A very pathetic recollection

[Pancho]

Unlike some here, I am very weak and feeble and have marked lack of moral fibre.

This is evidenced in many forms - not least my reluctance to enter long or hilly rides I have this perverted idea that riding a bike should be done for fun and enjoyment.

But, I've just remembered my nadir from a few years back. It was about this time of year and, finding myself exhausted, alone and pushing up an unknown hill a long, long way from home. I'm afraid to admit, I phoned my wife and moaned and whinged. After a good telling off, I eventually made it back to the start.

[jogler]

Unlike some here, I am very weak and feeble and have marked lack of moral fibre.

This is evidenced in many forms - not least my reluctance to enter long or hilly rides I have this perverted idea that riding a bike should be done for fun and enjoyment.

That suits me to a tee.Can I be a member of your club please mister?

[mattc]

But, I've just remembered my nadir from a few years back. It was about this time of year and, finding myself exhausted, alone and pushing up an unknown hill a long, long way from home. I'm afraid to admit, I phoned my wife and moaned and whinged. After a good telling off, I eventually made it back to the start.

She sounds like a wonderful woman.

[Greenbank]

Talking about riding is much much much easier than actually doing it.

Filling in entry forms for Audax events is much much much easier than getting up at o'dark thirty to get to the start, let alone riding the event itself.

[cyclone]

I don't regard this as pathetic - sometimes we need a shove to go outside our comfort zones and make it back....However,
I had several instances lasy year of completly breaking down and being incapable of finishing the whole route.. No amount of shouting from the wife (another Good woman ) would have made any difference.. A viral infection, very similar to the symptoms of Swine flu but ignored seems to have been the cause.

[vorsprung]

..riding a bike should be done for fun and enjoyment.

This is true.  But not everyone has the same idea of what is fun

Both mrs vorsprung and I like a sunny day, not too hot for riding the bike

However, mrs vorsprung likes a total of 25 miles with a tea stop included.  I feel that a bike ride doesn't really get going for the first 100km.  If I am to have the company of the alluring mrs vorsprung then I have to limit my mileage (aka fun) but that's just the way it goes.

[Tewdric]

..riding a bike should be done for fun and enjoyment.

This is true.  But not everyone has the same idea of what is fun

Both mrs vorsprung and I like a sunny day, not too hot for riding the bike

However, mrs vorsprung likes a total of 25 miles with a tea stop included.  I feel that a bike ride doesn't really get going for the first 100km.  If I am to have the company of the alluring mrs vorsprung then I have to limit my mileage (aka fun) but that's just the way it goes.

God clearly wants you to get a Tandem.

[citoyen]

I gave up any thoughts of attempting to get the RRTY when I finally realised that riding a 200 in December or January is a very special kind of fun.

As in you have to be a bit special in the head to find it fun.

d.

[Pete Mas]

I am only doing some very hard rides this year and next, so that I can look back at them in a few years time, through 'rose tinted' spectacles, as a real adventure - even if I don't finish them all in time

[Pete Mas]

Sorry , got interrupted.....I certainly don't expect all the rides to be enjoyable - more ''challenging'', I suppose. I know I'm not the strongest cyclist ever, so won't be disappointed not to complete (for whatever reason) some of the toughest rides, though will do my best to achieve my objectives.

[Pancho]

I do take pleasure from going a bit further than I have in the past - and in a ride done well.

But I'm simply astonished at the mental depths you (or is it just me?) can plumb when a ride goes bad.

And any ride over 200km seems to be actually designed to make you reach those depths. I read all about you lot riding into a sleet and snow filled headwind in the Peak District or Brecon Beacons with an hour's kip in an open bus shelter to look forward to and wonder why.

[mattc]

I do take pleasure from going a bit further than I have in the past - and in a ride done well.

But I'm simply astonished at the mental depths you (or is it just me?) can plumb when a ride goes bad.

And any ride over 200km seems to be actually designed to make you reach those depths....

 and wonder why.

