Cycling Life After LEL

Someone told me that you become a different person after LEL. Lets see ...

Showing posts with label Audax. Show all posts

27 Mar - The Dean 300 - Sunday Update

What a great ride! Absolutely beautiful. But why why do we have to attach another 100km to a beautiful 200, only to cycle in the dark? You can't explain that to anybody. I don't understand it, but still expect non-cyclists not to question it. 'Its just something I do', I say.

I finished in under 18 hours again, as I did last time. With the difference, that this is earlier in the year, I took longer breaks and took photos. I also recall needing to get off the bike and walk a couple of times last year, which I didn't this time. That must have been upto Somerset Monument and then up Hackpen Hill.

So, I'm really pleased. This is my aim, to do a consistent 100 in 6 hours, with increased capacity to take breaks and photos. I adjust my non-cycling time according to how I'm doing in my 6 hour slot. Lycra Man looked puzzled at the Good News Cafe, when after 10 mins, I was announcing that I was ready to go again. But it was 12 noon you see, have to go! I felt guilty leaving him, because we just had a good section riding together. Must be careful not to get too OCD about this 6 hour melarky!

Lycra Man noticed my LEL bottle, so we had a quick chat about it. I quoted that if it hadn't been for the nasty weather I would say that LEL is not as hard as the Bryan Chapman. To which Iddu chuckled. Iddu was with me during my last deepest darkest hour of the BCM. He would have known exactly what I was referring to.

There was a comedy moment at Chepstow services. "No mobile phones on the forecourt". Didn't quite catch what was said the first time, but it was repeated soon enough, a little bit louder. When it was repeated again even louder, you couldn't help but look around to see who/what the announcer was getting upset about. And it was Mercury! He was on the phone and of course wouldn't have his ear pitched to the tannoy, but rather to the phone. So the lovely lady at the till, perched on her stool that was setup too high would angrily say it again "No mobile phones on the forecourt!" ... the sound was now distorted. Once Mercury caught on what was happening, rather than cut the conversation short and get off the phone, he just moved 5 paces out of sight of the lovely lady and probably CCTV. How cool was that!

The picture below is taken moments before the first announcement.

It was a fantastic ride, wonderful scenery, some great descents. Hi Fabian! Well done on winning E3 Prijs Vlaanderen – Harelbeke!

Below are a few of the photos, the rest are on the slideshow till the next ride or here: Clicky

Sudeley Castle - Katherine Parr lived here after Henry VIII died.

Beautiful, beautiful Forest of Dean. The cyclist is Mercury.

"Gloucester Hole"

Only noticed the Union Jack after uploading the picture.

And is that a giant pre-historic creature crawling up into the hole?

Malmesbury Abbey with another royal connection.

King Athelstan ''King of all Britain" is buried here.

And this is Malmesbury 'Tower House'.

The tower being built by somebody interested in astronomy.

Photos on the slideshow till the next ride or here: Clicky

27 Mar - The Dean 300 - Tuesday Update

Look! The forecast is getting better for Saturday! It was rain and winds at 32 km/h before. Don't worry, no, I'm not getting carried away; forecasts change, I shouldn't look at it, don't tempt fate, prepare and pack for all weathers anyway. "Expect the worst" they say. About 5% of my brain's capacity expects the worst. The rest likes to stay in denial.

But shame on me! How dare I write about the weather! Shouldn't I write about how I am looking forward to cycling through the Cotswold's scenery, climbing Cleeve Hill (the highest point both in the Cotswolds and in the county of Gloucestershire, "commanding a clear view to the west, over Cheltenham and the Cheltenham Racecourse, over the Severn and into Wales, and to the north over Winchcombe"), reaching the Forest of Dean, then coming back via the lovely Marlborough region?

I was on the other side of the fence last week, following Chillmoister's progress on the Denmead 300 PERM, which he was riding together with Urban_Biker. Scotland were winning against Ireland in the afternoon and the guys were well into the ride. England were losing to France in the evening and the guys were still cycling. Its a long day, even from an armchair point of view!

