Audaxing - Where did it start for you?

[3peaker]

I was into TTs having become a competitive cyclist in 1979, when I decided to attempt The 3 (National) Peaks riding the road sections. I rode LEJOG and the Inter-Service TT series and won the IS 12hr, repeating in 1980 and 1981. On the 3Peaks, going N-S, I packed after 2Peaks and 32hrs on the A6, battling into a headwind. I re-planned for S-N in 1980 and broke the record. In 1982, I was training for the National 24hr and joined AUK as Member 252. The long accompanied SR series that year enabled a 421mile 24hr. I lapsed membership in 1988 on posting to Germany but re-joined in 1992 to repeat an SR on Trike. The rest, as they say, is history.

[BlackSheep]

" ......Where did it start for you?"  2001, just after reading 'Glide Path'.

[LEE]

Read about Audax at the Llandovery Sheep Festival in 2010.

that is almost perfect

Shear perfection?

[Slimline Saxon]

I started with the Stevenage Emitremmus 100k in 2011, basically I had entered every local sportive on the calendar and thought this was one, until they gave me a Brevet card and route sheet.

Realising that I could now enter events where Lanterne Rouge was no longer the ride of shame and I could collect shiny things, I was hooked.

Being off the scene earlier this yearwith a long term condition was depressing, but I am back in the game meeting all my friends again,and aspiring to completing LEL/PBP in the future, life begins at 60 for me next season.

[Bikeabilityman]

I started with the Stevenage Emitremmus 100k in 2011, basically I had entered every local sportive on the calendar and thought this was one, until they gave me a Brevet card and route sheet.

Realising that I could now enter events where Lanterne Rouge was no longer the ride of shame and I could collect shiny things, I was hooked.

Being off the scene earlier this yearwith a long term condition was depressing, but I am back in the game meeting all my friends again,and aspiring to completing LEL/PBP in the future, life begins at 60 for me next season.

And you were missed on PBP. I saw someone else in the 8pm start pen with a "lanterne rouge" yacf nameplate adorning the back of his bike.

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

This year's PBP was ridden on the same bike that I started Audaxing on in September 2002, almost 13 years before.

[Hummers]

My interest in Audax came from a chance discovery whilst searching for routes from Paris to Brest. Google (or was it Alta Vista then?) came up with a thread on C+ about the 2003 PBP which was in full spate. Having only ridden about 120 miles in one day prior to this,  I remember thinking that 1200km in 90hrs was impossible and couldn't get my head round it at all.

My first Audax was the Dorset Delight (200k) back in 2005 - riding with Kitzy and Bomber -  and my first SR was in 2006.

From that there was no turning back.

H

[igauk]

In 2006 the arrival of triplet boys sparked a desire to get out of the house for long periods of time. Needless to say fulfilling this desire was somewhat hampered by domestic circumstances so it wasn't until 2008 that I bought a second hand Aravis Audax off a guy on the Bike Radar forums who had done PBP the year before. That I think was my introduction to the word Audax, but on investigation even 100km seemed impossbly far. So not one to rush into things it wasn't until 2013 that I actually signed up and felt brave enough to attempt the 'Highwayman Challenge 100' from Girvan followed by the 160k 'Three Gens Explorer' from Linlithgow. My bike has now completed its second PBP this year. That I can combine a hobby that gets me outside, keeps me fit, yet positively encourages me to eat as much cake and jelly babies as possible is bliss.

[runsoncake]

It all started in a Pub somewhere in Sussex one freezing winters Sunday in 1983. Myself and several west Sussex DA types gently thawing using Brickwoods antifreeze. Somebody produced a copy of the CTC periodical and in the small ads. was a notice regarding the National 400. I asked what that was and some kind soul explained it, I did a few sums in my head was just about to dismiss the idea as ludicrous when someone said “You’re not seriously thinking of doing it are you?”. The dismissive tone got my back up and sent me into brooding mode. Next thing I know I’ve applied, joined AUK and signed up for that years National 400.
The Dorset Coast the following year was one of best rides ever, perfect weather, fab food at Charmouth control and brilliant terrain. I was hooked for the next few years doing 200s, 300s and two more 400s.
Unfortunately life, depression and slightly rough LeJog tour all but killed my enthusiasm for riding and for the next 20 years I hardly used a bike.  Last year I was having a tidy and found some of my Brevets & medals looked on the interwebs and found that Audax seems to be in rude health. At 62 and hugely overweight I don’t think  I’ll be doing anything more serious than a Populaire, but I really enjoy using this Forum (it’s inspired me to by a hybrid and then a touring bike) . Maybe I’ll become a volunteer.

[thesloth]

February 2009 - I was on a bike tour in Morocco, hauling a very heavy fully loaded touring bike across the Atlas mountains. I was averaging about 100km and feeling very proud of myself.
Crossing a pass I met a German cyclist "Jens" coming the other way. His steed was a little bit leaner than mine. He told me that he was riding 300km that day. Crossing the Atlas and Anti-Atlas and was planning to be Marrakesh by 22:00 (I had come from there 3 days before).
I thought he was joking. He explained it all - audax, long distance, riding at night, etc. He was wearing a PBP jersey - he explained that too.
We parted ways with me thinking he was mad. I got to thinking and decided that I wanted some of that madness!
Two years later I saw him at the start of PBP 2011. It was very satisfying to tell him that it was all his fault.

