Author Topic: Random audax questions  (Read 390975 times)

caerau

  • SR x 3 - PBP fail but 1090 km - hey - not too bad
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #400 on: 03 February, 2013, 12:16:52 pm »
Aha, wasn't really worried, more curious really.  Thanks :thumbsup:

This...


BRM events are important for qualifying for many continental events (such as PBP, where your SR needs to be BRM).



...however, is worth noting - not planning on PBP to be honest, but one never knows what one may do in the future.
It's a reverse Elvis thing.

Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #401 on: 03 February, 2013, 12:26:01 pm »
Aha, wasn't really worried, more curious really.  Thanks :thumbsup:

This...


BRM events are important for qualifying for many continental events (such as PBP, where your SR needs to be BRM).



...however, is worth noting - not planning on PBP to be honest, but one never knows what one may do in the future.

It can be a good idea to ride at least one BRM the year before PBP so you have the option of early registration if you do decide to enter it.

The minimum speed allowance is more generous on BP events which is a good thing for new audaxers and locals entering 100k's who worry about getting round in time.

caerau

  • SR x 3 - PBP fail but 1090 km - hey - not too bad
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #402 on: 03 February, 2013, 01:13:47 pm »
Yes I'd noticed that - personally I didn't bother going through the BP phase as I'd already gone well over that distance privately before deciding upon taking on the audax challenge.  Doesn't meant I won't do one mind as I'm sure I'll miss some very nice rides otherwise.
Mostly I'd noticed the BP times because it would be nice to take my parter with me on a ride occasionally and I think she could do a BP as the time allowance is very generous.  I was going to take her around the Bristol Bash next month until I saw how hilly it is - she'll never make it up Dundry hill at the moment, I get enough complaints when we go around the rolling Vale of Glamorgan!
It's a reverse Elvis thing.

marcusjb

  • Full of bon courage.
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #403 on: 03 February, 2013, 02:02:04 pm »
...however, is worth noting - not planning on PBP to be honest, but one never knows what one may do in the future.

See you in 2015.......

(you'll soon find out that virtually every ride leads to PBP - it's the one ride that you really can't escape from and you just have to ride it!)
Right! What's next?

Ooooh. That sounds like a daft idea.  I am in!

caerau

  • SR x 3 - PBP fail but 1090 km - hey - not too bad
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #404 on: 03 February, 2013, 03:03:35 pm »
I can't imagine me being capable of such a thing.  But of course, I couldn't imagine six months ago that I would ride 200 k...
It's a reverse Elvis thing.

marcusjb

  • Full of bon courage.
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #405 on: 03 February, 2013, 05:12:01 pm »
I can't imagine me being capable of such a thing.  But of course, I couldn't imagine six months ago that I would ride 200 k...

And now you're booked in for a 300......

Get the hang of that distance and you're ready for a 400.  Get the hang of 400 and you're ready for a 600.  Once you've done long days back to back on a 600, you're ready to tackle something like PBP.  It's all about taking away the lessons learnt as you step up each distance and applying them to the next distance. 

I'm not super fit or super fast and I started riding audax in the October before PBP.  Over winter, I had a plan I might try and ride a 300 in the summer (and I remember thinking that was an incredibly long way to ride in a day and being very unsure that I would be capable of it), anyway got sucked in and rode a 300 in the March of 2011 (The Dean - a great first 300!) and decided at around that point that PBP was a possibility.   

PBP is certainly one of the best things you can ever do on a bike.
Right! What's next?

Ooooh. That sounds like a daft idea.  I am in!

caerau

  • SR x 3 - PBP fail but 1090 km - hey - not too bad
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #406 on: 03 February, 2013, 05:22:37 pm »
Yes, it's definitely a slippery slope. This is all tremendously exciting stuff.  ;D Why did I not discover this cycling malarkey when I was proper young?  >:(
It's a reverse Elvis thing.

Trull

  • The settee will kill you
    • Aberdeen Astronomical Society
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #407 on: 05 February, 2013, 07:39:23 pm »
Does anyone know of any listed permanents that go through Dartmoor?
Do LeJOG as an arrow, simples.

Jonah

  • Audax Club Hackney
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #408 on: 05 February, 2013, 09:16:14 pm »
Does anyone know of any listed permanents that go through Dartmoor?
Do LeJOG as an arrow, simples.

Sea Lovers does

Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #409 on: 05 February, 2013, 10:56:12 pm »
Normally an audax route should not use the same stretch of road in the same direction twice.  Does this apply to ECE - it is not hard to imagine arriving at the start down the same road that the route finishes, or leaving to go home on the same road that the route starts on.

Manotea

  • Where there is doubt...
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #410 on: 05 February, 2013, 11:41:52 pm »
It's not unknown for 'figure 8' type events to repeat short stretches of road; the general injunction regarding traversing the same stretch of road twice is really to prevent events with 'laps (there and back is perfectly acceptable). That doesn't reflect your situation so I wouldn't worry about it.

