The Annual Lunacy (aka "I Don't Do Winter") Challenge Chatzone

[SpokeyDokey]

As far as I am concerned, yes!

I'll officially start it at the end of December in time for the New Year.

Apologies - I should've tagged you in my post.

Have you decided on the final version of The Rules yet?

 

[ColinJ]

Apologies - I should've tagged you in my post.

I keep on top of 'New Posts' anyway, but tagging me gets my attention immediately if I am on the forum.

Have you decided on the final version of The Rules yet?

@Sea of vapours and I have been discussing proposed 'Rules' and he kindly typed some out for me. (I have made a few small changes to them since then.) This is what we are proposing, but there are still nearly 2 months to make any changes that we as a group feel would improve the challenge.

Annual Lunacy Challenge (proposed) rules/guidelines:

1. Choose a target distance, for example 100 miles, but it can be any imperial or metric distance which will be challenging for you to complete thirteen times in a calendar year.

2. The distance is a daily distance, not a 'ride' distance, where a day is defined as 'from getting up to going to bed'. This means that you can add up two or more rides in one day to count towards your target distance and therefore allows, for example, two commuting rides to be added to reach a target. The idea of this is to make achieving longer distances a more realistic proposition for many people who struggle to find enough spare time for individual long rides.

3. Each time you complete a day's riding which meets or exceeds your target distance, post in the challenge thread, stating your target and how many times you've met it at the top and then listing each ride which meets your target below. The post should ideally include details of the rides completed including how far, a list of points on each route, perhaps the elevation gain, and a link to the route(s) if you recorded it/them. The idea of these details is to maintain everyone's interest in where people are riding, as well as their progress towards their goal.

4. Chat about rides, etc. goes in the associated chatzone thread. Please don't post anything other than lists of your rides in the challenge thread.

5. Even once you have completed thirteen qualifying rides, you can keep posting new ones where your 'top 13' has changed. Just post your thirteen longest. At the end of the year, your thirteenth longest ride is your actual achievement for the year. NB If you keep cranking out rides exactly hitting your target, you would struggle to exceed it later in the year. For example if your first 10 rides were exactly 100 miles, you would have to do another 13 rides of 101 miles to increase your lunacy challenge achievement to 101 miles! If you like the idea of trying to beat your target, it is always worth adding at least a few miles to as many of your long rides as possible throughout the year. In that respect, every duplicated ride distance is 'wasted', although each will qualify for the basic challenge that you set yourself.

6. Since the only rules are to state a target distance and complete it thirteen times, anyone can join at any point during the year where there are sufficient days left to complete. It also means that an unavoidable break for illness, injury, childbirth, pressure of work, mojo-loss, freak weather conditions, [insert applicable excuse/reason here] would not bring your challenge to an abrupt finish, unless that happened to be so late in the year that you would not have time to complete the challenge once you started riding again.

7. The following year, everyone who met their stated target can display the crescent moon 'Lunacy Challenge' icon in their signature. Something like this ->

(although if someone would care to draw a better one, feel free to donate it below!)


What do y'all reckon?

 

[ColinJ]

I've just checked my 'Eddington number'. I have a lifetime goal of 100 imperial centuries and I still have 54 to go, so 4 successful 100 mile Lunacy Challenge years would just about see me to my target. I would be nearly 68 by then so it would probably be a good idea to get stuck in while I still have the energy and enthusiasm for hilly hundred milers. Either that, or move to somewhere flatter!

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I keep on top of 'New Posts' anyway, but tagging me gets my attention immediately if I am on the forum.


@Sea of vapours and I have been discussing proposed 'Rules' and he kindly typed some out for me. (I have made a few small changes to them since then.) This is what we are proposing, but there are still nearly 2 months to make any changes that we as a group feel would improve the challenge.

Annual Lunacy Challenge (proposed) rules/guidelines:

1. Choose a target distance, for example 100 miles, but it can be any imperial or metric distance which will be challenging for you to complete thirteen times in a calendar year.

2. The distance is a daily distance, not a 'ride' distance, where a day is defined as 'from getting up to going to bed'. This means that you can add up two or more rides in one day to count towards your target distance and therefore allows, for example, two commuting rides to be added to reach a target. The idea of this is to make achieving longer distances a more realistic proposition for many people who struggle to find enough spare time for individual long rides.

