The Imperial Century A Month Challenge Chatzone

[Fiona R]

Not that one - I have to ride to and from the start, so the 150km** Cider with Rosie, which starts from the same place, is a better fit. The shortest route to the start and back is almost spot on for ECEing it to a 200. I didn't want to be doing RRtY without showing my face on at least one calendar event, so here we are!

Detailed forecasts for the day are now appearing. Things can only get better.

** I'm aware of the minimum speed issue when ECEing from 150 to 200.

Lovely route. I've done 1 official DIY 200 but not done an ECE yet, sure I will at some point. I used to live just up the hill from, Nailsworth, but wasn't a "cyclist" as such then. Been through on various other rides and really resent I didn't get into the bike when we lived there. Have a great time, in some ways it's worse when the weather looks good and rapidly goes backwards a day or two before. Psyche yourself up for worse case and hopefully it won't be that bad!

 

[Aravis]

Lovely route. I've done 1 official DIY 200 but not done an ECE yet, sure I will at some point. I used to live just up the hill from, Nailsworth, but wasn't a "cyclist" as such then. Been through on various other rides and really resent I didn't get into the bike when we lived there. Have a great time, in some ways it's worse when the weather looks good and rapidly goes backwards a day or two before. Psyche yourself up for worse case and hopefully it won't be that bad!

I'm afraid there was never any danger of me taking on today's wind for 125 miles. For the sake of those who have turned out I'm glad the worst of the rain is expected to stay away until later.

So I'm in the unaccustomed position of heading into the second half of a month still needing a ride. There seems to be something calm and springlike coming early next week, when no doubt I'll feel extremely guilty.

 

[ianrauk]

So I'm in the unaccustomed position of heading into the second half of a month still needing a ride. There seems to be something calm and springlike coming early next week, when no doubt I'll feel extremely guilty.

Me too. Though am planning on getting out tomorrow. Weather is looking much better. The wind today is horrendous.

 

[Racing roadkill]

This why Im glad I got my March ton out of the way early doors, it was windy, but not quite as bad as today. I did a ride today which included hills, exposed coasts, and a high bridge. Yes, it’s very windy

 

[HLaB]

In the past two weeks I've seen more tons from my strava mates than I've ever seen but for some reason I don't feel I want to extend my ride, today was only 35 miles :-/

 

[ianrauk]

Well that's March's qualifying ride done and dusted. A solo Surrey-Kent loop. The wind for the first half was lovely pushing me along eastwards, a total bind for the second half though which made for hard going at times. Wind, sunshine and hail was the order of the day. thankfully the rain held off.
So, March's Imperial Century ride in the bag, C # 5 for the year, # 255 over all. And with the ride I reach the 100th Imperial century month rides in a row mark.
103 miles for the day.

 

[cosmicbike]

And with the ride I reach the 100th Imperial century month rides in a row mark.
103 miles for the day.

View attachment 457912

That's impressive

Not done my imperial century this month, not really been riding much at all TBH. Hope to find the mojo in time, fingers crossed..

 

[ianrauk]

That's impressive

Not done my imperial century this month, not really been riding much at all TBH. Hope to find the mojo in time, fingers crossed..

Fingers crossed for you too. The crap weather we have really makes getting out on the bike a hardship sometimes.

 

[Fiona R]

Well that's March's qualifying ride done and dusted. A solo Surrey-Kent loop. The wind for the first half was lovely pushing me along eastwards, a total bind for the second half though which made for hard going at times. Wind, sunshine and hail was the order of the day. thankfully the rain held off.
So, March's Imperial Century ride in the bag, C # 5 for the year, # 255 over all. And with the ride I reach the 100th Imperial century month rides in a row mark.
103 miles for the day.

View attachment 457912

Mega kudos for that. Managing life, illness/injury, stuff for that many in a row takes determination, luck and a lot of stamina!

 

[ColinJ]

Well, we might do that amount of climbing in 100 km rather than 100 miles, but you still had to do that climbing, and riding in hail, plummeting temperatures, and headwinds on slow sticky tarmac sounds horrid - well done for getting through it!

 

[ianrauk]

Mega kudos for that. Managing life, illness/injury, stuff for that many in a row takes determination, luck and a lot of stamina!

Thanks. I seem to be lucky that I am in pretty good health most of the time apart from a dodgy knee twinge every now and again. But the way I look at it, there are usually 4 weekends in a month. If I get 2 long rides out of it then all well and good.
I usually try and bag the ride on the first weekend, but with all the crap weather we have had in March, yesterday was the first decent opportunity. I was out the door at 6am and back at 2.30pm so got home before the nasty stuff really kicked in.

 

[Dogtrousers]

On the subject of knees, I've noticed something interesting. I have a dodgy right knee, sometimes I'm really hobbling. It took a bang early this month when I was on holiday and has been particularly bad. But I find a good long bike ride normally sorts it out. And Sunday's ride - as horrible as it was to the rest of my body - was a real tonic for my right knee. No pain at all.

My theory (which is worth about as much as all uninformed theories on the internet - ie nothing) is that there are bits of floating gunk that jam up my knee joint. But cycling gives a lot of non-load-bearing flexing to the knee which enables it to work the gunk to the edges where it does no harm.

 

[Fiona R]

March done. Slowest ever. I stopped at 50 miles and considered bailing to the nearest station to make it 100k. But I pressed on and the next 25miles went OK despite containing some big climbs ( Kidd's Hill the slog out of Groombridge, plus the climb into Bidbourough) but the last 25 was purgatory. Hailstorm, sticky fresh tarmac, headwinds, it got dark and the temperature plummeted. I hadn't been planning to be out in the dark so I only had my emergency front light, a weedy Cateye. Not the thing for dodging fallen trees descending off the North Downs. Then when I got off the bike I started shivering uncontrollably and could hardly speak.

Flat imperial centuries only for me in future. This had 2300m (7500') I know that @ColinJ has to climb that far to get to the privy in the middle of the night but we're soft down here.

On the plus side I did bag villages A to I

As everyone keeps telling me speed doesn't matter, it's staying power that matters. well done for pushing on at 50

 

[Soltydog]

Got my April one done nice & early today Had a little ride out to Immingham with @craigwend for his ABC challenge & managed to get over 100 miles, must be the first time I've done 2 centuries in March

 

[Aravis]

I did March today - 140.78 miles and 8 more letters (Q to X) in the A-Z villages challenge. Completely knackered.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....