What's your next Audax?

[Ajax Bay]

I need more drumming bunnies (that go on and on) for my GPS that keep their charge for years if not used. I did have my small battery packs with me to keep my mini speaker charged up for the night. Alas the usb cable was micro not the mini connector I’d need to run the GPS off them.

Pretty annoying (although self-inflicted*) to have a ride (validation) stymied by technical issues and risk mitigation failure (wee hours shop closure).
I wanted to prove my control visits by gpx/fit files (but got either PoP or took photos at each control as back up). My Garmin 500 normally gives me 15+ hours on one USB charge (I know and have tested this, but for this 400 it was of course was not enough). I had a small powerbank with me and also carried another 'navigation occasionally' purposed Garmin (Touring Edge Plus). So at 14 hours (life shortened by hours of back display needed before dawn and after dusk) I put the 500 onto charge and started the Edge. Two hours later, swapped back over. The 500 had charged from 12% to 64% in 2 hours and that saw me to the end (another 7 hours).
I also deliberately routed (maybe easier in the south west) past two 24 hour garages for the 'after midnight' stretch, and in fact used one for coffee and food (albeit the door was locked so I couldn't get in and warm up - night tray routine but a very helpful chap).
* Use of a GPS requiring inserted batteries and then using rechargeables without being sure of their expected life. For lights (I'll bet you have a dynamo) I run a test 'how long will the light last' test in the week before the light's going to need to deliver (eg a ride longer than 300).

 

[matticus]

You never know for certain when businesses will be open (and under what terms) until you get there - doubly so under COVID. Unless you have a time machine? (in which case I will be notifying AUK :P )

 

[Ajax Bay]

My daughter has a Time Machine

If a shop being open is 'critical' / I need to rely on it, then I phone up to check.

 

[matticus]

When?

 

[oreo_muncher]

I rode 375km bar a few metres, it’s on the map screen print.

I was thinking the rechargeable AA were just this year but having thought about it, they are 2019. So I guess they are reaching the end of the number of cycles they can be recharged. As to the new pair, well just bad luck. So I’ll just be a case of new rechargeables. I might record when started using them though so have an idea on life. When new, a single set will cover 600km, so a shock to have them discharge so quick.

Recovery ride is less than an hour, staying in Z1 heart rate, and as flat a ride as you can make it. So HR no higher than 100 or so. Consider it pedaling as though your cranks are made of crystal and will break under the slightest pressure.

Any other time, outside a pandemic and 10pm curfews I would have found plenty of places open to get replacement batteries.

So did you end up getting Chinese food?

 

[oreo_muncher]

I am keen that you enjoy yourself this weekend, after all the questions and answers (some read).
Prepare well. Look at the route in detail beforehand and consult the routesheet - it has useful info thereon (Tim S has put a lot of effort into it but don't print Page 5). Set your cyclocomputer (or whatever) to kilometres. In particular look at where you might miss a turn (L or R) where carrying on would result in a detour. If you find yourself 'lost' how are you going to navigate back to the route? Depending on how you navigate, take care 13.3km after the start.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34399692?beta=false
https://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf...er+London+[Town]&searchp=ids.srf&mapp=map.srf
and look at the villages (names) you're riding through.
Dress for the temperature/conditions. Ride with any others who seem to want to go at a bit slower than the speed with which you're comfortable. Take some savoury food (eg salted cashews) as well as stuff with more sugar in like your home made flapjacks. Drink regularly while riding, but absolutely avoid excess. It would be reasonable to finish both bottles by half way. At Quainton (the turn-around stop), make sure you take your bottle in to fill up, or buy water to top it up, or blag a top up on the road - people are very kind. Don't faff.

I need to look over the route and just remember some key names of places I'll be going through. I think I'll just use the GPSX file and follow it on strava, I don't trust myself with following the route sheet Tim S, has sent an email recently with some update- need to read that properly. Also need to make sure I don't miss checkpoints. What happens 13.3 km after the start?! Im still debating what to wear, I'm terrible at dressing up for the weather!!!!!Im contemplating ordering a merino wool long sleeve jersey- what do you think? I might pack a pizza slice into my jersey I think I'll be okay getting to Quainton but think the last 20km might be a bit harder.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

So did you end up getting Chinese food?

Yes I stopped and had egg fried rice with chicken and pineapple. There was a 25 min wait, but it was a nice break anyway. I ate it in a bus shelter with my spork :-)

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Here you go @oreo_muncher , here's what my stats look like (today) for a recovery ride after a long audax. Nothing too far and you'll see I kept my heart rate nice and low and kept the climbing to a minimum. As I said up thread about an hour and low effort, around zone 1 HR. I find a recovery ride, around 24-48 hours after a long audax, is good for helping the legs recovery and get back to their usual zing.

 

[oreo_muncher]

Here you go @oreo_muncher , here's what my stats look like (today) for a recovery ride after a long audax. Nothing too far and you'll see I kept my heart rate nice and low and kept the climbing to a minimum. As I said up thread about an hour and low effort, around zone 1 HR. I find a recovery ride is good for helping the legs recovery and get back to their usual zing.

View attachment 551981

I just lie in bed for 2 days after a long ride to recover Do you do a post ride recovery meal, like those people with their fancy protein drinks etc.

 

[oreo_muncher]

@YukonBoy do you think I should get a long sleeve merino wool Jersey for my audax on Saturday? I was thinking about getting a Rivelo one.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I just lie in bed for 2 days after a long ride to recover Do you do a post ride recovery meal, like those people with their fancy protein drinks etc.

Just normal food. A 400 is often finished in the early hours or breakfast time. So I’ll have some toast or crumpet with tea , then shower then bed. Appetite is often suppressed after a long ride and the blood is only just returning to the stomach in normal volumes. So best not to overdo it after just finishing.

Then awake for lunch. Lunch was beans on toast and a packet of cheese and onion crisps. In the evening I had pork medallions, mashed potato, runner beans and minted peas. Then had apple crumble and custard for dessert. I like milk so will often enough have a glass of skimmed milk.

I don’t touch protein shakes or anything marketed as such.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

@YukonBoy do you think I should get a long sleeve merino wool Jersey for my audax on Saturday? I was thinking about getting a Rivelo one.

I like them. On my weekend ride I wore a short sleeve summer weight merino base layer during day then put a long sleeve summer weight one over it once the sun set. I wore a polartech alpha direct jacket over the top.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Rode 100km home on this, carefully though didn’t realise, in the dark, that there were actually two holes in the tyre caused by the subsided road. Ignorance is bliss eh? Otherwise I’d have booted them. The holes are 22cm apart (from the same impact) for reference. Winter tyres now fitted.

 

[oreo_muncher]

Rode 100km home on this, carefully though didn’t realise, in the dark, that there were actually two holes in the tyre caused by the subsided road. Ignorance is bliss eh? Otherwise I’d have booted them. The holes are 22cm apart (from the same impact) for reference. Winter tyres now fitted.

View attachment 552170

But you did not have to change your inner tube?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

But you did not have to change your inner tube?

Er yes the inner tube was buggered with big holes in it. But you can often get that without holes being punched in the tyre as well. I had to patch the original tube which had puncture (glass or flint or something sharp) about an hour earlier.