The 2017 Half Century (50 KM or 50 Mile) A Month Challenge - Chatzone
- Thread starter ColinJ
- Start date
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iandg
Legendary Member
- Location
- Dumfries and Galloway
ooh yes - being on holiday I completely forgot. I did 198 km in the Dirty User9609 gravel ride
That's the one I knew I read it somewhere . Post it the challenge thread . Glad your still in
iandg
Legendary Member
- Location
- Dumfries and Galloway
- Location
- Egham
May metric half (and a bit) done today. Windy but warm on mostly familiar roads I managed 40 miles before the time ran out, apparently we still need food each week and the dogs needed a walk anyway. Going to have to fidget things around to slot in a metric century and keep the 2 challenges running this year..
Rustybucket
Veteran
- Location
- South Coast
I'm going to struggle to do may, due to my bad back.
Hopefully can get a ride in right at the end of the month. Does it count if I push my bike?
Hopefully can get a ride in right at the end of the month. Does it count if I push my bike?
OP
OP
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Sorry about the bad back - they are not nice! I hope it gets better soon.
I'm not sure that having a bad back and pushing a bike for 50 kms would be a great idea!
I was supposed to be doing my very hilly 55 mile forum ride tomorrow but I am just recovering from a bad cold and didn't think it would be sensible so I have postponed that and am going to try and do a much easier 50 km ride instead.
NorthernDave
Never used Über Member
- Location
- The real Northern Powerhouse
Got in a nice 52km ride in this morning, good to be in early with the ride this month.
Will update the other thread tomorrow - cutting and pasting is a nightmare on a tablet.
Will update the other thread tomorrow - cutting and pasting is a nightmare on a tablet.
OP
OP
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I got chilled by nagging winds when I went to watch the Tour de Yorkshire last Saturday so I put extra layers on today to make sure that I didn't get cold again. I felt overdressed when I was setting off but once I had climbed nearly a thousand feet I was very glad to have those extra layers on. In fact, I still didn't feel warm. Is it usually this cold in May? 
I did a nice hilly 56 km loop with a friend, including a cafe stop after 38 km.
I was pleased to be out on my bike feeling pretty much over my recent cold at last, but my legs are sore this evening - it is amazing how quickly fitness can start to ebb away. Normally, I wouldn't have any adverse reaction to that ride. It felt as though I had ridden double what I actually had.
I'm hoping to get a decent ride in with Littgull on Thursday - possibly a 100 km ride to Waddington. Next Saturday we will be joining nickyboy et al for the annual 100 mile Manchester to Llandudno ride - I hope it is warmer for that ride!
I did a nice hilly 56 km loop with a friend, including a cafe stop after 38 km.
I was pleased to be out on my bike feeling pretty much over my recent cold at last, but my legs are sore this evening - it is amazing how quickly fitness can start to ebb away. Normally, I wouldn't have any adverse reaction to that ride. It felt as though I had ridden double what I actually had.
I'm hoping to get a decent ride in with Littgull on Thursday - possibly a 100 km ride to Waddington. Next Saturday we will be joining nickyboy et al for the annual 100 mile Manchester to Llandudno ride - I hope it is warmer for that ride!
- Location
- Manchester
I've posted a century ride to get May off to a flying start. After doing my first century last September, I never expected to be doing another one so quickly but one of our club members organised a social century ride for the bank holiday and I decided to join.
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Completed our club Tour de Bullecourt yesterday (collecting 9 points over 6 days). This was to commemorate and lay a wreath for our Club Captain who died on 3rd May 1917 at Bullecourt (near Arras) together with countless thousands of Brits & Australians. Touching to see how many other wreaths had been laid that day by organisations and relatives from around the world.
We did many memorials, cemetries et al but were conscious we still had seen only a small proportion of tributes to the fallen of WW1. Outstanding was the Canadian Memorial at Vimy Ridge. Cycling is, perhaps, the ideal way to cover and understand the topography of the battlefields. If you have done it - you will understand. If you haven't, think about putting it on the list of rides to do. Ideal for getting your 50km/miles in a day too.
Oh and if its a bit cold, wet and blowy - just thinking about how those poor sods had to endure winter and worse in open trenches - puts pain in perspective and energises you to do more.
