The Metric Century (100KM) A Month Challenge ChatZone

[ColinJ]

I took a heavy fall on black ice last winter and don't fancy doing it again. I got away with it that time, but any such fall could easily result in a broken hip/pelvis/leg/whatever...!

After my dismal failure to ride a metric century last month, I don't have to worry about doing an icy 100 km ride in December.

I can concentrate instead on worrying about doing an icy 161 km ride for the Lunacy challenge!

 

[PatrickPending]

Saturday was a good opportunity to get in the 100...so I did...

108Km - Blaby - Willoughby Waterlys - Ashby Parva - Ashby Magna - Gilmorton - Walcote -South Kilworth - Stanford - Cold Ashby - Guilsborough - Naseby - Cottersbrooke - Creaton - Cottesbrooke - Naseby - Sibertoft - Marston Trussel - Thedingworth - Saddington - Arnesby - Peatling Parva - Countesthorpe.​

Found it very hard work...spent sunday in bed with a cold....that's my excuse......

 

[Sea of vapours]

2019 done: phew :-)

That's sixty contiguous months of monthly audax AAA metric centuries now. Pleasing, though rather unrelenting (by definition obviously). This really is a very good challenge for keeping motivated regardless of weather.

And, since December has the shortest 'longest day' of the year, things start looking up on the light front from January :-) Last week, I was in Shetland. Sunrise was 0900; sunset at 1458 .... and not exactly bright in that window of light either. Very much not a place conducive to cycling a fairly long way.

 

[13 rider]

December done just . Out the door at 0800 for a few miles before meeting up with @Supersuperleeds at 1000 for a ride to our favourite cafe Nice Pie to see santa . Had cut a few miles off the early section due to slow average due to headwinds . But working out the distance at the cafe I would be near . Headed home climbing the last hill before before home I was fiddling with the Gps checking the milage and I managed to press stop at 61.7 miles !!. Restarted the Gps and rode past home to loop back to add another 1.3 miles to round it up to 63 miles

 

[Brandane]

Back in for the 2020 monthly metric century challenge in a desperate bid to kick-start my cycling mojo....

 

[lane]

Decided to have ago at this for 2020. Already mapped out the easiest 100km I can find!

 

[Donger]

My main reason for carrying on next year is the thought of how long it would take me to get back to the same point if I regretted quitting now! Actually, although I'm not really finding it any easier yet, I'm still loving this challenge, which seems to drive my cycling mojo for all my other rides. The all year round nature really is a challenge, with real life events, state of health and differing weather conditions making it quite an interesting and stiff challenge. One eye on the weather forecast to see if I can get Month 61's ride out of the way early on New Year's Day before any icy conditions set in.

 

[Sea of vapours]

You and I, @Donger . started on 100s at the same time. It's certainly a compelling reason to carry on, knowing how much a month off would 'cost' in terms of getting to the same consecutive number. I'm consciously targeting a century of centuries now (meaning one hundred, consecutive months), as that's less than the more obvious ten years and means i'm well over half way there. It's very much a good thing for keeping up the interest in cycling, though distinctly nerve-wracking in January and February when ice can prevent play.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Although I won't be recording the metric challenge next year I'm still counting my metric century "monthly streak". Hopefully should hit my 100 months of 100km mid 2022 ... all being well, knock on wood, fingers crossed etc. 30 to go. I started the challenge like @Sea of vapours and @Donger in 2015, I but I had been doing it "unofficially" for a while before, but I missed the two preceding Februaries, so my streak starts Mar 2014

 

[Donger]

You and I, @Donger . started on 100s at the same time. It's certainly a compelling reason to carry on, knowing how much a month off would 'cost' in terms of getting to the same consecutive number. I'm consciously targeting a century of centuries now (meaning one hundred, consecutive months), as that's less than the more obvious ten years and means i'm well over half way there. It's very much a good thing for keeping up the interest in cycling, though distinctly nerve-wracking in January and February when ice can prevent play.

