The Metric Century (100KM) A Month Challenge ChatZone

[jayonabike]

After a day off the bike yesterday my legs were rested & ready to go again!
James rang me last night asking if I was going out as he wanted to cycle over to the LBS. I met him at 9.30 and we set off straight into a headwind. No bother at least we'll have a tail wind on the way back (yeah right). We cycled through the lanes towards Ashridge & spotted a herd of deer in the woods looking back at us. After a 10 minute stop at the shop we were on our way again. James had to get back but still had time to go a longer way home. Whilst the ride to the shop was more chatty and laid back, the ride home was at a faster pace and both of us taking turns at the front. Back to Aldbury up to Ivinghoe, past the beacon and up a short climb to Studham. The tail wind was still a headwind but at least the hedge lined lanes gave us some shelter.
I left James at Redbourn to head home & I picked up a local loop but in reverse. All B roads and the headwind. Through Harpenden, Wheathampstead, Sandridge & St.Albans and I was back in the lane towards home. A couple of loops around the block to knock it over 100km and I was home ready for some lunch.

*copied to Your ride today

 

[jayonabike]

Late morning ride today, I finally got out the door around 10.45. I wanted to pop into the bike shop and see how Ian was getting on with my new Ritte build. The weather was warm & sunny so I took a long route to get there heading in the completely wrong direction and looping around. I did 38 miles getting to the bike shop, cycling out of Hertfordshire and into the rolling hills of Buckinghamshire. After a 15 minute stop at the shop I was on my way again heading up Toms hill to Ashridge. Rode to Redbourn before heading back to Hemel and once around the block to knock it over 100km

I've had a good week on the bike. 4 rides in 5 days totalling 263 miles

Bike is almost ready, I should be picking it up tomorrow

 

[jefmcg]

My partner was staying with some friends in a house in Haute Normandy. I decided to join him for a few days - which also meant we got one of the bedrooms, so he wasn't the one sleeping on a slightly punctured air mattress in the corridor.

The ferries from Newhaven to Dieppe has a restricted time table - 10am or 11pm sailings. To optimize my time there I booked the 10am Sunday ferry, and needed to leave Twickenham at midnight. I had a quiet ride planned on Saturday with @vickster, then it turned out a friend from Australia is in town to tend to her dying aunt so of course I had to be where she was when it suited her: upshot was I ended up cycling 75 km on Saturday. Cramps prevented me getting any sleep before heading out, but I had a vague thought of London to Paris, so decided to set off anyway and not resort to the train. I had 3 hours more than I thought I'd need, and I would never be far from a train station so it seemed safe.

The ride to the coast was my first 100km for the month. I followed a Fridays route via Gatwick, which is a remarkably civilised stop at 2.30 in the morning, even a handicap loo when I stepped out of the lift with plenty of room for my bike. The ride was otherwise uneventful and slightly under 100km, so I pootled back and forth in the streets of Newhaven to make sure I was properly over 100km and for a cafe to open. Then I had a small english breakfast amongst the fishermen, and waited for it to get to a suitable time to board.

(approaching Lewes)

Ah, better get going so I will continue this later.

 

[jefmcg]

Ah, better get going so I will continue this later.

Part 2:
After fitfully sleeping on the 4 hour ferry trip (I'm still not sure a pint was a good idea after cycling 100km overnight with no sleep) I disembarked at Dieppe and cycled the 30km to the house I was staying at. Well, it was actually more like 25km, but I assumed the point on the map I'd been given was precise, and in fact it was 1/2 mile past the house, so there was some toing and froing and very expensive phone calls before I finally pinned down the location.

Monday was a "rest" day, but I still ended up going for an 18km boulangerie run in the morning, and an 80km pootle in the afternoon.

Tuesday was Paris. I'd found a Fridays route which was brilliant to Grisors. Quiet roads, rolling hills, easy navigation. So many birds of prey, and a mysterious creature running across the road that turned to be a hare. The last 60km were not great: busy road with cars and trucks moving past at speed. Almost all gave me plenty - even an excessive amount - of room, but it was still worrying. However the joy of passing into Ile de France, crossing the Seine for the first time, and suddenly realising the next junction was Place Charles de Gaulle was worth all the pain. I circumnavigated nearly all the way around the Arc de Triomphe (at 6pm. V. intense), and stopped on the central reservation. I knew I was in Paris when a policewoman came to shoo me away "it is forbidden... FORBIDDEN".

