PREPARING FOR THE AUDAX 200K

Or
How to get ready to ride 125 miles in one day, Audax Style

What follows is sound advice to get riders ready for this ride, but…  The following plan is not set in stone.  It assumes the rider is starting from  a relatively modest level of condition.  The biggest factor is actually time in the saddle.  Hopefully, what follows will prove helpful.


Let’s begin with some basics…

Everyone enjoys riding on a nice light bike, but… 
Plan to pack your bike from the very beginning.  These are self supported rides.  That means, if you want or need it, you must carry it.  Specifically, the predictability of weather in north Georgia being what it is, we strongly suggest you pack a rain jacket and sunscreen.  Given the time of  year, plan to carry at least two water bottles.  Carry your own spare tubes!  If your bike has any very individual and cranky parts, carry spares!  If you have any specific dietary or medical needs, pack for them.
                  We strongly suggest that you start your training on a bike that is loaded out for the tour, and then ride a bike with that load, or even a bit heavier, whenever you can.  The old maxim, “Train heavy and race light!” applies, even though this is not a race.

 Words about pacing. I’m often asked about the pace of these rides. The intent of this question is always, “Will I be able to do this thing?” It’s an honest question, but a simple and straight forward answer is often misleading. We need to maintain about 14.5 mph average between stops.  That means something like 10 mph overall average.  So first we must discuss averages. (Sorry, but this really is necessary.)

Averages Defined. Most cycle computers have an average speed function. This usually does not record unless the bike is moving! That means that this is a rolling or moving average speed. Unfortunately this is misleading in two ways. First off, rolling average does not get you to the end of the ride. It is your over-all average that gets you to the finish. Very few bicycle computers have an overall average function.  Second, being able to maintain a high average for a shorter distance, does not necessarily translate to a sustained lesser over-all average.

Here’s the straight story on the Audax Ride. The over-all average will be close to 11 mph. To do this a rolling average of about 14.5 mph is necessary. This is a bit harder than it may seem. Simple arithmetic tells the tale. To deliver a 14.5 mph average for over eight and a half hours, requires that one must be going faster than that for most of that time. Bear in mind, there are plenty of hills and one mountain on the Audax Ride Route.

Can you do it? The best way to answer that question is to start training, and then do the Tune Ups. By the end of the five Tune Up Rides, you and I will both know what your chances of a successful completion are. Be ready to chat with me about that during and after the Tune Ups. I’m pretty good at judging a rider’s ability, and I will not pull any punches.

A Bit More on Average Speeds
It’s a good idea to use actual overall averages throughout your training for the Audax 200K.  Here’s an example that shows both how and why this should be done.
Let us say that a rider named Dave goes out for a training ride.

• Dave leaves his home on the bike at precisely 2:00 PM
• Dave rides well and feels good and returns to his home at precisely 4:00 PM
• Dave has been gone exactly two hours.
• Dave looks at his cycle computer and notes that it says he traveled  exactly 22.5 miles at an average of 15 mph.  Dave is happy.  He will tell everyone he averaged 15 mph on his ride.  From an Audax standpoint, Dave is wrong. 
• In point of fact, Dave’s overall average was 11.25 mph!
• Why?  What happened to the other 3.75 mph?
• Simple.  Take Dave’s total distance of 22.5 miles and divide it by his total time of 2 hours.
• What happened?  Well, Dave’s computer only records when he is moving, but time progresses even when he is stopped.  Every time Dave stopped at a traffic light, or stopped to fill water bottles, or ducked into a store for a “nature break,” he was not moving, but time was passing. 
• In this simplified example, Dave was actually moving for an hour and a half, but all the two hours counts.

When we are training for an Audax Ride we need to use overall average speeds.  If our cycle computer, or GPS, has an overall average function, we should use that.  If not, we need only note the time of the beginning of the ride, and of the end of the ride, then divide the total distance by the total elapsed time.  ‘Nuff  said.


Why on Earth should I want to do this? Like mountain climbers say, “Because it’s there!” The sense of accomplishment after meeting a challenge is enormous. The camaraderie on these things is great. They are, in a word, fun! And the Monday morning bragging rights are pretty good too.

