The Imperial Century A Month Challenge Chatzone

[middleagecyclist]

Did my first century of the month yesterday. Managed to sneak it in as didn't think I would have enough time till next weekend. Family visit to Newcastle scheduled but not due to leave Manchester till after collecting the Golden Child from school. I said to my wife "How about I cycle part of the way and you pick me up en route?". She said "But you will just have finished eight night shifts on Friday morning and will need to sleep." I said "I'd rather be cycling and will sleep really well on Friday night if I stay up all day". The ride was on!

So I needed a route which gave me 100 miles and finished at a place either of us could wait for the rendevouz. Manchester to Scotch Corner services it was then. Some nice cycling roads and some 'orrible ones but beggars can't be choosers. I set of at 09:20hrs with a planned meet time of 17:30hrs. I had a really blustery head wind all the way but at least it stayed dry. Didn't keep the pace I wanted but found the wife was delayed due closure of the M62 and a subsequent diversion so I still got to the services first around 18:30hrs. My Garmin showed 99.4 miles covered so I did a couple of loops of Scotch Corner roundabout to make the 100 and then went for a well deserved coffee. It wasn't even served when I heard running footsteps and the shout of "Daddy" behind me. I think I'd had the more enjoyable journey by the sounds of it. Slept really well.

 

[Norry1]

Brilliant. Well done mate.

 

[Norry1]

Enjoyed today, even though I screwed it up a bit.

I rode from home to Meriden where the Cotswold Challenge 160km audax was HQ'd. I bumped into another rider on his way there and we rode the last 6-7 miles together.

I started in the lead group and we were making really good progress with some good chainganging going on. As we approached the first Control Point, for reasons I won't bore you with, I found myself at the front. I was enjoying myself and chucking the bike into corners. I looked back and there was nobody in sight. Oh bugger, I must have missed the control! I turned back and rode around for 4 miles until I found it. By then, the lead group had left. I got my card stamped and set straight off hoping to catch them.

There were 60 miles to go and after blasting for a while, I felt my legs were blowing out. I kept going and nobody came past me but I didn't catch the lead group.

Never mind, I thoroughly enjoyed it and met a few good guys.

 

[middleagecyclist]

As I like to number my century rides can i please just check the protocol for numbering if i'm able to complete a double century this weekend. I know i've already done my May century for the challenge but wondered if I would count this weekends ride as two? Perhaps it get its very own label? Thanks for any help as i'm new to this long distance stuff.

 

[middleagecyclist]

Brilliant. Well done mate.

Cheers.

 

[ianrauk]

As I like to number my century rides can i please just check the protocol for numbering if i'm able to complete a double century this weekend. I know i've already done my May century for the challenge but wondered if I would count this weekends ride as two? Perhaps it get its very own label? Thanks for any help as i'm new to this long distance stuff.

Do what you like.
Myself... If a ride was over 200 miles in one ride then I would count it as such.
Though yet to break my 200 duck... closest I got was 196.

 

[ColinJ]

Do what you like.
Myself... If a ride was over 200 miles in one ride then I would count it as such.
Though yet to break my 200 duck... closest I got was 196.

Blimey - if I got to 196 miles, I'd feel obliged to get the extra 4 miles in at the end unless I was in a terrible state by then!

 

[ianrauk]

Blimey - if I got to 196 miles, I'd feel obliged to get the extra 4 miles in at the end unless I was in a terrible state by then!

There are other factors Colin.....................

 

[ColinJ]

There are other factors Colin.....................

I suppose that there had to be somebody in the world who has a phobia of the number 200!

 

[middleagecyclist]

OK, OK. I know I can't use it for the Challenge but i'm quite chuffed with my 253 mile bike ride. I must have some bragging rights surely though?

 

[ianrauk]

OK, OK. I know I can't use it for the Challenge but i'm quite chuffed with my 253 mile bike ride. I must have some bragging rights surely though?

Bloody right! Nice one Sir!

 

[StuAff]

Bloody right! Nice one Sir!

+1. Well done!!!

 

[Trickedem]

+1. Well done!!!

+2. Great effort, well worth bragging about

 

[ColinJ]

OK, OK. I know I can't use it for the Challenge but i'm quite chuffed with my 253 mile bike ride. I must have some bragging rights surely though?

Yes, well done!

Is there any way to add the times and speeds to what you display on Strava? (So whenever you move the mouse pointer along the route, it shows when you got there, and what speed you were doing at that point. I can see that information on my Garmin's tracklogs when I load them into Memory Map.)

If you don't mind me asking ... How long did the ride take you, including stops?

I have a dream of doing a DIY 400 around the time of the summer solstice, starting at sunrise, and trying to finish before sunset. The longest day has about 17 hours so that would mean averaging 23.5 kph. That sounds doable, but would require some serious work. That's 25 kph while moving if only an hour of stops was taken in total, or 26.7 kph for 2 hours of stops.

PS There isn't the remotest possibility of it happening on this year's solstice!

 

[middleagecyclist]

Yes, well done!

Thanks muchly.

Is there any way to add the times and speeds to what you display on Strava? (So whenever you move the mouse pointer along the route, it shows when you got there, and what speed you were doing at that point.

Don't think so Colin.

If you don't mind me asking ... How long did the ride take you, including stops?

23h 50m including stops. 19h 18m moving. I had about 2 hrs sleep at a Costa in the middle of the night and rest of the time were control stops for food/receipts or normal traffic stops.

I could have gone a bit faster/stopped less but I achieved what I was aiming for so was happy with it for a first 400

• a sub 16h 300k (I actually did 285k in 14.5hrs and then stopped at a control for food).
• the 400k in less than 24h.
• still able to cycle the next day.

All good news for LEL prep!