1st Audax - Advice please

[Bugner]

Hi, Currently commute to work 4 days a week 13 miles each way, takes about an hour. occasionally do a leisurely 30 miler on a Sunday.

What sort of mileage should I be doing to be able to complete a 100k Audax. Also can anybody recommend a good Audax for a 1st timer in the coming months in the South of England?

Cheers

 

[peanut]

well if you are currently doing 13 miles in an hour (leisurely) then 60 miles is going to take you say 4.75 hours if you maintain the same average speed. Realistically you are going to get a bit slower so I would suggest depending upon hillyness about 5.5 hours including a couple of stops.
Thats a lot of hours to be supporting your trunk .
You'll probably find that you'll get saddle sore and your neck and back will ache. Your hands will go numb and it will start to feel like slow torture .

That's the good bit
If its raining ,hilly and you get some punctures .?....well you get the picture.

Have a look at the events page on the Audax site.
http://www.aukweb.net/cal/index.htm
I'm doing the 'Dave's Doddle 100k in April at Bishops Lydiard, my first Audax for 12 years

You need to get in some 40-60 mile rides in to build endurance and strength and see how you cope . You may find you need to make changes to your clothing, gearing and bike setup.

If you are managing 30 miles now you should be fine if a little tired and sore the following day. make sure you carry plenty of glucose rich food and snackbars and put some electrolyte in your drink

 

[Bugner]

Peanut thanks for your response. I was also looking at Sportive's as distances can vary quite a lot (a little less) , but £20 -£30 a go seems a bit steep, especially when cycling is meant to be saving me money as well as getting fit

 

[Chris James]

peanut, Bugner is 'only' proposing doing a 100km Audax, approx 62 miles, so i don't think he would need to do 40 - 60 miles training runs.

I dare say he has plenty enough fitness already. Depending on the exact route of the audax you select and how hilly your commute / weekend runs are then you might want to search out a few hills, Bugner. Other than that I would just suggest taking it steady and plodding on. You'll get there fine.

 

[marinyork]

I'm doing 100km audaxes this year. You're faster and probably fitter than me. I'm sure you'll have no problems whatsoever.

 

[Alves]

100km I would just suggest taking it steady and plodding on. You'll get there fine.

agreed with bells on, most folk can do a 100k Audax if they cycle regularily. Its a great distance to start with, relax and enjoy it, talk to a few folk along the way and tag along with others who are going at your speed. If you say its your 1st Audax, I'd be amazed if they didn't help you along, company is very nice on a long ride. You probably won't find the same cooperative spirit on a Sportive.

 

[Dave5N]

100K? You'll be fine. Promise.

 

[Greenbank]

If you're regularly doing 13 miles each way 4 times a week you should get through a 100km Audax without major problems. Of course, it is a step into the unknown, and you may feel tired and/or sore at the end of it but that kind of distance during the week is perfect training. Just mentally split the ride into 5 x 13 mile commutes and you'll be fine.

I did my first 100km ride (the London to Cambridge charity ride) on the back of my 13km each way commute (usually 4 out of 5 days a week). This, and the occasional (once every 3 weeks or so) 50 miler, is enough to allow me to do any Audax so far (up to and including 600km).

Not sure exactly where you mean with "South of England" but I'd recommend any of the Henham/Ugley rides from near Saffron Walden as a good 100km ride to start with.

 

[Randochap]

No need to be training at event distance. To increase comfort on the day, do some brisk 30k rides and hill repeats. Most regular commuters in reasonable shape are capable of doing 100k.

Make sure your bike is in shape as well. If you don't have mudguards and rain is a possibility, get some. Also attach a rear mudflap. Your fellow riders will thank you.

We (BC Randonneurs) run several "populaires." These are 100k and shorter events intended to introduce cyclists to the sport of randonneuring (what you call "audax").We get huge turnouts to these rides -- in the hundreds. Official events (sanctioned by Audax Club Parisien) start at 200km.

Learn more about the sport and gear here.

 

[andy_wrx]

Like (almost !) everyone else says, you'll be fine.

An audax isn't a race, it has max and minimum speeds you have to maintain, but it's up to you how you get round : you are going way quicker than the minimum speed so don't worry about it.

It will also have several checkpoints, usually at cafes or similar and you're encouraged to go in, buy something, have a chat with fellow riders.

 

[SheilaH]

I'm doing my first 200k of the year tomorrow. Rode 150k on my own 2 weeks ago, it was my first ride for 5 weeks... hard but ok.

You'll be fine, it will just be either three 20 mile legs or two 30 mile legs, not hard at all for someone doing a 26 mile commute.

Just don't get involved in the inevitable race at the start or you'll burn off all your glycogen and struggle. Just det off at your own warm up pace and don't even think of exerting yourself too much... after a couple of audaxes you'll know your current capabilities better and be able to judge your eating and drinking on the ride.

Most of all, have fun! That is the object of the exercise

 

[peanut]

peanut, Bugner is 'only' proposing doing a 100km Audax, approx 62 miles, so i don't think he would need to do 40 - 60 miles training runs.

wasn't suggesting 60 mile training runs was I ? do you actually read the posts or just use the force

I think it is worth doing one or two 40-60 mile runs just so that you know what to expect and it will tell you what you might need to change.
Most Sunday social club runs are 45 miles these days so its not a huge distance but 60 miles on a hilly route can be tough if you've never done it before.

 

[Bugner]

Thanks for all the responses. I'm going to register for the Kent Invicta Grimpeur 100 in March

 

[Chris James]

wasn't suggesting 60 mile training runs was I ? do you actually read the posts or just use the force

You need to get in some 40-60 mile rides in to build endurance and strength

 

[yello]

Thanks for all the responses. I'm going to register for the Kent Invicta Grimpeur 100 in March

Brave. Seriously. It is certainly one of the tougher 100s in the SE.

There's a few traditional season openers (and Greennbank can probably help me out here) out of Hertford that are very pleasant rides and certainly less challenging than any of the 'grimpeur' rides.

I'd agree with others though, the riding you are doing sets you up well for a first 100km audax.

Hints: sorry, forgot to add my own advice. Register in advance and have a look at the route sheet and follow it on a map. Get a feel for the route and where you are going. On the day, ride your own pace (it will be fine, believe me) and enjoy it!