Saluki
World class procrastinator
- Location
- ...Norwich over the water.
I will see what I can do, next weekSounds great Saluki...though I really think we need to see 'Zombie on a bike' and get you to ride back from work!
The 2016 Half Century (50 KM or 50 Mile) A Month Challenge - Chatzone
- Thread starter ColinJ
- Start date
- Status
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OP
OP
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Having done just a couple of minutes on the turbo trainer last night, I got on it again this evening to give it that test and ... found that the rear tyre on the bike was flat! Thinking about it, I hadn't ridden that bike for months and the tyre was soft before I put the bike on the TT so it must have had a slow puncture from the last road ride on it. I'd pumped it up last night, but the air had leaked back out overnight.
That delayed me for a while but after putting a new tube in I got started again. After a long warm up I started making regular hard efforts and started to get a good sweat on. In fact, it was an excessively good sweat - I had forgotten to set up the fan that I used to use to keep cool during TT sessions! I couldn't be bothered to stop again to go and hunt for the fan so I continued without fan cooling. After a total of 40 minutes I was absolutely soaked. It's amazing how much heat the body loses to moving air; and how little it loses to still air! The room was only at about 11 degrees and I was wearing shorts and a short-sleeved jersey.
I will carry on doing road rides when the weather is tolerable but having the TT handy means that I will still get some worthwhile pedalling in when the weather is foul and I don't feel like venturing out.
PS The TT was very good. It has 10 resistance settings, 1 being very low resistance, 10 being very high. I was using a middling gear at a cadence of 90-100 rpm and found setting 1 good for warm up, 4 for quite hard efforts, and 2 for recovery in between them. I think I will only ever use 5-10 if I get a LOT fitter through the winter, or want to simulate climbing steep hills.
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steveindenmark
Legendary Member
I cannot keep my arms down.
It is an expression we have in Denmark when someone is pleased with themselves and that is me at the me at the moment.
I am 58 years old and got interested in cycling when I came to Denmark 15 years ago. I have never been a racing type, but like to get out in the fresh air and ride through the woods or along the coast road. I ride alone or with my partner, Jannie. By doing that I can stop and start when I want and keep at my own pace.
At that time I was commuting to work, by choice, one or two days a week. My commute is a 40km round trip and to me that was like completing 2 Transcontinental races. It was cycling to the end of the earth. But I bit the bullet and decided to take up the 50km month Challenge.
My first 50km was in January and it was minus 8 degrees or about minus 12 with windchill. I had no water after 10 minutes as my water bottle turned into a brick of ice. Now at this point I do not think I would have been blamed if I had thought Sod this for a game of soldiers. But I actually enjoyed it. It was the first real challenge I had come across since leaving the military, many years earlier.
The February 50km was a bit colder but I realised that those two were probably two of the worst out of the way. As the months went on I did more than the one 50km ride a month, in fact I did several. I started to ride to work every day as well as riding at weekends.
In April,, something weird happened. I found I had something in common with Robin Williams, Tommy Cooper and Les Dawson. I suffered a bout of stress and depression and was off work for four months. For a month I could not leave the house or garden. But then my doctor insisted I got out on my bike and that was the route to recovery.
From the end of May I was out on my bike every day and it was the start of my recovery. As the weeks went on my confidence in riding a bike began to rise. Not the confidence in not falling off, but the confidence that I can ride this bike some distance and not die.
Then a friend sent me a military challenge to do 22 press ups for 22 days. I cant do press ups as I have a dodgy shoulder and so I offered to ride 1km for each push up. That is 484km in 22 days. I finished the challenge in 9 days.
In the meantime I had bought myself a carbon road bike with Di2. Now that makes a big difference. My 20km ride to work was almost not worth getting my bike out for. 50km was a doddle. My next progression was to get into the 60, 70, 80km fields and bit by bit I have done that and learnt a lot on the way.