12sprocket

  • Spin away
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #411 on: 30 March, 2013, 04:41:59 pm »
Weight - or lack of it..... should I worry ?

As a noob to all this Audax m'larky I'm starting to feel a little apprehensive about stamina and what its built on physically.

Having spent well over a decade decorating RTTC events with mid-field or worse performances up to 12hr, I concluded that I'm more a rouleur than a puncher/grimpeur.  All well and good, I enjoyed 100s and 12s, managing to finish all but a handful of those I started.  However, the many recent tales of epic derring-do that abound the yacf do seem to infer that grit and stamina are the "stuff" of a competent audaxer.

Grit, I can rationalise to the noggin and keep it there, but the stamina thing is starting to concern me somewhat, particularly when on flicking through the weight reports thread I see no-one (except Feline) is sub-65Kg.... I know I'm smallish (52cm frames, 5ft8") but is having a "slight" build (BMI 20.5) likely to cause me issues regarding finishing such taxing events?
Ride your dreams.... Ignore the hurt.... Fuel the engine....
Check that map....

Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #412 on: 30 March, 2013, 05:03:40 pm »
^ Just keep refuelling on the hoof surely? Crikey, if you're used to doing 12 hours I can't see the average audax being a problem. And if it's any consolation, at 60-64kg and 5'7" I'm even smaller than you. (Mind you, I don't do audax, so feel free to disregard this!)
'Something....something.... Something about racing bicycles, but really a profound metaphor about life itself.'  Tim Krabbé. Possibly

Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #413 on: 30 March, 2013, 05:14:12 pm »
I don't think you should view the weight loss discussion thread as being representative of anything but people who are trying to lose weight. I don't think they're all audaxers, and certainly not all audaxers are fat. If you have a BMI of less than 22 you don't need to lose weight, and wouldn't be posting on the thread.
Stamina, like every other aspect of cycling, can be improved with practise. I think it's called training.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #414 on: 30 March, 2013, 05:41:55 pm »
12s, you'll be fine. Even hard Audaxes are ridden at only 'spirited training pace'. The difficulty for newbies who come from the racing scene is not pushing it too hard, not eating enough or not being comfortable on the bike. Your 12 hour experience means you won't have too many troubles that way but gels, sports bars and goop in your bidons can pall after a day or so. Most folk shift to mainly real food on long brevets, often salty. Stomach upsets on exclusively sports foods can be a real problem.

Why are many Audaxers built heavily? Because the rides are a suitable challenge for folk who aren't racing snakes. Having lots of speed/ fitness changes the nature of brevets. Targeting specific finish times or events (ride only in daylight, spend lots of time at controls and repeatedly ride through the field, super-hilly, etc) can be a lot of fun.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

12sprocket

  • Spin away
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #415 on: 30 March, 2013, 05:54:18 pm »
That's reassuring, thanks Goldilocks, fboab and LittleWheels.... all makes good sense - I guess I really need to make the adjustment to proper "self-sufficiency" in my head as much as anywhere.... No nice turn marshals or support crew throwing bananas at me any more!

Thanks again   :thumbsup:
Ride your dreams.... Ignore the hurt.... Fuel the engine....
Check that map....

Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #416 on: 30 March, 2013, 06:05:08 pm »
Another vote in the don't worry camp. I'm 5'6 and 62kg and slow with it, keeping pedalling and eating everything in my path seems to be a successful approach so far (a number of 100ks, a couple 200s and a 300k to date).

The biggest trick is to minimise faffing at controls, it's amazing how quickly 20+mins can disappear on you.
Miles cycled 2014 = 3551.5 (Target 7300 :()
Miles cycled 2013 = 6141.4
Miles cycled 2012 = 4038.1

Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #417 on: 30 March, 2013, 11:42:14 pm »
Grit, I can rationalise to the noggin and keep it there, but the stamina thing is starting to concern me somewhat, particularly when on flicking through the weight reports thread I see no-one (except Feline) is sub-65Kg.... I know I'm smallish (52cm frames, 5ft8") but is having a "slight" build (BMI 20.5) likely to cause me issues regarding finishing such taxing events?

I'm also 5'8" and have quite fine bone structure so am pretty much the weight I'm meant to be. I'm no athlete, I'm a 42 year old mum with 2 teenage kids. I think 'stamina' is a combination of determination and practice. I must have acquired it to ride PBP, and if I can do it literally anyone can. I don't even have a fully functional set of lungs! When I decide to do something I generally commit to it fully and never give in though. I think that's what can get someone like me round Audaxes   ;D I'm sure with your background you will be fine  :thumbsup:

bikey-mikey

  • AUK 6372
  • Yes, I am completely mad ! a.k.a. 333
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #418 on: 31 March, 2013, 07:51:14 pm »
Weight - or lack of it..... should I worry ?

As a noob to all this Audax m'larky I'm starting to feel a little apprehensive about stamina and what its built on physically.

