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@The_Seldom_Killer
A couple of corrections.
The eight year old did a 200k not a century.
This year the end of the audax season moved from November to October. This is so that there is now an adequate time before the AGM to get all the results in and sorted for the awards.
Previously it was in November to coincide with the AGM. The AGM is in November so that it doesn't clash with lots of people trying to do rides and also so that members can have a reasonable expectation of being able to ride to it.
Super-Randonneur series do need to be ridden within one Audax year.
As first 400k's go, I would strongly recommend the Severn Across, especially for Londoners. It's a relatively easy route to follow and once the Somerset Monument is out of the way there's nothing really to test you (although I have found a couple of people crying their way up to Membury services, mostly food and water related) If by then you find you can't face navigating the back roads, it's easy to just hop on the A4 and boot it back to London.
Alternatively, I can strongly recommend the LlanfairPG 400k. Worth travelling for and absolutely lovely. I'm strongly tempted to do it this year, even though it comes the weekend after the Bryan Chapman Memorial.
You can take a nap on a 400k. I've done it a couple of times and depending on your timing a mood it can be well worth it. The problem comes that because you won't be going for more than an hour's sleep, it's not easy for organisers to put on a fixed sleep stop. This means aiming for a nap in motorway services if there's one close to the route, a friend similarly close or finding a quality, sleepable bus shelter. More common in rural areas but growing rarer. Church porches are a good idea if you can find one too. Chuck on a few layers and get 15 minutes shut eye just around dawn and the difference will be amazing.