Yesterday I rode 100km. Its not a huge distance in the scheme of things and it was not fast with an average of 21kph but it was so easy. It was cold, foggy and wet. I was wrapped up in winter gear. But it was still easy and I could do it all again this morning, I have no aches or pains and slept really well.
I have big plans for next year, which will involve longer distances. I want to be able to ride 250km back to back and beyond. That may be a big ask but I hope to get close and even if I dont I will enjoy trying. The only thing stopping me is hours in the day.
The most important thing I have learnt is that if you want to be able to ride events like TCR or LEL is to get out on your bike even when it is raining, foggy, blowing a gale. You have to ride long distances. It is the only way to do it. There is no substitute.
I learn something every time I ride. My legs like to ride at 20kph, It helps if I can change my base layer top at halfway. Judging what to wear in winter is a science I know nothing about.
I am now going to spend the winter sorting my bike out for long distance lightweight touring. I have started with an Apidura rack pack which is brilliant.
Just as an added bonus, I have lost 6kg in the last 2 months. Its a lot cheaper than trying to save an extra gram on a 500 quid set of wheels.
I am nearly 60 and I am talking about ultra lightweight touring on a bike. That is as ridiculous as finding a winter 100km ride easy, I think.
Here is my track from yesterday
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1411475396
It is an expression we have in Denmark when someone is pleased with themselves and that is me at the me at the moment.
I am 58 years old and got interested in cycling when I came to Denmark 15 years ago. I have never been a racing type, but like to get out in the fresh air and ride through the woods or along the coast road. I ride alone or with my partner, Jannie. By doing that I can stop and start when I want and keep at my own pace.
At that time I was commuting to work, by choice, one or two days a week. My commute is a 40km round trip and to me that was like completing 2 Transcontinental races. It was cycling to the end of the earth. But I bit the bullet and decided to take up the 50km month Challenge.
My first 50km was in January and it was minus 8 degrees or about minus 12 with windchill. I had no water after 10 minutes as my water bottle turned into a brick of ice. Now at this point I do not think I would have been blamed if I had thought Sod this for a game of soldiers. But I actually enjoyed it. It was the first real challenge I had come across since leaving the military, many years earlier.
The February 50km was a bit colder but I realised that those two were probably two of the worst out of the way. As the months went on I did more than the one 50km ride a month, in fact I did several. I started to ride to work every day as well as riding at weekends.
In April,, something weird happened. I found I had something in common with Robin Williams, Tommy Cooper and Les Dawson. I suffered a bout of stress and depression and was off work for four months. For a month I could not leave the house or garden. But then my doctor insisted I got out on my bike and that was the route to recovery.
From the end of May I was out on my bike every day and it was the start of my recovery. As the weeks went on my confidence in riding a bike began to rise. Not the confidence in not falling off, but the confidence that I can ride this bike some distance and not die.
Then a friend sent me a military challenge to do 22 press ups for 22 days. I cant do press ups as I have a dodgy shoulder and so I offered to ride 1km for each push up. That is 484km in 22 days. I finished the challenge in 9 days.
In the meantime I had bought myself a carbon road bike with Di2. Now that makes a big difference. My 20km ride to work was almost not worth getting my bike out for. 50km was a doddle. My next progression was to get into the 60, 70, 80km fields and bit by bit I have done that and learnt a lot on the way.
Yesterday I rode 100km. Its not a huge distance in the scheme of things and it was not fast with an average of 21kph but it was so easy. It was cold, foggy and wet. I was wrapped up in winter gear. But it was still easy and I could do it all again this morning, I have no aches or pains and slept really well.
I have big plans for next year, which will involve longer distances. I want to be able to ride 250km back to back and beyond. That may be a big ask but I hope to get close and even if I dont I will enjoy trying. The only thing stopping me is hours in the day.
The most important thing I have learnt is that if you want to be able to ride events like TCR or LEL is to get out on your bike even when it is raining, foggy, blowing a gale. You have to ride long distances. It is the only way to do it. There is no substitute.
I learn something every time I ride. My legs like to ride at 20kph, It helps if I can change my base layer top at halfway. Judging what to wear in winter is a science I know nothing about.