27 Mar - The Dean 300

Next ride is 'The Dean'. I rode the Dean as a permanent last year and loved it. I must be cautious though, I did it as a permanent in June and the weather was beautiful. It was one of the sunniest weekends of the year. I have read ride reports from previous Dean calendar events, and if the weather is down ... its a long way.

Route from Bikely - anticlockwise

So, I'll be setting off, early in the morning for a 6AM start in Oxford. I am looking forward to the ride, hoping to take in plenty of country scenery.

This time last year, I was doing my very first 300km bike ride and was full of apprehension. It feels very different now. There is still a wonder of 'what will it be like'. I should know the answer, but I also have the experience that each ride, even the same distance/route, can feel very different on the day.

Oh well, we'll see. It will be the conclusion of a tough month for me and dare I say it ... a treat no matter how it feels on the day.

27 Feb - The Kennet Valley Run 200 - Sunday Update

Last week LEE wrote on the forum: "I'm on the PBP2011 treadmill as of 07:30 on Saturday (along with the rest of the Faccombe 5)". I wasn't sure if he was referring to the Faccombe 5 being on the Kennet Valley Run on Saturday; or the Faccombe 5 being on the PBP2011 treadmill. Anyway, he would have been right on both counts. I have been given the official go ahead by all affected parties, and came out with my 'I'm doing PBP' statement for the first time.

This is great! A whole 18 months of planning, anticipation, excitement, fear, ambition, milestones, doubts and reading PBP threads.

And we're off, the Kennet Valley Run ... done. Its an excellent route with great scenery. Shame about the rain in the first leg, but I don't expect any less any more! Pompey Phil and I were laughing, it was such a strong downpour. We stopped in a bus shelter for a while, as I wanted to put my cap back on to keep the rain off my glasses. Had something to eat also because I was fading a bit.

And when the sun came out, it was brilliant. The sound of sky larks was wonderful. With that and the snowdrops and crocuses, you get the feeling spring is here. Saw a couple of kites on the way back also. Maybe this is their new extended boundary?

There were many punctures and mechanicals again. RichForrest had the worst of it when his recumbent tried to transform into a foldable: Clicky. There were many blessing is disguise for him, it could have been so much worse in timing and location.

Hummers also had a rear tyre blow out which set him back, but nothing so bad that he wouldn't catch up with me again at the Tutti Pole. I think he restrained himself when ordering from the waitress, but there was still plenty of non-verbal innuendo going on!

Last year, I had a dozy patch after the half way mark. Doing the ride for a second time, I can understand why. Its certainly hilly on the way into Bratton. The nice tailwind helped us out of the hills on the way back this time.

I took the obligatory church picture which was St Marys at Great Bedwyn. And here is obligatory follow up history: "The present church of St Mary's was started in 1092 and took about 200 years to build. Beneath the church are the massive remains of a Saxon church begun in 905. The south transept houses the 14th Century tombs of Sir Adam de Stokke and his son, Sir John. In the chancel is a memorial to Edward Seymour, father of King Henry VIII's wife Jane, and later Lord Protector to the young Edward VI. The bells are one of the heaviest "rings" in Wiltshire - the tenor bell weighs over a tonne."

Wiltshire white horse, but which one?

Other photos are on the slideshow till the next ride or here: Clicky

27 Feb - The Kennet Valley Run 200

I've entered this popular audax: the Kennet Valley Run, a repeat of last year's February ride. The route goes from Grazeley (south of Reading), running south of Newbury, out to Bratton and back, running north of Newbury.

I am not going to look at the weather forecast at all this week!

23 Jan - The Willy Warmer 200 - Saturday update

Less than 2 months since the last big ride and you feel like a novice again. But after about 130km into the ride, it begins to comes back to you what it is about.

I found the first half quite hard. Maybe because I was cycling on my own? Maybe because the first half is quite hilly for a flat ride? Maybe because my bike and I had a couple of niggles playing on our minds? My right knee was a bit sore. And the mudguard of the rear wheel was rubbing. After spending a good part of Friday evening putting on 'winter tyres' and adjusting the mudguards to perfection, I was quite annoyed to hear the 'not enough' clearance noises. At the Pangbourne control, MattC came to the rescue and lent me his pliers so I could adjust them again. Hummers helpfully pointed out, that I probably knocked the mudguards whilst putting my bike in the car. True, and if I had taken up kcass' offer of cycling to the start ...