Here’s a recipe:
 Start with two each “workout sessions” per week.  These should be higher effort activities, hill repeats or intervals.  These could be done inside on a trainer.
To the “workout rides” add one low effort “integration ride” of  about two to three hours. 
That amounts to a total of about five hours per week.

Around the end of April, add another, low effort, outside ride of one to two hours.  Bringing your weekly total to between six and seven hours.

To this add another relatively short ride of an hour or so. See, you’re already doing about eight hours.
Gradually increase the times on both of your outside rides, until, by the end of May, you are doing a two hour ride and a four to five hour ride every week. That’s four training sessions a week, totaling eight to nine hours.
In June, add another short ride, of about an hour. This one should include a 15 minute warm up section, about a half hour of hill repeats at moderate intensity, and a 15 minute cool down. Then, near the end of the month, add another hour, either as a separate ride at low intensity, or by extending one of the other four or five rides.
Along about that time, I’ll start doing Audax Tune Up Rides.

The Tune Ups. Look for these rides in June, July, and August. We do three of them. Two are about 45 miles long, and the last one is about 65 miles. We do these for several reasons. The first and most important, is to give us all a chance to practice riding in this group-stays-together-controled-pace style of riding. The second is to act as an assurance that each individual will be able to accomplish the goal. The routes for the Tune Ups are deliberately more hilly and challenging than the overall route of the Audax Ride.  If you can do all of the “Tune Ups,” especially the 65 milers, then you are capable of doing the 200K.

One last item:  This blog started as a means of communication and information about the Audax Ride.  If you care to see more, feel free to go back and "mine" the years of posts.  Not everything pertains to these rides, but a lot does, and there's a lot of other stuff in here too.

What in the world is an “Audax Ride”?

On Sunday, September 9, 2018 we will ride the annual Audax 200K.  This post is intended to provide the basic information about this ride.

Who is this “we”?  Well, it’s me, and anyone who wants to come along and is in condition to do so.  If you think you might be interested, please read on.

Let’s start with a definition.

Audax (oh docks) – A style of group bicycle touring found mostly in France, but also in Holland and Belgium to lesser degrees.  A steady pace is set by a road captain, who is in charge of a group of fellow club members.  In modern times the pace is usually about 22 km/h (13.5 mph) between stops; the itinerary and resting places are planned in advance. 
(from the Randonnuers USA website)


Audax is a riding style not often found in the United States. But what is an Audax Tour?  It’s a group ride, where the group stays together. There is a group leader who is responsible for setting the pace. There is a predetermined route. There are reservations at the major stops for meals and lodging. It is a self-supported tour. The group carries what is needed to accomplish the tour. If a member of the group has a difficulty, the entire group stops and works as a team to fix the problem, be it mechanical, a flat, or other issue.

You find these types of ride in Europe a lot. There are clubs, and organizations of these things all over the continent. Some Audax events are long, multi-day affairs.
The ride we do is a 200K. That’s about 125 miles. We do it in one day. There are several rest stops along the way, and one really good lunch stop, with a full, sit-down meal. There is a large “snack” at the end of the ride. The usual tone of the ride is one of laughing chatter all day long. In short, it’s a lot of fun.

The whole point of this kind of ride is to enjoy the day with others.  To ride with company.

Getting ready for the ride.  Doing 125 miles in one day can sound intimidating. Oddly, a fair number of riders who have done this one, have never gone farther than 65 miles at one time before ride day. It’s entirely “doable.” Preparation begins with simply getting on the bike. Gradually build time and capacity. The goal is to be doing 10 to 12 hours per week, by mid-August.  We have help and advice on that, and you won’t have to do it all alone.

We will provide two items that will assist prospective riders to prepare for the 200K.  Just as important, these activities will help a rider to determine if he or she actually wants to do it.

Item One:  We will do a series of “Tune Up” rides.  These get progressively longer, and cover terrain that will prepare a rider for the long event.  We ride the tune ups in “Audax Style.”  The group stays together in mutual support.  They, like the 200K are self-supported.  No SAG truck.  No "staffed "break points."  It's, "Do it ourselves or it doesn't get done.  Bring it ourselves or it doesn't get brung."  But the spirit of the thing is ,"One for all, and all for one!"

