Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Audax => Topic started by: Phil W on 29 December, 2019, 08:26:13 pm
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Who is riding this next Saturday?
Ridden this twice, 17 and 18. Once on road bike, once on recumbent. Will be recumbent again, but this time on my new one. Legs still adapting back to recumbent, so expecting a full value outing. My glutes are still aching from this morning's outing.
My second 200 in two weeks after a few months break from Audax.
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HK and I are in. We’ve DNSed a couple of times in the past few years when the weather is too discouraging but it looks promising this year.
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Yes, I'm in and looks like there'll be another 3 or so from the Tring area.
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Did it last year - it's a good ride but there will be a hilly sting in the tail this year, that's for sure.
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Did it last year - it's a good ride but there will be a hilly sting in the tail this year, that's for sure.
Yes ramps up after Cirencester. Can’t remember if it eases after Chipping Campden but I think the steeper grades are out the way for the last 50km. Anyway it’s the same direction as 2018 when I rode it on my first recumbent. This time I’ll try and avoid a snakebite puncture from crashing through a pothole an hour away from the finish.
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The nastiness is pretty much over by Chipping Campden when the tail win kicks in.There are a couple of digs around Batsford and Moreton in the Marsh but nothing to worry about too much
I think a proper sting in the tail would include multiple nasty digs in the last 15km... As I recall the last 25km are quite fast and mostly downhill.
It's looking like it might be a nice day out...
(May have a revised opinion if asked on Saturday night)
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Who is riding this next Saturday?
All being well, I'll be there for a potter down memory lane. Used to ride to 6th form at Chipping Campden from Moreton-in-Marsh. The hill out of Draycott on the way back is a swine.
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Who is riding this next Saturday?
All being well, I'll be there for a potter down memory lane. Used to ride to 6th form at Chipping Campden from Moreton-in-Marsh. The hill out of Draycott on the way back is a swine.
Loaded route into my OS 1:50,000 mapping. You're right, there is a chevron on that hill just as you reach the main woodland on the left, which means 14-20%, but after that the gradients look ok. Got up it on the recumbent in 2018, will just have to make sure the legs are preserved / still working at that point.
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I am in this and also Mark’s one and will decide which one to do in the day ....
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Bit confused got routing for it and seems to start in Oxford CC
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I reckon that's for the Perm version.
Mass start is usually Peartree P&R, in the very north of Ox.
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Bit confused got routing for it and seems to start in Oxford CC
Use the tracks supplied by Pat, in his email, they start from the Park and Ride
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Mr W and I are in. Cotswold Clarion CC nothing ventured, a lot to gain!
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Weather is looking good.
First time going clockwise
Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk
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I am in this and also Mark’s one and will decide which one to do in the day ....
You're fortunate AUK doesn't follow the BC/CTT rule whereby you get banned for doing that :demon:
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Living in Malmesbury, this is one of my favourite perms. I haven't ridden the calendar event though since 2015. It's always good once the Abdale Alps are out of the way.
See you in the morning SCC.
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I am in this and also Mark’s one and will decide which one to do in the day ....
You're fortunate AUK doesn't follow the BC/CTT rule whereby you get banned for doing that :demon:
Still not decided !
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I am in this and also Mark’s one and will decide which one to do in the day ....
You're fortunate AUK doesn't follow the BC/CTT rule whereby you get banned for doing that :demon:
Still not decided !
Why not ride one on Saturday and then the other on Sunday Ian?
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Ah the wife !!!
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I am in this and also Mark’s one and will decide which one to do in the day ....
You're fortunate AUK doesn't follow the BC/CTT rule whereby you get banned for doing that :demon:
There is good reason for the CTT rule. The same reason would apply to 2 AUK events IFF they both sold out.
(I don't know what Orgs think of riders entering with a maximum of 50% chance of starting the event, I expect it would vary ... )
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I found some earphones on the audax today, lying in the road, so if you've lost some today get in contact with me.
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(I don't know what Orgs think of riders entering with a maximum of 50% chance of starting the event, I expect it would vary ... )
If they let me know ahead of time that they won't show up, it's like someone handing me a tenner in return for nothing...
If they don't, then it might be mildly disappointing having to waste food...
Either way, no hard feelings...
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HK and I rolled round quite comfortably, despite my discovering a slow leak upon leaving the penultimate control and having to catch HK afterwards. No walking for me this time, unlike on fixed a couple of years ago. A few more steady rides and then I'll be able to up the intensity when the air warms up a bit more.
That racks up RRtY10 for me and another RRtY for HK.
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After feeling wrecked at end of Santa special two weeks ago I was concerned not to have a repeat. I’d started fast, than faded away after the first control.
I don’t normally ride with HR on audaxes but decided to try it this time for better pacing. My etrex doesn’t do HR but my old Edge 500 does. The latter is useless for long distance nav but good if just showing data fields. So I mounted my Edge 500 and set it just to show HR. I set alarms to trigger at 120 bpm and 140 bpm. At 120 bpm I’d up my effort and 140bpm I’d back off. It was illuminating as it showed how hard I set off with 153bpm seen on some of the early gentle rises.
