May.....

Therefore there is very little difference if any, between the full 274/275 and alternative challenge attempts. Which again tends to point to the fact they neither is more obsessive than the other......

And I totally agree with the Editor; Good luck to ALL challengers..

[ping pon]

i also agree with going underground if people enjoy do alternative challenges what is wrong with that and if you are in to tube challenge you must want to do them and get good times so to me it makes no sense to say alternative challenges are going to far

[Sam]

Ping Pon... as you're from Dorset, I know you folk are a bit slow (Joking before anyone takes offence, but i'm originally from Somerset)

No one has said anywhere that alternative challenges shouldn't be done, as I said earlier the thread was started solely questioning whether the amount of alternative challeneges being completed is getting towards obsessive!!

[londongirl]

ah but what isn't obsessive when it's a passion? all things one is passionate about will tend to get a touch obsessive.