The 2018 Half Century a month Challenge chatzone

[lane]

I took my lad out with me today as he is training up for a century later this year. We did 50 miles today. From Derby up the coud trail and through Belton, skirted Shepshed and up to the top of Beacon Hill. We then had a small diversion upto the country park trig point to take in some great views. Then back via Quorn, Barrow on Soar and Kegworth. Great ride, fantastic weather, longest ride so far this year.

 

[Mistyscot]

Welcome to the addictive half century challenge @scotjimland and @Mistyscot . @scotjimland if you have done any 50km rides since Jan you can post them and you would qualify for the Jan to Dec challenge to get a bronze Star for your signature . @Mistyscot I take from your strava title that may have been your first

Yes that was my first ,hopefully not my last

 

[Noodle Legs]

An imperial century and a bit today with @13 rider @tallliman @Supersuperleeds and @Lilliburlero up to Lincoln in just perfect conditions.

Thus far, hands down the best ride I have ever done.

Full report in Your Ride Today, but if you can’t be arsed to look basically it was 112.9 miles in 6h 56 with 3,200ish ft of climbing.

 

[13 rider]

It's the last weekend warning time again at least it's a 3 dayer for most . Mays been a good month with plenty of and we have 36 riders fully posted up ( this includes @tallliman who is yet to post but I was there on the required distance ride) We have 3 riders who are yet to post so a quick nudge to @Slick ,@kipster and @wicker man . Well done everyone next month's halfway

 

[Slick]

Thanks for the nudge, I'll post my ride now.

 

[kipster]

Update done

A quiet start to May as I was watching the Tour de Yorkshire while visiting my daughter in Brighouse. Unfortunately I couldn't take the bike and ride!

So I had to make up a few miles over the last two weeks, averaged 160mile for both weeks with 3 100km rides throw in. I was trying to save my legs for a hilly charity ride on Sunday which takes in most of the local climbs in 65 miles (5500ft), including a Top 100 climb called Combe Gibbet (its not that hard a climb, getting to a max of 25% for a few meters), unfortunately I got in the wrong group with the club on Saturday and ended up with the fast boys, they ruined me for 69 miles averaging 19.5 mph. I really felt it on the hills. However the sun was out the cafes great and the riding fantastic.

 

[the stupid one]

I changed the saddle recently, and today was its first trip. After 10 km I was not enjoying myself, so stopped and dropped the nose by one click. Aaaaaaah . . . it was like a favourite armchair. Relatively and temporarily, anyway.

Got to Net's Café with a yearning for some coffee and cake, but discovered I'd removed the money from my phone case. Oops.

Approaching the 25 km point I got cocky and carried on, wanting to make the trip through Chester Zoo again to help memorise the route. All the elephants were indoors, which was terribly disappointing.The dandelionesque floating seeds were thick in the air and drifting along the verges, which was impressive but not good for heavy breathing.

I met a roadie who'd hit a pothole and got a flat in her front tube, on a 23 mm tyre. I stopped to give her moral support more than anything, and we wrestled the Gatorskin off and replaced the tube. The hole was about 7 mm long and had gone right through both "sides" of the tube. Her Presta valve was being a bit of a bugger, but another roadie stopped and took a tiny spanner out of his bag of tricks to tighten up the core. Ms Roadie was at the furthest point of a seventy miler, which boggles my mind. I was humbled.*

Anyway, by this time I'd done 50 km and the saddle was no longer so comfortable. I think I need something with a significant cut-out. The last 30 km were hard work, proving I'm fit enough for fifty, but there's work to be done.



*EDIT: I'm humbled by everybody in this thread, and if I glance at the threads for longer distances it makes my eyes water. You're like Terminators.

 

[13 rider]

I changed the saddle recently, and today was its first trip. After 10 km I was not enjoying myself, so stopped and dropped the nose by one click. Aaaaaaah . . . it was like a favourite armchair. Relatively and temporarily, anyway.

Got to Net's Café with a yearning for some coffee and cake, but discovered I'd removed the money from my phone case. Oops.