We did many memorials, cemetries et al but were conscious we still had seen only a small proportion of tributes to the fallen of WW1. Outstanding was the Canadian Memorial at Vimy Ridge. Cycling is, perhaps, the ideal way to cover and understand the topography of the battlefields. If you have done it - you will understand. If you haven't, think about putting it on the list of rides to do. Ideal for getting your 50km/miles in a day too.
Oh and if its a bit cold, wet and blowy - just thinking about how those poor sods had to endure winter and worse in open trenches - puts pain in perspective and energises you to do more.
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Saluki
World class procrastinator
- Location
- ...Norwich over the water.
I got my 2nd actual bike ride in today. It's been a late start to riding this month as bad weather, packing and work got in the way. As we are moving on Thursday morning, I wasn't sure how much riding I could squash in. I went out for a quick 11.5 miles last night which gave the cycling bug a good scratch and I decided to block the time out of packing and go for a ride.
I rode from Bodmin Council Offices down to the trail, then to the coffee place at Wenfordbridge, then turned for home then passed home and went to Padstow and then rode back. I even found a suitable stick in Padstow to get a geocache that I have not been able to reach, although I can see it. I got the bike all parked sensibly out of sight and crawled down to where the cache is only to find that some kind person has nicked it. I didn't get to scratched on the gorse so that was OK.
51km in the sun. I've been packing for the rest of the day and I'm knackered. So much more to do as well. As I said, working extra to earn a few more pennies for the move took up a lot of time. I am hoping for another couple of 50km rides this month, as I explore my new surroundings.
I rode from Bodmin Council Offices down to the trail, then to the coffee place at Wenfordbridge, then turned for home then passed home and went to Padstow and then rode back. I even found a suitable stick in Padstow to get a geocache that I have not been able to reach, although I can see it. I got the bike all parked sensibly out of sight and crawled down to where the cache is only to find that some kind person has nicked it. I didn't get to scratched on the gorse so that was OK.
51km in the sun. I've been packing for the rest of the day and I'm knackered. So much more to do as well. As I said, working extra to earn a few more pennies for the move took up a lot of time. I am hoping for another couple of 50km rides this month, as I explore my new surroundings.
Saluki
World class procrastinator
- Location
- ...Norwich over the water.
I just find my post and press the 'quote this post' button and then put the quote in the reply box. Easy peasy, even on a tablet (says she currently on her laptop)Got in a nice 52km ride in this morning, good to be in early with the ride this month.
Will update the other thread tomorrow - cutting and pasting is a nightmare on a tablet.
Just realised I had a few cycles to write up so better get my finger out!
24 April - This was the second year I had cycled the Etape Loch Ness. I headed to Inverness the day before to register and pick up my race pack then headed off to find my b&b. With over 5000 riders taking part, finding somewhere to eat in Inverness on the Saturday night was fun. I dont think there was a single seat in an Italian restaurant to be had for love nor money. After a few unsuccessful attempts, I ended up buying some sandwiches from Morrisons and heading back to the B&B.
Next morning everyone left the B&B at about 5.30 am to head to the start point. After being held in our respective starting groups I was off at about 6.35. We cycled down the North side of the loch around Drumnadrockit, Invermorrison and down to Fort Augustus and over the Caledonian Canal. There was a pretty bad accident on the way to Invermorrison with someone coming off at speed down one of the many fast twisty sections. We were all slowed down and then off our bikes to pass the spot as the unfortunate gentleman was being tended to by emergency services. It was a stark reminder of how easy it can be to loose concentration and come to some serious harm.
Back on the ride, the fun really began. A 4.8 mile 1100 ft climb out of Fort Augustus. It was the main climb of the day and accounted for most of the climbing on the ride. I was actually almost looking forward to this bit of the ride because I managed to get up the hill last year so know that I could do it. I nearly stopped a couple of times and passed many many people who did but something kept me going and eventually I caught the wonderful sound of the piper welcoming us to the top. What goes up must go down, and the next 10 miles is pretty much straight down hill back to the banks of the loch. A final couple of lumps and bumps on the road and it was back to Inverness. My time this year was 30 mins less than last year with about 6 mins knocked off the hill. Beautiful scenery, amazing company from lots of passing riders and a wonderful reception back at Inverness. No sign of Nessie today but with 32 miles of loch to hide in I guess she was probably watching us rather than the other way round.
