audax uk newbie, pbp dreamer, yacf firstpost!

[Wobbly]

Ha! And the 'q' and 'g' are pretty far apart on my keyboard! 

[LEE]

PBP? Make sure your bike/setup is extremely comfortable then just keep pedalling.

Everything else you will learn between now and August but, if you have even a slight comfort "niggle", it most definitely won't be improved by cycling further.

Get comfy....See you there.

[LMT]

Does anybody know if the ACP have come to a decision yet regarding moving the date forward/back?

I've had a look and cannot find anything.

[Bikeabilityman]

Hi Mick

I'd done club rides of around 100-150k, and a few sportives of just under 200. Then I entered LEL 2013. My friend asked why I hadn't joined Audax (I had planned on paying the extra £2 per ride, as a CTC member, to do some longer ones for training), so I signed up (5 years for 4) in March 2013, and did a 200. Did a 300 a fortnight after that, a 200 a week later, then a 600 (part DIY) three weeks after that. By the start of LEL I had done over 3000k of Audaxes in under 5 months (a pittance compared with the achievements of a lot of the others). Now into my third season, with more badges and medals to aim for!

Take it easy, and you'll find as long as you refuel, have the right kit, and sleep when you need it, you can do any distance. There is plenty of scenery on an Audax to be enjoyed!

[hellymedic]

PBP? Make sure your bike/setup is extremely comfortable then just keep pedalling.

Everything else you will learn between now and August but, if you have even a slight comfort "niggle", it most definitely won't be improved by cycling further.

Get comfy....See you there.

Absolutely (though I have NOT done PBP.)

Attend to every minor discomfort before it becomes a major pain...

[jamesld8]

Your brain will recalibrate what 'long distance' is, in time. A 300 or 400 will not seem long, believe it or not.

That.

+1 
I started back on Audaxes last year-2013; did a 100 then a 300, then 400 rather randomly. 400 was a long way then. This year I`ve planned much better, such that now a 100 ride perm / calendar can be `just a short half day`; 200 is perfectly feasible, 300 well I`ve just ridden them... indeed OH was rather taken aback when after Rough Diamond 300 I told her `it was quite easy really` !!

So as all posts above indicate a huge amount (injuries notwithstanding) is a mind game and what may seem impossible can become reality. AND a real plus side I`ve found is that recognition and knowledge of the mental determination gained from Audaxey stuff can transfer across   to civvy life too  (sometimes !)

[hellymedic]

Just do it!
Keep pedalling

Keep eating
Keep drinking
Keep comfortable
Keep going
Enjoy!!!???

You can do it!

[alotronic]

Welcome Mick. You kinda have to at least try now 

Keep up the comutte in filthy stinky weather, it's good for you. Inside the house in the morning and in your head you think it's just awful out there and impossible and you really wish you didn't have to. Then you get out there and actually once you warm up it's ok and you can manage if you have the gear and the mindset. Maybe you even start to secretly enjoy the really bad weather commutes...

Audax is like that, just longer.

[jsabine]

Does anybody know if the ACP have come to a decision yet regarding moving the date forward/back?

I've had a look and cannot find anything.

Likely to be end of the month before we find out anything, AFAICT from the posts on the French forum which someone kindly quoted here a day or two back.

[pistol13]

Absolutely overwhelmed with the response from you folk on here. Canny staggered at the wealth of information and advice and offers for rides etc. Feel quite humbled! Cheers everyone 

[sojournermike]

Oh heck. I thought/hoped I'd missed the entry and qualifying date. Now I understand it was only the pre-entry riding that has gone and it's still possible. Plus we're aiming to be in France around that time.

Better give it some thought.

Thanks Pistol13

[jsabine]

^Gordon's a lovely guy - only met him once, but riding most of the first day of the Mile Failte in his company was a pleasure.

[Wobbly]

I fully expect us to have <25 riders lining up in Paris for PBP

Less than 25 riders? Interest must be waning up there Andy.

 

[MAC]

Hi and welcome

I started Audax 2 yrs ago with the dream of LEL last year. I built up to it, changed/adapted kit, got a more suitable bike, rode a few 200s and a 400, DNFd a 600 (but learnt a lot along the way), completed LEL then did a 300 before the end of the season to make an SR. It's all achievable with some work and general good health. You'll learn a lot about yourself and have some great memories.

I'm going to be up at Morpeth from 30 December for a few days. I'll have my audax bike if you want to meet up for a short ride?

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Lots of sound advice above.  Up to about 300km the legs are often the limiting factor.  Once you have a 300km under your belt then your legs can pretty much do any distance, the limiting factors will be the head and the gut.  The head will tell you it can't go any further, and you have to train your mind to keep going when you feel rough.  A few lucky people can eat anything on a ride, but most people have to learn what foods work and what don't.  It took me quite a few long rides to learn that - and its not something that can be easily done on a shorter training ride.

[Bianchi Boy]

I would buy a Garmin (eTrex my preference) and start to enjoy exploring. You live in a great place and can choose flat rides or hilly as suites the mood. You can cycle down to Filey and have very few hills or do a straight line across the moors and make it a real challenge! PBP is not very hilly and you will achieve nothing by giving yourself a bad time because you cannot ride all the hard local climbs. Find cruising routes with food stops on the way.

BB