Audax rides

I was doing 45kph when I hit the ice.

Left the city at Potters Bar. Full power lights to descend a 10% hill. Not on the profile... do I route around it? No, they've done worse.

High gear, pedal slow, lots of power, following an owl as quietly as possible. We bank hard to follow the road. Shoot out the tunnel of trees, he goes left. I stick to the tarmac.

Stars in the sky. First glimmer of light, or is that the city glow? Hills getting smaller, rolling. Speed rising with the sun.

Everything now golden. Low hedges cast long shadows. A carpet of sparkling frost warns of ice. Will it melt? Shoes still wet after hours; think not.

Into Cambridgeshire, all downhill. Bedfordshire, uphill. Cambridgeshire again. Oh how I love your gradient. Best of all counties. But fickle, last time I was here the story was reversed.

Lanes are quiet, and wide. Passed by a car, first since Sandy. Lose control of both wheels. Think "cr". Traction returns.

Arrive in town. Race a bus. Collect child. Nap on floor mid-game of train. Cramp.

...it was something like that.

Can anyone point me in a direction for training plans? I'm looking to do PBP, The Fort William 1000 and a couple of other 1000ish km rides this year and would like to ride them well/fast. I've never really followed a training plan before but think as I'm a bit more experienced with Audax/long distance riding it might help this year to get better.

Currently don't have a power meter but would be keen to get one. Was interested in the Garmin Vectors but noticed they are only compatible with Look cleats....

Any advise appreciated, cheers.

The hard bits of long audaxes are:

Rain
Punctures
Going too hard at the start
Not losing time at controls
Running out of food
Running out of motivation (see also, "riding past stations")
The last hill of the ride

If you are doing intervals, hills, and long/slow solo winter rides, your fitness will be fine.

Haven't really done intervals properly before so will definitely give them a go, cheers.

Anyone riding the Willy Warmer next week?

Might have a stages gen2 ultegra 6800 172.5 power meter for sale if you're interested.

I'd maybe do some long sessions in endurance heart rate zone, or maybe sweet spot training if you really wanted to follow specific plans.

Given you're going to need to do a SR to get on PBP, I would say you're going to do more than enough riding this year to be pretty fit for the ride itself.

Being tired and hating your bike / missing a turn / wasting time / your own brain will be what gets you.

Anyone riding the Willy Warmer next week?

Yes. Looks like it's gonna be COLD.

170mm? keen if ^ passes

Sorry, 172.5

As long as its not raining all day like last year, I can cope with that.

Ah thanks for that. Yep, conscience of time being wasted off the bike actually which I think I can work on.

Yes it does. By all accounts there are supposed to be over 200 riders due to start.

7 degrees and sunny with no wind?
A bit cooler in the morning but well above freezing - that's not bad for January. Last time I did the WW it snowed.

Met Office weather for Reading says between 1-4 degrees all day, with a "feels like" temperature of between -1 and 1, and cloud all day. Might even break out my winter hat for this.

Anyone up in Darlington this weekend for Yorkshire Grit?

XC is much more optimistic!

On the psychology on longer rides - I find music or audiobooks help a lot when I have long solo stretches. Trex bone conductor headphones are great, and you can get a cheap Sandisk MP3 player for 20-30 quid if you’re worried about killing your phone battery.

Pretty much rained all day on the Willy Warmer yesterday. Was only light rain mind, but that coupled with the cold made it a bit of a slog. Got round though!

Good effort. I didn't have it in me so racked up a DNS

Yeah could't get warm at all, was proper shaking at Hungerford. Liked the route though.

So, I've built up a cushy 650b full 'fender' commuter. I guess it's time to put my money where my mouth is and try out audax.

The Cambridge Pork Pie looks to be the closest and most achievable for a first timer, at 200k it'll still more than I've ridden outside of my summer touring trips.

Is anyone planning to enter?

Would be great if I could find someone to plod along with.

Is anyone planning to enter?

Yep. Entered today with @Cycliste. It'll be our first Audax for both of us.

Yep, think I'll be doing this one. Good choice as a first one.

always wanted to do that for the pies and its a BRM

Anyone doing the Winter Boat Ride?

36y/o M with GSH seeks friendship and more