3. Each time you complete a day's riding which meets or exceeds your target distance, post in the challenge thread, stating your target and how many times you've met it at the top and then listing each ride which meets your target below. The post should ideally include details of the rides completed including how far, a list of points on each route, perhaps the elevation gain, and a link to the route(s) if you recorded it/them. The idea of these details is to maintain everyone's interest in where people are riding, as well as their progress towards their goal.

4. Chat about rides, etc. goes in the associated chatzone thread. Please don't post anything other than lists of your rides in the challenge thread.

5. Even once you have completed thirteen qualifying rides, you can keep posting new ones where your 'top 13' has changed. Just post your thirteen longest. At the end of the year, your thirteenth longest ride is your actual achievement for the year. NB If you keep cranking out rides exactly hitting your target, you would struggle to exceed it later in the year. For example if your first 10 rides were exactly 100 miles, you would have to do another 13 rides of 101 miles to increase your lunacy challenge achievement to 101 miles! If you like the idea of trying to beat your target, it is always worth adding at least a few miles to as many of your long rides as possible throughout the year. In that respect, every duplicated ride distance is 'wasted', although each will qualify for the basic challenge that you set yourself.

6. Since the only rules are to state a target distance and complete it thirteen times, anyone can join at any point during the year where there are sufficient days left to complete. It also means that an unavoidable break for illness, injury, childbirth, pressure of work, mojo-loss, freak weather conditions, [insert applicable excuse/reason here] would not bring your challenge to an abrupt finish, unless that happened to be so late in the year that you would not have time to complete the challenge once you started riding again.

7. The following year, everyone who met their stated target can display the crescent moon 'Lunacy Challenge' icon in their signature. Something like this -> View attachment 437253 (although if someone would care to draw a better one, feel free to donate it below!)


What do y'all reckon?

Spot on!

Should work well for someone like me of variable cycling motivation and could well be the Ex-Lax of cycling challenges as I do need to be more regular.

Thanks to you both for the effort put into this so far.

 

[steverob]

I'm probably going to be up for this next year, as it is likely I won't be renewing my participation in the Metric Century challenge, as there are a number of months coming up where it might prove very tough for me to complete a qualifying ride due to other considerations.

However I'm not sure what I should set my target as. Do I keep it around the 100km mark with the idea of doing a Metric Century-like challenge, but just doing 13 rides of that length crammed into the 6 or 7 months I'll be available for? Or maybe set a slightly easier target of around 50 miles and then once I've reached my 13th ride, push on to see what I could have done over and above that?

I'll still be in the Metric Half Century challenge however - I may not get as many points in that challenge as previous years, but it's still very do-able for me.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I'm probably going to be up for this next year, as it is likely I won't be renewing my participation in the Metric Century challenge, as there are a number of months coming up where it might prove very tough for me to complete a qualifying ride due to other considerations.

However I'm not sure what I should set my target as. Do I keep it around the 100km mark with the idea of doing a Metric Century-like challenge, but just doing 13 rides of that length crammed into the 6 or 7 months I'll be available for? Or maybe set a slightly easier target of around 50 miles and then once I've reached my 13th ride, push on to see what I could have done over and above that?

I'll still be in the Metric Half Century challenge however - I may not get as many points in that challenge as previous years, but it's still very do-able for me.

Decisions, decisions...

 

[ColinJ]

However I'm not sure what I should set my target as. Do I keep it around the 100km mark with the idea of doing a Metric Century-like challenge, but just doing 13 rides of that length crammed into the 6 or 7 months I'll be available for? Or maybe set a slightly easier target of around 50 miles and then once I've reached my 13th ride, push on to see what I could have done over and above that?

If it is to be a true challenge then there ought to be some chance that you might not manage it? In that case, the metric century would probably be the better option, but do whatever you feel happier doing.

I have a half-baked plan to carry on with the '50' and metric century challenges in 2019, but add an imperial century lunacy challenge, none of my rides to be counted in more than one challenge. I currently use my imperial century rides and annual 200 km ride in the metric century challenge, but I won't next year. To achieve those goals would mean me doing a 50 km/50 mile ride, a 100 km ride and 2 imperial centuries in the summer months - a step up from what I normally do, but realistically doable.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

@ColinJ

Re 3. Ride listing. Do you want this listed in descending distance order ie longest first and then down to 13th longest?

 

[Sea of vapours]

I like the descending order idea, but I also feel that those bits of the 'rules' are really more in the nature of guidelines than strict rules.

 

[ColinJ]

@ColinJ

Re 3. Ride listing. Do you want this listed in descending distance order ie longest first and then down to 13th longest?

