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

[Alex321]

Yes, that's true. I don't think I've had quite that big a difference, but I have usually had the metres gained and metres lost be different, on a loop.

Today's qualifier (only just getting the distance) was only 2m difference in climbs & descents, at 655m/657m.

Quite a slow ride today, with moderately strong winds slowing me at times.

I got a new heart rate monitor during the week, I suspect that if it is reasonably accurate, I need to revise my max HR down a bit. I have it set to 180, but never got above 167 even on the hard (by my standards) climbs, where from the feel I would have expected to be more in the 172-174 region based on the readings my old monitor gave when it appeared to be working properly.

 

[ColinJ]

For obvious reasons I get very nervous about any sign of trouble with the leg that indirectly nearly killed me twice! The swelling and pain has subsided now so hopefully it wasn't anything serious.

A friend has come round and her first words were "Are you okay? You look quite pale!"

Hmm... I'm fairly sure that it WAS another DVT because my leg has been swelling up a lot more than usual since I got back from Devon, and I think that caused another (minor) PE because I have been significantly short of breath off and on, sometimes just walking into the kitchen to make a mug of tea! That brought back some BAD memories...

I think the problem was caused by getting dehydrated on my metric century in Devon, failing to rehydrate properly after that, and spending a couple of days lazing around with a sore throat.

I have finally started to feel a bit better this weekend though so hopefully I am now seeing it off.

I am still riding my bike but don't feel like doing more than an hour or two at the most, usually more like 30 minutes. I probably won't meet my metric century target this year (again!), but if I feel well enough before winter bad weather and/or short hours of daylight arrive, I'll try to get a few more done.

It would be worth you all spending a few minutes reading THIS ARTICLE! Even though you are fit enough to be doing lots of long, hard rides, as the article explains - you can still be caught out.

 

[ColinJ]

PS Since I haven't a chance of doing a 'stretch target' this year, I have set myself a 'shrink target' instead...

My cycling may not have been much to feel pleased about but at least I am getting my weight under control. I am 8-9 kg down for the year with only another 3 to 4 to get me down to my target weight. If I can get there, keep it off through the winter, and do enough cycling to keep what fitness I do have, then I will be in a good position to get stuck in next year.

 

[Alex321]

Two qualifying days in a row - and today's was my longest ride, at 55 miles. This was slightly accidental, as I turned towards Port Talbot at the top of the Bwlch, expecting there to be a turn for Maesteg fairly son, but there wasn't one until Cymmer - and that looked like a horrible steep hill. So at that point, I thought I might as well just carry on, and ended up going down into Port Talbot and back home from there.

Enjoyed it though, much cooler than last time I did the Bwlch, at 15C as opposed to 32C. Only needed two bottles of water today, and didn't even quite finish the 2nd one.

View from the top, looking down over Treorchy.

And a curious sheep

View down the other side, a bit further on, looking down towards Cymmer

 

[bluenotebob]

That’s me over the line for 2022 – and I’m feeling a huge sense of relief after the ignominy of last year when I only managed 12 qualifying rides.

My longest ride of the year today at 87km – I’m not sure why I left the best to the last.

If I manage any more 70+km rides this year then I’ll post them and relegate a few lesser ones. There’s no way that I’ll hit my stretch target of 75km though – that’d mean another 6 rides this year. But now that I don’t have to do any more perhaps they’ll actually be easier … ?

 

[Alex321]

Just one more needed for me now, getting my 12th in today.

I'll probably get 3-5 more in, as the "I don't do winter" part of the tread title doesn't apply to me, and I normally manage 1-2 each month.

 

[Fiona R]

That’s me over the line for 2022 – and I’m feeling a huge sense of relief after the ignominy of last year when I only managed 12 qualifying rides.

My longest ride of the year today at 87km – I’m not sure why I left the best to the last.

If I manage any more 70+km rides this year then I’ll post them and relegate a few lesser ones. There’s no way that I’ll hit my stretch target of 75km though – that’d mean another 6 rides this year. But now that I don’t have to do any more perhaps they’ll actually be easier … ?

