Audax rides

Not quite.

It's better to think of it as pre-qualification rather than pre-registration.

What you do in 2014 will determine how soon you can register for PBP in 2015.

In order to pre qualify you will need to ride a BRM registered ride in 2014 (pay attention to the notes on the Audax UK calendar page for each ride). Those completing a 1000km BRM registered ride in 2014 will get to register before other riders, then 600km, 400km, 300km and down to 200km. Registration will not likely open before 2015.

Once you have registered for PBP, you then have to do the qualification rides to retain your place and get to the start line. The qualification rides will also need to be BRM registered. The qualification rides will be a Super Randonneur series, i.e. 200, 300, 400 & 600km If previous runnings are anything to go by, there will be a published window in which you can do each distance. There will likely be some overlap so you don't have to do them in order. However, you won't be able to bang them all out in January and expect any credit for it.

Country quota's have been abolished, and understandably so. The attempt to get the quota's right failed quite early on and caused a lot of extra admin. In retrospect, everyone who wanted to enter was able to after the dust had settled and there were still places left over. That said, if you don't to the prequalification in 2014 and are registering right at the end, don't be surprised if the organisers are getting a little twitchy, especially if the overseas entries flood in early on and there's some worry that French riders might miss out. ACP are protective that the flagship French event of a French sport is still for the French first and foremost. On balance, that's probably the right attitude to take.

Was definitely considering the Chris Negus memorial this weekend after KT mentioning it, but it's open house london the same weekend :(

Have had an audax/cycling dry spell, need to get back on the bike and lose some of this food/beer!

There are two days in a weekend...

I feel I need to bag some audax points to justify my recruitment by AC Hackney. Also thinking about one of these http://events.paudax.com/content/aandn on 5 October.

Probably the less Anfractous

There are two days in a weekend...

I feel I need to bag some audax points to justify my recruitment by AC Hackney. Also thinking about one of these http://events.paudax.com/content/aandn on 5 October.

Probably the less Anfractous

Don't worry KT - I'm pretty sure I'm second in line for the Lanterne Rouge! I am planning on riding that weekend, first ride of the new season and I reckon there will be a fair few ACH's out that weekend too. I've not been on the bike at all in three weeks though, so I reckon I'll be pushing the time limit!

OK, have now got an entry for anfractous in. Have a lot of non-cycling stuff filling up my weekends between now and Christmas, but will be back in the game in the new year.

There are two days in a weekend...

Good point but I'd do it both days if I could, happens once a year and I could do the chris negus route all year round :)

I'll be doing open london on saturday and watching the tour of britain on sunday.

Doing the Chris Negus Audax next weekend!

Going to bite the bullet and get a proper GPS. Using my phone is not working out on long rides. Is the Garmin eTrex 20 the one to get then?

Doesn't look like there's an official GPX - someone on YACF has put together the 200km, but not sure which distance you're doing

Can we have a show of hand for Chris Negus? I'm in for the 200 as well but I'm worried one of my injuries will have me DNFing.

If you email Mick (the organiser) he will send you the GPX files. I was doing the 100KM ride, but I am out now :-(

I'm doing my club's 100 miler this weekend. Entries still being accepted if anyone in the Leicestershire area fancies a nice hilly century on what is shaping up to be quite a nice day.

Can we have a show of hand for Chris Negus?

Firstly, sorry KTBee. I didn't see your last post! Were you the one in the LFGSS Ladies jersey, blonde hair? I saw you at the start but didn't want to introduce myself due to shyness/pre-ride fear. My apologies if you thought I was being standoffish.

Anyway, this was another ride in my "furthest I've ever ridden in one go" series. Starting with 22 miles in January I've worked up to this, with the hope of a 300 by Christmas. Left home at 5:30 to get the train from Liverpool St. and was one of only half a dozen passengers, along with other audaxers! I plonked myself alone at the front because I was in no mood to talk. Here's why:

Since Dunwich I've had this niggling knee thing which kicks in after about 40 minutes of riding. I'm finally seeing a physio about it and am on the mend but I knew today was going to hurt, and there would be a strong possibility of DNF. Added to that my general fears about arse pain (steady) I was not feeling positive.

