The 2016 Half Century (50 KM or 50 Mile) A Month Challenge - Chatzone

[SpokeyDokey]

As a result of getting lost, I unintentionally did my metric half this morning. Out before 8, got hot quickly and absolutely heaving with bikes out there today by the time I was on the homeward leg. A very quick one for me too, averaging 16.2mph.

Question, is there any reason why some are recording more than 1 ride per month on the other thread? I'm pooped after my 50 so still see it as a challenge, at what point is it getting too easy??

I guess it's just a personal thing recording multiple completed Challenge rides in any one month.

I think the 'rules' say it's a minimum of one per month although I could be wrong.

I've just done my 7th 50k for the year which I am pleased with and tbh, whilst no means quick, I am not finding them hard to do. However, I am now trying to set myself little goals in each month (this month is 3 x 50k and I've done 2) so you can play around with the Challenge to suit your own ends to an extent.

As to 'too easy' - I don't know really. I can ramp up quantity and hilly-ness targets quite easily to make it harder as time goes on. And I'll see how I go on that front.

Some people can obviously crack 50k off day after day and I guess maybe they reference this years achievements to last year or, if this is their first year, they are laying down a marker for next year. And good for them too.

Maybe there ought to be a Handicap Challenge for everyone who has completed either of the Challenges the year before?

End of the day, it's a bit of fun, it has helped me get off my lazy backside on a few occasions and is slowly pushing my average mileage up. And I love being part of the little virtual collective - I think of them sometimes when I am doing a Challenge ride!

 

[SpokeyDokey]

63.18 miles (101.678 km) in absolutely glorious sunshine this morning. I've got to go out now, but a report will follow later

Edit: Forgot to mention but this keeps my run of imperial and metric half centuries going every month so far this year. Report now posted.

@NorthernDave

You're doing very well there! I like your version of a challenge within a challenge.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

May 8: 34.08 miles / 54.85 km / 2142' ascent / 13.4 mph / 1 point

Home > Burneside > Kendal > Natland > Sedgewick > Milnethorpe via Cumbria Cycleway > Storth > Milnethorpe > Ackenthwaite > Wassett > Holme > Hincaster > Sedgewick > Natland > Kendal > Home / 1 point

Hot day - bit of a stiff wind from the SW at times.

Saw:

1 x Buzzard.

I x lone Chicken. Fortunately nowhere near the Buzzard.

I x Rhodesian Ridgeback who I just had to stop and say hello to (I love mutts) and was rewarded with a dose of slobber over my bibs.

1 x Dancing Bear!

The Bear was pink and white and was 'grooving' at the side of the road (at the junction where the road to Heversham intersects with the road to Milnethorpe).

She was waving a placard with 'Village Bake Off' on it and gave me a cheery "hello" as I went by. Made me

Lots of cyclists out today - nice to see them all enjoying themselves too.

Happy everyone and long may this glorious weather last!

 

[13 rider]

As a result of getting lost, I unintentionally did my metric half this morning. Out before 8, got hot quickly and absolutely heaving with bikes out there today by the time I was on the homeward leg. A very quick one for me too, averaging 16.2mph.

Question, is there any reason why some are recording more than 1 ride per month on the other thread? I'm pooped after my 50 so still see it as a challenge, at what point is it getting too easy??

I guess it's just a personal thing recording multiple completed Challenge rides in any one month.

I think the 'rules' say it's a minimum of one per month although I could be wrong.

I've just done my 7th 50k for the year which I am pleased with and tbh, whilst no means quick, I am not finding them hard to do. However, I am now trying to set myself little goals in each month (this month is 3 x 50k and I've done 2) so you can play around with the Challenge to suit your own ends to an extent.

As to 'too easy' - I don't know really. I can ramp up quantity and hilly-ness targets quite easily to make it harder as time goes on. And I'll see how I go on that front.

Some people can obviously crack 50k off day after day and I guess maybe they reference this years achievements to last year or, if this is their first year, they are laying down a marker for next year. And good for them too.

Maybe there ought to be a Handicap Challenge for everyone who has completed either of the Challenges the year before?