Approaching the 25 km point I got cocky and carried on, wanting to make the trip through Chester Zoo again to help memorise the route. All the elephants were indoors, which was terribly disappointing.The dandelionesque floating seeds were thick in the air and drifting along the verges, which was impressive but not good for heavy breathing.

I met a roadie who'd hit a pothole and got a flat in her front tube, on a 23 mm tyre. I stopped to give her moral support more than anything, and we wrestled the Gatorskin off and replaced the tube. The hole was about 7 mm long and had gone right through both "sides" of the tube. Her Presta valve was being a bit of a bugger, but another roadie stopped and took a tiny spanner out of his bag of tricks to tighten up the core. Ms Roadie was at the furthest point of a seventy miler, which boggles my mind. I was humbled.*

Anyway, by this time I'd done 50 km and the saddle was no longer so comfortable. I think I need something with a significant cut-out. The last 30 km were hard work, proving I'm fit enough for fifty, but there's work to be done.



*EDIT: I'm humbled by everybody in this thread, and if I glance at the threads for longer distances it makes my eyes water. You're like Terminators.

The whole idea behind the challenge is to get you out and upping the your mileage so it's working . I've been in from the beginning in 2015 and have watched many a rider mileage slowly increase so stick with it and see where it takes you

 

[Lilliburlero]

The whole idea behind the challenge is to get you out and upping the your mileage so it's working . I've been in from the beginning in 2015 and have watched many a rider mileage slowly increase so stick with it and see where it takes you

This is so true @the stupid one . I started the 50km challenge in 2016 to up my mileage and it sent me on my way. I`m now doing rides and distances that I thought impossible back then. Keep at it and you just might surprise yourself

 

[NorthernDave]

The whole idea behind the challenge is to get you out and upping the your mileage so it's working . I've been in from the beginning in 2015 and have watched many a rider mileage slowly increase so stick with it and see where it takes you

This is so true @the stupid one . I started the 50km challenge in 2016 to up my mileage and it sent me on my way. I`m now doing rides and distances that I thought impossible back then. Keep at it and you just might surprise yourself

^^^ This is so true - you'll soon find it impossible to do a 25 mile ride without pushing on to make it a metric half. Then you'll find yourself pushing on for an imperial half. Then a metric century - it never ends!!!

 

[the stupid one]

The whole idea behind the challenge is to get you out and upping the your mileage so it's working . I've been in from the beginning in 2015 and have watched many a rider mileage slowly increase so stick with it and see where it takes you

It is working, you're right. My first couple of 50 km rides left me feeling like I do tonight, but now the only difficulty with them is finding the time. My target is a metric century this year. And my other target is a lighter bike for day rides, and build up the mongrel for possible camping trips. The wing-heeled cyclatrix I met today suggested that a lighter, sportier bike would enable me to do more distance. I think I'll want bigger tyres than hers, though.

EDIT: Thanks for the other replies that arrived while I was typing!

 

[Bazzer]

^^^ This is so true - you'll soon find it impossible to do a 25 mile ride without pushing on to make it a metric half. Then you'll find yourself pushing on for an imperial half. Then a metric century - it never ends!!!

And don't mention FNrttC, audax...
Oh bugger!

 

[the stupid one]

And don't mention FNrttC, audax...
Oh bugger!

Hah, I was watching Katie Kookaburra's latest youtube video earlier, where she does her first 400 km ride. And it looked like "fun"!

 

[iandg]

It's the last weekend warning time again at least it's a 3 dayer for most . Mays been a good month with plenty of and we have 36 riders fully posted up ( this includes @tallliman who is yet to post but I was there on the required distance ride) We have 3 riders who are yet to post so a quick nudge to @Slick ,@kipster and @wicker man . Well done everyone next month's halfway

Thanks for the nudge - I did a 200/300 km back to back island hop from Stornoway to Castlebay and then onto Vatersay the following morning and upyo the Butt of Lewis along the Hebridean Way - will post details later.

 

[13 rider]

Bingo full house everyone over the line 39 of us move on to June . Great effort everyone