The Metric Century (100KM) A Month Challenge ChatZone

[Donger]

@Donger...where is your 100k? You talked me into this a year ago...I'm expecting your resumption of the challenge.
Did you see my post on KCC? Seems Policing Minister & Met Police Commissioner both view local as starting from & arriving back at your door unassisted.

I did rather talk you into it, didn't I?!!! Then dipped out in April and left you to carry on. I am so undecided at the moment. I'm not intending to go much more than 10-15 miles from home during this lockdown, so any century ride would involve endless loops or triple trips to Frampton or Arlingham and back. Not the most exciting prospect ..... but then I'm really missing my mojo at the moment, and a challenge might make all the difference. Watch this space .... still 4 days to go.

 

[KingswayRider]

I did rather talk you into it, didn't I?!!! Then dipped out in April and left you to carry on. I am so undecided at the moment. I'm not intending to go much more than 10-15 miles from home during this lockdown, so any century ride would involve endless loops or triple trips to Frampton or Arlingham and back. Not the most exciting prospect ..... but then I'm really missing my mojo at the moment, and a challenge might make all the difference. Watch this space .... still 4 days to go.

Snow forecast for Sunday, so don't leave it too long!! I'm glad I got mine in early as I've been struggling with back pain again. I've made progress though - it no longer feels like I'd been stabbed with every little movement.
You could head out towards Cheltenham (plenty of lanes around Witcombe & Bentham, cut across to the A38 (avoid Longford & Maisemore as flooded) & then across Gloucester to head south. You could do Standish & Stonehouse, Frocester & then back across to Arlingham. Should get you somewhere near the 100k.
Looking forward to being able to do club rides again at some point in the future...

 

[Donger]

Snow forecast for Sunday, so don't leave it too long!! I'm glad I got mine in early as I've been struggling with back pain again. I've made progress though - it no longer feels like I'd been stabbed with every little movement.
You could head out towards Cheltenham (plenty of lanes around Witcombe & Bentham, cut across to the A38 (avoid Longford & Maisemore as flooded) & then across Gloucester to head south. You could do Standish & Stonehouse, Frocester & then back across to Arlingham. Should get you somewhere near the 100k.
Looking forward to being able to do club rides again at some point in the future...

I'm off out with @Dark46 again on Friday. I'm toying with the idea of putting in a loop before getting round to his house, then adding another loop after we've done a ride together. All depends on just how wet and cold it is. The best laid plans ...... etc.

 

[Ajax Bay]

I'm toying with the idea of putting in a loop before getting round to his house

Just plan to do that; and do it! Get an hour + in before enjoying a ride in company. And plan a circuitous route home to get into 3 figures.

 

[Saluki]

I thought that I would give this a whirl this year, on account of a 113km steady ride today. Bit early in the year for a 100km ride, I generally miss out January. Went out with bike bud who wanted 55 miles for his 55th birthday. At the turn around point, my gps was indicating 35.24 miles so I figured that breaking 100km was happening. Nothing was open at Hunstanton, the turn around point so a £3 meal deal birthday lunch, it was. Accompanied by Macaroons and a creme egg (very sickly). Got lost in Kings Lynn, or mostly home had a snack at Boal Quay and watched the projection on the Customs House of the history of Kings Lynn. Home the long route to break the 70 mile mark.

looking forward to a similar route again.

 

[13 rider]

Welcome back @Donger

 

[Donger]

Welcome back @Donger

Thanks. Fashionably late.

 

[Rob and Alison]

We 3 managed to get ourselves off the mark today after a couple of false starts that ended up being 50k's.
Don't like leaving it so late in the month, but we were planning another try tomorrow, but the weather looked pretty decent so we made a last minute decision to bring it forward. Stayed dry despite some menacing looking clouds, so a good choice in the end.

 

[ColinJ]

Good luck with your challenge rides everyone, but I am out again...

A week ago I was getting short of breath walking up one flight of stairs! This was a week or two after displaying cold-like symptoms... Obviously, in the current situation it is very tempting to think 'Covid' but who knows?

I felt a bit better yesterday so I thought I would give myself a little test on my 6km local loop. It has 2 moderate hills, one ramp of about 10% for 100 metres, and a couple of shorter ramps that I can sprint up. Nothing much on a normal geared bike, but I use my singlespeed to make it more of a challenge. It DID feel a challenge. I got short of breath and felt a bit sick. I definitely felt better than I did last week, but it doesn't make sense for me to be pushing myself, and my cycling mojo has gone anyway.

I'm going to spend a few months doing enough to keep me moderately fit, try to lose some weight, and look forward to sunny post-vaccination rides.

It will be just the Lunacy distance and climbing challenges for me this year.

 

[KingswayRider]

Scraped in for the month...
I've missed 7 weeks, due to my back flaring up (although the weather hasn't helped). After 7 weeks of no exercise, I was going stir crazy, so when it was dry & the wind was light this morning, I had to get out. With the mild temperatures & it looking like there may be the odd shower, I opted for nanoflex shorts & leg warmers rather than my Sorpasso tights (better rain protection, but suited to cooler conditions). Set off & headed south to benefit from a tailwind later. The drizzle started almost immediately after I left & proceeded to get heavier. 2 hours in & my feet were soaked. My backside was thoroughly drenched too, as I'd forgot to chuck the rear mudguard on. I just kept my head down & plodded away. Soggy & cold lower half, but at least my softshell jacket was keeping the rain out.
I'd opted for a simple route out, heading straight down the A38 before zig-zagging through some little lanes & making my way back north on quiet roads. Tired at the end, yet only 62.9 miles at a disappointing 15.5mph, given it was only 568m of ascent. Much work to do to recover fitness...

 

[Donger]

Well done, @KingswayRider . We're both still in it then. Maybe later in the year we'll finally get that 2019 Gwendraeth ride in.

 

[13 rider]

17.01 118.2k local ride
19.02 108.5k local ride
23.03 109.4k local ride

I think you need to check your dates ,you seem to have Marchs ride done

 

[Sbudge]

I thought that I would give this a whirl this year, on account of a 113km steady ride today. Bit early in the year for a 100km ride, I generally miss out January. Went out with bike bud who wanted 55 miles for his 55th birthday. At the turn around point, my gps was indicating 35.24 miles so I figured that breaking 100km was happening. Nothing was open at Hunstanton, the turn around point so a £3 meal deal birthday lunch, it was. Accompanied by Macaroons and a creme egg (very sickly). Got lost in Kings Lynn, or mostly home had a snack at Boal Quay and watched the projection on the Customs House of the history of Kings Lynn. Home the long route to break the 70 mile mark.

looking forward to a similar route again.

Really great to see you on the 100km challenge this year! Nice way to start too.

 

[Saluki]

Really great to see you on the 100km challenge this year! Nice way to start too.

I did another last Saturday but haven’t logged it yet as dealing with anxiety, not helped by 2 blokes attempting to steal my dogs on Thursday evening. I still have My 2 dogs and one of the thieves has a broken nose, I suspect. Certainly quite a bruised undercarriage. Sadly for one of them, I was poo picking when they tried to grab the dogs (on lead dogs) so I hit one of them in the face with the poo, like hitting him with a custard pie. He backed off. Whole incident was 5 seconds before I ran away but I am still a bit wobbly. Police were kind when I reported it.
I will get ride up there later today.

 

[ColinJ]

I did another last Saturday but haven’t logged it yet as dealing with anxiety, not helped by 2 blokes attempting to steal my dogs on Thursday evening. I still have My 2 dogs and one of the thieves has a broken nose, I suspect. Certainly quite a bruised undercarriage. Sadly for one of them, I was poo picking when they tried to grab the dogs (on lead dogs) so I hit one of them in the face with the poo, like hitting him with a custard pie. He backed off. Whole incident was 5 seconds before I ran away but I am still a bit wobbly. Police were kind when I reported it.
I will get ride up there later today.

Bloody hell, what is up with those people! I'm glad that you kept hold of the dogs.

I just saw a report on the news about the current spate of dog thefts. I didn't realise that it is currently considered just a property theft. A police spokesperson said that he understood how owners felt about that and he thought that the law should change to take into account how serious an issue it is to most victims.