Audax rides

Well done and congratulations.

I found that pretty tough going at times with the weather so chapeaux for doing it fixed.

Pretty sure I heard 'nicely rolling route' previously where I felt it was less rolling and more straight up lumpy at points!

I got two hours in a bed (1 hour sleep) and finished with only an hour to spare. I spent too much time in controls than I normally would, but it was well worth it, at times I felt like a mini-tour seeing friends.

The food was excellent, I only got my wallet out once all weekend to buy an ice-cream and you can't praise the volunteers enough, I thought they were the making of this ride.

Got round the Avalon sunrise in about 20 hours. Saw Glastonbury at dawn, which was neat as had never been there before. Looks impressive.
Rode the entire way round with company, which was a new one for me, but made it quite a pleasant day, although it meant that I didn't really get to test my lights properly as could always use someone else's!
Got sunburn as fcst was for clouds so didn't take cream, and it was sunny all day.
Lots of dnfs, only 20 finishers. Saw some people go off too hard through night, but reckon it would be tough for the slower riders having to go into a second night with no sleep.

Well done!

Agree with the your review, some tough walls on the way back and changing weather made it challenging!

The highlights are definitely food + volunteers, food was different at every control and super tasty and volunteers were incredible at looking after us, filling our bottles, giving cutlery to people, sun cream available etc ... Top event and glad I picked it as the 600 in my SR!

Yeah, what a great event! Wasn't impressed with some of the road surfaces, mind. My left hand's gone numb again. Was concerned I was eating too much on the way to Chester.

Had a great outward leg. Was flying and it was by far my fastest 300, but at the turn I got really tired and slowed right down. Got an hour's kip, but then the wind arrived. And then rain followed by arse pain. Made it back fine though. My first SR and also PBP qualified.

Really well done all - went through some shocking rain yesterday around lunchtime south of Birmingham but it was patchy.

@plasticniki Haha I suffered from the arse pain towards the end too but I don't think there's much that can be done on such distances ... It's bound to happen. I don't know how people who do TCR and stuff like that handle it.

@hippy Good to meet you as well! I was the noob with the Albion orange/navy jersey who should have listened to your advice of eating food before bed but couldn't stomach the idea ...

You looked pretty good the few times I saw ya. Assume you got it done pretty comfortably?

1hr sleeping in a bush

#rep

less rolling and more straight up lumpy at points!

There was some climbing in that for sure. Passed a few walkers on that 70k stage back and chuckled to myself, hoping they didn't spot my monster 40T cassette :)

The wind was in the face most of the way back too which must've made a decent dent on progress.

I think I had >10 HOURS! of stop time. I was definitely making the most of the cheery volunteers happily dishing out endless calories. :)

Got sunburn

A woman at one of the controls on Sun asked if I was wearing leg warmers yesterday.
"Um... yeah... how.. ?"
"I can tell from the big red lines on the back of your legs"
"Ahhh.."

Where did your ride start from?

I don't know how people who do TCR and stuff like that handle it.

Some of us don't. We just tell everyone about it on twitter. ;)

I was the noob with the Albion orange/navy jersey who should have listened to your advice of eating food before bed

#hippyisalwaysright ;)

G'day! I didn't know you were on here. I must've just missed you at the finish. My missus wanted dinner so I had a quick bite at the finish and got the train home.

Yeah no worries really, few niggles, but nothing too bad, I stuck a new saddle on the bike Thursday which was hight risk but after my 400 I didn't want to use the same one again. It worked out well though fortunately.

Jim and I are getting to be experts in not rushing round and finishing comfortably these days.

@hippy Good to meet you as well! I was the noob with the Albion orange/navy jersey who should have listened to your advice of eating food before bed but couldn't stomach the idea ...

I was on the train with you on Friday to Maidenhead, also didn't realise you were 'on here' either. Good to meet you well done on getting round, sounds like it went well.

Ouch, this was hillier than I expected and the headwind on the way back was tough in parts. Definitely the most I've ever eaten on an audax.

@plasticniki Did you have a Penge cyle club jersey on? I think I saw you not far from the Christleton control

I ran a brand new saddle too (like, not even a commute on it :S) and different position because I was too lazy to adjust it (and too stupid to work out I needed a shorter stem due to the new saddle). At least I have the definitive answer on which saddle I prefer but I've literally just now dug out a 120mm stem to swap onto the bike and god knows what the saddle angle should be but I'm too scared to adjust the funky split suspension seatpost thingie.

I like the not rushing thing. I did get a move on at the end coz the missus was nagging me about her 100k ride and dinner. Think I flew past quite a few towards the finish in very unaudaxlike style. Oh yeah, there was a roadie out in purple DHB kit on a nice, new carbon bike who was probably annoyed that I was wheel sucking him for a ways with like 4k to arrivee. He'll be really, really annoyed when he finds out he couldn't drop me even after I'd done 600k :D

Motivational text messages from @youramericanlover and @amey direct to my wahoo was a treat and got me through the Cotswold section. I also got an enthusiastic thumbs up for a passing motorcyclist who saw me grinding up the final part of Dover Hill. My knees are very tender today.

SR done. PBP here I come.

yep!

I think I had >10 HOURS! of stop time.

I just checked Strava. 35hrs with 10hrs of stopping. Maybe I should be quicker at controls next time.

Haha I suffered from the arse pain towards the end too but I don't think there's much that can be done on such distances ... It's bound to happen. I don't know how people who do TCR and stuff like that handle it.

Arses wear in rather than wear out!

Great hearing all the trials and tribulations!
Well done for those who have qualified for PBP.

Great hearing all the trials and tribulations!

+1 more stories and reports for those of us who can't find the time/knees to ride sweet sweet audax

I wasn't trying to get around fast but there's a substantial difference to a fully catered event versus an X-rated event. I mean, unless you're particularly fond of hanging around garage forecourts? :)

No, no, I've definitely worn mine out. I'll DM you the pics...

It was so nice doing a fully catered event with warm shelter at the controls. Taking your shoes off and being able to get warm was amazing. I thought I was carrying too much stuff but I used just about all of my kit including the spare cleat. I was able to get through controls pretty quickly on day 1 but I didn't rush on day 2, mainly because I was knackered and soaking wet.