Woo hoo!! Very well done. also, totally agree with the bit about when you don't have to do anymore.... my last one is figuratively weighing me down. Hopefully for not much longer.

 

[Fiona R]

Just one more needed for me now, getting my 12th in today.

I'll probably get 3-5 more in, as the "I don't do winter" part of the tread title doesn't apply to me, and I normally manage 1-2 each month.

Excellent! I'm in the "just one more needed" club too

In these parts I have no excuses for not doing winter, it doesn't get icy very often. Famous last words that will be!

 

[bluenotebob]

Woo hoo!! Very well done. also, totally agree with the bit about when you don't have to do anymore.... my last one is figuratively weighing me down. Hopefully for not much longer.

Thank you!

Good luck getting your 13th done before the lack of daylight means that you'll have to do most of the ride in the dark.

 

[Fiona R]

Thank you!

Good luck getting your 13th done before the lack of daylight means that you'll have to do most of the ride in the dark.

Ummm....... I got in at 10pm last night so a reasonable amount of dark riding which I struggle with. But I did it! a group of 6-8 rode no drop with 4 refreshment breaks. I ended up riding 220km with riding into Bristol and home again after. We started at the famous Harts Bakery for coffee and croissant next to Bristol Temple Meads. Then back past home 1 1/2 hours after leaving.... a third breakfast at the Strawberry Line Cafe in Yatton then up Burrington Combe and over to the cider farm and campsite at Tuckers Grave before Bath. Too early for cider and camping so had a baguette. On up into the Cotswolds via Bradford on Avon and lunch at Cotswold Water Park before a gradual ascent into the wind across to the pub at Kingscote and big whizz down into Wotton under Edge. We picked up the bike path after Pucklechurch and back into Bristol along Railway Path. I normally ride solo as I'm too slow for the average distance pace. it was great to be in a group, esp for the night riding as the road is illuminated further ahead and nobody had pulsing rear lights so I could cope.

13 lunacy rides done and topped out my 2nd RRtY too. Big phew, it's been tough. Only 1/2 an hour spare yesterday on max audax time 8am-10pm. I left home 7am for official depart at 8 and got back at 10pm, finished audax route 9.30pm i abandoned an RRtY at 8/12 last year, the first one was a calendar year in 2019, this one an audax year Nov-Oct 2021-2022. I've ridden in England, Scotland, Wales and France.

 

[Alex321]

Completed my original 50Km target with 13th ride today.

Really good ride today, fell in with a group from Dragons Tri club for part of it and ended up with PBs on a whole bunch of segments (though I'd only done most of the 2-3 times before ).

Need 5 more rides of 35 miles plus for my stretch target. Not bad, considering that at the start of the year I'd only ever gone over 35 miles once, and done it 8 times so far this year.

 

[Sea of vapours]

Congratulations on completing !

 

[Fiona R]

Completed my original 50Km target with 13th ride today.

Really good ride today, fell in with a group from Dragons Tri club for part of it and ended up with PBs on a whole bunch of segments (though I'd only done most of the 2-3 times before ).

Need 5 more rides of 35 miles plus for my stretch target. Not bad, considering that at the start of the year I'd only ever gone over 35 miles once, and done it 8 times so far this year.

This is brilliant, exceeded all your expectations and still planning more. Very well done.

I love the lunacy challenge the best as it's customisable. Like a good fitting pair of shoes.

 

[Alex321]

Another for my stretch target today, so the lowest one for initial target drops out of the list. 36.39 miles (stretch target is 35 miles), still need 4 more for that.

Today's ride took me over both 3,000 miles for the year and 200,000 ft elevation for the year. I won't manage the 4,000 total miles I did last year, having had 9 weeks out after my crash.

 

[Alex321]

Another stretch target (35 miles) today - 2nd for November, but still need 3 more.

Took advantage of the sunny weather - though there were still floods in a couple of places from the recent rain.