The Shaftesbury CC clubhouse is a wonderful little hut with walls covered in cycling memorabilia from 1888 to the present. The friendliness of the other riders and organisers and a 50p cup of tea were enough to put my fears at ease for the time being as we set off at 8.

The first hour was mental anguish as I kept listening for my knee to go, and go it did after about 1 hour. It started as a feeling, developed into a niggle after two hours and by the control at around three hours had become a certified pain. I began scrounging for ibuprofen just for the swelling but apparently canalside tearooms don't have a pharmacy section. I'd also picked up a co-rider in the form of Martin. Martin was only a tiny bit more experienced than me and kept me...entertained is too strong a word...distracted by just talking about every minute detail of his life.

We met by both taking a wrong turn somewhere mid-morning and helping each other back on route.

"Oho I'll not make this mistake on my ride next week!" beamed Martin. "Nope, the route for that goes left out of the start, then left, then right on the A900, then left - no right, then a quick left..." and so on until he'd described the whole route. Sometimes you appreciate the company.

By four hours my knee hadn't got any worse and I'd got used to the shooting pain so I decided to battle on to half way and re-assess there.

After some miserable mizzle (mist+drizzle) We made it to lunch at 116km at the clubhouse and I inhaled a ham baguette (£1.50), a piece of plum cake (50p) and a banana (20p) which was a distinct improvement on my unripe Tesco jobbies I'd bought with me. It's like eating a raw potato at times.

I'd decided to plough on through the pain, which had plateaud nicely, although I suspected my right leg was doing 70% of the pulling, while the left just rotated meekly, strapped into its pedal.

The predicted third-quarter blues kicked in and Martin's commentary was beginning to grate. As we both got tired our route reading got sloppy and we kept going wrong, or, even worse, going right but thinking we'd gone wrong and retracing our steps.

Martin also developed the habit of slowly reading our route sheet instructions AFTER we'd done them.

"Bear. Left. At. Green. Triangle. Singposted. Stansted. Mountfitchet."

"Yeah we've done that already."

"Left. Turn. At. Bridge. No. Sign."

"YES WE DID THAT WHEN WE TURNED LEFT AT THAT FUCKING BRIDGE TWO MINUTES AGO!!!!!"

I was ratty and my knee was killing me. I was crawling by this point and full kudos to Martin for sticking with me. Our three-quarter point control was a Sainsbury's where we stocked up on cookies and the sun finally came out, as did my sunny side. I'd now decided I had to finish so the arm warmers came off and we zipped through the next 17 and 20 miles stages which the organiser had cruelly inserted several hills in. We knew we'd be well outside our target time (10 hours) but there would be apple pie and custard at the clubhouse (£2.00).

We came in at 11h38 and I had a good hour's sit down before my train home with a cool bloke called Gordon. A remarkably pain free warm-down ride from Liverpool Street brought me to a round 240km for the day and into the flat by 11pm.

I think 200 is the max I can do until my knee is sorted so I'll not be trying a 300 until next year at the earliest. I'm also questioning whether I want to spend a load of money on a geared audax bike if I don't actually enjoy audaxing that much. However I get the impression nobody enjoys audaxes when you're on them - you just think you enjoyed it afterwards!

^Yup, that was me - but don't worry, I wouldn't know you to know you were blanking me!

Chapeau for getting round - sounds like a tough day. I got there to discover my garmin had died, and there's no way I could be faffed to try and follow the route sheet, so decided to tail someone I had ridden with at Rutland and knew was roughly my speed (think his name was Ian) then we picked up another guy who had dropped off the front group. Bless him, Ian basically dragged me and Simon most of the way round, with a few token efforts from us at the front.

The hut was amazing, wasn't it. Beans on toast, a slice of cake and two cups of tea for £2.50. Heaven!

I'm also questioning whether I want to spend a load of money on a geared audax bike if I don't actually enjoy audaxing that much. However I get the impression nobody enjoys audaxes when you're on them - you just think you enjoyed it afterwards!

Once you've become accustomed to the effort required and the amount of time you spend out in the saddle then most riders enjoy the riding.

Niggles and other problems certainly will detract from the enjoyment and I'd strongly advise not riding long distances until you've gotten some treatment and are comfortable that it won't affect you as much.

I'm guessing from your statement that you've ridden this ride on fixed. You're more likely to enjoy the riding in your early days of riding audaxes on gears, not least of all because you can take it much easier on the knees.

