Audax rides

18.7mph lololololololololololol

Ha! You on for the Shark then?

Ah, yes, I did see that on your Strava on the weekend. Going to download it and ride it some time! Not sure I'd be able to make much more than 200km in a ride at the moment but fitness is getting to where it needs to be.

Not entered yet. I've not even sorted out my Wales plans.

Guys, how quickly does PBP get booked up? I notice there are staggered pre-registration dates depending on your longest audax in 2018. I'm wondering if a 400km or 600km audax will be enough to pre-register, or should I find a 1000km one.

Does it actually fill up? There seemed to be a big panic when I entered last time and yet I never heard of any actual issues getting in.

It didn't fill last time. But some of the slots do fill early, notably the first group of the 80 hour start, which you need to be in if you are going for a fast time.

If you're not fussed when you start I reckon a 300 should remove the risk of not getting in.

Essentially it has traditionally been 80% French riders but fewer of them are riding, but there are more Asians entering. So it's a guess as to whether that gives increased or decreased entries.

I don't think I'll do more than a 300 this year

Ok thanks boys. Thought it would be full!

notably the first group

I think it's more fun starting later and reeling in people from the early groups.

My advice would be don't do the 84-hour group. For some reason I did this last time. The controls were getting a bit ragged by the time I got there and a couple had run out of food altogether

Wanting to do a 1000 this year for pre-reg reasons as well as the pure challenge of it.

Anyone else considering the ACME Grand?

http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/18-132/

Yep. I'm entered? You?

Don't be silly! 1000k? That's for headcases.

Nah, I want to do a 1000k but I kinda wanted to do Mille Pennines or Crackpot or something stupid and I don't have many weekends on which to do it. Not heard of the ACME so looked it up.

ACME

Internet suggests they're a lovely bunch of folks. Mille Pennines looks wicked hard. Wondering if it'd be biting off more than I could chew for my first 1000.

I was chuckling at their DNF ride report last night in Arrivee. Basically they bailed on a ride to check out a bunch of pubs. Sounds like something I know would do...

I've done the Tan Hill 600 and yeah it's hard riding up there. But that's why I want to do it.

After last year's wall to wall sunshine, I've just looked at the weather report for The Shark on Monday.

Looks like waterproof socks beneath the sandals this year. Should be quite warm though.

If it even looks remotely damp I'm going to the pub instead.

Maybe next year then?

Yeah, as a DIY, in July. :)

If it even looked remotely hot, I'd be going to the pub instead. 😉

If Monday is anything like today...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TF30sIpq9HQ

Still >95% chance of rain for most of the day. I'm not going to bother.

High of 12 though!

My chain is rusty from yesterday. I'm tired of turning everything on the bike into a black grinding paste every weekend.

Actually, during the day it doesn't look so bad. Shit. Nah, I'm about to drive to Wales to race. That's enough stress for me this weekend.

EDIT: Nah, back to "fuck it":
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/u100cn6rg#?date=2018-04-02