I took a good break at the Tutti Pole in Hungerford. The young waiter had hints of a cute young Prince Harry look-a-like. Batteries were re-charged and I was settling into the rhythm. Noises were gone, knee wasn't so bad after all. I had stints of riding with people which was great. At the last Winnersh control - which I remember vividly from last year because it was sooo cold - I took another break. Hummers and Phil suggested that a threesome would be the way to spend the last dark section. "I would be in safe hands!" And off we went. Bez joined us too. We hadn't discussed reasons for doing PBP for too long (!), before a mechanical stopped us in our tracks. "You better carry on with Bez" said Hummers - so much for being in safe hands!

Some time after that my GPS stopped. I was so disappointed, because it was the first ride where everything was working as I wanted, it was brilliant. If I had stopped and played around with switching off and on, it probably would have been OK. But being with Bez and his GPS, we finished off the ride together. I tried to take a short cut through 'the car park', only I got the wrong car park way before Chalfont village. Ooops, "after you Bez"!

There were quite a few punctures, blow outs, wheel problems, other mechanicals, GPS failures, muddled routesheets and off-route instances on this ride. Not surprising in the conditions, but it seems the hiccups weren't well distributed and a couple of people got more than a fair share (Bigsybabie and damerell)

Other photos are on the slideshow till the next ride or here: Clicky

23 Jan - The Willy Warmer 200 - Friday update

The weather forecast isn't looking too bad for tomorrow:

I've decided that I don't mind winter weather any more. Because I've put winter tyres on the bike now. And as far as I am concerned, it can be winter for the next six months, because after all the effort putting them on, I'm not going to hurry to take them off! No, of course I don't really mean that ...

Really looking forward to the ride. A good turn out is expected. There will be a few known regulars like richforrest, hummers, pete, kevin and El Salvatore!

23 Jan - The Willy Warmer 200

Lets try again to do a 200 in January. All the snow and ice has gone now - that is at least here in west London. It was a lovely and mild day today. Would have been perfect for cycling. I enjoyed my commute to work and am wishing for such a day on Saturday.

I cleaned my audax bike yesterday. Later in the week, I'll put new outer tyres on, and new brake pads. The routesheet has arrived and I have downloaded the route onto the GPS. And so I am getting geared up to launch into the new audax season.

Last year's Willy Warmer took me 11 hours. I am not going to try and beat that. Instead, this time, I'm going to take the opportunity to take photos. I'd still like to get around in 12 hours, then I could be home by 8:30PM. Of course, we also have to bear in mind the current road conditions which no doubt would slow us down. I reckon I am a bit fitter than this time last year, despite not doing the Poor Student. The Poor Student brevet card arrived today - so that is a ride I can do any time before end of February. I am eyeing up the weekend of 6/7th for that, but am going to play it by ear; see what develops on the YACF forum.

This is the route: Route. Starting in Chalfont St Peter, to Pangbourne, Hungerford, Kingsclere and back to Chalfont St Peter (anti-clockwise).

Here is the elevation profile, taken from bikely.com

You can also expect some tweets again: Twitter

9 Jan - The Poor Student 200

Its looking good for this weekend. Its looking good for tobogganing down the downs. Its looking good for photographing snowy scenes. But its not looking good for cycling 200km in snowy lanes. One by one, riders were posting on YACF, their intent to be a DNS (did not start) for the Poor Student. The commute back home was enough for me yesterday, and that was in the light, main roads and flat.

The last post was by the organiser, saying that he's no longer riding either. I doubt anybody will now start the ride. If they do, will they finish in time? There might be a way, and that is to change the route within audax rules. But then that wouldn't be the Poor Student anymore.

9 Jan - The Poor Student 200

Its The Poor Student time again! Saturday 9th January - first Audax of the year. Looking forward to it. I should be in better shape than last year and the route is now very familiar.

Last year's Poor Student was my very first 200 in the winter. I've done a lot of cycling since then, but it doesn't get any easier, as the South Bucks Winter Warmer 200 showed earlier this month. Long distance form and fitness seems to go very quickly.

