Audax rides

Can send off your postcards while bedding down too.

"Greetings from Penrynd... Penrhyndre... Penrhyndue... Wales!"

hehe I'd hate to have to ask any locals for directions.

VW van- with organised Brevet cards (that I F**ked up)? - confusing my Deans with my Ghans , all they've blurred into one.
I was hoping to doss in the community hall but that isn't an option so looking around.

Top tip for beating the zzzz's from a squaddie mate who had to drive tankers across the Iraqi desert, 36hrs non stop. Just before a power nap neck a can of redbull/ coke/ exspresso then immediately get your head down. The caffeine jolts you awake in about 15-20 mins and you feel instantly refreshed and alert rather than having that horrid half dead zombie feeling.

Aye, that would be me.

I've tried the caffiene thing but don't like it too much as I end up feeling a bit too wired later on or not being able to sleeep when I do get to a control. I usually just put an alarm on my phone and snooze with it on my chest.

Once I was in a lovely all wood bus shelter getting a nap. I set my phone on a little ledge just above my head. The vibration meant if fell onto my face which was a good wakeup call.

On the BCM I notice there is an outdoor shop in Beddgellert with a bit of shelter and wooden decking so I may use that if I feel the need for a snooze. Need to get myself a bit of a cover though as I tend to ride a bit cool so could use a layer for snoozing under.

Yeah, I am speculating rather than planning, but completely take your point.
The only thing I am properly planning is that when I try my 400 I find some people to hide behind for at least some of it.

napuccino

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_nap#Stimulant_nap

Will soon stop my 3 a day espresso habit so I get full effect on PBP.

I did that before the 24hr Worlds and still manage to nod off and almost crash not even half way through. That was more due to the timezone difference and being wide awake at 5am race-day when the race didn't start until 6pm at night. Doh!
Assuming I do PBP, I'll probably do the same thing and go cold turkey a month out from the event.

Still not sure what to do about the 600k though. Everyone says to do BCM but I kind of feel obliged to support our club's event - the Beast. And, although I'm sure I could, I'm almost certainly not going to ride two of them in a fortnight and then try to race the 12hr TT.

BCM is a lovely route and when you're tackling something challenging like your first 600, that can be pretty motivating, especially when you get up on the second day with a long way to go. Equally, if you have designs on PBP, the BCM is a tough ride and, if you complete it, you can rest easy in the knowledge that PBP is well within your grasp. At no point on PBP will you feel as challenged as you do on the drag up through Middle Dolfor or the col du Llancloudy.

However, having done a 24h TT World Champs, I don't think you'll benefit from it as much in the toughness aspect. If you're aiming to challenge the Vedettes in PBP then you'll probably get more out of The Beast.

If there's spaces left I'll probably have a crack at The Buzzard which, for you could be a good final test event if you're minded to do one.

Will soon stop my 3 a day espresso habit so I get full effect on PBP.

I gave up caffeine months before PBP in 2009 and haven't gone back. Withdrawal symptoms of a week of horrible night sweats and disturbed sleep but then bliss. I sleep much better now (I've been on decaff ever since). I can get away with one full-fat coffee a day (if I go somewhere that doesn't do decaff), any more than that and it affects my sleep that night.

On PBP itself I had a couple of coffees to keep me awake until the next control (loads of locals set up stalls outside their houses with coffee/cake/etc, all for free, all through the night, it's one of the reasons the ride is quite amazing), worked a treat.

As you say, a 600k audax isn't as much of a challenge when I'm doing 500mi in a day and I was doing longer training rides last year just training for lejog. BCM would be a bit trickier as it's lumpier, but all that means is I go a bit slower, it doesn't change my ability to finish it.

I think BCM is one I'd prefer to ride 'easy' and enjoy the scenery a bit. I do tend to ride audaxes like training rides - head down, going pretty hard. Initially I was going to have a crack at racing PBP but it will depend how my TT season goes. I don't think Gethin's record is going to be bothered, put it that way!

