The 2017 Half Century (50 KM or 50 Mile) A Month Challenge - Chatzone

[13 rider]

I have now done that. I was actually hoping for a virtual awards ceremony. But as always, we are doing it on the cheap.

It would be nice to see a list of all those who achieved it in 2016. Is that possible.

Give me a few minutes and I will post a full list of 2016 finishers. In the 2016 thread

 

[13 rider]

That's a blank page 13 rider.

Yes sorry I was trying to post a fanfare for you but my tech skills let me down

 

[steveindenmark]

I will take as a virtual fanfare....thank you.

For the ride last January alone. I deserved it.

 

[ColinJ]

I've come to accept going up hills is part of the deal and just get on with them although I am far from actively seeking them out like some wierdo's

Weirdo, MOI?

 

[Salty seadog]

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Weirdo, MOI?

You know it Col....

 

[13 rider]

I have now done that. I was actually hoping for a virtual awards ceremony. But as always, we are doing it on the cheap.

It would be nice to see a list of all those who achieved it in 2016. Is that possible.

Full list of 2016 finishers posted in 2016 chatzone thread

 

[kapelmuur]

Good work, I aim up my mileage this year. Last year was around 25-35 mile rides with the odd 50, this year I want to get to 35-50+ miles regularly and would like to get an imperial century in. I guess it's a mental block to overcome and the first one will hopefully prove it's doable and more will follow.

I've come to accept going up hills is part of the deal and just get on with them although I am far from actively seeking them out like some wierdo's

I did my first imperial century last year and you're right - the barrier is mental not physical. I did regular 35 - 50 mile rides and had no problem with the century. For me consistent regular rides were the key.

If I could give advice it's (ironically) don't listen to advice. Work it out for yourself as we're all different.

 

[13 rider]

So end of Jan and we have 38 riders in from the start . Slightly down on last year's 42 but if I remember correctly a couple did join later and back post rides
Good luck everyone keep and get the rides in
Just one point please post a new post for each new ride rather than keep editing your original post it saves me searching currently 10 pages by the end of the year thats a 100 plus and you'll get more likes aswell
Many thanks your official cheerleader

 

[GuyBoden]

The legs were feeling good, so I managed a slow 41mile ride against the wind for my first ride of Feb, I did intend a longer ride, but it was getting windier and nearing dusk. The legs could have done more, but I avoid riding in the dark...........

 

[steverob]

Would help if I posted this in the right thread...

Well that was possibly my most enjoyable ride in about 3 months - everything just suddenly seemed to click and it started to become easy again, which it really hasn't been right through the winter. Talking of clicking however, I did have a couple of mechanical niggles that I'll need to look at tomorrow before hopefully riding again (noises suggesting the front wheel may have been rubbing the brakes towards the end of the ride and I was also having some difficulty changing from my small ring to my big one from about the halfway mark on), but I'm not going to dwell too much on those, as I'm in a good mood right now!

Route was just over 35 miles and included one mid-range climb (i.e. Strava has it as *just* getting Cat 4 status), plus a bunch of other little ones and yet I still managed over 14.5mph average, given that for the past few weeks I've struggled to hit 14mph on the flat. Even had the energy towards the end to set a PR or two and probably could have carried on for another 10 miles, but didn't want to completely tire myself out as I'd planned to do back to back 50km rides this weekend to take advantage of the dry-ish conditions for once.

 

[NorthernDave]

Time, again, is the enemy to my mile munching ambitions.
No chance of squeezing a half in today and, with a 40th birthday party to attend tonight, I'm fairly certain that I can write tomorrow off now.

So, fingers crossed for continuing nice weather this month. I need to get some miles in on weekends as I've got a 100-miler in April and I'm getting hideously bored with indoor cycling during the week...

 

[Spinney]

I had two separate approx 4 - 6 week periods off the bike last year (sprained ankle then sprained thumb).
This didn't make me drop out of the half century challenge as each time I had been lucky enough to have got my half century ride in for the month just before, and I had recovered before the end of the following month.
So this year I am trying to get at least point done early in the month. In Jan and Feb this has meant doing my flat route, which could be thought to be rather lazy! But I am also going to try to beat my points total from last year as well.
Today was nice and sunny - the only unusual feature being waiting for a few minutes while the Berkeley Hunt and their hounds trotted past along one of the country lanes. I'm not a fan of hunting, but they were all very polite, and I must have got at least 30 'thank yous' for stopping while they went past.

 

[Katherine]

January was my lowest milage month for 3 years. Hoping February turns out better.

 

[Saluki]

I accidentally did my February 50km ride today.
I thought I'd take a quick ride up to Bodmin because my neighbour told me that the trail was shut up there and I wanted to go and have a nosy at it. I had today off work, unexpectedly, so thought I'd make the most of it.
Bodmin was open so I thought I'd go and look at the trail at Hellandbridge, where it's supposed to be closed as well. It wasn't but it was a bit gnarly there. The bit between the Blissland turning and Pooleys Bridge was horrible, all scabbled and just horrendous. I think that the council is putting a new top on it. I stopped at the Snails Pace, even though I knew it was shut, and sat for 5 minutes and wiggled my toes in the sunshine before sticking them back in my boots. I then decided to ride back home. As I approached home I thought "oooh, I've ridden 27 miles, best I keep going then" and decided to ride to the quarry and turn back there but I met up with an Aussie tourist from Darwin, so we chatted all the way to Padstow bike hire, where her bike was from. I turned for home there and rode back.
The last 5 miles was hard work. I knew I had a macaroon at home, that I'd saved since last night. The thought of it kept me going, hell I was fantasising about eating the dang thing over the last 3 miles. I got home to find that Hubster had stuffed it for his lunch. Is macaroon stealing good grounds for divorce? A bit of toast was not the same.

My hands are still cold. My ride came in at 59.7km in the end, I wish I'd known but my GPS is in imperial at the mo. I don't think that I had the legs for another 300 yards anyway.

It's half term tomorrow and I'm working 9 days on the bounce so I won't get much riding in, maybe a few 10 milers or so, but that's about it. I might get another 50km ride in after half term, who knows.

 

[NorthernDave]

Well my hope for nice weather this weekend (or at least not bad weather) looks to have been scuppered - there's a Met Office warning for snow overnight and up to lunchtime and rain after that tomorrow (Sat) and wall to wall rain and a max temperature of 2 degrees on Sunday....