Author Topic: Preparations v. previous occasions  (Read 2335 times)

bairn again

Preparations v. previous occasions
« on: 29 July, 2019, 09:37:41 am »
last night I did a comparison with my points total "immediately pre PBP" as a hugely crude and broad brush measure of relative preparedness. 

2019 : 34 pts
2015 : 27 pts
2011 : 48 pts
2007 : 46 pts
 
Conclusion : I might be a bit better prepared than in 2015 but not as enthusiastic as I was in 2007 or 2011.  I'm surprised how few audax kms I did in 2015. 

(and yes I know there will be folk currently on 15 points who will go round PBP in 60 hrs and big points scorers who will be thrilled with 89.xx). 

frankly frankie

  • I kid you not
    • Fuchsiaphile
Re: Preparations v. previous occasions
« Reply #1 on: 29 July, 2019, 10:13:13 am »
Thinking back a long way, 25-30 points would seem about the mark, for what I did.  Typically -
An SR series.
2 more early 200s.
2 x 200s and another 400 between qualification and PBP.
= 27 points.

The main difference back in the '80s was that there was no winter activity at all - no 200s between about October 10th and Feb 10th and no such thing as RRtY.
That said, before the 1991 edition I did ride 5x 600s on consecutive weekends - that was fun - but then a rather unsatisfactory PBP (expectation too high).
when you're dead you're done, so let the good times roll

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Preparations v. previous occasions
« Reply #2 on: 29 July, 2019, 10:24:57 am »
I collected around 35-50 points before the last five PBPs, though some of those years I was living in the southern hemisphere and some included long overseas brevets during the British winter. This year is low 40s so far. An average PBP year for me,  I guess.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

zigzag

  • unfuckwithable
Re: Preparations v. previous occasions
« Reply #3 on: 29 July, 2019, 10:36:42 am »
my points are around 20 which is not really an indicator; total mileage this year before pbp will be ~12,000km which is in line with what i am riding every year recently (20-26k km)

vorsprung

  • Opposites Attract
    • Audaxing
Re: Preparations v. previous occasions
« Reply #4 on: 29 July, 2019, 02:28:51 pm »
this time 27 points

2007 23 points
2011  15 points <=== yes, just an SR

And I went like a bomb in 2011!


Zed43

  • prefers UK hills over Dutch mountains
Re: Preparations v. previous occasions
« Reply #5 on: 29 July, 2019, 03:37:00 pm »
Just curious, over how many months  "immediately pre PBP"  are these points?

bairn again

Re: Preparations v. previous occasions
« Reply #6 on: 29 July, 2019, 11:14:28 pm »
Just curious, over how many months  "immediately pre PBP"  are these points?

Full season to PBP Start day - 1.  (in 2007 the season I think started 1 Nov and then became 1 Oct but not sure when). 

Re: Preparations v. previous occasions
« Reply #7 on: 29 July, 2019, 11:32:42 pm »
38 this year , 19 in 2015 and 26 in 2011.
Was under 80 hours in 11 and struggled in 15 but still well within time.
This year is similar to 2017 when I did the Border Raid just 2 weeks before LEL- did it last weekend.
Just gone past 5000 miles since January 1st. which was my target to achieve before PBP.

Wycombewheeler

  • PBP-2019 LEL-2022
Re: Preparations v. previous occasions
« Reply #8 on: 30 July, 2019, 09:44:05 am »
I think I'm at 43 points and am approaching 8000km total ridden this calendar year.

No previous attempts to compare to but feeling it is enough. Just need one more brevet in august to keep my double rrty series going, not sure if it should be a 200 or a 300

Eddington  127miles, 170km

rob

Re: Preparations v. previous occasions
« Reply #9 on: 30 July, 2019, 09:53:31 am »
7,400 miles so far this year.   Not ridden an audax since 1st June but I've filled the gaps with some other stuff.

I suspect I'm ahead of where I was in 2015 when I did my fastest ride, but I don't have any lofty ambitions.   Any time buffer will be used for a bit extra sleep.

