Audaxers in Hibernation/Stasis

[hillbilly]

I'm much less active. 

Put simply the time I had to give audaxing was given up to other things (and people) so that I fell out of the habit.  Particularly so in the last year.

I have marked some 200km rides in my diary for later this year, but they will be the exception rather than the rule.  Half heartedly marked in longer rides but not really fooling myself into entering these yet.  The one thing that might tempt me back is the 10xSR award, but I've another 30 active years of cycling to get the last four that I need.

[T42]

After my two sessions with blocked arteries and stents last year I was getting back quite nicely, then this January, with temperatures lower than the quacks allow me to ride in, kept me off the road and I got soft. Then a month after I got going again the flu stepped in. Just getting back in now, but I'm much slower than in 2015.

I really enjoyed PBP 2015 despite an HD, and I'd like to get back again in 2019, but the performances I'm turning in these days aren't up to standard. I'm wondering if my heart is still capable performing adequately, but the cardiologist hasn't looked for any necrosis so I don't know. I suppose the scintigraphy kit is needed for folk in worse condition than me.

[Feline]

The arrival of my grandson in November has somewhat limited my opportunities to ride this year since he lives here with us.
The way I currently see it is eventually life will come back to a point where I have more time to ride again, and hopefully audax will still be there and unspoiled to pick up where I left off.
Currently waiting to find out if my daughter will be going back to uni next year and taking Ezra (the grandson) with her, or whether she is transferring to a uni closer to home so she can stay here. In which case I will get roped in for a lot of childcare.

I think another part of my current apathy is having done the major challenges I set myself in the past I don't have anything left to prove to myself, other than repeating things. I need better motivation than that to get me going on the second day of a ride. I don't think my audax fu has gone for good- but it is currently very dormant. The loss of some cycling friends over the past few years while riding has also given me pause for thought where the really long rides are concerned.

[Danu]

Although these tales are interesting, why anyone feels a need to explain their absence is baffling. It's a personal choice not a lifestyle choice. Ride to enjoy

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. It has been too many days since I have ridden through the night with a brevet card in my pocket...

[caerau]

Well my audax-fu might have gone a little over the last 18 months but I also miss my mates on the road and don't actually feel particularly healthy nor good in myself that I've not done it for some time.


I didn't come to this thread to 'explain myself' but it was good to share and rather humbling too.


if you are baffled then the other threads are ----> that way

[Von Broad]

Cycling felt like a chore, I wasn't enjoying it

Rich, that's normal mate  - it's a kind of cycling enlightenment.

That's the whole idea of Audax -the ultimate state, a kind of nibanna - you have expectations, ride loads of meaningless miles, eat mountains of crap food, buy every new LED light that comes on the market[hoping that extra lumens will do it for you], flog yourself into the ground, only for those expectations to be replaced with desperate disappointments and a profound sense of disillusionment that lasts years.

Then you walk away  - drink loads of beer - get guilty, realize you're getting older, fatter and falling to bits....then start riding again in a vain attempt to save your life.

At least that's what seems to happening to me.

[LEE]

Although these tales are interesting, why anyone feels a need to explain their absence is baffling. It's a personal choice not a lifestyle choice. Ride to enjoy

I don't feel a need to explain.  I just thought I would since the question was posed.

There's no need to write anything on here really.

It's more baffling that you felt the need to express how baffled you are.

[fuaran]

I am doing more running instead. Especially hill running, and now trying some ultramarathons. Which can be kind of similar to audax.
Its a way of going to new places, and scenery you wouldn't get from the road.
Also feels simpler - less faff wth equipment, or expensive bike parts wearing out. Though you can spend lots of money on fancy ultrarunning clothes, shoes, bags etc if you want...

Still doing a bit of cycling, for commuting, and just getting around, and sometimes getting to the start of runs. Would like to do some touring this summer. And maybe I'll have a go at a 200km audax sometime.

[hillbilly]

Although these tales are interesting, why anyone feels a need to explain their absence is baffling.

I find it quite interesting to read what everyone is up to.  Not because I'm nosy, but because we're like minded people from a relatively small, tight knit community that now appears to be less active. 

I get the sense there is a cohort of riders who were very active 5-10 years ago (perhaps amongst the most active) who are now either retired or semi-retired from audax riding, me included.

[mmmmartin]

because we're like minded people from a relatively small, tight knit community

Yes, that's how I feel. Not many of us, and we come and go. There's something oddly pleasing about audax, it's the co-operative spirit I think, rather than the daftness of 11 blokes kicking a ball around and 50,000 people going wild when the ball goes somewhere, or somewhere else. Very skilled game, I'm sure: not as intense as a YUGE multi-day challenge.

[L CC]

5 SRs, 3 1200 km+ rides and 180 points in 6 years and I'd had enough.

Hmm. 180 points in 2 years, 5 x 600km + a 1000km last year and I was pretty fat to start with.

It just doesn't feel like fun, and I really don't have anything to prove as far as audax is concerned- I think I might be the only person who's got R10k both on a tandem and on a solo bike. And that all carrying the 30kg of excess baggage I like to lug around on my arse.

The hiatus between 1st October 200km and 15th March is the longest I've been without a 200km brevet since I started in 2009. I'm not sure I'm ready to get back on that horse.

the inevitable, long, difficult period to reach fitness is discouraging.

That too.

[rob]

Although these tales are interesting, why anyone feels a need to explain their absence is baffling.

I find it quite interesting to read what everyone is up to.  Not because I'm nosy, but because we're like minded people from a relatively small, tight knit community that now appears to be less active. 

I get the sense there is a cohort of riders who were very active 5-10 years ago (perhaps amongst the most active) who are now either retired or semi-retired from audax riding, me included.

You can, of course, be off doing other cycling things that aren't Audax.   I have returned to one of my first loves in the sport and been having a whale of a time.   My annual mileage has stayed pretty static.   I think because I'm more consistent now rather than having one massive weekend and then several weeks off.

I'll return in time for PBP 19, though.

[Whitedown Man]

My self-set target for this year was to achieve my first ever R10000 and I'm now even more determined to do it after my 3mths enforced cycling break. However, what I've found is that it's driven out all the other cycling I used to do, ie. for pleasure rather than points. Currently it feels like every time I climb onto the bike I must ride 200km whether I actually feel like it or not, and regardless of impact on family etc. My enthusiasm for cycling (not just Audax-ing) is consequently taking a real beating. Next year I might take a year off cycling for points (but carry on riding for pleasure) and target walking the Pennine Way instead.

[mmmmartin]

You can, of course, be off doing other cycling things that aren't Audax.

Very true, and after my RRTY through a very icy winter I did much more touring which I really enjoy: it's the meeting foreign people I find so interesting. But now I'm thinking of more audax in my life, maybe becoming an organiser.

[TimC]

Despite my theoretical interest in Audax, I've never ridden more than 200k in one go. I just find it boring, and a chore rather than a challenge. I'd rather ride when and how far I want to (usually 30-90km), with or without others, and in weather that makes it easy to enjoy. It's supposed to be fun, isn't it?!

[LesH]

It's supposed to be fun, isn't it?!

???I am not so sure about that.