I am now going to spend the winter sorting my bike out for long distance lightweight touring. I have started with an Apidura rack pack which is brilliant.
Just as an added bonus, I have lost 6kg in the last 2 months. Its a lot cheaper than trying to save an extra gram on a 500 quid set of wheels.
I am nearly 60 and I am talking about ultra lightweight touring on a bike. That is as ridiculous as finding a winter 100km ride easy, I think.
Here is my track from yesterday
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1411475396
Attachments
Last edited:
GuyBoden
Guru
- Location
- Warrington
I cannot keep my arms down.
It is an expression we have in Denmark when someone is pleased with themselves and that is me at the me at the moment.
I am 58 years old and got interested in cycling when I came to Denmark 15 years ago. I have never been a racing type, but like to get out in the fresh air and ride through the woods or along the coast road. I ride alone or with my partner, Jannie. By doing that I can stop and start when I want and keep at my own pace.
At that time I was commuting to work, by choice, one or two days a week. My commute is a 40km round trip and to me that was like completing 2 Transcontinental races. It was cycling to the end of the earth. But I bit the bullet and decided to take up the 50km month Challenge.
My first 50km was in January and it was minus 8 degrees or about minus 12 with windchill. I had no water after 10 minutes as my water bottle turned into a brick of ice. Now at this point I do not think I would have been blamed if I had thought Sod this for a game of soldiers. But I actually enjoyed it. It was the first real challenge I had come across since leaving the military, many years earlier.
The February 50km was a bit colder but I realised that those two were probably two of the worst out of the way. As the months went on I did more than the one 50km ride a month, in fact I did several. I started to ride to work every day as well as riding at weekends.
In April,, something weird happened. I found I had something in common with Robin Williams, Tommy Cooper and Les Dawson. I suffered a bout of stress and depression and was off work for four months. For a month I could not leave the house or garden. But then my doctor insisted I got out on my bike and that was the route to recovery.
From the end of May I was out on my bike every day and it was the start of my recovery. As the weeks went on my confidence in riding a bike began to rise. Not the confidence in not falling off, but the confidence that I can ride this bike some distance and not die.
Then a friend sent me a military challenge to do 22 press ups for 22 days. I cant do press ups as I have a dodgy shoulder and so I offered to ride 1km for each push up. That is 484km in 22 days. I finished the challenge in 9 days.
In the meantime I had bought myself a carbon road bike with Di2. Now that makes a big difference. My 20km ride to work was almost not worth getting my bike out for. 50km was a doddle. My next progression was to get into the 60, 70, 80km fields and bit by bit I have done that and learnt a lot on the way.
Yesterday I rode 100km. Its not a huge distance in the scheme of things and it was not fast with an average of 21kph but it was so easy. It was cold, foggy and wet. I was wrapped up in winter gear. But it was still easy and I could do it all again this morning, I have no aches or pains and slept really well.
I have big plans for next year, which will involve longer distances. I want to be able to ride 250km back to back and beyond. That may be a big ask but I hope to get close and even if I dont I will enjoy trying. The only thing stopping me is hours in the day.
The most important thing I have learnt is that if you want to be able to ride events like TCR or LEL is to get out on your bike even when it is raining, foggy, blowing a gale. You have to ride long distances. It is the only way to do it. There is no substitute.
I learn something every time I ride. My legs like to ride at 20kph, It helps if I can change my base layer top at halfway. Judging what to wear in winter is a science I know nothing about.
I am now going to spend the winter sorting my bike out for long distance lightweight touring. I have started with an Apidura rack pack which is brilliant.
Just as an added bonus, I have lost 6kg in the last 2 months. Its a lot cheaper than trying to save an extra gram on a 500 quid set of wheels.
I am nearly 60 and I am talking about ultra lightweight touring on a bike. That is as ridiculous as finding a winter 100km ride easy, I think.
