Anyone else struggling with this challenge? Everyone else seems to be churning out mutiple qualifying rides every month like it's easy. I can't imagine doing more than 12 in the year.
Looking at it from the positive side, I guess the challenge must be pitched just about right for me, as I really am finding it to be a true challenge, but I'm still hanging in there. I can appreciate that in order to achieve it, I have to have a structure to my exercise regime and that is a good thing. I'm now way ahead of any previous years' mileage for this time of year, and I'm definitely getting fitter and feeling the strongest I've ever been.... it's just that I thought it would start getting easier as the warmer weather came along, and it isn't.
My January and February rides came along immediately after I had a heavy fall on the ice, and were nervewracking as well as damn cold. March was a bit more straightforward but no less knackering. Then came April and a mechanical that nearly turned out to be a game ender, as I had to do the last 25 miles with a broken saddle. I was hoping May would feel considerably easier, but along comes a 30mph headwind for the last 30+ miles, and I finished it virtually on my knees again. I imagine the next variable will be scorching hot Summer weather and the risk of sunburn or dehydration - or illness or something else I haven't foreseen yet. Guess that's what makes it a genuine challenge doing it for a whole year.
I am certainly starting to appreciate the scale of what I've taken on. I'm the kind of bloke who'd never consider quitting unless I was in the back of an ambulance, but right now I'd feel a lot better if I thought anyone else was finding it just the teeniest bit difficult too - and not just regarding it as a few nice jaunts every month, Doesn't help that I just bought a new set of bathroom scales and discovered I'm a stone heavier than I thought I was. If I'm over 20 stone now, it makes me wonder what the hell I weighed when I rode up Bealach na Ba last year! At 6 foot 6, I do seem to be way bigger that anyone else out there on the audax circuit, so I just tell myself to ignore what everyone else can do with ease and just achieve whatever I can achieve myself.... and claim everything as a Veterans Super-heavyweight record. So far so good.
Hey, ho. Five down and seven to go. Time to quit my bellyaching and just knuckle down to it. Despite the above whinge, I am still loving my cycling and enjoying the scale of this challenge ... even though I'm always too sore to even think of sitting on a bike for a couple of days after every 100km ride. My work colleagues can't comprehend why anyone can or would ride 100km, so I guess I'm in illustrious company here. Reckon I'll stick around. You don't get rid of me that easily.
Cheers, Donger.
Only need to manage 15km on top of my best so far.