End of the day, it's a bit of fun, it has helped me get off my lazy backside on a few occasions and is slowly pushing my average mileage up. And I love being part of the little virtual collective - I think of them sometimes when I am doing a Challenge ride!

The whole point of the challenge is to get people out riding and you modify it to meet to challenge you .
I find 50 km easy so Last year I did a 50km and a 50m ride each month and this year I also entered the 100km challenge But didn't want to leave the half challenge having done it last year and made virtual friends .Just enjoy your riding

 

[kapelmuur]

I have been given a Garmin Edge 500 GPS/bike computer. (My cousin was here for the Tour de Yorkshire sportive last weekend and donated it to me after buying himself an Edge 810.) I am experimenting with it to see how I get on. One thing I did was to set it to display accumulated ascent. I went out and rode exactly 50 km without deliberately choosing a hilly route and to my surprise I knocked up 805 m of climbing (2,641 ft in 31 miles) That is about 16 metres per km (85 ft per mile). It would be easy to exceed that round here, but that was just on one of my standard loops.

The other thing of note was that it was actually a warm day so I had shorts and a short sleeve jersey on for the first time in 2016 - it is May 5th, FFS! Hopefully, this will be the first of many such sunny days during the rest of this year.

I live in a flat part of Cheshire and have to ride about 15 miles to find a hill, (The Wizard at Alderley Edge). last Tuesday I rode up the west side which is 1.1 miles at an average 5% but with ramps exceeding 10% at the top. Even with riding up the Wizard twice my 39 mile ride included only 560 meteres of ascent.

I did a sportive in West Yorkshire a couple of years ago and did more climbing in 50 miles than I'd do in a month at home!

 

[MikeW-71]

Lovely hot weather, a bracing wind and 38.9 miles on the clock.

Shorts and short sleeves for the second time this year, apologies for the glare folks.....

 

[13 rider]

Only just found out about these challenges, so bear with me while I list all my (qualifying) rides to date. Annoyingly if I had known then I would have added on a few extra miles to one of my January rides, as then I'd have a 50 miler in each month so far. All rides start and finish in Aylesbury except where noted.

23rd January - 44.62 miles (solo) - Chinnor, Lewknor, Thame - 1 point
30th January - 47.27 miles (solo) - Winslow, Preston Bissett, Marsh Gibbon - 1 point

7th February - 44.9 miles (rode with Adam) - Winslow, Twyford, Quainton, Cublington - 1 point
14th February - 50.24 miles (solo) - Princes Risborough, Chinnor (via Wigan's Lane climb), Thame, Dorton, Quainton - 2 points
21st February - 43.43 miles (solo) - Leighton Buzzard, Ivinghoe Beacon, Tring, Wendover, Great Missenden - 1 point
27th February - 52.24 miles (solo) - Waddesdon, Brill, Thame, Longwick - 2 points

6th March - 34.98 miles (solo, also on my old bike as current one was in LBS for service) - Quainton, Ludgershall, Quainton (via a different road) - 1 point
12th March - 54.76 miles (rode with Adam) - Quainton, Marsh Gibbon, Arncott, Ashendon, Great Kimble - 2 points
17th March - 33.25 miles (solo) - Wendover Woods, Cholesbury, Chesham, The Lee, Wendover - 1 point
20th March - 38.15 miles (Sportive - Chiltern Cycle Challenge) - Princes Risborough, Bledlow Ridge, Speen, Hughenden Valley, Ellesborough - 1 point
25th March - 52.68 miles (rode with Adam) - Marsworth, Ivinghoe Beacon, Dagnall, Slapton, Wingrave - 2 points

2nd April - 62.74 miles (rode with Adam) - Cheddington, Northall, Rushmere, Stoke Hammond, Cublington, Boltolph Claydon - 3 points
10th April - 55.28 miles (solo) - Cheddington, Dagnall, Whipsnade (via Pedley Hill), Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Stewkley, Oving - 2 points
17th April - 71.73 miles (solo, but included getting mixed up in the middle of the cycling leg of the Bicester Triathlon) - Quainton, Ludgershall, Murcott, Islip, Wendlebury, Bicester, Fringford, Steeple Claydon - 3 points
23rd April - 43.23 miles (solo) - Little Kimble, Tring, Mentmore, Stewkley, Whitchurch - 1 point
24th April - 39.73 miles (solo) - Wing, Slapton, Edlesborough, Ivinghoe Beacon, Northchurch - 1 point

