Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Audax => Topic started by: Bobby on 30 September, 2018, 10:44:22 pm
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Both my kids have expressed interest in joining me on an Audax event (they have heard about the cake...) 100km is a long way, but 50 would be ideal.
Is it just me, or do we have less 50k events in the calendar than i’ve seen in previous years?
Any recommend events to start the kids off with (in the south)?
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Tomsk does an Essex 50, doesn't he?
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On Sunday October 28th I’m running the Petworth End of Summer Time 50.
It is the first year of running and was introduced to cater for newbies and allow partners to ride while waiting for their other half’s doing the 100 or 200
Anton
https://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/18-404/ (https://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/18-404/)
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We used to organize 20, 30 & 50k events exclusively for kids, riding in a pack with adult road captains, a cakeful control at halfway and medals for all at the finish.
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There is the Stevenage Emmitremus (Summertime backwards) on 28th October. There is a 67km version. Controls at Hare Street and Therfield. Possibly Info at Weston. Both offer sandwiches, cakes, and hot drinks. The latter a village hall run by the WI. No longer audaxes but run in a similar style and lots of riders of different abilities.
http://stevenagectc.org.uk/emitremmus.php
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Tomsk does an Essex 50, doesn't he?
Woodman's daughter; 13th April next year...http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/19-416/
"Beginner/young person friendly route with a generous time allowance of 6 hours & an 8.3kph minimum speed. After rain the off-road routes can be muddy but all except the grass track in Hatfield Forest have firm gravel beneath. Route recommendations will be made on the day following last-minute checks. There will also be a back street route through Dunmow from Churchend, that avoids main roads to take you to the Flitch Way. Refreshments at the start and a cream tea at the finish included in the entry fee."
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A million years ago I got my 12 year old son out on a 50k - his interest waned after the cake stop and he hardly rode again. I was gutted.
Fast forward 15 years and he's obsessed with cycling and rides everywhere. I dare not ask him out for a ride as he'd have a miserable time waiting for me at every corner.
L
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I could throw a 50 km in the mix, to pair to my 200 in the Midlands. The idea would be an afternoon ride, so the time back more or less matches that of the 200... being summer there shouldn't be a need for lights... start at 1-2 PM, finish by 7-8 PM or something like that. Just need to see how busy the 200 gets... I might not have capacity.
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Thanks all.
A million years ago I got my 12 year old son out on a 50k - his interest waned after the cake stop and he hardly rode again. I was gutted.
I think this is good reason for me to not attempt one this year now - weather can turn, can be cold, may well just turn them off from the whole idea... they both like MTBs, so I'll probably do a few shorter muddy events this year instead.
Woodman's daughter; 13th April next year...http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/19-416/
"Beginner/young person friendly route with a generous time allowance of 6 hours & an 8.3kph minimum speed. After rain the off-road routes can be muddy but all except the grass track in Hatfield Forest have firm gravel beneath. Route recommendations will be made on the day following last-minute checks. There will also be a back street route through Dunmow from Churchend, that avoids main roads to take you to the Flitch Way. Refreshments at the start and a cream tea at the finish included in the entry fee."
That looks perfect, but we're away that weekend :(
@Phil & @Anton,
I'll keep your ideas for next year (hope it runs again), when we will hopefully have more confidence to try the colder weather!
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Two Mills Twirl---27 April 2019
Momma's Leafy Lanes---14 Sept 2019
Both ideal.
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Thanks all.
A million years ago I got my 12 year old son out on a 50k - his interest waned after the cake stop and he hardly rode again. I was gutted.
I think this is good reason for me to not attempt one this year now - weather can turn, can be cold, may well just turn them off from the whole idea... they both like MTBs, so I'll probably do a few shorter muddy events this year instead.
Woodman's daughter; 13th April next year...http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/19-416/
"Beginner/young person friendly route with a generous time allowance of 6 hours & an 8.3kph minimum speed. After rain the off-road routes can be muddy but all except the grass track in Hatfield Forest have firm gravel beneath. Route recommendations will be made on the day following last-minute checks. There will also be a back street route through Dunmow from Churchend, that avoids main roads to take you to the Flitch Way. Refreshments at the start and a cream tea at the finish included in the entry fee."
That looks perfect, but we're away that weekend :(
@Phil & @Anton,
I'll keep your ideas for next year (hope it runs again), when we will hopefully have more confidence to try the colder weather!
The Petworth Start of Summer Time 50 is already in the Calendar for March 31st 2019 http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/19-404/ but need to think how to make more child friendly at the end when the A272 is used back into Petworth.
Anton
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Tomsk does an Essex 50, doesn't he?
Woodman's daughter; 13th April next year...http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/19-416/
"Beginner/young person friendly route with a generous time allowance of 6 hours & an 8.3kph minimum speed. After rain the off-road routes can be muddy but all except the grass track in Hatfield Forest have firm gravel beneath. Route recommendations will be made on the day following last-minute checks. There will also be a back street route through Dunmow from Churchend, that avoids main roads to take you to the Flitch Way. Refreshments at the start and a cream tea at the finish included in the entry fee."
:thumbsup: And I have a cunning plan for a 100/50km combo in October next year to mark my 10 years as an organiser. Dick Turpin themed, fancy-dress optional, pub start and finish, pub control half-way. Aimed squarely at the ACME Beer Drinkers with a Cycling Problem. ;D You heard it here first.
