The 2026 Half Century (50km or 50 mile) a month challenge chatzone

[gbs]

Last year I completed the challenge but failed to meet my personal target of 50 qualifying rides in the year. This year a better story; the 50x50km target has been met, despite aging like every one else (at my age another year) is significant and strugglling with pneumonia for 3 weeks over the Easter period. Many thanks to 13 Rider for setting this challenge.

 

[13 rider]

Last year I completed the challenge but failed to meet my personal target of 50 qualifying rides in the year. This year a better story; the 50x50km target has been met, despite aging like every one else (at my age another year) is significant and strugglling with pneumonia for 3 weeks over the Easter period. Many thanks to 13 Rider for setting this challenge.

Well done👏👏 with 50 done by mid July is a century of 50km rides on 👍
For those are unaware @gbs just plods on in the background not posting updates after every ride for the likes 😁 he just updates his first post in the challenge keeping under the radar

 

[gbs]

Well done👏👏 with 50 done by mid July is a century of 50km rides on 👍
For those are unaware @gbs just plods on in the background not posting updates after every ride for the likes 😁 he just updates his first post in the challenge keeping under the radar

"plods" is the right word. I rarely achieve 20kph moving average even in the flatlands of the Thames Valley

 

[13 rider]

Monthly update and last weekend warning despite plenty of days being left to go . We have 20 rides fully posted up which leave 3 riders yet to declare so a nudge for @bruce1530 ,@Pgd and @Spinney

 

[Jenkins]

Today's ride should keep the thread administrator happy. It's a good job the path to my back gate isn't a few feet shorter.

 

[13 rider]

Today's ride should keep the thread administrator happy. It's a good job the path to my back gate isn't a few feet shorter.

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Talk about cutting it fine 😁

 

[sevenfourate]

Dunwich Dynamo 2026. And my first….

What a crack 😁 I’m just back home and keen on getting some shut eye. But the below pics show getting dropped off at the Lee Valley Velodrome, riding through London to Hackney, the evening ride, the night-time pub stops…..through to arriving on the Beach at Dunwich. Fun way to spend a night……☀️🌅🚲👌

 

[13 rider]

Dunwich Dynamo 2026. And my first….

What a crack 😁 I’m just back home and keen on getting some shut eye. Butte below pics show getting dropped off at the Lee Valley Velodrome, riding through London to Hackney, the evening ride, the night-time pub stops…..through to arriving on the Beach at Dunwich. Fun way to spend a night……☀️🌅🚲👌

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Well done 👏👏🎉🎉
Your speed over that distance and elevation is quite impressive 👍,4500ft of upness for a flatland dweller must have seemed like a tour de France queen stage 😁

 

[sevenfourate]

Well done 👏👏🎉🎉
Your speed over that distance and elevation is quite impressive 👍,4500ft of upness for a flatland dweller must have seemed like a tour de France queen stage 😁

You’re right. It absolutely did !

And I protested at the finish when I wasn’t awarded the Polka-dot Jersey…….🤣

**Didn't know what to expect. My longest ride ever (once) being 62 miles. Also aware my rides are also normally sub-urban.

Out on the very open roads isn’t really my thing per-se. So the distance was untested. But I also knew IF I fuelled / had stamina - the longer distance over a straight route would possibly see my average speed increase over my normal far shorter (Twisty / Town-ridden) rides - per-se.

Through all that - I truthfully imagined 8 hours riding (14mph average) perhaps; or indeed worst case. To end up in the 6 hour bracket - albeit only just: was unexpected. I’m very nearly closer to 60 years old than 50, 6’3 tall and on a hybrid built for bolt upright comfort. I suspect my aerodynamics aren’t Optimal 🙄 But then again: weather and wind were very favourable….

Overall - the Stars have probably aligned here if I’m honest…..😉

 

[Spartak]

My second July 50 km ride today ...

Rode down to Temple Meads station and boarded a Plymouth bound train, bike spaces were full, but managed to squeeze mine on !

Got off at Yatton & ride The Strawberry Line all the way to Cheddar, this really is a lovely off road gravel route passing thru' Congresbury, the Thatchers apple orchards, Winscombe & Axbridge.
A short stop off at a relatives for coffee & cake before the climb of the Gorge, fortunately today with the help of a tailwind.
Once on top of the Mendips I passed lots of riders taking part in the Great Weston Ride, an annual event which goes from Bristol to Weston super Mare finishing on the seafront.
I continued northwards passing thru' Chew Magna, Queen Charlton and Keynsham before joining the B2B track at Bitton.
Very nice impromptu ride with sunshine & a tailwind for the most part ... 🌞👍

Click on the link for a 'short' YouTube video of the Cheddar Gorge Climb ...


View: https://youtube.com/shorts/z7s1aWbWirE?is=uQsD4Sa92Cle8Hrj

 

[Spinney]

Monthly update and last weekend warning despite plenty of days being left to go . We have 20 rides fully posted up which leave 3 riders yet to declare so a nudge for @bruce1530 ,@Pgd and @Spinney

Did it on 12th, but forgot to post it! I'll do it now - thanks for the reminder!

 

[13 rider]

All 23 of us fully posted up and rolling on to August , Well done everyone 😁.

 

[13 rider]

Couldn't resist popping in one last more 50km ride as I was 30 miles short of 900 miles for the month 😁.Turned into a big month for me helped by the good weather and being able to get out early or late in the day .After my French trip in May I had sort of lost a bit of motivation to keep pushing the distance resulting in a fairly lowish June ,I'd probably rode as many days but just covered less distance ,but I've set myself a target for September so I back into things and will be upping the elevation gains as it involves a bit of climbing

 

[bluenotebob]

Couldn't resist popping in one last more 50km ride as I was 30 miles short of 900 miles for the month

Well done!

I lost too many days earlier in July with heat, heat exhaustion and one cataclysmic thunderstorm to have a great month - but I dragged myself up over the last couple of weeks to reach 1187km (738 miles) for the month.

A couple of Sundays back it was 28C here at midnight ... can't breathe, can't move, can't sleep ... just impossible.

Let's hope the (relatively) cooler weather stays throughout August.

 

[sevenfourate]

Couldn't resist popping in one last more 50km ride as I was 30 miles short of 900 miles for the month 😁.Turned into a big month for me helped by the good weather and being able to get out early or late in the day .After my French trip in May I had sort of lost a bit of motivation to keep pushing the distance resulting in a fairly lowish June ,I'd probably rode as many days but just covered less distance ,but I've set myself a target for September so I back into things and will be upping the elevation gains as it involves a bit of climbing

GREAT miles ! I commuted lots of July. And did the Dunwich Dynamo. Which helped drag me up to 668 for the month. Chuffed with that 😁