29 April - Kinross Sportive. Again this was the second year I had tackled this run. It comes a bit fast after the Loch Ness run but its well organised and a nice route. I only did the short 43 mile course this year because I remember how tired I was after 70 miles last year on top of the miles from the week before. The hardest bit about the day was the wind. It seemed to be blowing from just about every direction at once! The route headed out of Kinross, into the Lomond Hills for a tough bit of climbing. I actually made it up the main hill at Falkland this year which was a great feat. Then we wound around many of the small villages of Fife, ending up in Newburgh for the feedstop. The route headed back to Kinross along quiet country roads, the only downside being some of the road conditions which seemed like more potholes than tarmac! A fantastic feast of soup, pasta, sandwiches and cakes greeted us on our return to Kinross.
7 May - A local cycle with my ladies cycling group. A group of us met up in Forfar and headed over to Kirriemuir to meet the rest of the group. There were about 20 of us in total and we headed down Glen Clova in wonderful sunshine. However, it was so windy that it was like cycling in a wind tunnel. The 10 miles down the glen was really tough because at times it felt like we were almost going backwards. I dont think Ive ever been so pleased to get to a hotel to stop for tea and a scone. However, it was all worth it in the end because the 10 miles back out of the glen were turbo charged with the wind at our backs - many strava segments were smashed on the way back to Forfar. 36 miles in total, a real ride of two halves but well worth it for the amazing scenery, great company and huge fruit scone.
24 April - This was the second year I had cycled the Etape Loch Ness. I headed to Inverness the day before to register and pick up my race pack then headed off to find my b&b. With over 5000 riders taking part, finding somewhere to eat in Inverness on the Saturday night was fun. I dont think there was a single seat in an Italian restaurant to be had for love nor money. After a few unsuccessful attempts, I ended up buying some sandwiches from Morrisons and heading back to the B&B.
Next morning everyone left the B&B at about 5.30 am to head to the start point. After being held in our respective starting groups I was off at about 6.35. We cycled down the North side of the loch around Drumnadrockit, Invermorrison and down to Fort Augustus and over the Caledonian Canal. There was a pretty bad accident on the way to Invermorrison with someone coming off at speed down one of the many fast twisty sections. We were all slowed down and then off our bikes to pass the spot as the unfortunate gentleman was being tended to by emergency services. It was a stark reminder of how easy it can be to loose concentration and come to some serious harm.
Back on the ride, the fun really began. A 4.8 mile 1100 ft climb out of Fort Augustus. It was the main climb of the day and accounted for most of the climbing on the ride. I was actually almost looking forward to this bit of the ride because I managed to get up the hill last year so know that I could do it. I nearly stopped a couple of times and passed many many people who did but something kept me going and eventually I caught the wonderful sound of the piper welcoming us to the top. What goes up must go down, and the next 10 miles is pretty much straight down hill back to the banks of the loch. A final couple of lumps and bumps on the road and it was back to Inverness. My time this year was 30 mins less than last year with about 6 mins knocked off the hill. Beautiful scenery, amazing company from lots of passing riders and a wonderful reception back at Inverness. No sign of Nessie today but with 32 miles of loch to hide in I guess she was probably watching us rather than the other way round.
29 April - Kinross Sportive. Again this was the second year I had tackled this run. It comes a bit fast after the Loch Ness run but its well organised and a nice route. I only did the short 43 mile course this year because I remember how tired I was after 70 miles last year on top of the miles from the week before. The hardest bit about the day was the wind. It seemed to be blowing from just about every direction at once! The route headed out of Kinross, into the Lomond Hills for a tough bit of climbing. I actually made it up the main hill at Falkland this year which was a great feat. Then we wound around many of the small villages of Fife, ending up in Newburgh for the feedstop. The route headed back to Kinross along quiet country roads, the only downside being some of the road conditions which seemed like more potholes than tarmac! A fantastic feast of soup, pasta, sandwiches and cakes greeted us on our return to Kinross.
7 May - A local cycle with my ladies cycling group. A group of us met up in Forfar and headed over to Kirriemuir to meet the rest of the group. There were about 20 of us in total and we headed down Glen Clova in wonderful sunshine. However, it was so windy that it was like cycling in a wind tunnel. The 10 miles down the glen was really tough because at times it felt like we were almost going backwards. I dont think Ive ever been so pleased to get to a hotel to stop for tea and a scone. However, it was all worth it in the end because the 10 miles back out of the glen were turbo charged with the wind at our backs - many strava segments were smashed on the way back to Forfar. 36 miles in total, a real ride of two halves but well worth it for the amazing scenery, great company and huge fruit scone.
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