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I run a 50K from Maidenhead on June 29th, the Locked and Boulted, which is very suitable for 8+ with a responsible adult. Not yet in the calendar. A medal for each U-14 finishing. I got a lovely email after this year's from a Dad of an 8 year old "xxxx was so pleased with his medal he stuck it on his school bag".
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I took my daughter on a 50k audax on my tandem a couple of years ago. She asked at school if she could present this at “achievements” at assembly, but was told “no, because it wasn’t for anything”.
I was unsure if this was a philosophical statement about audax in general, or if her teacher was a hardened audaxer who felt anything less than an SR wasn’t worth mentioning.
As in so many situations, I knew the only way of resolving the issue was to order a badge.
Armed with a lovely pink 50k badge, Amy was allowed to present her audax at achievements in assembly and has even asked if we can do another one
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I completed the Brevet 250 this season using only calendar events, but it wasn’t easy. The three “50 km” events I did were the Emittemmus 67 (very good, but not an audax now), a Xmas mulled wine event in Cornwall (not in next season’s calendar) and the Brazier’s Run 50 (http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/19-913/).
The last one is pretty good - it runs at the same time and from the same course as the first half of the 100, so you’ll hopefully see plenty of others out on the road.
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+1 to getting the kids out there.
We used to organize 20, 30 & 50k events exclusively for kids, riding in a pack with adult road captains, a cakeful control at halfway and medals for all at the finish.
I've a similar idea for next years Bristol Bike Festival depending on the dates; half term I hope to run through the week.
My boy did his first 50 solo aged 4, we got back in time by the skin of our teeth. Aged 5 he was the first ever to claim the B250. He also helped his classmate do a 60km that year giving him encouragement all the way and getting him to suck his wheel; wasn't in time for validation but his friend now does some longer rides with his parents knowing he can go further. All DIYs as no calendars close by that catered for it. He did his first 100 at 6 and half the B500 before completing aged 7 with 2x 100+ calendars last season. He boldly went for a 150 in the first part of our LEJOG on solo bamboo bikes, but with a few km to go we called it quits as it was gone midnight and his energy was ebbing; he'd spent 2hrs on a tampoline in the morning and I stupidly picked some canal paths which were too bumpy and could have been avoided in places.
Kids are great, nurture them and they will knock the socks off you!
Still writing the LEJOG adventure up; you can read it as it unfolds here: http://www.pedalution.co.uk/blog/ (http://www.pedalution.co.uk/blog/)
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I completed the Brevet 250 this season using only calendar events, but it wasn’t easy. The three “50 km” events I did were the Emittemmus 67 (very good, but not an audax now), a Xmas mulled wine event in Cornwall (not in next season’s calendar) and the Brazier’s Run 50 (http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/19-913/).
The last one is pretty good - it runs at the same time and from the same course as the first half of the 100, so you’ll hopefully see plenty of others out on the road.
It's a real shame Emitremmus isn't an AUK event any more as it's a well-run event with a nice course and would thus seem an ideal gateway to get people onto 200s.
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+1 to getting the kids out there.
We used to organize 20, 30 & 50k events exclusively for kids, riding in a pack with adult road captains, a cakeful control at halfway and medals for all at the finish.
I've a similar idea for next years Bristol Bike Festival depending on the dates; half term I hope to run through the week.
My boy did his first 50 solo aged 4, we got back in time by the skin of our teeth. Aged 5 he was the first ever to claim the B250. He also helped his classmate do a 60km that year giving him encouragement all the way and getting him to suck his wheel; wasn't in time for validation but his friend now does some longer rides with his parents knowing he can go further. All DIYs as no calendars close by that catered for it. He did his first 100 at 6 and half the B500 before completing aged 7 with 2x 100+ calendars last season. He boldly went for a 150 in the first part of our LEJOG on solo bamboo bikes, but with a few km to go we called it quits as it was gone midnight and his energy was ebbing; he'd spent 2hrs on a tampoline in the morning and I stupidly picked some canal paths which were too bumpy and could have been avoided in places.
Kids are great, nurture them and they will knock the socks off you!
Still writing the LEJOG adventure up; you can read it as it unfolds here: http://www.pedalution.co.uk/blog/ (http://www.pedalution.co.uk/blog/)
That sounds awesome! Did you do gps DIY, or traditional? Just wonder how proof of passage worked for you (double everything, or just one set of proof?)
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The Fairies Five has included a 50k since 2006.
Entries have ranged from 1 to 17, with an average of 11. The flat all lanes route in the Weald of Kent makes an ideal introduction for youngsters and older first timers.
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That sounds awesome! Did you do gps DIY, or traditional? Just wonder how proof of passage worked for you (double everything, or just one set of proof?)
DIYxGPS with just one GPX track, Tony Hull happy to validate us both off it, plus I normally ping him a few photos of our adventure too.
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That sounds awesome! Did you do gps DIY, or traditional? Just wonder how proof of passage worked for you (double everything, or just one set of proof?)
DIYxGPS with just one GPX track, Tony Hull happy to validate us both off it, plus I normally ping him a few photos of our adventure too.
:thumbsup: cool - had just asked this on the AUK forum too, sounds like we may be on to try a DIY!
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:) :) :)
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Did a diy with the youngest today, he’s been 7 for less than 2 weeks, but today did 50km with 14 seconds to spare! He was on the tag-along, but we did it & found time to have plenty of stops / snacks / food etc... he’s knackered but asked about the next :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: