Three 30-minute rides each week of the year Challenge 2025 [NB Starts 30/12/24!]

[bluenotebob]

Will be waiting til later in the month to decide which challenge this goes in.

You don't seem to follow the HMCAM Chatzone (forgive me if I'm wrong about that). So, in case you were unaware, the administrator/monitor of that challenge doesn't accept that commutes are one ride - he thinks they're two. Same applies in the MCAM challenge (I asked late last year).

So FWIW, I would book your daylong ride in the Lunacy Distance challenge - which allows for any number of rides in a day.

But it's up to you .. just thought you might appreciate a heads-up.

 

[ColinJ]

I have my longer route planned, should I go for that... Train to Blackburn then a little tour of the Ribble Valley, followed by my standard route back via Whalley and Padiham. According to cycle.travel, 1,500 m of ascent.

If I don't feel like doing it next week, I will definitely do it one sunny spring day this year. Assuming that we actually get one of those rare spring days...

 

[bluenotebob]

f I don't feel like doing it next week, I will definitely do it one sunny spring day this year.

That's the problem with having birthdays at this time of year (mine's just before Christmas).

You want to go out and celebrate with a long ride - but the weather gods have other plans ..

 

[ColinJ]

That's the problem with having birthdays at this time of year (mine's just before Christmas).

You want to go out and celebrate with a long ride - but the weather gods have other plans ..

Yes, that is why it might be more realistic for aim for 69 km next week, and save the 69 miler for the spring. If there is no ice, little wind, and some sunshine I would be tempted though.

 

[FrothNinja]

You don't seem to follow the HMCAM Chatzone (forgive me if I'm wrong about that). So, in case you were unaware, the administrator/monitor of that challenge doesn't accept that commutes are one ride - he thinks they're two. Same applies in the MCAM challenge (I asked late last year).

So FWIW, I would book your daylong ride in the Lunacy Distance challenge - which allows for any number of rides in a day.

But it's up to you .. just thought you might appreciate a heads-up.

Ta.
Bit odd they don't, bet they would accept it if it was a group ride that had a whole series of coffee, lunch, comfort stops.
Lunacy it shall be - unless I don't do a 50km before month end

 

[ColinJ]

Ta.
Bit odd they don't, bet they would accept it if it was a group ride that had a whole series of coffee, lunch, comfort stops.
Lunacy it shall be - unless I don't do a 50km before month end

I was actually thinking about this the other day...

When I cycled to HB to meet a friend for coffee and cake at a cafe, then cycled home, I counted that as one ride.

When I cycled over there to meet her again, we caught a bus, did a 9 km hilly walk to a cafe for lunch, bus back to HB, then I cycled home, I counted that as two rides!

I justified that because there was an interval of hours between the two rides, vs an hour or so.

I never 'cheat' by adding up sub-30 minute rides to make a qualifying ride (I just extend all rides to a minimum of 30 minutes) and I never artificially break rides up into multiple rides to get my 3 in for the week.

 

[bluenotebob]

Lunacy it shall be - unless I don't do a 50km before month end

If memory serves, you did several commutes in a week (because your car was out of action?) in Nov or Dec last year .. I wondered at the time why you didn't book all those rides in the Lunacy Distance challenge.

It's a good way of getting some of your 13 rides done - and it would help should you decide to set yourself a higher target for 2025.

As for what constitutes a 'ride' ... @ColinJ 's comments above .. the subject's been done to death in the various distance challenge chatzones. I re-ignited the conversation in the MCAM challenge because I'm worried about July/August temperatures here. If we get a repeat of 2022, then I'll be cycling until well after midnight to get an unbroken ride in.

A general rule that you can apply is whether it involves a change of clothes - café stops don't but working for a few hours after the first part of your commute probably does.

 

[ColinJ]

A general rule that you can apply is whether it involves a change of clothes - café stops don't but working for a few hours after the first part of your commute probably does.

Ah, on my walking day I cycled in my walking clothes so they stayed the same all day, but I did change from cycling shoes to walking boots before the walk and back again afterwards!

 

[bluenotebob]

Ah, on my walking day I cycled in my walking clothes so they stayed the same all day, but I did change from cycling shoes to walking boots before the walk and back again afterwards!

Yes - and you counted that as two rides, if I understood your post above correctly.

But really the distinction about changing clothes applies to the Distance challenges, rather than to this one. And, as I'm sure you know, each of those challenges (HMCAM, MCAM, Imperial Century and Lunacy Distance) has slightly different rules for what constitutes a ride!

 

[ColinJ]

Yes - and you counted that as two rides, if I understood your post above correctly.

I did.

It did feel like 2 rides but it isn't obvious to me where the difference lies.

I returned home on one ride and swapped bikes because I had a puncture just down the road and decided to fix that in the warm and dry later rather than outside. I counted that as 1 ride even though I could perhaps have claimed 2.

I basically go on the notion of not declaring 1 ride as 2 (or even 3) just to avoid having to go out again.

 

[bluenotebob]

it isn't obvious to me where the difference lies.

As far as this challenge goes, I think it's largely subjective. We make up our own rules (as @annedonnelly said last year).

If I go out for a ride, come back home after 30 mins on the bike - have a drink, check emails or whatever - then go straight back out again on the same bike, then I count that as one ride.

If, however, I go out again on a different bike (as I'm prone to do), then I count that as two rides (as long as the second ride is also over 30 mins).

If I come home, change my clothes and go shopping for an hour, then go out again on the same bike as earlier, then it's two rides.

At the end of the day, it's all about getting out three times a week, for at least 30 mins each time. If you do two rides on one day and one the next, then that's enough ... but I'd like to think that in decent weather (remember that?), we're all capable of doing much more than just the basic minimum required in this challenge.

 

[ColinJ]

At the end of the day, it's all about getting out three times a week, for at least 30 mins each time. If you do two rides on one day and one the next, then that's enough ... but I'd like to think that in decent weather (remember that?), we're all capable of doing much more than just the basic minimum required in this challenge.

We actually have milder conditions here now. It is about 8 degrees C warmer than it was a few days ago. My mop bucket is now only 2/3 frozen!

I went out to get just 30 minutes in. There was mist in the valley but it started to lift and at one point I could almost see the sun! I ended up doing more than double what I had set out to do.

I need to get this week's rides done by Friday lunchtime because my sister is coming up for the weekend and it would be a bit rude to ignore her and go out cycling!

 

[annedonnelly]

We actually have milder conditions here now. It is about 8 degrees C warmer than it was a few days ago. My mop bucket is now only 2/3 frozen!

It's been like a spring day here. You might have noticed that I've opted out of the challenge recently. One of my rules is that you don't beat yourself up about not riding.

Good luck to everyone doing it this year. And well done for going the distance last year 👏

 

[FrothNinja]

Doing a slow riding challenge today as the weather is perfect for it.
The principle is to be out and about on a bike on a winters day and to feel warmed by the sun. You set yourself a distance (I am choosing 5 miles) and ride it as slowly as possible. Going with a friend would be better, but not possible today.
The ideal conditions are when it is frosty, sunny and still. I am hoping to take over an hour.
Apparently it is very good for mental discipline and health.
Suspect it could be harder than I think - wish me luck avoiding shade and impatience.

 

[bluenotebob]

The ideal conditions are when it is frosty, sunny and still. I am hoping to take over an hour.
Apparently it is very good for mental discipline and health.

Great idea !

I sometimes do something similar as a cool-down ride at the end of the day.

I would also suggest that it's a good opportunity to take lots of photos - perfect light and no rush.

Enjoy it !