Er, let's try an example of how it might be done ...

Assume that this challenge had been running in 2017 and that I had not been doing the metric century a month challenge, but instead was aiming for a Lunacy Challenge achievement of 100 km. Here are examples of how my posts might have looked through the year, lifted from my actual metric century challenge posts... (I didn't include much detail in the ride descriptions that year. I am not quite so terse these days!)

[Posted on 1st January]

Target
I aim to do ride a total of at least 100 kms on at least 13 days in 2017.

All qualifying rides
[None so far]

Current achievement
0/13 of 100 km.

********************************************************************

[Posted on February 18th]

Target
I aim to do ride a total of at least 100 kms on at least 13 days in 2017.

All qualifying rides
30th Jan:
--Tod-Waddington loop. 100 km.

6th Feb:
-- Garforth loop. 103 km.

18th Feb:
-- Unofficial Mini-Northwest Passage audax. 117 km.

Current achievement (in descending distance order)
3/13 of 100 km target.

18th Feb: 117 km.
6th Feb: 103 km.
30th Jan: 100 km.

[All of my rides are detailed in MyCyclingLog and forum rides also in the CycleChat rides forum.]

********************************************************************

[Posted on 21st May]

Target
I aim to do ride a total of at least 100 kms on at least 13 days in 2017.

All qualifying rides
30th Jan:
-- Tod-Waddington loop. 100 km.

6th Feb:
-- Garforth loop. 103 km.

18th Feb:
-- Unofficial Mini-Northwest Passage audax. 117 km.

4th Mar:
-- Tod, Buckstones, Long Causeway loop. 103 km.

12th Mar:
-- Tod-Chipping loop. 101 km.

25th Mar:
-- Same route done as on 12th Mar minus its wrong turns! 100 km.

1st Apr:
-- Conder Green forum ride. 161 km.

9th Apr:
-- Spring Into The Dales audax + rides to and from the event. 135 km.

13th May:
-- [Singlespeed] Manchester to Llandudno forum ride + rides between stations. 168 km.

21st May:
-- Tod, Settle, Waddington loop. 129 km.

Current achievement (in descending distance order)
10/13 of 100 km target.

13th May: 168 km.
1st Apr: 161 km.
9th Apr: 135 km.
21st May: 129 km.
18th Feb: 117 km.
6th Feb: 103 km.
4th Mar: 103 km.
12th Mar: 101 km.
30th Jan: 100 km.
25th Mar: 100km.

[All of my rides are detailed in MyCyclingLog and forum rides also in the CycleChat rides forum.]

********************************************************************

[Posted on 1st July]

Target
I aim to do ride a total of at least 100 kms on at least 13 days in 2017.

All qualifying rides
30th Jan:
--Tod-Waddington loop. 100 km.

6th Feb:
-- Garforth loop. 103 km.

18th Feb:
-- Unofficial Mini-Northwest Passage audax. 117 km.

4th Mar:
-- Tod, Buckstones, Long Causeway loop. 103 km.

12th Mar:
-- Tod-Chipping loop. 101 km.

25th Mar:
-- Route done on 12th Mar minus wrong turns. 100 km.

1st Apr:
-- Conder Green forum ride. 161 km.

9th Apr:
-- Spring Into The Dales audax + rides to and from the event. 135 km.

13th May:
--[Singlespeed] Manchester to Llandudno forum ride + rides between stations. 168 km.

21st May:
-- Tod, Settle, Waddington loop. 129 km.

28th May:
-- Forum ride to Wray. 161 km.

3rd Jun:
-- [Singlespeed] Forum ride in Cheshire. 200 km.

1st Jul:
-- Settle forum ride. Todmorden to Keighley, (train), Settle-Reeth-Settle. 163 km.

Current achievement (in descending distance order)
100 km target has been achieved!

3rd June: 200 km.
28th May: 161 km
13th May: 168 km.
1st Jul: 163 km.
1st Apr: 161 km.
9th Apr: 135 km.
21st May: 129 km.
18th Feb: 117 km.
6th Feb: 103 km.
4th Mar: 103 km.
12th Mar: 101 km.
30th Jan: 100 km.
25th Mar: 100km.


[All of my rides are detailed in MyCyclingLog and forum rides also in the CycleChat rides forum.]


PS The fact that I would have hit my target by 1st July is a sign that a 100 km target would have been a bit conservative that year!

********************************************************************

[Posted on 4th December]

Target
I aim to do ride a total of at least 100 kms on at least 13 days in 2017.