The tune ups start with a ride of approximately 35 miles.  Then,  at approximately two week intervals, we do four more “Tune Ups.”  Two of these rides are 45 miles long and then there are two each 65 mile rides.  These rides are designed to prepare riders for the 200K.  More importantly, they allow prospective riders to decide if this style of touring ride is for them or not.
                  The “Tune Ups” will be ridden Audax Style.  The group will stay together.  While not strictly “no drop rides,” we will not ride off and drop anyone.  Sometimes it happens that a rider has to “abandon.”  If this occurs, the group will work to get that rider to a safe location, where there is food, shelter, and help, so that they may arrange “pickup” and do so in safety.

Item Two:  We will post a plan that any rider can use to prepare for these rides.  Look for that in a post on this blog tomorrow.

AUDAX RIDE AND TUNE-UPS: THE STRUCTURE

In response to several requests, we’re going to take a bit of time here and go over some important specifics about the Audax 200K and the Audax Tune Ups.

Let’s get the money thing out of the way first.  For the Audax Tune Up  rides, you will need to pack snacks, or bring a bit of cash for food along the way.  There is a fee for the Audax 200K.  We’ve tried to keep this down to a minimum.  The fee covers your lunch (at a resaurant) and water at the other stops, and a post ride sandwich snack.  We don’t yet know what the exact amount will be this year, but it is unlikely to be a lot higher than in the past.  In recent years, it’s been $27.00 per rider.  We’ll let you know exact amounts soon.

Ride structure:  We will ride each of the Audax Tune Ups in the same fashion as the Audax 200K.  That is to say, we will stay together as a group.  Some will find the pace somewhat relaxed. Others may need to stretch a bit to hold it.  In general, we try to hold to a 13 to 15 mph rolling average.

Yes!  There will be stops along the way.  Here’s the profile:

            Tune Up I:  35 miles.  One stop, approximately mid-way.

            Tune Ups II and III:  45 miles.  Two stops, one at approximately15 miles 

and one at approximately 30 miles

Tune Ups IV and V:  65 miles.  Two planned stops, at approximately 15 and

40 miles.  One optional stop at approx 55 miles.

All break-stops are kept to a minimum time.  We attend nature’s call, refill bottles, snack, and then roll!  There is an exception to that.  On the 65 mile Tune Ups, the second stop is a “lunch break,” and will be a bit longer.

Audax 200K:  Optional stop at approximately 15 miles.  Planned stop at approx 35 miles.  Planned stop at approximately 50 miles.  Lunch break at approx 65 miles.  Planned stop at approx 82 miles.  Planned stop at approx 105 miles. 

We hope this is helpful in your planning and decision making.

The Audax 200K ~ Starting to Begin to Get Ready

This month, we do the first of the Audax Tune Up Rides.  This one is sort of the “ice breaker.”  Remember, the Audax 200K is a self-supported ride.  One of the aspects of the Tune Ups is preparation for that.  These rides give us the opportunity to ride in “Audax Style.”  They are also a chance to begin the process of riding with the “necessities” of self-supported style.

            There is a bit of a contradiction here.  A Tune Up in February, for a ride that will take place in May.  One could, reasonably ask,  “How much will I learn for a warm weather ride, while it’s still freakin’ Winter!?”

            I can hear my father saying,  “It builds character.”  To which I will add, “Yu might be surprised at just what you will learn.”

            Seriously, it is good to start getting the mind into the frame of planning and selecting gear and equipment.  The ride in the group is excellent practice too.

(Just by the way...  You will find the dates for the whole Tune Up series, and the Audax 200K, to the right in the Tour Calendar gadget.)

Preparing for the 2016 AUDAX 200K

Folks, it's time to begin.  The "road to an Audax 200K is ahead and waiting.
In order to make this information available to the widest possible audience, we are repeating sections of our "weekly" emailing here.  We hope you find this helpful.  Please do enjoy!

AUDAX RIDES:  Possibly the first question that occurs, is “Just what is an Audax Ride when it’s not all dressed up for church?”