Googling Buzzard...

Ah, 20th of June is the week after the Newbury 12hr. If it's anything like last year I'll probably be in bits (think hamburger mince being stabbed with a hot poker). Plus I have a Blur and a Foo Fighters gig to get through Fri and Sat nights with the missus. So, unlikely I'll be doing that.

Anyone know what the chances are of a reserve place on the BCM? I procrastinated so long that its now closed :(

If it's closed then it looks like The Beast it is for me. Might do the helpers ride to get it done a week earlier although I do like chasing other riders down.

I gave up caffeine months before PBP in 2009 and haven't gone back.

Thinking about giving up caffeine is what scares me the most.

I would imagine a long waiting list already and a very limited chance. Get on The Beast if you can.

Thinking about giving up caffeine is what scares me the most.

I like a coffee but I've never been a coffee snob.

Saino's Gold Roast Instant Decaff is the least worst option I've found so far (other than decaffeinated ground coffee but I can rarely be faffed with the cafetiere.) The other instant decaffs tend to taste like Bovril (especially the Kenco one).

I sent my Beast entry yesterday.

I am not sure about giving up coffee, it is one of my pleasures, but I have actively resisted becoming a coffee snob.

Nice Morning.

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That was not easy but a fantastic day. Dorset Coast 200km 2.75AAA in just under 12h.

I'm talking to Mark about maybe doing the helpers ride as it would allow me to race the Hounslow 100 when the actual Beast is on. Maybe I'll dish you out a coffee or something at the start :)

I rode the first ~130 kays of the Severn Across today to get a feel for it and hopefully allow me to ride it without getting lost before the first control! Some nice roads out there once I got past the familar stuff.

How, times change... 8 years ago talking about the Beast...

"Makes the 100k on Sunday seem just a bit tame. Still, I take comfort in the fact I'm built for top-end speed and not long-distance (or naviga-wherethefsck?-tion)"

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/127153/#5884321

Still can't friggin' navigate for toffee.

Been riding loads recently now the evenings are light, but not done any Audax since LOL.

Riding Boulters Bash tomorrow with Arup which is a lumpy 120k in the Chilterns riding out and back to make it about 230k.

Weather is looking great for it!

Did the Plains 300 Audax on Sat/sun, its apparently a strange one as it starts at 11pm, riding through the night on the way out. Enjoyed it a lot and finished about 4pm Sunday I think, similar to the 200 I did my legs felt OK, it was my wrists and neck that hurt this time. Also after nearly giving up on my brooks saddle, I thought I would try one more long ride on it and it finally felt broken in, no pain at all. But now my stupid brain straight away wants to buy one in a Ti and a colour that suits my bike...

I got onto the ride late as a reserve after emailing the organiser. My pal had already signed up or I would have taken missing the deadline as a good excuse not to bother, but I got an email on Weds or so last week saying I had a reserve spot so it was game on. The main problem was I hadn't sorted any lighting and now it was too late to order and build a Dynamo set up. Thankfully @andy_k lent me his Exposure Toro, which was so good I am reconsidering the dynamo option...

Neither myself or my friend have Garmins so we tagged onto a group on the way out for easier navigation in the dark. There was a light tailwind and on mostly main roads, which were quiet at night our 10/12 man peleton made good progress and it felt like the first 150 flew by. On the return leg we mostly rode alone, with my mate pulling into the mild headwind while I navigated with routesheet behind. He is very strong and to be honest I was getting tired just holding his wheel at one point, but got a second wind after the last control and enjoyed the final 40k on some beautiful roads back into Poynton.

I rode to the start and back which made my total about 350k I think, I think I want to try a more lumpy 300 then move onto a 400 in the next few months. Also probably be very different riding alone as I was pulled along quite a lot of the way.

Edit: just realised I sound like one of those super boring ride reports in Arrivee, at least I didn't describe what I ate at every control.