All qualifying rides
30th Jan:
-- Tod-Waddington loop. 100 km.

6th Feb:
-- Garforth loop. 103 km.

18th Feb:
-- Unofficial Mini-Northwest Passage audax. 117 km.

4th Mar:
-- Tod, Buckstones, Long Causeway loop. 103 km.

12th Mar:
-- Tod-Chipping loop. 101 km.

25th Mar:
-- Route done on 12th Mar minus wrong turns. 100 km.

1st Apr:
-- Conder Green forum ride. 161 km.

9th Apr:
-- Spring Into The Dales audax + rides to and from the event. 135 km.

13th May:
-- [Singlespeed] Manchester to Llandudno forum ride + rides between stations. 168 km.

21st May:
-- Tod, Settle, Waddington loop. 129 km.

28th May:
-- Forum ride to Wray. 161 km.

3rd Jun:
-- [Singlespeed] Forum ride in Cheshire. 200 km.

1st Jul:
-- Settle forum ride. Todmorden to Keighley, (train), Settle-Reeth-Settle. 163 km.

22nd Jul:
-- [Singlespeed] Humber Bridge forum ride. 187 km.

3rd Aug:
-- Coventry, Stoneleigh, Silverstone, Leighton Buzzard. 103 km.

5th Aug:
-- Leighton Buzzard, Aylesbury Vale forum ride . 111 km.

4th Sept:
-- Finlake, Chudleigh, Exeter, (train), Barnstaple, Tarka Trail, Sticklepath (village shop stop), Chagford, Bovey Tracey, Finlake. 126 km.

6th Sept:
-- Tiverton, Shillingford, Haddon Hill, Minehead (quayside cafe), Dunkery Beacon climb over Exmoor, Dulverton, Exe Valley, Tiverton. 127 km.

24th Sept:
-- [Singlespeed] 2nd Leighton Buzzard forum ride round Aylesbury Vale. 108 km.

30th Sept:
-- [Singlespeed] Scarborough forum ride. Leeds, Stamford Bridge, Scarborough, plus extra loops for imperial century. 163 km.

25th Oct:
-- Three times round anti-clockwise Cragg Vale loop from Todmorden plus round the block to make up metric century. 100 km

30th Nov:
-- [Singlespeed] Todmorden, Burnley, Tod, Littleborough, Tod loop; Tod, Hebden Bridge, Tod loop to pad out ride; repeat of first loop. 101 km.

4th Dec:
-- Rose Grove (Burnley), Whalley, Mitton, Waddington Fell, Dunsop Bridge, Beacon Fell, Longridge, Blackburn. 103 km.

Current achievement (in descending distance order)
Target of 100 km has been achieved and I have OVER-achieved to 111km!

3rd Jun: 200 km.
22nd Jul: 187 km.
30th Sep: 163 km.
28th May: 161 km
13th May: 168 km.
1st Jul: 163 km.
1st Apr: 161 km.
9th Apr: 135 km.
21st May: 129 km.
4th Sep: 126 km.
6th Sep: 127 km.
18th Feb: 117 km.
5th Aug: 111 km.

[All of my rides are detailed in MyCyclingLog and forum rides also in the CycleChat rides forum.]

PS Looking at the final achievement for the year, perhaps a target in the range 120-130 km would have been appropriate? Only 7 rides were >= imperial centuries (161 km) so a lot of extra riding would have been needed to achieve that distance.

********************************************************************

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Er, let's try an example of how it might be done ...

Assume that this challenge had been running in 2017 and that I had not been doing the metric century a month challenge, but instead was aiming for a Lunacy Challenge achievement of 100 km. Here are examples of how my posts might have looked through the year, lifted from my actual metric century challenge posts... (I didn't include much detail in the ride descriptions that year. I am not quite so terse these days!)

[Posted on 1st January]

Target
I aim to do ride at a total of at least 100 kms on at least 13 days in 2017.

All qualifying rides
[None so far]

Current achievement
0/13 of 100 km.

********************************************************************

[Posted on February 18th]

Target
I aim to do ride at a total of at least 100 kms on at least 13 days in 2017.

All qualifying rides
30th Jan:
--Tod-Waddington loop. 100 km.

6th Feb:
-- Garforth loop. 103 km.

18th Feb:
-- Unofficial Mini-Northwest Passage audax. 117 km.

Current achievement (in descending distance order)
3/13 of 100 km target.

18th Feb: 117 km.
6th Feb: 103 km.
30th Jan: 100 km.