Here is my track from yesterday
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1411475396
Well done, great stuff, you've inspired me to join the half century challenge. I know Oct is a bit late, but hopefully it will be good preparation for next year's challenge.
Attachments
steveindenmark
Legendary Member
Get on and do it Guy.
Try and get them in as soon as the month starts otherwise you will start to panic by the middle of the month.
Lilliburlero
Pro sandbagger
- Location
- South Derbyshire
I cannot keep my arms down.
It is an expression we have in Denmark when someone is pleased with themselves and that is me at the me at the moment.
I am 58 years old and got interested in cycling when I came to Denmark 15 years ago. I have never been a racing type, but like to get out in the fresh air and ride through the woods or along the coast road. I ride alone or with my partner, Jannie. By doing that I can stop and start when I want and keep at my own pace.
At that time I was commuting to work, by choice, one or two days a week. My commute is a 40km round trip and to me that was like completing 2 Transcontinental races. It was cycling to the end of the earth. But I bit the bullet and decided to take up the 50km month Challenge.
My first 50km was in January and it was minus 8 degrees or about minus 12 with windchill. I had no water after 10 minutes as my water bottle turned into a brick of ice. Now at this point I do not think I would have been blamed if I had thought Sod this for a game of soldiers. But I actually enjoyed it. It was the first real challenge I had come across since leaving the military, many years earlier.
The February 50km was a bit colder but I realised that those two were probably two of the worst out of the way. As the months went on I did more than the one 50km ride a month, in fact I did several. I started to ride to work every day as well as riding at weekends.
In April,, something weird happened. I found I had something in common with Robin Williams, Tommy Cooper and Les Dawson. I suffered a bout of stress and depression and was off work for four months. For a month I could not leave the house or garden. But then my doctor insisted I got out on my bike and that was the route to recovery.
From the end of May I was out on my bike every day and it was the start of my recovery. As the weeks went on my confidence in riding a bike began to rise. Not the confidence in not falling off, but the confidence that I can ride this bike some distance and not die.
Then a friend sent me a military challenge to do 22 press ups for 22 days. I cant do press ups as I have a dodgy shoulder and so I offered to ride 1km for each push up. That is 484km in 22 days. I finished the challenge in 9 days.
In the meantime I had bought myself a carbon road bike with Di2. Now that makes a big difference. My 20km ride to work was almost not worth getting my bike out for. 50km was a doddle. My next progression was to get into the 60, 70, 80km fields and bit by bit I have done that and learnt a lot on the way.
Yesterday I rode 100km. Its not a huge distance in the scheme of things and it was not fast with an average of 21kph but it was so easy. It was cold, foggy and wet. I was wrapped up in winter gear. But it was still easy and I could do it all again this morning, I have no aches or pains and slept really well.
I have big plans for next year, which will involve longer distances. I want to be able to ride 250km back to back and beyond. That may be a big ask but I hope to get close and even if I dont I will enjoy trying. The only thing stopping me is hours in the day.
The most important thing I have learnt is that if you want to be able to ride events like TCR or LEL is to get out on your bike even when it is raining, foggy, blowing a gale. You have to ride long distances. It is the only way to do it. There is no substitute.
I learn something every time I ride. My legs like to ride at 20kph, It helps if I can change my base layer top at halfway. Judging what to wear in winter is a science I know nothing about.
I am now going to spend the winter sorting my bike out for long distance lightweight touring. I have started with an Apidura rack pack which is brilliant.
Just as an added bonus, I have lost 6kg in the last 2 months. Its a lot cheaper than trying to save an extra gram on a 500 quid set of wheels.
I am nearly 60 and I am talking about ultra lightweight touring on a bike. That is as ridiculous as finding a winter 100km ride easy, I think.