DIY - What is it, how does it work?

"Do it yourself audaxing".

I promised to explain what a 'DIY' is, since I've been referring to a DIY in a couple of earlier posts. If you have come across this post because you are serious about doing a DIY, don't take it all to the letter, there is more to DIY than is written here, there are exceptions, there are regional variances, there have been recent changes ...

What happens normally, is that you 'enter' to ride an event which is organised by an 'organiser' and is set to run on a particular day of the 'calendar'. You get a routesheet and a brevet card.

But there is nothing stopping you creating your own route, which you can ride any day of the year. They are called DIYs.

These do it yourself rides have a few rules. The rules are written up by the Audax organisation and are available on their website, but you don't really understand the implications of those rules till you go through the whole process of a DIY and have broken the rules. And then also, you begin to realise why somebody wrote as a top tip: "Make sure that there is a shop in the village where you can get a 'proper' receipt".

A 'proper' receipt, is a receipt which has the location and the accurate date and time (I have caught myself asking for an 'audax receipt'). This will act as 'proof of passage'. Sounds easy, only you designed an interesting route which goes through a picturesque village. You've been there before, you know there is a shop. This time the till has run out of paper and the cashier on their Saturday job, doesn't know how to refill or where the spare rolls are. There you go - show stopper. Now cycle back home, the whole purpose of audaxing is cycling, so why sulk?

You see, I already wrote that you can ride a DIY any day of the year. This isn't true, you need to tell the 'organiser' (who doesn't organise anything, but is extremely essential - crucial - in this process), exactly when you are going to do this ride. They don't need much notice though! Soon, a tweet a minute before you get your starter receipt will do. For now, an email the night before suffices.

Don't start thinking you can just send an email and ride a 200km the next day. You need to have 'entered' first. Entering a DIY involves filling in an form and sending it to the 'organiser'. You need to specify something here, I don't know what it is exactly. But what the 'organiser' needs to do is verify that the shortest possible distance of the ride is going to be at least 200km. So for that, I guess, he needs to know a start point, a few middle points and an end point. You can add as many points as you like, but remember the receipt rule! Points make receipts. Points are officially referred to as 'controls'.

This shortest possible distance effect is something you don't believe until you've ridden 240km to cover 200. The organiser will use mapping tools, like ViaMichelin.co.uk, with settings like 'by bike', to find the shortest possible distance of your proposal. But you might not want to cycle through double roundabouts and main roads, so you choose an alternative route for that section. The detour miles soon add up! There is an art in designing DIY routes.

But again, you might think its all about cycling, what's wrong with cycling an extra mile or two? Its fine, as long as you have enough time to do those miles. There is a minimum speed of 14.3kph you need to adhere to. So if you are over distance by 40km, you are going to have to start thinking about your ETA a little bit more (Estimated Time of Arrival).

A DIY is also called a DIY Permanent, not to be confused with normal Permanents. Now this is advanced Audax jargon ... and I'm staying well out of it until I have at least 10 years of audaxing under my belt with 5 LELs and 15 BCMs. Don't worry mum, only joking!

Hanwell to Hanwell DIY 200 - APPROVED

My DIY card was returned today - certified that I did the event in 13 hours and 23 minutes. I am so pleased. Now I know the process, I'm likely to do a few more of these next year.

The South Bucks Winter Warmer 200 - DONE

I had a pair of devils sitting on each shoulder during early parts of this ride! Each shoulder pair would argue amongst themselves, working out what would get to me the most: "She doesn't need to do this - its not going towards an SR or anything!". From the other side: "She could be sitting at home, warm, dog on lap, writing Christmas cards." Then the cross-departmental arguments would start: "Above all, what is the point cycling in lovely country side when its dark at 4PM and you can't see anything".

My motivation had been a bit lacking, and I had promised myself beforehand that I needn't cycle in the rain yet again. To set off with those thoughts is never good. Fortunately, it didn't last long. As soon as I told the devils that I was going to get to the first control at least, they had gone.