[All of my rides are detailed in MyCyclingLog and forum rides also in the CycleChat rides forum.]

********************************************************************

[Posted on 21st May]

Target
I aim to do ride at a total of at least 100 kms on at least 13 days in 2017.

All qualifying rides
30th Jan:
-- Tod-Waddington loop. 100 km.

6th Feb:
-- Garforth loop. 103 km.

18th Feb:
-- Unofficial Mini-Northwest Passage audax. 117 km.

4th Mar:
-- Tod, Buckstones, Long Causeway loop. 103 km.

12th Mar:
-- Tod-Chipping loop. 101 km.

25th Mar:
-- Same route done as on 12th Mar minus its wrong turns! 100 km.

1st Apr:
-- Conder Green forum ride. 161 km.

9th Apr:
-- Spring Into The Dales audax + rides to and from the event. 135 km.

13th May:
-- [Singlespeed] Manchester to Llandudno forum ride + rides between stations. 168 km.

21st May:
-- Tod, Settle, Waddington loop. 129 km.

Current achievement (in descending distance order)
10/13 of 100 km target.

13th May: 168 km.
1st Apr: 161 km.
9th Apr: 135 km.
21st May: 129 km.
18th Feb: 117 km.
6th Feb: 103 km.
4th Mar: 103 km.
12th Mar: 101 km.
30th Jan: 100 km.
25th Mar: 100km.

[All of my rides are detailed in MyCyclingLog and forum rides also in the CycleChat rides forum.]

********************************************************************

[Posted on 1st July]

Target
I aim to do ride at a total of at least 100 kms on at least 13 days in 2017.

All qualifying rides
30th Jan:
--Tod-Waddington loop. 100 km.

6th Feb:
-- Garforth loop. 103 km.

18th Feb:
-- Unofficial Mini-Northwest Passage audax. 117 km.

4th Mar:
-- Tod, Buckstones, Long Causeway loop. 103 km.

12th Mar:
-- Tod-Chipping loop. 101 km.

25th Mar:
-- Route done on 12th Mar minus wrong turns. 100 km.

1st Apr:
-- Conder Green forum ride. 161 km.

9th Apr:
-- Spring Into The Dales audax + rides to and from the event. 135 km.

13th May:
--[Singlespeed] Manchester to Llandudno forum ride + rides between stations. 168 km.

21st May:
-- Tod, Settle, Waddington loop. 129 km.

28th May:
-- Forum ride to Wray. 161 km.

3rd Jun:
-- [Singlespeed] Forum ride in Cheshire. 200 km.

1st Jul:
-- Settle forum ride. Todmorden to Keighley, (train), Settle-Reeth-Settle. 163 km.

Current achievement (in descending distance order)
100 km target has been achieved!

3rd June: 200 km.
28th May: 161 km
13th May: 168 km.
1st Jul: 163 km.
1st Apr: 161 km.
9th Apr: 135 km.
21st May: 129 km.
18th Feb: 117 km.
6th Feb: 103 km.
4th Mar: 103 km.
12th Mar: 101 km.
30th Jan: 100 km.
25th Mar: 100km.


[All of my rides are detailed in MyCyclingLog and forum rides also in the CycleChat rides forum.]


PS The fact that I would have hit my target by 1st July is a sign that a 100 km target would have been a bit conservative that year!

********************************************************************

Target
I aim to do ride at a total of at least 100 kms on at least 13 days in 2017.

All qualifying rides
30th Jan:
-- Tod-Waddington loop. 100 km.

6th Feb:
-- Garforth loop. 103 km.

18th Feb:
-- Unofficial Mini-Northwest Passage audax. 117 km.

4th Mar:
-- Tod, Buckstones, Long Causeway loop. 103 km.

12th Mar:
-- Tod-Chipping loop. 101 km.

25th Mar:
-- Route done on 12th Mar minus wrong turns. 100 km.

1st Apr:
-- Conder Green forum ride. 161 km.

9th Apr:
-- Spring Into The Dales audax + rides to and from the event. 135 km.

13th May:
-- [Singlespeed] Manchester to Llandudno forum ride + rides between stations. 168 km.

21st May:
-- Tod, Settle, Waddington loop. 129 km.

28th May:
-- Forum ride to Wray. 161 km.

3rd Jun:
-- [Singlespeed] Forum ride in Cheshire. 200 km.

1st Jul:
-- Settle forum ride. Todmorden to Keighley, (train), Settle-Reeth-Settle. 163 km.

