Audax rides

Whow, big big respect for anyone doing 200 and more.
Can I ask you what kind of riding you normally do?

At this point I feel like a couple more 100s are on the cards before I can move on to anything.
definitely felt it at the 90k mark, and was quite glad it was coming to a close.
Gotta learn how to pace myself more and not foolishly follow people that are too fast for me.

I ride to work, and occassionally go out on vists during the day around (10-15 miles a day). Then two days a week i have a longer commute (30 miles round trip).
I felt pretty spent after my first 100k. Same after doing london-southend/brighton for the first time last year. Ive done a couple in the last month or so now, the second and third time you feel much more comfortable.
Its natural to be glad your reaching the next control/finish I think. You could probably physically have done more but you was mentally prepared for 100.
Pacing is an issue, I tend to naturally try and keep pace with those ahead of me. Ive become more comfortable riding by myself at my own pace for long periods of time as ive gone on.
I found it easier on the 200k as everyone was more evenly paced, however yesturday I ended up concerning myself because I happened to pass a few people. With a 100k you have more people who can ride the full distance at a consistently high pace and you can get sucked along, especially if you lose track of the directions.

Im seriously considering trying The Dean 300k at the end of the month. Just need to look into the practical issues of getting there and back etc. Plus better lighting I suppose.

The Dean starts at 6am from the carpark at Oxford Peartree Services:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=51.793727,-1.281967&sll=51.793727,-1.281967&sspn=0.009117,0.01929&ie=UTF8&ll=51.79297,-1.284134&spn=0.009118,0.01929&z=16

If you've got a car you could drive and leave it in the car park whilst you're doing the ride. You may need to have a snooze in the car when you've finished before you drive home if you're feeling shattered.

From London you can't get there by train in time on Saturday morning although you might be able to book/catch the Oxford Tube (it's a coach from Victoria) to get there early enough but it'll mean a very early start and very long day, plus it can all go pear shaped if they've screwed up the reservations.

When I've done The Dean I've got the train on the Friday night (£4 advance ticket) and stayed at the Peartree Services Travelodge (now up to £49 for the Friday night). You could also look for a B&B in Oxford for the Friday night for cheaper than that.

The finish is anywhere in Oxford where you can get a receipt (or at the 24 hour petrol station near Peartree if you've got to go back that way for a car). If you're fast enough you can get back to Oxford in time to get a train back to London (last train is sometime around 11pm), otherwise you'll need to stay somewhere (or just HTFU and ride home).

The Dean is a great ride. I'm gutted I'm not doing it again this year.
[/B][B][B][/B]

Whow, big big respect for anyone doing 200 and more.
Can I ask you what kind of riding you normally do?

Seven miles each way commute and then on the weekend I will get in at least 50 miles although usually aim for 70-80.

I'll also start training one evening a week to cover the usual weaknesses of speed and hill climbing and probably add some time trials to that.

I wouldn't usually bother too much but I'm in for the Bryan Chapman, which is a bit of a monster.

Jesus, 600km and 8km climbing? That is not just a bit of a monster, to me at least.
I think I am going to do the stevenage one next, and aim for like one or two 100s more after that.
The chaps I was riding with recommended it.

That was something that I found really interesting about this whole thing. I have only ever commuted or ridden by myself, but in a bunch and with a proper route sheet it has this social but also hypnotic component. Bunches form and break up again, and most of the time somehow you're alone but also in company ... hard to put into words

8k of climbing also means 8 k of descending, which is sweet.

^^ He, he, you're about to get the bug. :)

Do you mean me Oliver?

Well, my personal goal is to do another couple of century rides, do DD (which if you remember I wasn't able to do last year because my back killed me) and then finish the season with a 200 audax in order to become a "Randonneur".

I think that would be sweet.

Do you mean me Oliver?

Yes, two ^s was supposed to mean 'two posts above'. TSK got in there first.

Getting the bug ... Well, I am sure my girlfriend agrees with you there, even though she expresses it with rolling her eyes and sneering :(

I think that would be sweet.

Yup. That's a perfect goal to have.

If you can do the DD then you can do a 200km Audax. I'd say that an average summer 200km is easier as it'll be completed entirely in daylight.

And if you pick somewhere ~25km away from London Fields and ride to the start of the DD you could even do both at the same time (there are ways of making your own Audaxes by getting receipts as proof-of-passage along the way). I did it last year for the DD.

Hey Pascalo,

are you going to do the stevenage audax?

This 115 is making me hitch so bad!!!
Going to do the forms tomorrow..

The Dean is a great ride. I'm gutted I'm not doing it again this year.

How many riders does the event usually attract?