Settled in with a group of three woman and the pacing and conversation was excellent. This took me most of the way to Malmesbury. At Malmesbury I felt fine, not too hungry, and keen to keep the momentum, so stopped at the Garage to top up water and get some snacks to eat. They also had a convenient toilet.
I remember slowing to a crawl up the hill out of Cirencester on my first recumbent in 2018. I was pleasantly surprised to find the hill very gentle on my new recumbent and kept a decent pace up it.
Further on I noticed I’d started to breath harder but my HR was stuck around 122 bpm. I took this to mean I was heading towards a bonk. So I stopped and had some further snacks. This did the trick and energy levels were back up, breathing down, and HR more dynamic again.
Twinging my left leg slowed me down and I had to nurse the uphills through the Cotswolds putting most of the power through my right leg. But with mtn bike gearing this wasn’t a problem. The sun had come out, and all was well with the world. I took my gloves off as it felt quite warm.
Chipping Campden I stopped with many others at Emma’s coffee shop. There was a bit of a queue and I wondered if I’d made a mistake. But service was fast. I ordered a sausage roll and hot chocolate. Then when finished ordered a second sausage roll. I also massaged my left leg a little to see if it helped. Another toilet visit and it was freezing stood out in the corridor.
I knew there was a 15% hill out of Draycott then the steep hills were out the way. I caught Peter just before Draycott and we set off up the hill together. But I left him behind and think he may have even stopped on the hill.
My left leg was feeling better and I got a second wind which meant I was now bundling along on the flat at a goodly speed and tackling the rises in the big ring. I overlapped again with the trike rider on this section. I got to the finish first but he wasn’t far behind. Diesel was there and we had a chat before he set off on his remaining 50km ECE.
Chatted some more with the Trike rider, and also Peter when he turned up, then it was time to head home. Quick chat with the three woman, from the morning group riding, who had now turned up. Then home.
My second 200 on the new recumbent went well. Pacing was much better using the HR, and I managed my drinking and eating much better. Felt great at finish. An hour faster than Santa Special and 1.5 times the climbing. Very pleased with second outing. Legs still need more adaption and strength work but that’ll come. After all, it’s only five weeks since I built my new recumbent.
Oh and got the new recumbent up every Cotswold hill quite comfortably with no danger of walking. Two years ago on old recumbent I walked a few of the uphills.
An excellent day out.
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I caught Peter just before Draycott and we set off up the hill together. But I left him behind and think he may have even stopped on the hill.
I didn't stop on the 15% hill, but I did take it unfeasibly slowly!
Great ride, although the hills after Cirencester were a bit of a shock to the system.
Perfect weather for a winter ride, not too cold, no ice or frost to contend with, and even some sunshine in the afternoon.
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A few pics from the ride.........
Buzzards on a pole after Malmesbury:
(http://c8h10n4o2.org/audax/rrty19/fullsize/buzzards.jpg)
View over Compton Abdale (and the climb out the other side):
(http://c8h10n4o2.org/audax/rrty19/fullsize/compton4.jpg)
Salperton Park in the afternoon sunshine:
(http://c8h10n4o2.org/audax/rrty19/fullsize/salperton1.jpg)
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I saw a Red Kite picking at a (looked fairly fresh) dead rabbit not very far ahead of me up the road. But I’d forgotten to bring my Polaroid cube which hangs on a pendant round neck. So no photos, but a wonderful close up view from the recumbent, before it realised I was approaching and took off.
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I spotted a few odd looking characters in hi-viz and alike cycling in the opposite direction to me, no doubt heading to the January Sales.
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I did spot a red kite too, somewhere on the first stage I think, but I was a bit too slow on the uptake to get a picture.
Now you mention it, I did notice on a few separate occasions, what looked like audax riders coming towards me. At first I thought someone must have left something behind at the control, but that explanation wore a bit thin after a few times!
Near the end. in the dark, I looked behind and saw what looked like a bike headlight gaining on me. But then when I looked again 30 seconds later it had vanished. This happened a few times. Either a very stop-start rider, or some sort of spooky apparition!
Pete
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I spotted about 15 or 16 Red Kites in the air on that second leg but just the one on the ground. But that’s just an advantage / result of the head up position.
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Near the end. in the dark, I looked behind and saw what looked like a bike headlight gaining on me. But then when I looked again 30 seconds later it had vanished. This happened a few times. Either a very stop-start rider, or some sort of spooky apparition!
Pete
I had that as well looking in my mirrors, but I just think it was lights from farms that went out of view then came back in as I rolled through the terrain.
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VERY jealous of the fab weather you folks got!
(If you want to REALLY piss me off, just talk about the distinctive "triangular" tails of the Kites :facepalm: ! )