Re: Preparations v. previous occasions
« Reply #10 on: 30 July, 2019, 10:02:59 am »
I've ridden 6100 miles since Jan 1st, including 2 x SR series. Increasing distances each month. Tailed off in july to 700 miles. That seems broadly in line with others.

Is this enough? Probably. Does it reduce the uncertainty? Probably not. But then uncertainty is inevitable, right?

TOBY

  • hello
Re: Preparations v. previous occasions
« Reply #11 on: 30 July, 2019, 10:40:14 am »
Jan-Jul previous:

Year/ Points /Distance
2011
59
6052km
2015
39
6495km
2019
31
3513km

Maybe I shouldn't bother turning up  :-\

bairn again

Re: Preparations v. previous occasions
« Reply #12 on: 30 July, 2019, 11:53:14 am »
Jan-Jul previous:

Year/ Points /Distance
2011
59
6052km
2015
39
6495km
2019
31
3513km

Maybe I shouldn't bother turning up  :-\

that made me chuckle.  glad its not just me!

Alex B

  • Headwind specialist
    • Where is there an end of it?
Re: Preparations v. previous occasions
« Reply #13 on: 30 July, 2019, 12:22:59 pm »
I just did an SR series and 2 extra 200s this season - I've come to think that with a basic level of conditioning and aerobic fitness, audaxes (for me anyway) are a kind of de-training as they pile on fatigue without much training benefit, and the recovery needed robs time from more productive training that could have been done instead. I did quite a lot of distance (9,000km) before LEL and don't think it stood me in particularly good stead - I wanted to be quicker.

I have 7,500km this year since Jan, but what's different this season is I've been more consistently on the turbo (85 hours) ... according to veloviewer I've had more time "in the red" than in any preceding year. Being on the turbo more in winter has also helped me avoid a crash on ice - something which put a crimp in a couple of previous seasons.

I also did a Raid Pyrénéen (plug: write-up here) last month, partly as PBP-prep. As a Cambridge-based flatlander I though I needed some verticality in the legs, in readiness for the PBP rolling terrain.

As a PBP newbie, I'll be interested to see how this all works out!

Re: Preparations v. previous occasions
« Reply #14 on: 30 July, 2019, 09:04:11 pm »
You'll be fine.

Re: Preparations v. previous occasions
« Reply #15 on: 30 July, 2019, 09:24:44 pm »
I also did a Raid Pyrénéen (plug: write-up here) last month, partly as PBP-prep. As a Cambridge-based flatlander I though I needed some verticality in the legs, in readiness for the PBP rolling terrain.

Excellent write-up, very enjoyable. I was there the week before you, but self-supported and routed (lower temperatures, but also more low cloud than you had by the look of things). Interesting that Marmot send you on a more Northern route than the traditional Puymerons and Peche at the Eastern end.

You won't find anything like the Raid on PBP! Most of the hills are 4-6%, increasing to 7-8% in Brittany. You should find PBP a fair bit easier, provided you are happy with less sleep.

Re: Preparations v. previous occasions
« Reply #16 on: 30 July, 2019, 11:10:19 pm »
1987 63 points including 3 x SR series and 73:25 End to End. Came off on wet descent after 40 miles of PBP, bent frame, forks, crank and bottom bracket spindle. Had to pack with painful, swollen knee at 455km.

1991 24 points before PBP in 69:28

1995 71 points, all from calendar events between March and June (Lots of doubles) but injured back and did nothing until PBP. Back clunked back into position as I took first pedal stroke of PBP and I finished in 64:50

1999 84 points before PBP in 65:54

2003 21 points before PBP in 66:52 (Now married with a daughter who was teething at home whilst I was in France!)

2007 25 points before PBP in 68:32 (Now with two daughters camping with mum at Huttopia, Rambouillet in the rain whilst I was cycling)

2011 23 points before PBP in 69:46

2015 65 points before PBP in 61:29 (First time in 84 hour group)

2019 89 points so far including 3 qualifying series and possibly another 5 points before PBP. 7500km since 1st January in just 30 bike rides. Never got round to any speed training or turbo training but tried to get some training value out of Audax rides especially nonstop DIY 200s. Hopefully starting PBP in 84 hour Group Z again.