I dont drive so it looks like it would have to be the train up on the friday. There is a YHA in oxford which is around £21 a night, most likely need to stay the saturday as well as I dont like the idea of relying on catching the last train. But that does increase the cost quite a bit and there appears to be engineering works on the sunday.

Also, not sure if this has been covered earlier in the thread but what are peoples lighting preferences?

Im thinking about getting some b&m lights and a bottle dynamo, cant really afford a hub being built up just yet. Any one have experience with them?

Anton, yeah, I'll send off the forms some time this week I guess. Submission deadline was the 20th if I am right?
I bet there's going to be a couple of familiar faces at that one, at least I hope so.

I use a Cateye 510 on the front. But I also have good night vision.

How many riders does the event usually attract?

The Dean had about 40 last year. Should be a few more this year as everyone is wanting to get BRM rides in for early registration for PBP 2011.

@ Pascalo
Yeah, the deadline is the 20th I know the guys I rode with the other day are going to be there. It's amazing how many people you get to know at these rides!

Do you live in east London? If so, you should come to the east drinks tomorrow..

I live in SE territory. Unfortunately I am even a bit busy for those, but I might pop down there tonight on my way home.

The Dean had about 40 last year. Should be a few more this year as everyone is wanting to get BRM rides in for early registration for PBP 2011.

Based on comments on the KVR and the YACF forum, I would guess at least 60, if not more. It's the first BRM of the season and central for southerners.

So who's going from here?

Based on comments on the KVR and the YACF forum, I would guess at least 60, if not more. It's the first BRM of the season and central for southerners.

There are a lot of people on YACF that talk a good Audax season (and quite a few that just get on with doing it). There are plenty that have been talking about riding their first Audax for several years now. :) I lost count of the number of people who set LEL 2009 as a goal in 2007/2008 (nothing wrong with that) and never got round to riding an Audax in those two years they had to get ready. Planning and dreaming is easy, doing is the hard bit. I'm settling in to watch lots of people doing the same for PBP2011 now, it's a great armchair sport.

(Don't get me wrong, I'll support them with advice and encouragement, but I just wish they'd bite the fucking bullet and enter and ride an Audax, even if it's 'just' a 50km ride. Audax isn't for everyone.)

I know what you mean, all ambition and no action. I was largely going on those that have demonstrated form on audax riding.

Fair enough. Speaking of doing. I've picked, booked accommodation and entered my 400 for the year (given that's what's considered a 'Good Idea (TM)' for PBP2011 early registration).

Snowdon & Coast 400 from Upton Magna nr Shrewsbury. Saturday June 12th.

Only 4200m of climbing but 1900m of that is in one 100km section through Snowdonia.

"
From Shrewsbury we cross into Wales and along the Tanat valley and over the Milltir Cerrig ('Stone Mile') to the first control in Bala. Continue across Snowdonia past Llyn Celyn and over the wilds of Migneint to Betws y Coed; then over Pen y Pass to refuel at Pete's Eats in Llanberis. The mountains give way to the sea after Beddgelert as you head down the coast road past Harlech's grand castle and across the Barmouth bridge. Head inland along the Mawddach Trail to Dolgellau and over Cadair Idris to Machynlleth. Easy to navigate leg home from Aberystwyth on the A44 over Plynlimon to Newtown and the return to Shrewsbury.
"

67" should be fine, done most of those roads on the Bryan Chapman (looking forward to seeing Pen y Pass in daylight, but doubt I'll see Cadair Idris in daylight. Meh.)

Need to get off my arse and restart commuting by bike and then blatting around Richmond Park and the Surrey Hills. I've ridden a massive 56km so far this year.

can I ask a question about longer distances? You will need to sleep at some point, no? where do you do that? do you have to carry kit for that? what's the time limit for a 400?

can I ask a question about longer distances? You will need to sleep at some point, no? where do you do that? do you have to carry kit for that? what's the time limit for a 400?

For a BRM, the time is going to be about 26 hours for 15kph minimum average speed. Non BRM can, I think, be as low as 32 hours at 12.5kph minimum average speed.

I might have a 10-20 minute powernap on a 400, others will push straight through and some will insist on an hour of kip. it really will depend on how you feel and how easily you can reset your brain. On the otherhand, you will want to carry extra clothes because of the inevitable temperature difference at night (even in summer) and the effects of exhaustion. A nice sized saddlebag will do the job pretty well. They can swing like a beast when you spin hard or climb hills but they will stand up to it.

Some events will have basic facilities where you can sleep with kit drop options, other than that you need to carry your own, including a sleeping bag. On the last 400 I did, I rested my head on a folded spare Tshirt at a table in a truckstop at 3am. On the 600, I arranged for my gf to bring the campervan to the control and slept for 3 hours.