I headed off to the station to get back to the cottage. This is where it gets stupid, so I'm going to use the excuse I was glycogen depleted - though I wasn't. I caught the train to Rouen, then proceeded to cycle the 40km home, because I knew there was no other option. Halfway there I had to call a rescue car. I was done in. I've just checked, and I could have got a train back as far as the boulangerie, an easy 9km from base. And I had my phone with data on it, to work it out. So, I'm an idiot.

There, my second 100km of the month.

The next day, I lazed around and only cycles to the ferry, and from Newhaven to Lewes (bus replacement). Thursday, I hardly moved, but consumed my body weight in pasta.

Aside: While waiting to board the ferry in Dieppe, I chatted with another cyclist, who'd also been to Paris. "We did it in 24 hours", he boasted. I saw he was wearing a tshirt, with "24 hours" written on it. "When did you leave London?" I asked. Turns out he was trying to boast he'd ridden Brighton to Paris in 24 hours. I tried not to snicker.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I had thought I might not make it this month what with having been ill earlier in the month, then having been in hospital for an op and off the bike for the best part of 4 weeks, but managed to squeeze it in today... http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/your-ride-today.8938/post-3154589
knackered now and taking tomorrow off the bike - done 434km since Monday, and just shy of 500km since last Sunday... guess my fitness is going to come back faster than it realised!


Edit: just realised that we were actually home before the time we set out yesterday so that's 168km inside 24hrs... I've never managed an imperial century yet - guess having a sleep part way through the ride means I still haven't!

 

[Brandane]

Finally managed to get one in on the first day of the month!
June has been a good month, due to the good weather and only being at work for 6 days.
A cycle trip to France also helped to bump up the mileage. However I am having a rest for the next week or so; the weather forecast is not good, and I am back at work as of Thursday. It might give my left achilles tendon time to settle down too. It started niggling in France, now it is making it's protests more painful!

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I decided to extend my ride/commute to my parents' home today and managed to get a 101km ride in. Was pleased with the speed as well 4hrs 35mins for 101km for me is really good going (21.9kph/13.6mph). It would have been much faster as well were it not for a nasty headwind on the way home. I had managed the first 58km in 2hrs 35mins (average 22.33kph!).. Happy with that. I am pretty certain that it is the first metric ton I have done under 5hrs and I did it with a pannier and solo Hoping I sleep well tonight because I need to test out my tourer tomorrow and a former CC'er is threatening to drag me around my first every 100 miler on Friday which is going to be interesting because I was flagging today at the end of the 101km, but that is probably more to do with the fact that I only stopped at my parents home and nowhere else, so a fast 2hrs 35 mins out, did their gardening including cutting all of their lawns, and then a slightly slower but much harder 2 hrs home on only an egg butty... probably need to sort my food out better for Friday!
And I got a new QOM to boot

 

[Supersuperleeds]

July done 103.2 miles, pretty flat route deliberately chosen as I was cream crackered from all the commuting - 500 mile week also ticked off. Fuller details in the your ride today thread

http://www.strava.com/activities/164820563

This was meant to go in the imperial century thread!

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I can move it over for you if you want.... then delete my own response...

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I can move it over for you if you want.... then delete my own response...

No need, I just copied and pasted it into it

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

No need, I just copied and pasted it into it

no probs... That's a thread I don't visit. way too frightening for the likes of someone who has only just completed her first 100 miler!

 

[Supersuperleeds]

no probs... That's a thread I don't visit. way too frightening for the likes of someone who has only just completed her first 100 miler!

Now you've done your first we are all expecting you to do the 2015 imperial century a month challenge

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Now you've done your first we are all expecting you to do the 2015 imperial century a month challenge

perhaps I can complete the 2014 100km challenge first?

 

[Fubar]

Did July's 2nd 100k on the Etape Pennines on Sunday - man that was brutal! 12.5mph (20.5kph) average speed, 5 hours 13 mins moving time to do 100k?!? Haven't been that slow in years and haven't had to dismount and walk up hills in years either (managed to unclip before falling over) - they seemed to make it stupidly difficult when they could easily run it with lots of hills but a bit more "enjoyable" and a bit less "technical", or perhaps I'm just being a grumpy old sod. Cramped up after 45 miles so was just glad to finish in the end.

 

[Fubar]

3rd 100k of July and Gran Fondo - round the Fife coast. Haar, sun, boiling heat, thunderstorms, stoatin' rain - this ride had it all!