mcshroom
Bionic Subsonic
- Location
- Egremont, Cumbria
Very much the same as behind the front in Sportives. Some do some don't. Usually there'll be someone around the same pace for at least parts of the ride who's interested in riding together.
Entered my First Audax - now what???
- Thread starter Fubar
- Start date
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jefmcg
Guru
company is sparser on Audaxes. Many fewer entrants. There is a camaraderie on the rides; people don't tend to abandon each other. I've been pushed and pulled around the last 50km of a few rides, and done the same to others.
Eg .On my last 300km, at the last control before the end there was another rider. We were both pushing time: me because I'm slow, and him because he kept getting lost. He'd keep passing me on the ride, I'd tootle on, then he'd pass me again. Anyway, he's following the route sheet, and at the last control his batteries in his head lamp had given out. He had a back up light, but that wasn't working. I couldn't wait for him to sort it out, because I'd run out of time; but I didn't want to abandon him either, in case he couldn't sort it out. I said i had to go, and suggested his best chance was leaving with me at my slower speed than faffing. He agreed and we stuck together to the end. We were in too much of a hurry to check are watches, but kept going as we had to for each other. Finished with 3 minutes to spare!! Note this was a PBP qualifier, and they have to be strict on the times. Outside that, and organiser is likely to ignore finishing a little late.
If you are feeling brave, @Fubar , you might want to read reports of the inaugural ride of this route
https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=44387.25 <- It might be quite a baptism of fire!
Eg .On my last 300km, at the last control before the end there was another rider. We were both pushing time: me because I'm slow, and him because he kept getting lost. He'd keep passing me on the ride, I'd tootle on, then he'd pass me again. Anyway, he's following the route sheet, and at the last control his batteries in his head lamp had given out. He had a back up light, but that wasn't working. I couldn't wait for him to sort it out, because I'd run out of time; but I didn't want to abandon him either, in case he couldn't sort it out. I said i had to go, and suggested his best chance was leaving with me at my slower speed than faffing. He agreed and we stuck together to the end. We were in too much of a hurry to check are watches, but kept going as we had to for each other. Finished with 3 minutes to spare!! Note this was a PBP qualifier, and they have to be strict on the times. Outside that, and organiser is likely to ignore finishing a little late.
If you are feeling brave, @Fubar , you might want to read reports of the inaugural ride of this route
https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=44387.25 <- It might be quite a baptism of fire!
OP
OP
Fubar
Legendary Member
Oh joy...
So apart from the guy who burst his Heid open, (which to be fair someone seems to do on every sportive I ride) the stand out comment is "this is a hard Audax".
OP
OP
Fubar
Legendary Member
That's cool, just checking no one gets the rule book out if I do.
Nah, Audax peeps are usually a very friendly bunch.
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
Except (sometimes) when they have pushed themselves close to exhaustion as a few did on London Edinburgh London.
As volunteers at a control, we were warned to expect some tetchiness and asked to be understanding about it.
A couple of riders were hard work, but that was out of several hundred.
As in audax, as in life - the majority were a pleasure to deal with.
I can imagine after an extreme Audax such as LEL that I would be more then a little tetchie....
jefmcg
Guru
Yeah, this something as a newbie you may have missed about this audax .... it's an AAA, ie Audax Altitude Award.Oh joy...
So apart from the guy who burst his Heid open, (which to be fair someone seems to do on every sportive I ride) the stand out comment is "this is a hard Audax".
I'm a bit of slow rider, and not great at hills, so I pick audaxes that are not AAA myself. Imagine this is harder to do in Scotland. But you have leapt into the deep end, I'm afraid.
If you want to ride with someone, and you are not sure it's ok, then just ask them explicitly. "Ok if I ride with you for a while?" If it's more than one person together already, I don't think you need to ask for permission.
But it's worth asking. Most are friendly, but there is always a chance it's someone like this. (Randonee ~= Audax)
jefmcg
Guru
Yeah. The person who sat with her hand on my shoulder (even after I had said I needed my personal space) trying to get me to pack still makes me a little angry. Especially as that control was out of food. I was tetchie. And I was spoken about afterwards. I already knew how to stop. I needed help (and food) to keep going.
They had a completely different view of me than the people at the next control. As I collapsed under a blanket in the middle of the eating area - the sleeping area was just too far away - one of them ran over with a pile of blankets, and managed to get it on the floor as a pillow just before my head hit the ground.
(@Fubar you can ignore this. I was over 1000km into the ride at this point. It's a world away from a 200km)
OP
OP
Fubar
Legendary Member
Ah, rookie mistake!
TBH if I'm on my own that's no biggie and there is something perversely enjoyable about going at your own pace - done it before, I can do it again. And if it's tough well, I'll have a tale to tell.
OP
OP
Fubar
Legendary Member
I have awareness of LEL and PBP (and an admiration for those who attempt/complete them), not too sure about the qualifying events but not even thinking along those lines.
jefmcg
Guru
Next LEL is in 2017. You are in danger of entering, I'm afraid.
I just typed the above, and then this was posted. I'd like to make a bet that you are in the next LEL.
(no qualifiers, just cough up the cash and start cycling)
OP
OP
Fubar
Legendary Member
Reading YACF my bike may be in a hedge near Duns come Monday 21 Sept!!
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
Perhaps you could do some of it together?
