Audax rides

I am exactly the same.

It's only showers though, not "heavy rain all day" kinda vibes.

Yes, weirdly it's my first time, every other ride in the South East I feel like I've done multiples of.

We pass my house in Faversham at 260k which will be a bit of a resolve tester if the weather's been shit all day.

After the rain on the Poor Student in January, I feel equiped to ride in absolutely anything.

I'm in a bit of a pickle in terms of doing the PBP qualies. I've got the 200 under my belt but I'm picked up a knee niggle in the process. Recovery has been slow but I did manage a 110km/1200m ride over the weekend relatively pain free, however, I think the jump from that to Oasts and Coasts might make my knee grumble and set me back. But, clock is ticking and there's only so many options to do the qualies. I'm signed up for Dauntsey Dawdle 400 on 13 May so if I skip Oasts and Coasts my options are Rutland Midnight Express on 28 April or Green & Yellow Fields on 06 May. The former gives me less time to gradually build, the latter gives me more time to build but means 300 and 400 on consecutive weekends.

Decisions decisions...

outh East I feel like I've done multiples of.

We pass my house in Faversham at 260k which will be a bit of a resolve tester if the weather's been shit all day.

I think this might actually be my 6th, it's one of my favourites as it never really goes into the wilderness and you can just eat/drink your way round little seaside towns. I even stopped for oysters in Whitstable one year, which didn't feel very audax.

You can do longer events in place of shorter events. They might even be good training if you're aiming for PBP. I don't see the point of qualifying with the bare minimum if you can do more and still be fit for the main event.

Depends on the nature of "knee niggle". I've ridden across the US with a knee niggle so they're not all super serious. I'd probably see a physio and look at what might have caused it, lower my gearing and then ride the planned events anyway - with a bail out plan in mind if the pain is too bad. That's what I did for Transiberica after fucking my knee up in TCR.

Going in to an event with an "I'm allowed to bail if this issue gets worse" mindset takes a lot of stress off.

You can do longer events in place of shorter events.

We are clearly cut from very different cloth!

I've seen Nichola at velophysio and she said it's nothing major, but to build miles back up gradually so I'm trying to follow that advice as best I can!

She was who I was seeing after TCR. I'm not sure she thought Transiberica was a good idea at the time but it was her that made it clear if it was getting worse I should bail and so I took that into the event (along with a 42T cassette!)

Building up slowly makes sense but you have a fixed timeline so sometimes you have to choose an option that isn't the best in terms of recovery, to hit the longer term goal. Then again, I'm a fucking meathead and nothing I do is likely healthy so maybe just stick with your original plan :D

Personally I’d do oasts & coasts. It’s relatively straight forward and there are loads of bail out options trains wise if it comes to that.

Funnily enough I’m in the same boat re knees issue at the moment. Did Amesbury Amble last weekend and that was ok.

Edit - sorry, that was a reply to @ElGonzo

There's no harm in riding slower, taking longer breaks, etc. if you still finish the event.

Often I'd start a ride with a bit of knee pain and be worried and then after 30km I'd have forgotten about it and be smashing it by the end.

There's also no harm in making adjustments on the fly and judging their impact. Double check measurements beforehand and write stuff down so you can go back to baseline or note what works and then try that again next event.

Where was my invite? 😩

Do you want to do Oasts and Coasts? I'm 20% going to be there!!

fixed yeah?

Nic had helped me get over my knee niggles to start events quite a few times over the years.

I've got a bit of a niggle again now. My approach is to hold off the longer stuff until I'm most confident of success. So I'd take the longer recovery / sharp ramp up option to give it more time.

Lolno

O&C fixed is so good tho. Lots of climbing first bit, then you settle in through the marshes, and then rolling to the finish. Has a great rhythm to it.

Did she give you specific strength exercises to do and stretches? You can make a huge difference in very little time by getting muscles activated. Do them consistently and you'll see a difference.

She did and I'm absolutely on it!

Then I'd go for O&C and have bail out options just in case the pain gets worse or the knee swells. Be prepared to do a tactical walk up the Dover and Folkestone hills if you need to save your knee.

Everyone has different approaches to such things but I'd rather not change my plans for these long rides. Spacing them out is best for me.

Nicola was also great for me - I went to her with a knee thing after Greenwich Mean Climb last year fearing the worst, and she pointed out I don't stretch enough / do anything that's not turning my legs in a circle for a long time.

Completely sorted me out and it's made me pay much more attention to stretching, weights etc as well as just 'riding your bike a lot'

I did it once singlespeed after I failed to charge my Di2. It worked out OK. A bit spinny when I was in a fastish group on the way south, but no real issues. I expect it would be fun fixed.

Say some fat idiot wanted to do the Pendle 600k because it's been in the "hard as fuck things I should do before I really am too fat to finish".

What's the best way to get to Pendleton / Clitheroe from London?

I wonder if I take Fri afternoon off and try to get a train up there before peak hour Fri night. I'd rather not go up later, get fuck all sleep and then have to get up at 5am Sat for the start.

Euston 4:30 PM (Friday) - Preston 6:39 PM (2 hr 9 min) then a 20mile ride to Clitheroe

Would guess Euston to Manchester Picc, short ride to Salford Crescent, train to Clitheroe.