The 2017 Half Century (50 KM or 50 Mile) A Month Challenge - Chatzone

[Katherine]

I love it when the first of the month falls on my mid week day off and the weather plays ball by being really sunny with very little wind and lovely dry roads! I am trying to up my climbing over the next few weeks to get ready for the Etape Loch Ness so today I headed into the Angus hills and covered the 50K route of the first sportive I ever attempted back in 2015. I started from Edzell and headed out towards Kirkton of Menmure before turning towards Tannadice and then starting the first climb up Glen Ogil. Pleased to get up the hill despite being overtaken on the steepest part (about 8%) by three tractors, one after the other. Better yet when I got home I found I had a PB on the hill so perhaps I should ask them to meet me at the bottom of the hill next time! From there I had an undulating run towards the last climb of the route. Slow but steady got me to the top, although again with a PB, so really pleased about that and delighted to see an improvement in my hill fitness climbing abilities. I finished off with a really fast decent down the other side of the hill and a max speed just over 30mph before heading back towards Edzell.

All in all a lovely day in the sunshine enjoying some amazing countryside, 1669ft of climbing and lovely views and managed to cut 14 mins off my best time for this route last year.

Got home, walked the dogs, cut the grass, cooked tea and now have my feet up with a coffee in hand.

Good luck to everyone for March.

Lovely report.

 

[Sbudge]

I could get my software to tell me the total but I think it overstates it so I always knock about 20% of that figure, and usually go by what I can see on the profile. I reckon it is about 2,000 metres.

I'll check the software anyway ... Yes, it says 2,426 metres, so 2,000 metres is about right. The other 400-odd metres would be due to minor undulations which I wouldn't count as actual climbs. You still have to ride over them, but I prefer to know the total for the significant climbs. If you include those bumps, then about 2,400 metres.

I have now edited my route to get it down below 500 trackpoints so it fits my old Garmin's track memory limit, and tidied up the autorouted points to fit junctions better. I have attached the GPX file below.

If you are going to come up to do one of my hilly routes, why not come up for another of my hilly forum rides? There is currently a list of 2017 rides in the signature under my posts. (The Cheshire and Waddington routes are much flatter, but most of the others would be as hilly as the one illustrated above.)

Cool, as soon as I know where I'm going to be over the next few months I can arrange something (40,000 miles of business travel by May this year!) Many thanks indeed, looking forward to it.

 

[ColinJ]

Cool, as soon as I know where I'm going to be over the next few months I can arrange something (40,000 miles of business travel by May this year!) Many thanks indeed, looking forward to it.

The little kink in the route at about 53 km is for a cafe stop at 'Craggies' (next door to Blazing Saddles bike shop). You could carry on down to one of the many cafes in Hebden Bridge instead but then you would have to tackle a stiff climb up the Heptonstall Rd from a cold start.

The Yorkshire Dales ride from Settle in July is always a special one. Book yourself a Dales weekend!

 

[Spinney]

March one ticked - my flat route along the Severn flood plain, but nice and sunny.

 

[Domus]

And another one in March. On a roll, 34.79 hilly miles

 

[13 rider]

5/3/17 quack quack quack 55.7km or 35 miles in the cold and rain. Does this make me a proper cyclist now or just insane? Have to say I still enjoyed it.
Overall 6 points
Thorpe St Andrew Sprowston,Buxton,north Walsham,Tunstead,Wroxham,Salhouse and little extra loop to make sure I had completed more than 32 miles and home

Not insane you just have a half centuryitus to which there is no know cure .The only thing you can do is keep to put off the craving . It's all @ColinJ fault for devising this addictive thread

 

[Ice2911]

Not insane you just have a half centuryitus to which there is no know cure .The only thing you can do is keep to put off the craving . It's all @ColinJ fault for devising this addictive thread

I know what you mean, why did I do the extra loop? To make sure I was over the 50 km. last month I did a 61 mile ride and it didn't occur to me how close that was to my first ever 100km ride. So cross ( for a short time) when I should have been pleased with my longest ever ride. Can't wait for my next ride

 

[Renmurew]

Living at the top of a very steep hill means every cycle ride, no matter which direction I head off in, has its ups and downs, or should that be downs and ups?