The simplest answer is that it is a group touring ride, over a predetermined course, with pre-arranged stops.  The somewhat unique thing about this style of riding is that it is a group ride, where the group stays together.  No one is left behind.  It is not a competitive event.  If anyone has a problem the whole group stops and works the problem.  It’s a slef-supported ride, but ride in mutual support.  The motto is “One for All, and All for One!”

 

Other important info on the Audax Ride:

·      200 K means 200 kilometers.  This is approximately 125 miles.
·      Yes, it’s a long ride, and YES if you start preparing now, you CAN do it!
·      Over the years that we have been doing this, roughly half the people who successfully finished fit the following profile:

o   They’ve never done a long ride before

o   They haven’t ridden 45 miles before the 45 Mile Tune Ups

o   They haven’t ridden 65 miles before the 65 mile Tune Ups

o   They haven’t ridden 100 miles before the 125 mile ride!

o   They did all of these things and had a great time on the 125 mile ride!

·      This is the stuff works!

 

So you might be asking,  “How do I start getting ready for this?”  The answer is simple.  Start riding your bike at least three to four times a week, for at least 1 to 2 hours at a time.  (Hint: the Bicycles Unlimited Spin Class would be a good place to do two of these rides every week.)  And, to clarify, that 3 to 4 rides per week could be 3 each one hour rides and one two hour ride.  Yes the weather is challenging.  Trainer work counts, and there are god riding opportunities.  You don’t have to ride hard, and distance isn’t the object.  Time in the saddle is the critical factor at this point.


NOTE:  If you are interested in receiving my semi-weekly email, the TOME, please contact me at Bicycles Unlimited 770-486-9252

Audax Ride Series 2015 Edition

What the heck is an Audax Ride? The following definition is from the Randonnuers USA website.

Audax (oh docks) - A style of group bicycle touring found mostly in France, but also in Holland and Belgium to lesser degrees. A steady pace is set by a road captain, who is in charge of a group of fellow club members. In modern times the pace is usually about 22 km/h (13.5mi/h) between stops; the itinerary and resting places are planned in advance.

For the purposes of this blog, we are talking about doing a 200 kilometer (approximately 125 mile) audax style ride. Ours will go on Saturday, May 16,  2015.

Why should I do this thing?  One could be forgiven for wondering that.  Here’s an attempt at an anser:

• It feels good to meet a challenge (and 125 miles with a mountain in the middle certainly qualifies)
• It’s good to engage with others in a mutual goal.
• There is a sort of magic synergy that occurs when a group of riders decides to enter a non-competitive endeavor. Somehow our strengths add and our weaknesses diminish.
• It’s an absolutely great day!

Getting Ready:

To aid folks in preparing for this style of riding, and this particular ride, I’m leading five “tune up” rides.

Audax Tune Up Rides:

22 February (Sunday) 1:00 PM 35 miles (approx)

8 March (Sunday): 1:00 PM, 45 miles (approx)

29 March (Sunday): 1:00 PM, 45 miles (approx)

12 April (Sunday): 11:00 AM, 65 miles (approx)

3 May (Sunday): 11:00 AM, 65 miles (approx)

I can pretty much assure you that, if you do all of these, you will be able to handle the 200K. 

We will ride these in an Audax style. The group will stay together. The pace will be moderate. We will be riding a predetermined course. Anyone who is willing to abide by the intent and spirit of these rides is welcome to come along. The rides will leave from the front of Bicycles Unlimited, in Peachtree City, GA.

A necessary few words about the Tune Up Rides:  The group will stay together in mutual aid and support.  There will be no SAG.  We’re doing this as self-supported rides. The terrain for these rides is (deliberately) more hilly and more challenging than that which will be encountered on the 200K.  The idea here is simple.  “If I can do something that is harder than the actual ride, then I’ll certainly be able to standup to the ride itself.”

There will be a fee for the actual Audax Ride, on 16 May. This fee will cover your lunch (sit down at a good restaurant), a post ride sandwich snack, and water refills along the ride. There are no fees for the “Tune Ups.” Ride fee is payable, in advance, by check or cash.  I don’t have enough info yet to set a precise number on the fee, but it will most certainly be no more than $30.00.