Here is my track from yesterday
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1411475396
That`s a lovely post @steveindenmark
Work mates say i`m crazy for doing the miles I do, but I try to explain to them that the miles I do stop me from going crazy
.... It`s great therapy for your noggin 
...and well done on the 100 km, that is a cracking milestone
Attachments
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Nice read @steveindenmark this challenge certainly changes your riding habits
Welcome to the challenge @GuyBoden nice time to warm up for next years challenge
Welcome to the challenge @GuyBoden nice time to warm up for next years challenge
Sbudge
Cyclist
- Location
- NW London & The Chilterns
GuyBoden
Guru
- Location
- Warrington
https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/osmaps/route/894324/50miles-Arley-Plumley-Goostrey-Swettenham
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Be careful on the roads around Jodrell Bank, it's where the youngsters from British Cycling do their motor paced speed sessions!Enjoyed another nice 50 mile ride, this time to Swettenham Nature Reserve and back, weather was very good, no real wind, all on my favourite flat Cheshire roads. I'm trying to do some 50 mile rides while the weather is dry.
https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/osmaps/route/894324/50miles-Arley-Plumley-Goostrey-Swettenham
Attachments
@ColinJ - I got a Bkool VR trainer this time last year. I don't use it unless it's too wet, dark or slippery to ride outside, but it is useful and fun to ride in the winter months.
What I especially enjoy in the depths of winter is downloading a video of a ride in,say, Spain or Italy and riding in (virtual) cloudless blue skies and bright sunshine. Cheers me up!
Also, in my experience riding the turbo is harder work than riding an equivalent route on the road. So it's good training for the season ahead.
What I especially enjoy in the depths of winter is downloading a video of a ride in,say, Spain or Italy and riding in (virtual) cloudless blue skies and bright sunshine. Cheers me up!
Also, in my experience riding the turbo is harder work than riding an equivalent route on the road. So it's good training for the season ahead.
NorthernDave
Never used Über Member
- Location
- The real Northern Powerhouse
Another entry with todays 61.39 km ride. as always, enjoyed it once I got out there.
Deffo getting colder and where has all this mud come from on the roads? The poor Pro Carbon looks like I've been riding it through the woods!
Reports in the usual places.
Deffo getting colder and where has all this mud come from on the roads? The poor Pro Carbon looks like I've been riding it through the woods!
Reports in the usual places.
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Lilliburlero
Pro sandbagger
- Location
- South Derbyshire
Finally got off my lazy arse and put some decent miles in today. I`v been popping 50 km rides in for fun for far too long, so today`s 100 km was a nice break from the norm
OP
OP
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I was out doing a 50+ km ride today and caught up with a small group of riders on the long*** Cragg Vale climb. Since I don't normally catch up with other riders on climbs, I'd have been feeling quite pleased with myself but the annual CV hill climb event was taking place so every couple of minutes some unfeasibly fit rider would shoot past me and disappear off into the distance ... that certainly put my (lack of) climbing prowess into perspective!
I want to have a go at that event one day but I have promised myself that I will not do that until I have already achieved my long-term 20 minute target for it. The record for the climb is something like 13 or 14 minutes so ~20 minutes would be pretty respectable for me (as a fairly heavy older rider with a poor recent health history) though maybe not super-impressive.
I'll try to watch my diet over the coming winter and use my new turbo trainer whenever the weather stops me riding outdoors. For a change I want to get to Spring already fit rather than taking until the end of autumn to achieve a decent level of fitness, and then going into a winter slump and losing it all again! I am feeling pretty good now, but November is usually when the rot sets in ...
*** almost 5 miles at about 3.4% average gradient
I want to have a go at that event one day but I have promised myself that I will not do that until I have already achieved my long-term 20 minute target for it. The record for the climb is something like 13 or 14 minutes so ~20 minutes would be pretty respectable for me (as a fairly heavy older rider with a poor recent health history) though maybe not super-impressive.
I'll try to watch my diet over the coming winter and use my new turbo trainer whenever the weather stops me riding outdoors. For a change I want to get to Spring already fit rather than taking until the end of autumn to achieve a decent level of fitness, and then going into a winter slump and losing it all again! I am feeling pretty good now, but November is usually when the rot sets in ...
*** almost 5 miles at about 3.4% average gradient
- Status
