First Audax- it has to be done, please recommend one

[Tewdric]

I'm with Blacksheep. 

Peter M gave me some very good advice when I rode my first BC with him in about 2004. 

1.  Never ride so quickly that your legs hurt.

2.  Only think as far ahead as the next control.  Better still, don't think about anything at all.

If you add "keep eating and drinking" to the above, I think you can carry on for much longer than you think you can.

For my first few long rides I sang "just keep pedalling" to myself during low points, to the tune of "just keep swimming" from Finding Nemo.  Not out loud though.....

[Wowbagger]

Trips to see friends or family will become an excuse to squeeze in a DIY 200 or even DIY 300...

I need to pick up an eBay purchase from Eastleigh and have sorted out a spiffing 200km route down from London, taking a looping long cut through the New Forest to make up the distance. The only problem is that the item is too heavy to bike home and I'm gagging at the £25 train fare.

You could easily turn it into an early season 600. Cycle to Southend, borrow my trailer, cycle to Eastleigh, cycle home, bring the trailer back to Southend, cycle home. In fact, that's not far off 1000. Come on man! No slacking now!

[phil d]

Oh dear, oh dear.  I'm only a lightweight AUK (rarely going over 200km) but Hummers's post on page one rang so many bells it's frightening!  I suspect quite a few of us here were brought up short thinking yes, it's supposed to be a humerous post, but.....

There's no particular magic about an audax ride, or a sportive or a CTC reliability ride.  Don't choose a ride for what it is, but because you want to do it.  No point doing it if it's just to tick another box, because then there is a danger it becomes a chore.  And then it won't be enjoyable.

As it happens, Kennet Valley Run was my first 200, back in 2003.  Not a bad first 200.  But Taste of the Test in May gives more daylight, and is a delightful route.

[vorsprung]

Mr Hummers words of wisdom are quite right

In my first year of audaxing I did a 200 in April and a 300 in June.  On the 200 I wasn't paying attention due to chatting and I ran into a wall, bending the forks.
On the 300 I was attacked by a buzzard.  Mrs.  Vorsprung was quite surprised to find that I was going to enter another 300 the next month.  "I thought you'd got it out of your system".  Er no.

So I did the next 300.  About 50km in I suffered a strange affliction in the knee.  I think it was from jumping over a gate to do a pee followed by cycling down the coast road to Zennor.  Anyway by the time I reached the 100km mark at Lands End I was pretty much in agony.  My knee felt like there was someone going at it with power tools. Did I mention it was raining heavily?  Anyway about midnight, following a 50 yr old bloke so I could see by his lights (hi mr wetherill)  I finished in Bodmin

It took a month or two for my knee to recover.  Well it actually took 12 months for the pain to disappear completely but by October it just ached a bit.  So I entered the "Tasty Cheddar" 100km ride in Bristol.  Just to make it a bit more fun, I got the train up to Bristol from Devon and then rode back.  There was rain and a brisk head wind.  My brighter light packed up after 30 minutes so I was riding by the light of a tiny led. I punctured about 5 miles from my house, fixed it and got home about 9pm
I was surprised at the end of this trip from Bristol to be thinking "That was fun, I must do that again"

[Gandalf]

This is a very scary, though inspiring  thread    Hummers is without doubt a comic genius. 

I suspect there is some truth in it though, having been out on two consecutive Saturdays I'm feeling the wrath of SWMBO big time.  Were I to attempt another all- dayer this week I'd get the John Wayne Bobbit treatment for sure.

She has already started trotting out her ' I remember when we used to have a garden'  line.  I think the key will be to manage my time better, be less fussy with my spring pruning (serves me right for having 50 varieties of clematis) and do some serious plea bargaining.  I might even have to take drastic action, like giving up booze for Lent or something 

I did tentatively mention the Dun Run to which she replied 'well I haven't booked the holiday yet so you're going to be f****d'  Oh dear    I quite fancy the Dun Run for its nuttier than squirrel heaven appeal.

You've got to laugh though.