[Altitude Accumulator]

Spring 1981 Dorset Coast not as a competitor but as a helper at Charmouth Cafe where my parents provided the food and refreshments at the mid point. Back then there was a regular contingent of French riders entering most notable was the 83 event which was dealt with drifting snow storms but there were few DNS and many hardy finishers. I will attempt to dig out some old photos and press releases from the Dorset Evening Echo. The spirt of audaxing remains very much the same as does the food fayre.

[mattc]

February 2009 - I was on a bike tour in Morocco, hauling a very heavy fully loaded touring bike across the Atlas mountains. I was averaging about 100km and feeling very proud of myself.
Crossing a pass I met a German cyclist "Rudi" coming the other way. His steed was a little bit leaner than mine. He told me that he was riding 300km that day. Crossing the Atlas and Anti-Atlas and was planning to be Marrakesh by 22:00 (I had come from there 3 days before).
I thought he was joking. He explained it all - audax, long distance, riding at night, etc. He was wearing a PBP jersey - he explained that too.
We parted ways with me thinking he was mad. I got to thinking and decided that I wanted some of that madness!
Two years later I saw him at the start of PBP 2011. It was very satisfying to tell him that it was all his fault.

Top story

[zigzag]

February 2009 - I was on a bike tour in Morocco, hauling a very heavy fully loaded touring bike across the Atlas mountains. I was averaging about 100km and feeling very proud of myself.
Crossing a pass I met a German cyclist "Jens" coming the other way. <...>

we rode the last 220k from villaines with Jens in 2011, had a great fun together zooming past weary riders at night..

[LMT]

Wanting to do PBP, I had done a good few 100 milers and one 200 so it kinda evolved into doing audax riding.

[geraldc]

Way back in 2007 I was looking at getting a Moulton. A mate forwarded me the CTC article already mentioned about PBP on Moultons. That got me interested in PBP and audax.

First brevet was Stevenage start of summertime 100. That year I accidentally did a SR series, as everyone was qualifying for PBP and I got caught up in it, back when this was ACF. PBP is still on my to do list, but real life keeps getting in my way.

[Jethro]

"Where did it start for you?"

It all began in 1977 for me.  I was more into Time Trials in those days, but I had read a very inspirational two-page article in "Cycling Weekly" about the Paris-Brest-Paris of 1975 and I joined AUK in 1977 after completing our own CTC 240 mile standard ride.

My first event was from the Windy Ridge Cafe at Kelsall (near Frodsham) to Bala and back, an out and back 200k which actually turned at a lay-by somewhere between Bala and Dolgellau and  it was a quick ride.

The folowing year (1978) I did the Brevet Cymru from Cardiff to Fishguard and back and rode part of it with the late and great Les Lowe who had been a founder member of AUK and he delighted me with his tales of PBP from 3-years earlier and it really inspired me.

Unfortunately my time-trialling proved to be my un-doing when it came to riding the longer events as I was simply unable to pace myself properly and I never did get to qualify or ride the PBP.

I'm to old for it now as well!

[Salvatore]

February 2009 - I was on a bike tour in Morocco, hauling a very heavy fully loaded touring bike across the Atlas mountains. I was averaging about 100km and feeling very proud of myself.
Crossing a pass I met a German cyclist "Jens" coming the other way. <...>

we rode the last 220k from villaines with Jens in 2011, had a great fun together zooming past weary riders at night..

I've met Jens several times, including on the 1001 Miglia Italia. You can see him on the ARD/NDR PBP 2015 video https://www.ndr.de/fernsehen/sendungen/sportclub/radsport-paris,sportclub6932.html

[DrMekon]

Mildenhall 300 330 in 2010. It was fun.

All YACFs fault. I only joined because I was interested in what other people thought about the B&M Cyo.

[tedshred]

As a cycling beginner who wasn't particularly interested in being left behind on a sportive, I happened upon the Wormingford Wyrm last year.  Nice route, nice people, nice pace, cake, tea and soup, what wasn't to like (apart from the cramp induced from never having cycled more than 70k before).

A couple more BPs and before I knew it I had become a randonneur with 2x200km rides under my belt which seemed like a long way to cycle.

This season I signed up for an SR and was then bullied into doing PBP.

It's all a dreadful spiral really.  Is it too late to back out ?

[bikey-mikey]

It's all a dreadful spiral really.  Is it too late to back out ?

I'm still stuck in the cycle / spiral...

I'm not sure there is a way out....

     

[Fubar]

"Where did it start for you?"

Er, Last Sunday - The Erit Lass 200k from Musselburgh, my first Audax and my longest and probably toughest ride to date.

I wrote about it on CC, would it be cheeky to post a link or copy and paste it somewhere here?

[hellymedic]

No.

[Ningishzidda]

It's all a dreadful spiral really.  Is it too late to back out ?

I'm still stuck in the cycle / spiral...

I'm not sure there is a way out....

     

Pull the big red handle between you legs. 

[LEE]

The Erit Lass 200k from Musselburgh, my first Audax and my longest and probably toughest ride to date.

I have a feeling that 200s are the most common "toughest ride".  My first one certainly was.

They seem like a fairly natural step up from a 100km and Charity Ride distance but in reality it's a big leap.

I went from 300km to 600km and I was no more exhausted than I was at the end of my first 200 just a couple of years before.

I also feel that 200s can always "bite you" if you treat them too lightly (from painful experience) and they are a distance that can sometimes encourage you to treat them too lightly, whereas 300/400/600..etc tend to make you avoid big "sessions" the night before (This may come as news to Hummers).

[LEE]

It's all a dreadful spiral really.  Is it too late to back out ?

I'm still stuck in the cycle / spiral...

I'm not sure there is a way out....

     

Pull the big red handle between you legs. 

Only works for owners of the original Raleigh Chopper