Ah well, I think we are moving into a whole other discussion now!
i have several answers:
- I certainly didn't EXPECT to have bad patches when i started this business. I just wanted to ride a bit further ...
- It's not just an audax thing; you could find a billion blogs about marathons, mountaineering, triathlon etc ... where people gain pleasure from overcoming pain and/or bad patches.
- The fun bits are so much MORE fun when you know you've got through a bad patch.
- SOMETIMES the long rides go by without bad patches. This is so unexpected it is doubly lovely!
- the bonding thing just doesn't happen without any suffering; it's just a social event with some exercise thrown in (or a competition where you pretend not to be competing )

[Ian H]

What bad patches?

[hellymedic]

What bad patches?

Don't worry dear; at your age, the memory can fade...   

[Hummers]

Unlike some here, I am very weak and feeble and have marked lack of moral fibre.

This is evidenced in many forms - not least my reluctance to enter long or hilly rides I have this perverted idea that riding a bike should be done for fun and enjoyment.

But, I've just remembered my nadir from a few years back. It was about this time of year and, finding myself exhausted, alone and pushing up an unknown hill a long, long way from home. I'm afraid to admit, I phoned my wife and moaned and whinged. After a good telling off, I eventually made it back to the start.

DO NOT PAY ANY ATTENTION TO THIS MAN.

HE IS AN FRAUD AND AN SCAMSTER OF THE FIRST ORDER.

I AND A BLOKE CALLED TERRY HAVE RIDDEN A 100K AUDAX WITH HIM AND WE HAD BEER AND EVERYTHING.

HE WHINGED NOT A JOT.

THIS SLACK JAWED SELF-PITYING KNOB LINT IS JUST A RUSE - PAY NO HEED TO IT.

Thanks for listening.

H

[ParrettPedaller]

What bad patches?

You know - the ones that no matter how much glue you use the damn things won't stick down    It always happens when its raining and you've used all your spare tubes

[Salvatore]

What bad patches?

South Coast 1000 circa 2002.

(Or in your case, South Coast 650)

[Hummers]

He won't remember that.

H

[Datameister]

What bad patches?

South Coast 1000 circa 2002.

(Or in your case, South Coast 650)

I would suggest that by 2002 on a 1000, you should probably have been worrying about your route finding.    (and this comes from someone who managed to add 25km onto the last 15km of a 200 last year, despite the 'interference' of GPS   )

[vorsprung]

What bad patches?

mattc means this

[mattc]

But not everyone has the same idea of what is fun

[damerell]

But, I've just remembered my nadir from a few years back. It was about this time of year and, finding myself exhausted, alone and pushing up an unknown hill a long, long way from home. I'm afraid to admit, I phoned my wife and moaned and whinged. After a good telling off, I eventually made it back to the start.

I've got an explicit agreement with a partner that she'll keep her phone on not-silent so I can phone her when I'm in a bad patch and want to give up.

In practice, however, it comes down to my proximity to the nearest operating preserved steam railway. If there's one within 10km, off I go!

[Greenbank]

In practice, however, it comes down to my proximity to the nearest operating preserved steam railway. If there's one within 10km, off I go!

Danger! LEL 2009 went with 1km of the Nene Valley Railway. On both Northbound and Southbound legs.

[Manotea]

I was flying and thought I'd have a crack at a 20hr 400km. Inevitably I overcooked the first 200km and sufferered miserably on the second to the point that I was forced to stop every couple of miles, exhausted and short on calories. Experience and a well placed late night chippie saved the day and I eventually finished in a vaguely respectable 22:30 in good form and pleased at the way I had managed the latter part of the ride.

Recounting my adventures to Mrs Manotea later that day, I was rather surprised when my upper lip suddenly went all trembly and I blubbed like a baby had to leave the room to regain my manly composure. Pathetic.

[MSeries]

In practice, however, it comes down to my proximity to the nearest operating preserved steam railway. If there's one within 10km, off I go!

Danger! LEL 2009 went with 1km of the Nene Valley Railway. On both Northbound and Southbound legs.

On LEL 2009 a steam locomotive passed right in front of us at the level crossing in Strensall. Same day we saw a Vulcan bomber with it's engine running.

On topic, Mrs MSeries wouldn't persuade me to hang on in there, she'd tell me to pack and stop being so stupid by being out there.  So if I really want someone to reassure me it's OK to pack, thereby relieving me of the guilt, I'll call her.