Hope to see many of you all there.

I'll be posting more info on all of this soon.

Oh yes, one last and critically important note: Helmets required on all rides.

The Audax Rides

What the heck is an Audax Ride? The following definition is from the Randonnuers USA website.

Audax (oh docks) - A style of group bicycle touring found mostly in France, but also in Holland and Belgium to lesser degrees. A steady pace is set by a road captain, who is in charge of a group of fellow club members. In modern times the pace is usually about 22 km/h (13.5mi/h) between stops; the itinerary and resting places are planned in advance.

For the purposes of this blog, we are talking about doing a 200 kilometer (approximately 125 mile) audax style ride. Ours will go on Sunday, May 18, 2014.

Why should I do this thing?  One could be forgiven for wondering that.  Here’s an attempt at an anser:

• It feels good to meet a challenge (and 125 miles with a mountain in the middle certainly qualifies)
• It’s good to engage with others in a mutual goal.
• There is a sort of magic synergy that occurs when a group of riders decides to enter a non-competitive endeavor.  Somehow our strengths add and our weaknesses diminish.
• It’s an absolutely great day!

Getting Ready:

To aid folks in preparing for this style of riding, and this particular ride, I’m leading four “tune up” rides.

Audax Tune Up Rides:

2 March (Sunday): 1:00 PM, 45 miles (approx)

23 March (Sunday): 1:00 PM, 45 miles (approx)

13 April (Sunday): 11:00 AM, 65 miles (approx)

27 April (Sunday): 11:00 AM, 65 miles (approx)

I can pretty much assure you that, if you do all four of these, you will be able to handle the 200K. 

We will ride these in an Audax style. The group will stay together. The pace will be moderate. We will be riding a predetermined course. Anyone who is willing to abide by the intent and spirit of these rides is welcome to come along. The rides will leave from the front of Bicycles Unlimited, in Peachtree City, GA.

A necessary few words about the Tune Up Rides:  The group will stay together in mutual aid and support.  There will be no SAG.  We’re doing this as self-supported rides.  The terrain for these rides is (deliberately) more hilly and more challenging than that which will be encountered on the 200K.  The idea here is simple.  “If I can do something that is harder than the actual ride, then I’ll certainly be able to standup to the ride itself.”

There will be a fee for the actual Audax Ride, on 18 May. This fee will cover your lunch (sit down at a good restaurant), a post ride sandwich snack, and water refills along the ride. There are no fees for the “Tune Ups.” Ride fee is payable, in advance, by check or cash.  I don’t have enough info yet to set a precise number on the fee, but it will most certainly be no more than $30.00.

Hope to see many of you all there.

I'll be posting more info on all of this soon.

Oh yes, one last and critically important note: Helmets required on all rides.

Audax 200K ~~ Details

For any latecomers, here’s the basics.

It will be a 200 kilometer (125 mile) ride.

We’ll do it as a Group Ride.  The emphasis on the word group is intenional and deliberate.  The group will stay together.  No breakaways.  No heroics.  No one left behind.  We ride in mutual support.  One for all, and all for one!  If anyone has a problem, we all have a problem and we will stop and fix it.

We will adhere to a schedule.  It’s a loose schedule, with room in it, but it exists.

We will make regular, planned stops.

There is a fee.  GOOD NEWS!  Thanks to some careful shopping and such, we're able to reduce the rpice.  The modest amount of $24.00 will pay for a good, sit-down lunch, for water along the way, and for a post-ride sandwich snack.  Please contact me as soon as possible to join in this ride.  I need to make reservations so I really need to know if you are coming.  Advance payment is extremely helpful.

Pay in cash or check only, please.

Contact me either by email at The.road.dragon@gmail.com or by phone at Bicycles Unlimited 770-486-9252

Ride Time:  7:30 A.M.

Date:  Sunday 28 April 2013

Location:  Bicycles Unlimited

If you are new to all this…  You can go back and “mine” this blog for copious information about this ride.

Ride Report: 65(!) mile Audax Tune Up

Sunday was the day for the first of this year’s longer Audax Tune Up Rides.  This was one for the books.