1st May - 67.93 miles (solo) - Great Missenden, Penn Bottom, Beaconsfield, Burnham, Eton Dorney, Cookham, Wooburn Green, High Wycombe, Princes Risborough, Bishopstone - 3 points
8th May - 58.49 miles (Sportive - Ride Chartridge, plus some solo riding to/from) - Wendover, Chartridge, Chesham, Aldbury, Ivinghoe Beacon, Wigginton, St. Leonards, Chartridge, Chesham, Cholesbury, Aston Clinton - 2 points

Total so far: 30 points

Welcome to the challenge

 

[NorthernDave]

Out in the mist and murk this morning to get another metric half (51.53 km) in the bag. The sun did eventually come out about half way round.
Report in the usual place.

 

[ColinJ]

I live in a flat part of Cheshire and have to ride about 15 miles to find a hill, (The Wizard at Alderley Edge). last Tuesday I rode up the west side which is 1.1 miles at an average 5% but with ramps exceeding 10% at the top. Even with riding up the Wizard twice my 39 mile ride included only 560 meteres of ascent.

I did a sportive in West Yorkshire a couple of years ago and did more climbing in 50 miles than I'd do in a month at home!

We hill-country riders do like flatter rides now and then so I am organising a ride in Cheshire in a month's time. It will be a rerun of Last year's 200 km forum ride (LINK). If you like the idea of joining us for some or all of it, then keep your eyes open for the thread about it which I will start in a couple of days time.

The one change we may make is to choose a different cafe for the first stop. It was nice enough, just a bit expensive.

 

[kapelmuur]

We hill-country riders do like flatter rides now and then so I am organising a ride in Cheshire in a month's time. It will be a rerun of Last year's 200 km forum ride (LINK). If you like the idea of joining us for some or all of it, then keep your eyes open for the thread about it which I will start in a couple of days time.

The one change we may make is to choose a different cafe for the first stop. It was nice enough, just a bit expensive.

I'd love to join in, but weekends in June are very busy, including a Springsteen gig, Eroica Britannia and a family wedding.

Do you have a date yet?

 

[ColinJ]

I'd love to join in, but weekends in June are very busy, including a Springsteen gig, Eroica Britannia and a family wedding.

Do you have a date yet?

Yes - Saturday, 4th June.

 

[kapelmuur]

Yes - Saturday, 4th June.

That's the Springsteen gig - next year maybe?

 

[ColinJ]

That's the Springsteen gig - next year maybe?

Hopefully - I am starting to repeat my favourite forum rides annually, and this is one of them.

Enjoy the gig!

 

[NorthernDave]

As a result of getting lost, I unintentionally did my metric half this morning. Out before 8, got hot quickly and absolutely heaving with bikes out there today by the time I was on the homeward leg. A very quick one for me too, averaging 16.2mph.

Question, is there any reason why some are recording more than 1 ride per month on the other thread? I'm pooped after my 50 so still see it as a challenge, at what point is it getting too easy??

Like others have posted, it's primarily a challenge to yourself, with a virtual support crew cheering you on.
When I signed up this year I'd done a couple of 50km rides previously, but was pretty much at my limit and thought it might be a challenge to get me riding more and further.
Well, it's worked!
I did my first 50 mile ride on 1st January and it's improved from there - I've already done a couple of 100km rides and my next target is 75 miles, then hopefully 100 miles before the end of the summer.

 

[cosmicbike]

Unusual for me to record more than a single 50kn ride in a month, but just done only my 2nd ever 50 MILE ride , and my longest ever ride to date.Had 5 hours to kill whilst a towbar got fitted to the van, so a very wet trek from Bristol to Bath and the Two Tunnels Greenway and back again. When I recover I'll post in your ride today as always.