Niggles and other problems certainly will detract from the enjoyment and I'd strongly advise not riding long distances until you've gotten some treatment and are comfortable that it won't affect you as much.

A thousand plus one for this.

First 400k - wasn't comfortable and did not enjoyed it that much (Norfolk is hellua boring at time).

After a handful of audaxes and adjustment on the bicycle and myself, the 1400k audax end up being extremely enjoyable and comfortable, even with the nagging pain on the ball of my feet (which I've now solved).

^ What was the cause Ed? Sometimes I get that a little bit and wonder what the deal is

The cause of what? the foot thing is merely the fact I have a very high arch mean I got a lots more pressure on the balls of my feet, getting a custom insoles from Profeet somehow made a noticable difference and help keep my knees looking nice and straight while pedalling, much more symmetrical.

Cleat position and stiff shoes helped as well, but having said that, even a decent clip and strap pedals with a soft shoes (plus the custom insoles) still give me comfort on a 90km ride in the Pyrenees.

Having training on bicycle fitting and speaking to several fitter help me figure it out more (mainly from Scherrit himself).

Anyone want to do this with me?
http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/13-849/
1st Audax...
Probably on Geek CX, maybe CAAD10.
Geek tourer/audax is currently out of action/ not in the right city.
Don't really feel brave enough to do it on own/ need excuse.

Whichever bike you're comfortable on, I reckon you'll be way more than fine on a 152k, let me see if I can enter it too...

Haven't entered yet- as no chequebook...
Have emailed.
Alternatively I may enter a CX race... but would prefer one long last ride before exam season.

However I get the impression nobody enjoys audaxes when you're on them - you just think you enjoyed it afterwards!

I sort of know what you mean about this. I think some of this is that we're pushing ourselves to do distances we've never done before, or only done a few times. I think I'm a bit nervous about actually completing, let alone enjoying the ride. It must be worse for you if you are carrying an injury. I get the sense of lots of people do those distances - or further - regularly, and so are much more relaxed.

I also get quite hung up on how quickly (or not) I finish - sometimes for good reason (train to catch) but more because I can get a bit caught up with goal-setting, which creates its own stresses when you're trying to hit a (mostly arbitrary) time limit.

There's also the preparedness thing - I'm not sure my bike is the right set-up for those distances, I'm invariably missing something or worried about missing something. I'm pretty sure this isn't something the audaxers with the right bike, the right saddle and full saddlebags for a 100k are feeling.

So, I think this will pass the more I do and am sure will for you too.

Haven't entered yet- as no chequebook...
Have emailed.
Alternatively I may enter a CX race... but would prefer one long last ride before exam season.

I was just looking at that as I could add on 50k to bring it up to the 200 needed for an RRtY.

Let me know what the response is.

Quite keen on rounding it to a 200 as well, will have a good look when I get home.

I also get quite hung up on how quickly (or not) I finish - sometimes for good reason (train to catch) but more because I can get a bit caught up with goal-setting, which creates its own stresses when you're trying to hit a (mostly arbitrary) time limit.

I used to have the same outlook as well, I found that by not staying at each control (except for lunch which max at 30 minutes, 15-10 minutes for a 100) help massively in not worrying about getting enough time on hands.

Particularly useful as I'm very much of the Tortoise group, while the Hare sped off into the unknown with their carbon fantastic bicycle and tubular tyres, I'll take it easy with tractor tyres and heavy steel.

Thanks for the encouraging words everyone.

I completely agree that until you're comfortable with distances it feels like a lot. I remember thinking at 100k on Saturday how easy that 100 was compared to others I've done where 100 was the total distance. It's all relative I suppose.

Agree with you Ed on the not stopping thing as well.

However I get the impression nobody enjoys audaxes when you're on them - you just think you enjoyed it afterwards!

Quite a few audaxes I've thought "never again..." on the way round, and question why the hell I'm doing this in the first place.

Although many others whilst doing them I've felt so damn good, whether it's the scenery, the company, how my legs are doing, whatever.

To be fair it's just like any other type of cycling in that respect, you have your highs and your lows, usually weather/injury/hunger dependent :p but maybe because of how long you're on the road with an audax those low points can end up being protracted.