Ditto. I thought 100 months of it would feel like quite an achievement and one worth aiming for. My Eddington number has shot up to 62 and stalled badly as 100km rides are just about the limit of what I can enjoy doing. I will get it up to 63 next year, then will have to forget all about it.

I think, along with my weekly club rides that give me a reason to get up early and hit the road, the MCAM Challenge is the main thing that keeps me fit enough to be able to cycle on my holidays, whatever the terrain. Although I'll not be heading off to the Alps or the Vosges again next year, I'd like to stay fit enough to be able to have another go in a couple of years' time. Next year I plan to start riding the South coast .... in 30-35 mile sections, (there and back) bit by bit. Should keep me busy for a couple of years while allowing for some of my metric tons to be done in new and different places. I do like seeing people posting the occasional overseas ride and rides in different parts of the country. Most of mine so far have been from Quedgeley or Tewkesbury.

 

[Noodle Legs]

December (and 2019) done and dusted.
The annual Saga CC festive fifty (plus extras) got me over the line which, admittedly, was seemingly becoming a step too far with the combination of work commitments and endless rubbish weather this past 3 months completely destroying my motivation to do anything outdoors!

The plan with this ride is always a fifty miler with pub stops so I had to factor in grabbing an extra few miles to get the distance I needed. As we meet at the same place every time and usually drive to this point, simply riding instead was more than enough to get the job done.
That said, it meant leaving the house at about 0740 in order to get there. But having not ridden outdoors for a month and it being dark and cold at that time with wet, claggy roads, this took a lot of mental effort for me to achieve! But I did it, and even got to the meeting point early in the process, the empty roads and lack of wind making this so. I even managed to nab another veloviewer square on route to meet the lads!
It was largely familiar roads for the entirety of the ride with only a couple of newer ones but it didn’t really matter- I was grateful to just get out!
The cafe stop at Woodhouse Eaves was a new one, just shy of 50 miles in but actually local to home. One hour, a smoked salmon and scrambled egg bagel, two bottles of Prosecco (shared obviously) and a sherry later, we set off and immediately made our way up beacon hill, a mile long slog at 8% average that steps up in stages which makes getting into a rhythm very difficult.
Factor in a belly full of food and drink and it didn’t make for the most comfortable of climbs! But we eventually made it up, no records broken, and pressed on to Belton some six miles down the road for “festive stop” number 2- the Queens Head in Belton. At this point I was nearly 58 miles in and all I had to do was simply ride home from here, just five miles away. Of course, before I did so, I felt it only right to partake in a couple of pints of the black stuff and discuss plans for the forthcoming year’s rides which, if they pan out, will be epic.

I peeled off from the rest of the lads at this stage and made my way back home, 62.9 miles to the good. A great ride out, much needed and a great end to the year.

(Copying to YRT thread)

 

[gbs]

Yesterday, one more and the last, 100k ride for 2019.

 

[steverob]

I may do this challenge in 2020 having had a year off, but I'm not committing to it quite yet. Basically if you see me post something in the main thread before 31st January, I'm in; if not, then I'm not! And it probably will be a ride at the very end of the month that will decide for me whether or not I'll try...

 

[Dogtrousers]

Total: 50 centuries

 

[Fiona R]

I did my stand alone December metric yesterday, 146km finishing off Festive 500 around the Mendips and Somerset Levels.. It was all about the fog, the Gingerbread Inn and visiting Rapha Archive store in Shepton for a brevet card and subsidised almond croissant and coffee. I can't claim the metric badge really as I only did one ride in July, Oct and Nov over 100km and they all counted for imperial/lunacy too. Quite pleased with my year as this week i went over 10 000km for the year and completed Strava Climbing challenge for December, which I also did last January too. Only managed that about 4 months. i was most pleased with an audax RRtY. That was a lot of planning, scheduling blood sweat and tears for a 200km for 12 consecutive months, but I got there. In my head only 1 month in 4 years with no Strava Gran Fondo. These challenges really motivate us.