The Imperial Century A Month Challenge Chatzone

[Rickshaw Phil]

Scraping in by the skin of my teeth, I got mine done yesterday. If I'd failed I don't have another day free for the remainder of the month.

107.56 miles around north Shropshire - yes, a very well repeated lot of riding but I needed something relatively easy having only done short commutes since finishing the Coast to Coast right at the start of September. 13.8 mph average, which I'm fairly happy with and the legs felt surprisingly good. @gavgav has invited me out for a ride this evening, so we'll see if I still think the same later on.

Ride report here for those who are interested: https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/your-ride-today.173254/post-7501170

 

[footloose crow]

28th September

I am riding at the last minute again. Weather and laziness have combined to create barriers to solo pain. Sometimes it just feels too hard.

I thought I had planned a good route today with some new lanes that I hadn't been down before, forgetting the lesson I learnt last month about 'new lanes'. The reason I haven't gone down them is that they are narrow, twisty, broken and very, very steep. I have more height gain on this ride, than a similar length ride in Mallorca's Tranmuntana mountains which took in most of the major cols. I never got above 170m above sea level, just kept doing hill repeats on different lanes.

I should go the way I always go, they are easier roads! Lesson learnt, maybe.

This ride took me down to the Lizard initially, mercifully much quieter now that the main tourist season is over, but with un-forecast clouds and drizzle instead of sunshine. Fortunately the weather finally read the forecast and the rest of the day was in sunshine and whilst not warm, it was certainly not cold. Short sleeves and gilet weather.

The trek north from the Lizard (no other direction being possible on a promontory) is a slog. Against the wind and with a slight 1-2% gradient uphill until Culdrose Naval Station appears and it's possible to dive down into Helston, through the Penrose Estate path and into Porthleven.

Portleven looked picture postcard perfect on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Fishing boats bobbing, sea sparkling, happy crowds, music and food. Then up over the Penwith hills and a combination of unknown lanes until reaching the north coast again. Familiar roads following the cliffs, down into Portreath for an ice cream, the beach busy, up again and then down into Perranporth. Perranporth also still quite busy but now now the air was cooling and the beach emptying.

On and on along very quiet lanes, the sun low over the fields and shadows lengthening, legs hurting and I haven't stopped once to buy food or drink today because there were either no shops or they were closed or for some reason just I didn't want to stop. I found some gels in my handlebar bag and had packed some crunchy healthy bars I didn't starve, but by now I can feel the beginnings of a bonk. No matter because home is close and if you just keep pedalling you get there eventually. And so I did.

Nearly home now

Eight hours, 103 miles, 2200 metres of ascent. 20km/h average speed. 146w weighted average power - I am a weakling.

 

[ianrauk]

I am a weakling.

Far from it.
Very well done.

 

[13 rider]

. 146w weighted average power - I am a weakling.

No ,I've said it before the fact you keep riding centuries over Cornish terrain deserves immense respect and doing it in 8 hrs is not at all shabby . Just checked my 1 and only and never to be repeated Cornish imperial ton Strava estimated my average power at 127w

 

[robjh]

28th September

I am riding at the last minute again. Weather and laziness have combined to create barriers to solo pain. Sometimes it just feels too hard.

I thought I had planned a good route today with some new lanes that I hadn't been down before, forgetting the lesson I learnt last month about 'new lanes'. The reason I haven't gone down them is that they are narrow, twisty, broken and very, very steep. I have more height gain on this ride, than a similar length ride in Mallorca's Tranmuntana mountains which took in most of the major cols. I never got above 170m above sea level, just kept doing hill repeats on different lanes.

I should go the way I always go, they are easier roads! Lesson learnt, maybe.

This ride took me down to the Lizard initially, mercifully much quieter now that the main tourist season is over, but with un-forecast clouds and drizzle instead of sunshine. Fortunately the weather finally read the forecast and the rest of the day was in sunshine and whilst not warm, it was certainly not cold. Short sleeves and gilet weather.

The trek north from the Lizard (no other direction being possible on a promontory) is a slog. Against the wind and with a slight 1-2% gradient uphill until Culdrose Naval Station appears and it's possible to dive down into Helston, through the Penrose Estate path and into Porthleven.

Portleven looked picture postcard perfect on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Fishing boats bobbing, sea sparkling, happy crowds, music and food. Then up over the Penwith hills and a combination of unknown lanes until reaching the north coast again. Familiar roads following the cliffs, down into Portreath for an ice cream, the beach busy, up again and then down into Perranporth. Perranporth also still quite busy but now now the air was cooling and the beach emptying.

On and on along very quiet lanes, the sun low over the fields and shadows lengthening, legs hurting and I haven't stopped once to buy food or drink today because there were either no shops or they were closed or for some reason just I didn't want to stop. I found some gels in my handlebar bag and had packed some crunchy healthy bars I didn't starve, but by now I can feel the beginnings of a bonk. No matter because home is close and if you just keep pedalling you get there eventually. And so I did.

View attachment 788455
Nearly home now

Eight hours, 103 miles, 2200 metres of ascent. 20km/h average speed. 146w weighted average power - I am a weakling.

No idea about power as I don't measure it, but 8 hours is my back-of-an-envelope benchmark for 100 miles even in less challenging conditions than yours, so well done.