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

[13 rider]

Did anyone notice the last stage of the TdFF was 99.2 km, I’m surprised they didn’t go for a loop around the nearest Intermarche car park like the rest of us have to!

Yes I did and The riders I did contact 🤣 did say they didn't record the ride back to the team buses which was over 1km so all good 😁 really . But my e mail to the organisers for planning a stage with such a silly distance has not been answered yet

 

[sevenfourate]

…..have they not heard of the Lap of shame ?

 

[bluenotebob]

In July, I cycled 13/31 days with daily totals over 50km. Three of them were posted as Lunacy Distance rides (as they were all over 90km), one of them was posted in this challenge – and the other 9 weren’t posted anywhere (perhaps I should have done so but it’s too late now).

So far this month, I’ve only racked-up three daily totals in excess of 50km. My intention was to do an uninterrupted 50+km ride in the second half of August and to post that as August’s qualifier. But ... I’ve just run into some problems. Thursday’s ride was curtailed with a flat back tyre (my fault – don’t ask) and it meant pushing my bike 11km back to the van in a temperature of 38C. Not much fun but I did it. Friday’s ride was short and slow – I realised after 16km that one of my cycling shoes had split (probably as a result of having to walk 11km the day before).

Today is a National Holiday so there’s no chance of getting new shoes before Monday and then I’ll need time to break them in. I’m still hopeful of doing an uninterrupted 50+km ride before 31.8 but I may end up cycling it in tennis shoes … I’ll see how practical that is.

I’ve decided to post the three multi-bike rides that I did earlier in August in the challenge thread.

Not what I planned but I really don’t want to drop out of this year’s challenge on a technicality. I do plenty of rides/daily totals over 50km every month but I just haven’t bothered to report them all.

 

[13 rider]

93 km with 1362 m of climbing

Just so Your aware I do notice the distances everyone post and am disappointed ☹️when another point is left out on the road . Poor route planning there 100km is within sight

 

[geocycle]

Just so Your aware I do notice the distances everyone post and am disappointed ☹️when another point is left out on the road . Poor route planning there 100km is within sight

Apologies, it started off as an 81 km 2 point ride, then I realised I could bag a 1300 m lunacy climb. By persuing that I had to go further than anticipated. It won’t happen again, honest….

 

[teeonethousand]

This challenge gets to you.

When I did my ride yesterday I finished super sweaty and had had enough but noticed it was 30.2 miles approaching my house. I did not need to record it as I have ticked August box already, I have done quite a few 20 odd miles recently doing hills and attempting intervals. After much internal dialogue I decided to do the extra😂

 

[13 rider]

This challenge gets to you.

When I did my ride yesterday I finished super sweaty and had had enough but noticed it was 30.2 miles approaching my house. I did not need to record it as I have ticked August box already, I have done quite a few 20 odd miles recently doing hills and attempting intervals. After much internal dialogue I decided to do the extra😂

It's not even a question just do the extra 😁

 

[sevenfourate]

Hard work today 😟 I knew it was going to be from the minute I wheeled the bike out. ‘Funny’ isn’t it……

That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it though ! And as it will be my last ride for August (*Flying to California with the Family until early September on Tuesday) I wanted to get one last decent ride in before then.

A new loop today 😁 And this one 4 miles up the road; and a mist clad Church at Somerleyton:

Sun slowly dragging its way up over the Suffolk Countryside:

Monument that also celebrates Somerleyton being the Birthplace of the Hovercraft (Look ontop)……

The River Yare and Holiday craft moored up at Great Yarmouth:

On the Yarmouth / Caister Border. With Wind Turbines aplenty at the rear of the shot:

More water ! The Inner Harbour and some of the ‘Offshore’ related businesses……

Twas an effort today. Probably also the fact I cracked on fairly for me too.

 

[bluenotebob]

mist clad Church at Somerleyton:

Great photo - as are the others.

I hadn't realised Suffolk was quite so photogenic - but there again, not many people take photos at 5am.

How are your hands this morning?

 

[sevenfourate]

Great photo - as are the others.

I hadn't realised Suffolk was quite so photogenic - but there again, not many people take photos at 5am.

How are your hands this morning?

Thanks on the photos. Lowestoft is a classified deprived area (Town centre and a few select spots). I think not too far out is lovely. I’m in no rush to swap and get out….

Hands are ok thanks ! No worse than when I started 👌 And way better during and after: compared to any recent ride. And until you kindly asked - I’d not really thought about it. That in itself is a good sign 😁

I spent 60% (?) of my time on the inner handles. And when on the grips - I of course then noted the width: but probably more so noted the vibration. A combination of resonance (?) or similar, thin hard grips and thin, pretty much unpadded Summer type gloves. So I’ll be trying much more padded gloves first ride back from Holidays.

I think with lower tyre pressures, inner hand grips, options of hand positioning, more padded gloves - there’s immediate hope of an improvement to the numbness.

Thank you for asking. Very kind 😉

 

[FrothNinja]

Just so Your aware I do notice the distances everyone post and am disappointed ☹️when another point is left out on the road . Poor route planning there 100km is within sight

I blame the route planning apps - they lie on purpose in order to feed human despair to their AI overlords 🤖

 

[Spartak]

Morning ride on a loop around North Bristol.
Passing thru' Easter Compton, Old Down, Alveston, Itchington, Iron Acton, Yate & Pucklechurch.
Finished in the local 'Spoons for a Leffe ... 🇧🇪🍺👍