22nd Jul:
-- [Singlespeed] Humber Bridge forum ride. 187 km.

3rd Aug:
-- Coventry, Stoneleigh, Silverstone, Leighton Buzzard. 103 km.

5th Aug:
-- Leighton Buzzard, Aylesbury Vale forum ride . 111 km.

4th Sept:
-- Finlake, Chudleigh, Exeter, (train), Barnstaple, Tarka Trail, Sticklepath (village shop stop), Chagford, Bovey Tracey, Finlake. 126 km.

6th Sept:
-- Tiverton, Shillingford, Haddon Hill, Minehead (quayside cafe), Dunkery Beacon climb over Exmoor, Dulverton, Exe Valley, Tiverton. 127 km.

24th Sept:
-- [Singlespeed] 2nd Leighton Buzzard forum ride round Aylesbury Vale. 108 km.

30th Sept:
-- [Singlespeed] Scarborough forum ride. Leeds, Stamford Bridge, Scarborough, plus extra loops for imperial century. 163 km.

25th Oct:
-- Three times round anti-clockwise Cragg Vale loop from Todmorden plus round the block to make up metric century. 100 km

30th Nov:
-- [Singlespeed] Todmorden, Burnley, Tod, Littleborough, Tod loop; Tod, Hebden Bridge, Tod loop to pad out ride; repeat of first loop. 101 km.

4th Dec:
-- Rose Grove (Burnley), Whalley, Mitton, Waddington Fell, Dunsop Bridge, Beacon Fell, Longridge, Blackburn. 103 km.

Current achievement (in descending distance order)
Target has been met. OVER-achieved to 111km!

3rd Jun: 200 km.
22nd Jul: 187 km.
30th Sep: 163 km.
28th May: 161 km
13th May: 168 km.
1st Jul: 163 km.
1st Apr: 161 km.
9th Apr: 135 km.
21st May: 129 km.
4th Sep: 126 km.
6th Sep: 127 km.
18th Feb: 117 km.
5th Aug: 111 km.

[All of my rides are detailed in MyCyclingLog and forum rides also in the CycleChat rides forum.]

PS Looking at the final achievement for the year, perhaps a target in the range 120-130 km would have been appropriate? Only 7 rides were >= imperial centuries (161 km) so a lot of extra riding would have been needed to achieve that distance.

********************************************************************

That's nice & tidy!

 

[StuartG]

I've just checked my 'Eddington number'. I have a lifetime goal of 100 imperial centuries and I still have 54 to go, so 4 successful 100 mile Lunacy Challenge years would just about see me to my target. I would be nearly 68 by then so it would probably be a good idea to get stuck in while I still have the energy and enthusiasm for hilly hundred milers. Either that, or move to somewhere flatter!

Yep, same target and 63 to go. I'm coming up to 70 so I'll be 74 going on 75 if I do ONLY 13/year so I've a mighty incentive to overperform in the early years. The max I have ever done is 11x100 milers in a year - this year!

Perhaps a grey moon for the 65+

 

[ColinJ]

Yep, same target and 63 to go. I'm coming up to 70 so I'll be 74 going on 75 if I do ONLY 13/year so I've a mighty incentive to overperform in the early years. The max I have ever done is 11x100 milers in a year - this year!

Perhaps a grey moon for the 65+

Good going!

I've just had a look back through my (not quite complete) records and the most that I have done is 7 in a year, 3 times. 13 in a year would be a big step up for me.

 

[StuartG]

Perhaps a grey moon for the 65+

Thinking on for this - another thought for your consideration.

Follow the tradition of the other challenges and have a bronze/silver/gold moon. But not for distance, but for age eg:
0-59 Bronze
60-74 Silver
75+ Gold

That may have the apparent anomaly of a 46 year old getting bronze for 100+ while a 76 year old gets a gold for *only* 50+
But if the incentive of all the challenges is to help you push your own envelope but not only going further/faster. This would incentivise people by rewarding those that just go on and on, trying to maintain fitness into age as opposed to those younger trying to improve it. Surely an even more important aspect of life?

And the young-uns ain't deprived of the opportunity of a gold. It will come eventually, but perhaps they won't wish it too soon.

Oh and 90+ folk can choose their own shade and cosmic body ['cos they must have one!]

 

[ColinJ]

Thinking on for this - another thought for your consideration.

