My audax goals for 2010 are... well, first and foremost to do some audaxes, which will be an improvement on last year, when I did none. Beyond that, if the early season goes well, I'll aim for an SR, with a view to entering PBP next year.
Achieved the first part of that goal, but didn't get the SR - I entered two 400s and a 600 and didn't manage to start any of them.
Despite my lack of condition, I reckon I could manage a 200 tomorrow at a push...
This misguided belief is part of the reason for my failure to achieve all my goals - after not having done a long ride (ie >50 miles) for well over a year, I found it much harder than I expected to get back into it. Although, to be fair, my reintroduction to audaxing was the Upper Tea 200 back in frozen March, which would have been tough going even if I'd been fully fit - plus I made it even harder for myself by making it my first audax on fixed. And by not having adequate lights.
OK, having perused the calendar, here's my shortlist of rides for 2010:
7 March Upper Tea 200
14 March Invicta Grimpeur 100
28 March Man of Kent 200
10 April Invicta 300
24 April Severn Across 400 Chalfont or 2 May Wu'ze 400
9 May Hop Garden 200
30 May Crown 100
5 June Invicta 600
27 June Fairies 300 Bethersden
3 July Kent Corners 200
15 August Tour of the Hills 110
5 Sept New Forest On & Offshore 200
2 Oct Upper Tea 200 or 9 Oct Anfractuous 200
16 Oct Mid Sussex Hilly/Hillier 100
What I actually entered/rode:
7 March Upper Tea 200
14 March Invicta Grimpeur 100
28 March Man of Kent 200
10 April Invicta 300
2 May Wu'ze 400 DNS
9 May Hop Garden 200
15 May Invicta 400 DNS
5 June Invicta 600 DNS
27 June Fairies 300 Bethersden
3 July Kent Corners 200
5 Sept New Forest On & Offshore 200
I'm pretty pleased with that for a comeback year, though disappointed I didn't get the SR. Unfortunately, all the calendar 400s and 600s I could have easily travelled to came too soon for me. Plus life and other stuff got in the way of a few I was hoping to do. Entering the Wuze 400 was definitely a case of biting off more than I could chew. Should have entered the Severn Across instead.
Also very pleased that I did most of them on fixed. The only ones I didn't do on fixed were the Invicta Grimpeur and 300 (both too lumpy - though I might do the 300 on fixed next time), and the Kent Corners 200, which I just fancied doing as a fast ride.
d.