Having spent well over a decade decorating RTTC events with mid-field or worse performances up to 12hr, I concluded that I'm more a rouleur than a puncher/grimpeur.  All well and good, I enjoyed 100s and 12s, managing to finish all but a handful of those I started.  However, the many recent tales of epic derring-do that abound the yacf do seem to infer that grit and stamina are the "stuff" of a competent audaxer.

Grit, I can rationalise to the noggin and keep it there, but the stamina thing is starting to concern me somewhat, particularly when on flicking through the weight reports thread I see no-one (except Feline) is sub-65Kg.... I know I'm smallish (52cm frames, 5ft8") but is having a "slight" build (BMI 20.5) likely to cause me issues regarding finishing such taxing events?

A couple of years ago I was a newbie, recovering from a very bad accident and after 8 months wheelchair / crutches, with a knackered hip, I started audaxing...

I was around 64 kgs / 171 cms (5' 7") and soon very fast, avoiding stopping more than a couple of minutes at controls cos I struggled mentally with all the people and noise, and also from habit cos I had been a time trialist and my club never stopped for coffee or caik.  I was quite often first back, or thereabouts, which I now know wasn't what audax is all about, and I have learned to smell the roses and enjoy the company of my fellow riders....

Now I'm 60 kgs, & 171 cms, and I can ride all day on one bottle of hi five, and maybe three or four frusli bars, and sometimes less than that.

Just finished the Easter Arrow at around 420 kms in 24 hours, and in atrociously cold conditions, and though I did stop and eat when the others did, to be honest I didn't really need to, except of course the latte, which is my addiction !!!

I guess you would call me a racing snake, though at 60 (in a few months) I have probably shed more than a few skins, and I'm not quite so fast, but as for stamina     :thumbsup: ;D :thumbsup: ;D :thumbsup:

I don't think weight has an awful lot to do with how well you can audax, and it's more to do with your attitude and I'm proof that those of us of a lighter physique can have just as much stamina as anyone else....

Go for it 12-S
I’ve decided I’m not old. I’m 25 .....plus shipping and handling.

Cycling heatmap
https://www.strava.com/athletes/4628735/heatmaps/6ed5ab12#10/51.12782/-3.16388

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #419 on: 01 April, 2013, 11:14:37 am »
Can someone please explain:
If a point is awarded for every 100km, why don't 100km rides score anything?!?

Does AUK not recognise the achievements of riders on the shorter events? 100km is a very long distance for some :(

Surely this cannot be encouraging new riders into our sport.  :-\
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #420 on: 01 April, 2013, 12:00:19 pm »
.......However, the many recent tales of epic derring-do that abound the yacf do seem to infer that grit and stamina are the "stuff" of a competent audaxer........

What you must remember is that the tales of derring do are the exception rather than the rule.  Most events are just another (usually very pleasant) ride.  But they don't make for exciting reports.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #421 on: 01 April, 2013, 12:21:50 pm »
I don't if anyone still uses the "Enter by Post" option on the website, but ...

There are some fields to record your Emergency Contact Nos, and  a tickbox to save them. This is definitely not working for me [I can see that Firefox has remembered the text!].

It's the most minor of miniscule inconveniences, but I just wondered if it works for anyone else?
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Manotea

  • Where there is doubt...
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #422 on: 01 April, 2013, 12:44:17 pm »
I don't if anyone still uses the "Enter by Post" option on the website, but ...

There are some fields to record your Emergency Contact Nos, and  a tickbox to save them. This is definitely not working for me [I can see that Firefox has remembered the text!].

It's the most minor of miniscule inconveniences, but I just wondered if it works for anyone else?

Not for me. I have a Emergency contact defined - offhand I cannot remember how it got there, though I assume it was via this form sometime back - which suggests the contents entered is saved to the database and is also written to the hardcopy form displayed subsequently, so the issue is not of saving the content but checking to display the content. Taking this further, if there is an emergency contact previously defined, the entrant should be invited to confirm it is still correct and current/applicable to the current event. That can be covered off by displaying the content and amending the wording on the form.  Minor stuff though

arabella

  • عربللا
  • onwendeð wyrda gesceaft weoruld under heofonum
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #423 on: 01 April, 2013, 12:48:07 pm »
Grit, I can rationalise to the noggin and keep it there, but the stamina thing is starting to concern me somewhat, particularly when on flicking through the weight reports thread I see no-one (except Feline) is sub-65Kg.... I know I'm smallish (52cm frames, 5ft8") but is having a "slight" build (BMI 20.5) likely to cause me issues regarding finishing such taxing events?
Another sub-65kg (49cm frame). 
The weight reports thread is for weight loss, so there won't be so lightweights on it.  I think my BMI was nearer 19 when I started audaxing, but the caik soon fixed it.
Any fool can admire a mountain.  It takes real discernment to appreciate the fens.

jogler

  • mojo operandi
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #424 on: 01 April, 2013, 12:50:52 pm »
I don't if anyone still uses the "Enter by Post" option on the website, but ...

I do

but I just wondered if it works for anyone else?

yes it does