UphillSlowly
Making my way slowly uphill
I think I posted this in the wrong thread - was thinking of the elevation challenge. But thanks all. Beginner's faux pas
The Annual Lunacy (aka "I Don't Do Winter") Challenge Chatzone
- Thread starter ColinJ
- Start date
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I think I posted this in the wrong thread - was thinking of the elevation challenge. But thanks all. Beginner's faux pas
steverob
Guru
- Location
- Buckinghamshire
Well I've finally got around to posting a second ride in this challenge, almost four months after my first entry. Given that since then I've had health problems and bike problems (and while slightly better, neither of them have completely disappeared yet), I'm starting to think I've bitten off more than I can chew with the distance I originally picked - something I chose back when I was a lot more optimistic about the year ahead. We shall see how many more long rides I'm able to do over the next few months...
Alex321
Veteran
- Location
- South Wales
Got in my 5th ride for the year. I can't see me making the stretch challenge, as not one has been over that yet.
More or less my usual coastal loop, with a diversion through Llanblethian towards the end, to pick up the next church for my ABC of the Saints list. Very pleasant riding, very little wind, warm without being too hot. Thought I was going to get rained on, but that didn't start until an hour after I got home.
More or less my usual coastal loop, with a diversion through Llanblethian towards the end, to pick up the next church for my ABC of the Saints list. Very pleasant riding, very little wind, warm without being too hot. Thought I was going to get rained on, but that didn't start until an hour after I got home.
Alex321
Veteran
- Location
- South Wales
6th qualifying ride today. Biggest ride I've ever done, by some margin. First ever metric century, total distance was 68.37 miles (most I'd ever done before was 55 miles, and that was last year, most I'd done this year was 36 miles).
A ride organised by Ed Laverack, doing 300Km in three loops, with those of us who didn't feel we could manage the whole 300 being able to join for just one or two of the loops - there was no way I was going to manage 200 or 300, so I just joined for the final loop. 8 of us on that loop, of whom 3 had done all three loops (the loops were different, not over the same roads), one had done the first and third loop, and the other 4 of us just did the final loop. There were also a bunch who had done the first two loops, then stopped.
I did struggle a bit with cramp on the last two major hills between Carmarthen and Kidwelly, but I made it round, and overall enjoyed it and was very glad I did it.
No photos from me, because we didn't stop apart from stopping at a shop in Kidwelly to get more fluids - I had a monster drink and a bottle of water to refill my bottles, three people refilled their bottles with slushies!
A ride organised by Ed Laverack, doing 300Km in three loops, with those of us who didn't feel we could manage the whole 300 being able to join for just one or two of the loops - there was no way I was going to manage 200 or 300, so I just joined for the final loop. 8 of us on that loop, of whom 3 had done all three loops (the loops were different, not over the same roads), one had done the first and third loop, and the other 4 of us just did the final loop. There were also a bunch who had done the first two loops, then stopped.
I did struggle a bit with cramp on the last two major hills between Carmarthen and Kidwelly, but I made it round, and overall enjoyed it and was very glad I did it.
No photos from me, because we didn't stop apart from stopping at a shop in Kidwelly to get more fluids - I had a monster drink and a bottle of water to refill my bottles, three people refilled their bottles with slushies!
bluenotebob
Veteran
- Location
- France
Today's ride gets me over the line for 2023 ... 13 qualifying rides done by early July is a much better feeling than only 12 rides done at 31st December ..
It may be the only thing that I achieve in my life this year - but I'll take it.
I need to do one more ride over 75km to get to my stretch target (of 75km) .. but another three over 81km would get me 13 rides over 81km.
So ... that's the plan for the rest of the year - 3 more rides over 81km... and 4.5 months to do them.
It may be the only thing that I achieve in my life this year - but I'll take it.
I need to do one more ride over 75km to get to my stretch target (of 75km) .. but another three over 81km would get me 13 rides over 81km.
So ... that's the plan for the rest of the year - 3 more rides over 81km... and 4.5 months to do them.
Alex321
Veteran
- Location
- South Wales
7th qualifying ride today, over a route I haven't tried before, though I have ridden most of the roads separately.
Deliberately set out to make it quite hard, since I won't have chance to ride again until Friday (going to see my daughter in Scotland), so 900m (2953ft) of climbing in that 35 miles. One climb was on a stretch of road I hadn't ridden at all before, and I wasn't really expecting it (St Georges to the A48), but all the rest were intended and expected.
It was rather damp before I set out, with the roads steaming for the first part of the ride in the sun. But then it got rather wet again, with three separate bouts of torrential rain. But my cap kept it out of my eyes, and it wasn't too cold, so I didn't really mind the rain all that much.
Deliberately set out to make it quite hard, since I won't have chance to ride again until Friday (going to see my daughter in Scotland), so 900m (2953ft) of climbing in that 35 miles. One climb was on a stretch of road I hadn't ridden at all before, and I wasn't really expecting it (St Georges to the A48), but all the rest were intended and expected.
It was rather damp before I set out, with the roads steaming for the first part of the ride in the sun. But then it got rather wet again, with three separate bouts of torrential rain. But my cap kept it out of my eyes, and it wasn't too cold, so I didn't really mind the rain all that much.
Alex321
Veteran
- Location
- South Wales
8th qualifying ride today. Pretty windy, and I didn't actually expect to do that long a ride, but changed my mind after Llancarfan, as I was feeling good, and the wind wasn't making it as hard as I expected. I enjoyed that ride a lot more than I expected when I set out.
5 PRs, but 3 of those were on segments I have only done 2-4 times.
5 PRs, but 3 of those were on segments I have only done 2-4 times.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Another one done today. I'd done loads of route planning to get a less than 100km ride with somewhere between 1800-2000m. That didn't work out so well because I overran the distance by 300m and my GPS gave up recording elevation due to being soaked. So the technical/route planning challenge didn't go well but it was a good ride.
One of (if not the) slowest 100k of mine. Took about 7.5 hours, including coffee stop, food stops, faffing stops, puncture/pumping stops.
Report here
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/t...hallenge-chatzone.95264/page-176#post-7037249
One of (if not the) slowest 100k of mine. Took about 7.5 hours, including coffee stop, food stops, faffing stops, puncture/pumping stops.
Report here
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/t...hallenge-chatzone.95264/page-176#post-7037249
OP
OP
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I just spotted this... Which lane is that? (I'm wondering if I know it.)
As for the Lunacy challenge... The disappointing July/August weather (and my diminished cycling mojo) are conspiring to put me off doing significant rides. I am ever so slowly getting fitter, but I think I might run out of time to get 13 fair-weather metric centuries in before the winter.
Must. Try. Harder!
FrothNinja
Veteran
Old Nab Rd / Moor Lane
OP
OP
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Ah, I have ridden that, but only once. I too found it pretty tough, though doable!
I usually take the easier route below it - Whalley Old Rd.
FrothNinja
Veteran
Failed in my objective to do a metric Gran Frondo in under 4 hours moving time - by 14 minutes. Sort of regretting the rather pleasant miles riding slower to bask in the warmth coming off the road.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Excuse my ignorance but what is that?
Alex321
Veteran
- Location
- South Wales
A mistype. It should be Gran Fondo - which translates to "big ride", but is most commonly now taken to be 100Km (one of the monthly Strava chalenges is a "Gran Fondo" for which you have to do a 100Km ride)
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Thanks. I've heard the term often but never been sure what it means. 4 hours for 100k is impressive.
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