Down today was a fast 2 mile sprint down to the main Montrose-Brechin Road and then off past Friockheim (honestly I live in Scotland not Germany!) then out towards Dundee before turning off towards Forfar via Murton Farm which serves as a Children's petting zoo, airport and cafe. Met Mr R there as he flew in for a quick coffee and scone. Wonder if this counts as a date? After refueling, I was back on the road through Forfar and then back out the other side of Rescobie Loch heading back towards Brechin.

Up was the last 1.4 mile 300 foot climb back home.

Cant help but remember the days when I had to put the bike in the car and drive to the bottom of the hill before heading out for a ride, such was the hill terror that gripped me at the thought of cycling back home. Now its just part of the thrill and at times I even look forward to it!

Living at the bottom of a hill with no other way out but up would be soooo much worse .

 

[13 rider]

I know what you mean, why did I do the extra loop? To make sure I was over the 50 km. last month I did a 61 mile ride and it didn't occur to me how close that was to my first ever 100km ride. So cross ( for a short time) when I should have been pleased with my longest ever ride. Can't wait for my next ride

Yes as a sufferer going into my third year .Today I went out for an hours recovery ride and somehow if turned into a 50 km ride for the challenge . Over the last 2.5 years I have riden about 3 rides over the distance of 18 and less than 31.13 once I get past 18 I find the lure of another 50 km hard to resist

 

[Rustybucket]

Done March early! Phew dont have to worry this month now!

https://www.strava.com/activities/888220776

 

[Domus]

Got another 32 miles in today. Lovely day in South Lakes. A few days away at the caravan so out this morning into a westerly breeze, through Flookborough, Cartmel, up to Cartmel Fell Church. Fantastic views over Morcambe Bay in the sunshine and bright blue skies. Through Bowland Bridge and Crosthwaite and back to Grange via Meethop for fresh scone and clotted cream on the prom.

Retirement has its moments.

 

[Spinney]

I have to say that posting a ride in teh challenge thread, esp. if also posting in Your ride today, is a splendid way of getting 'likes'.
Not that I'm counting...

 

[Katherine]

I have to say that posting a ride in teh challenge thread, esp. if also posting in Your ride today, is a splendid way of getting 'likes'.
Not that I'm counting...

 

[Domus]

Not a very bad forecast this morning in Sunny Grange. Mrs Domus walked to the station for the train to Arnside. We arranged to meet for elevenses then a look in the shops, a light lunch and then return.
Light to heavy drizzle all day. Very soggy when I turned up in a very damp Arnside, a wring out, hot chocolate and toasted tea cake then back on the bike for 17 more wet miles back to Grange.

 

[Saluki]

I didn't mean to do a 50km ride today. I actually meant to do a new 20 mile loop, which involves some climbing (which I am totally rubbish at), but you know how it is The road riding, after 11 miles on the trail was rather fun. The first bit of hill is a bit sharpish and then it becomes a lower gradient. I had to stop half way up as my knee suddenly started nagging at me so I gave it a couple of mins while I looked at the view. When I then carried on, it was much better and didn't nag again until a long old draggy hill before the glorious downhill all the way back to Egloshayle.
I thought that I'd do a couple more and spin my legs a bit in a warm down but I got chatting with someone and, before I knew it, I was half way to Padstow so I rode the rest of the way there. Had a natter with another cyclist at Padstow, while I was munching the half a granola bar I had left after eating the first half 15 miles or so earlier, he was very chatty until he asked what my bike was and was it a Spesh? When I said my lovely Eric is a Planet X CX bike (and not even a roadie let alone a Spesh) he was a bit huffy and muttered something about him having standards. He might have standards but he doesn't have manners. Rude Then another chap came along, with his Chihuahua and was telling me about his ride on Sunday, in the storm and torrential rain. I was out in that as well so know how awful it was out. He too asked if my bike was a Spesh, a Tricross this time. What is it about Speshes? People are obsessed!
The last 5 miles into that stiff headwind, wasn't my idea of fun. I got home eventually though, the last mile was just awful as the wind was definitely getting blowier.

It wasn't until I put my ride on the other thread that I realised that it's exactly a month since I last did one. The weather has been awful so I wasn't able to do another last month but I am hopeful for this month.