I'm pleased I did it - as always, I never regret doing a ride. The support the riders were giving each other was extraordinary. I loved the peleton forming in Twyford. It was reminiscent of FNRttC as we were going over the weir. Before that I had a good run with Terry and his mate (Brian?). I heard Terry's mate say at some point: "There is nothing I would rather be doing". I had to agree with him - despite the devils' acrobatics earlier on.

I haven't quite got the hang of the GPS yet, but it was a great help nevertheless. Terry and his mate were expert routesheet readers. And if there was a hint of hesitation, at least I could contribute something and shout out: "Yes, its right here!". When I was on my own, I gradually relied more and more on the GPS. But I must do a short Richmond Park ride to explore the best way to use the GPS.

Another bit I liked was the approach to Bisley - home of the National Shooting Centre. You could hear the shooting from a long way away. When we cycled around the ground, I was amazed by the enormous distance the targets are set at.

Haslemere had the High Street closed off for the Christmas Market. There was quite an atmosphere there. I tried not to look or smell the lovely smells of baking, toffee, mulled wine ...

Pete

Terry

Audax receipt? No problem.

South Bucks Winter Warmer 200

Next Sunday I'll be riding the South Bucks Winter Warmer 200km Audax, starting in Great Kingshill (High Wycombe).

The weather isn't looking too bad at the moment, but I must admit that I have been talking myself out of doing the ride if its going to be icy or wet. I've had my fair share of rain on bike rides this year.

Hanwell to Hanwell DIY 200

Yesterday was quite tough and I was pleased to finish. It was a grey-ish day, but without too much rain or wind.

Cycling from Hanwell (London) to Hanwell (Banbury) and back was something I had to do, but not to be repeated I would think, at least not on a weekday. Most of the ride had a rushed feel about it. I put it down to the traffic. There was the commuting traffic: everybody in a rush and driving wishing they were already further. And there was the school run traffic: mums in a rush and hunting for a car park. Why can't 11th November be a public holiday as in Belgium? And in between, it was also rushed, because I knew that the ride was 'over distance' (more about DIYs later), and I didn't have much time buffer.

A highlight was the use of the GPS for the first time. I wouldn't have made it without it, not in time anyway. Apart from the navigation, a GPS is like a loyal friend. After a long stretch, you look down, and there is its, still with you, showing you were you are.

This is the elevation profile, one way.

The advantage of this DIY is that I can get out of the door and start cycling. And of course, after finishing also, just get a receipt somewhere and then 2 minutes and I'm home. Normally, I would have an hours drive home.

Hanwell, Banbury, is a lovely old village with stone buildings. I didn't do it any justice. It would be worth going back to visit the 12th century church. There is "Hanwell Castle" also. I mentioned Hanwell to a few local friends and we might visit Hanwell together sometime next year. It was also recounted how deliveries to the old pub (name?) on St Margarets Rd used to end up in Oxfordshire.

Amazing to think that only 65km further you'd be in Birmingham!

Some more pictures on the slideshow till the next ride or here: Clicky

Hanwell to Hanwell

Nothing like going round in circles!

The plan: to cycle from home, Hanwell - London, to Hanwell - Oxford and back.

There are two things to do before I set off one day during the week of 9th November. One is to apply for a DIY 200 (more about DIY later) and two is to patiently await delivery of a GPS. They are both hard. I'm going to set myself a target, which is to complete the DIY application before the GPS arrives. That shouldn't be hard!

The Anfractuous 200

And this was another excellent ride. Have a look at the pictures on the slideshow, on till the next ride, or here.

It wasn't an easy ride. There was quite a headwind for a while and I was already tired after 90km. Its the first time I used my lights again, the days getting shorter. I want to carry on doing 200s during the winter. But I think hard 100s would be more enjoyable in a way. I love ridding in the dark when its a dedicated night ride, but I don't like riding in the dark so much at the end of a 200.

Marlborough Connection 200 PERM

Did the Marlborough Connection 200 permanent ride. It was an absolutely beautiful day. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures. This means I'm going to have to do the ride again. This route might become my favourite, taking over from the Poor Student.

It goes through some lovely villages, I had never been to before, like Lechlade and Burford, Bibury and the Barringtons. Had a lovely cream tea at Wootton Bassett.

This is the route: