what is an audax?

[ColinJ]

A 200/300km audax is almost certainly ridden in one day; but what about 400/600km events? Do you stop for a snooze half way around?

The 3 Coasts 600 used to have its HQ at the community centre in Mytholmroyd. The event was split into 2 legs, the first to the east coast and back. The second leg was to the west coast and back. Most people grabbed a few hours sleep at Mytholmroyd before tackling the second leg.

It might be the kind of challenge that you'd like RB, given some of the long rides that you do. Next year, the HQ seems to have been moved to Sowerby Bridge. Event details here.

 

[yello]

I'm undecided about a 'sleep needed' audax. I do not like sleep deprivation. Not because it is dangerous (I reckon it is) but because I simply don't like feeling like that! Realistically, it makes my limit to be around 400km.

 

[longers]

It's lack of sleep that's my concern about the longer ones, did have a go at the 3 coasts 600 mentioned by Colin and had a travel lodge booked for after 380k or so. Had knee trouble just after the halfway point and limped and crawled to the stop and packed on finding I couldn't walk properly or carry my bike upstairs.

I think I know why my knee gave me trouble and reckon I can prevent that happening again but am still not sure how I'll cope with 200k after a couple of hours kip and twice the distance the day before. Will have to give it a go next year sometime.

 

[Ian H]

Part of the secret with long rides is to catch with sleep beforehand - early nights for the days before. Another is to get reasonably fit so that you can - say on a 600 - get at least three or four hours sleep.

 

[Greenbank]

I got round one 600 this year with 30 minutes sleep. Only once did I feel tired out on the road and I simply pulled over and had a 15 minute nap on a bench. I may have looked like death warmed up but I felt ok.

This was because, as IanH suggests, I'd had lots of sleep in the run up to the event and so the sleep deprivation didn't hit me badly at all. I've suffered on shorter events (even a 300) because I'd not been sleeping well in the week beforehand.

I had one bad spell on LEL after 800km between Longtown and Brampton, and a 45 min nap sheltering from the storm in a church porch wrapped in a space blanket did wonders. For the whole event I had about 10 hours sleep in the 5 days, with only 3 hours of that in a bed (the rest was on the floor or slumped onto a table).

The trick is riding the first few longer events and using them to get to know the signs that you're getting tired and dealing with them before they become a bigger problem.

 

[Randochap]

Part of the secret with long rides is to catch with sleep beforehand - early nights for the days before. Another is to get reasonably fit so that you can - say on a 600 - get at least three or four hours sleep.

Agreed, especially the second point. My last 600 (see "My Hat-trick with Patrick" @ VeloWeb Stories) included a luxurious 5-hour sleep and languid control stops. All we needed to accomplish this was to maintain 25 kph on the road.

 

[Dave5N]

No. True.

Racing was and is.

Incidentally, I understand if you get the right mix with Red and Blue, you get Purple?

 

[Dave5N]

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