Follow the tradition of the other challenges and have a bronze/silver/gold moon. But not for distance, but for age eg:
0-59 Bronze
60-74 Silver
75+ Gold

That may have the apparent anomaly of a 46 year old getting bronze for 100+ while a 76 year old gets a gold for *only* 50+
But if the incentive of all the challenges is to help you push your own envelope but not only going further/faster. This would incentivise people by rewarding those that just go on and on, trying to maintain fitness into age as opposed to those younger trying to improve it. Surely an even more important aspect of life?

And the young-uns ain't deprived of the opportunity of a gold. It will come eventually, but perhaps they won't wish it too soon.

Oh and 90+ folk can choose their own shade and cosmic body ['cos they must have one!]

An alternative alternative suggestion ...

I was going to suggest a requirement that each year's target distance be greater than or equal to previous annual targets but that would be a little tough on those who have been ill, injured, getting too old (), or unable to find the time/motivation to maintain or increase their distance in a particular year. How about letting awards be an indication of lifetime achievement in the challenge instead? I.e. Bronze for the first completed year, Silver for the second, Gold for the third and any subsequent completed years.

I've had an idea concerning the other thing that people complain about - unwieldy lists of rides. Show (say) the most recent 3 rides and wrap earlier ride details up in a 'spoiler'? (Yes - the word 'spoiler' in the spoiler title shouldn't really be there if you supply a custom spoiler title, but is IS!)

This is what the long example that I posted a while back would look like....

********************************************************************

[Posted on 1st January]

Target
I aim to do ride a total of at least 100 kms on at least 13 days in 2017.

All qualifying rides
[None so far]

Current achievement
0/13 of 100 km.

********************************************************************

[Posted on February 18th]

Target
I aim to do ride a total of at least 100 kms on at least 13 days in 2017.

All qualifying rides
30th Jan:
--Tod-Waddington loop. 100 km.

6th Feb:
-- Garforth loop. 103 km.

18th Feb:
-- Unofficial Mini-Northwest Passage audax. 117 km.

Current achievement (in descending distance order)
3/13 of 100 km target.

18th Feb: 117 km.
6th Feb: 103 km.
30th Jan: 100 km.

[All of my rides are detailed in MyCyclingLog and forum rides also in the CycleChat rides forum.]

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[Posted on 21st May]

Target
I aim to do ride a total of at least 100 kms on at least 13 days in 2017.

All qualifying rides

Spoiler: Earlier rides

30th Jan:
-- Tod-Waddington loop. 100 km.

6th Feb:
-- Garforth loop. 103 km.

18th Feb:
-- Unofficial Mini-Northwest Passage audax. 117 km.

4th Mar:
-- Tod, Buckstones, Long Causeway loop. 103 km.

12th Mar:
-- Tod-Chipping loop. 101 km.

25th Mar:
-- Same route done as on 12th Mar minus its wrong turns! 100 km.

1st Apr:
-- Conder Green forum ride. 161 km.

9th Apr:
-- Spring Into The Dales audax + rides to and from the event. 135 km.

13th May:
-- [Singlespeed] Manchester to Llandudno forum ride + rides between stations. 168 km.

21st May:
-- Tod, Settle, Waddington loop. 129 km.

Current achievement (in descending distance order)
10/13 of 100 km target.

13th May: 168 km.
1st Apr: 161 km.
9th Apr: 135 km.
21st May: 129 km.
18th Feb: 117 km.
6th Feb: 103 km.
4th Mar: 103 km.
12th Mar: 101 km.
30th Jan: 100 km.
25th Mar: 100km.

[All of my rides are detailed in MyCyclingLog and forum rides also in the CycleChat rides forum.]

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[Posted on 1st July]

Target
I aim to do ride a total of at least 100 kms on at least 13 days in 2017.

All qualifying rides

Spoiler: Earlier rides

30th Jan:
-- Tod-Waddington loop. 100 km.

6th Feb:
-- Garforth loop. 103 km.

18th Feb:
-- Unofficial Mini-Northwest Passage audax. 117 km.

4th Mar:
-- Tod, Buckstones, Long Causeway loop. 103 km.

12th Mar:
-- Tod-Chipping loop. 101 km.

25th Mar:
-- Route done on 12th Mar minus wrong turns. 100 km.

1st Apr:
-- Conder Green forum ride. 161 km.

9th Apr:
-- Spring Into The Dales audax + rides to and from the event. 135 km.

13th May:
--[Singlespeed] Manchester to Llandudno forum ride + rides between stations. 168 km.

21st May:
-- Tod, Settle, Waddington loop. 129 km.

28th May:
-- Forum ride to Wray. 161 km.

3rd Jun:
-- [Singlespeed] Forum ride in Cheshire. 200 km.

1st Jul:
-- Settle forum ride. Todmorden to Keighley, (train), Settle-Reeth-Settle. 163 km.

Current achievement (in descending distance order)
100 km target has been achieved!

3rd June: 200 km.
28th May: 161 km
13th May: 168 km.
1st Jul: 163 km.
1st Apr: 161 km.
9th Apr: 135 km.
21st May: 129 km.
18th Feb: 117 km.
6th Feb: 103 km.
4th Mar: 103 km.
12th Mar: 101 km.
30th Jan: 100 km.
25th Mar: 100km.


[All of my rides are detailed in MyCyclingLog and forum rides also in the CycleChat rides forum.]


PS The fact that I would have hit my target by 1st July is a sign that a 100 km target would have been a bit conservative that year!

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[Posted on 4th December]

Target
I aim to do ride a total of at least 100 kms on at least 13 days in 2017.

All qualifying rides

Spoiler: Earlier rides

30th Jan
-- Tod-Waddington loop. 100 km.

6th Feb:
-- Garforth loop. 103 km.

18th Feb:
-- Unofficial Mini-Northwest Passage audax. 117 km.

4th Mar:
-- Tod, Buckstones, Long Causeway loop. 103 km.

12th Mar:
-- Tod-Chipping loop. 101 km.

25th Mar:
-- Route done on 12th Mar minus wrong turns. 100 km.

1st Apr:
-- Conder Green forum ride. 161 km.

9th Apr:
-- Spring Into The Dales audax + rides to and from the event. 135 km.

13th May:
-- [Singlespeed] Manchester to Llandudno forum ride + rides between stations. 168 km.

21st May:
-- Tod, Settle, Waddington loop. 129 km.

28th May:
-- Forum ride to Wray. 161 km.

3rd Jun:
-- [Singlespeed] Forum ride in Cheshire. 200 km.

1st Jul:
-- Settle forum ride. Todmorden to Keighley, (train), Settle-Reeth-Settle. 163 km.

22nd Jul:
-- [Singlespeed] Humber Bridge forum ride. 187 km.

3rd Aug:
-- Coventry, Stoneleigh, Silverstone, Leighton Buzzard. 103 km.

5th Aug:
-- Leighton Buzzard, Aylesbury Vale forum ride . 111 km.

4th Sept:
-- Finlake, Chudleigh, Exeter, (train), Barnstaple, Tarka Trail, Sticklepath (village shop stop), Chagford, Bovey Tracey, Finlake. 126 km.

6th Sept:
-- Tiverton, Shillingford, Haddon Hill, Minehead (quayside cafe), Dunkery Beacon climb over Exmoor, Dulverton, Exe Valley, Tiverton. 127 km.

24th Sept:
-- [Singlespeed] 2nd Leighton Buzzard forum ride round Aylesbury Vale. 108 km.

30th Sept:
-- [Singlespeed] Scarborough forum ride. Leeds, Stamford Bridge, Scarborough, plus extra loops for imperial century. 163 km.

25th Oct:
-- Three times round anti-clockwise Cragg Vale loop from Todmorden plus round the block to make up metric century. 100 km

30th Nov:
-- [Singlespeed] Todmorden, Burnley, Tod, Littleborough, Tod loop; Tod, Hebden Bridge, Tod loop to pad out ride; repeat of first loop. 101 km.

4th Dec:
-- Rose Grove (Burnley), Whalley, Mitton, Waddington Fell, Dunsop Bridge, Beacon Fell, Longridge, Blackburn. 103 km.

Current achievement (in descending distance order)
Target of 100 km has been achieved and I have OVER-achieved to 111km!

3rd Jun: 200 km.
22nd Jul: 187 km.
30th Sep: 163 km.
28th May: 161 km
13th May: 168 km.
1st Jul: 163 km.
1st Apr: 161 km.
9th Apr: 135 km.
21st May: 129 km.
4th Sep: 126 km.
6th Sep: 127 km.
18th Feb: 117 km.
5th Aug: 111 km.

[All of my rides are detailed in MyCyclingLog and forum rides also in the CycleChat rides forum.]

PS Looking at the final achievement for the year, perhaps a target in the range 120-130 km would have been appropriate? Only 7 rides were >= imperial centuries (161 km) so a lot of extra riding would have been needed to achieve that distance.

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