It was a truly good and great ride.  This was one where everything meshed and just went along to near perfection.  It was all right:  the right people, the right route, the right conditions, the right day, the right bikes, great attitudes, old friends, and much good fun.

The Stats:

Distance:  71.2 miles  (more on that later)

Elevation Gain:  4200+ feet of climbing

Average Speed:  12.8 mph (rolling average)

Present for the ride were (in no particular order)  Janey, Victoria, Aaron, Chris, and me.

The Day did not look auspicious at the start.  It was grey, and had been raining.  At ride start there was still a very light mist/drizzle.  This cleared before we crossed out of Pechtree City.  The threatened rain never did show.  Most of the day, it was cloudy, but the grey skies did little to dampen enthusiasm.

The forecast was for a high a bit above 60F, sometime around 4:00 PM.  The early part of the ride did seem to warm a bit, but then, the temp actually felt like it was dropping.  Perhaps this was due to rising winds and a lot of descending in the mid-section of the route.  Things did seem to warm a bit on our return leg, and we actually saw some patches of blue sky as we re-entered Peachtree City.

In sum, conditons were good enough, and we were all prepared to meet them.  Success!

The Company was about as good as anyone could ask for.  It’s a rare thing to be able to go out with five riders who are compatible, and willing to bend to a common goal.  This was one of those days.  Everyone got along famously, with a lot of grinning, joking, and laughter.  Good fellowship and camaraderie were the themes for the day.

I should note, Janey had a wonder GPS gadget with her.   This thing is a marvel.  It doesn’t do as much navigating as my old and faithful Garmin Etrex, but it supplies a truly amazing wealth of information.  In fact, sometimes a bit too much inormation.  One of this device’s features is an inclinometer function, that reads out in current grade percentage.  Janey was delighted to let us know just how steep any particular climb was.  i.e.  “Hey!  This is a 7% grade!”

That went on until I mentioned that there were certain bits of information that I did not want to know.  I’m really happier if I don’t know how cold it is, or how steep it is.  I mentioned this, and Janey immediately said she would be happy to not tell me, but that if I ever really wanted to know, just ask!  Then she waited until another good climb came up and she asked me what the grade was.  (Gig!)

The Route was almost my standard 65 mile Tune Up Loop.  I think it’s interesting to note that this loop compares to the famous Triple Gap.  The aforesaid is 53 miles around, and gains 5200 feet.  On this day we rode a bit more than 70 miles and gained over 4200 feet.  (I’ve said I picked this thing deliberately for its hilly terrain.)

A bit of explanation is wanted.  This ride is advertised as a 65 mile “Tune Up.”  So how did we get to 71.2 miles?  Well the answer is fairly simple.  We were having fun.  We arrived at the last planned stop in good order.  Then I had a brain-flash.  I did not want to take the final route, did not want to go to Flat Creek Trail, did not want to face the climb up the “Beast.”  And I most especially was not looking forward to the grind up the hill on GA-54.  The group was riding along well, and in good spirits, so…  I changed my plan.

Instead of going South and west, I turned a bit.  We went via an alternate route.  (Actually pieces of three alternate routes.)  We went south for a bit, and then north, and then some east, before turning back toward Peachtree City.  It avoided some more traffic, and lo and behold, we arrived back home, laughing and joking all the way.

In Summary:  This was one of the great ones.  The compnay was great, the weather was tolerable, the route treated us well, and fun was had by all.  I can hardly wait for the next 65 mile Tune Up on 14 April, or the full-on Audax 200K on 28 April.

What’s this AUDAX thing?

Some of you have started doing the Audax Tune Up Rides but you’re not really clear about the why of it.  Perhaps you are thinking, “What’s the endpoint?”

We’ll try to give some kind of answer to that question here, along with a few particulars and details.

The objective of the whole exercise is to ride the Audax 200K together and as a group.  What does that mean?

The distance first.  A trip of 200 kilometers is approximately 125 miles.  Our route covers moderate terrain, a lot of mostly rural, low traffic, roads.  There are a couple of some hilly sections, one long stretch of “rollers.” and Pine Mountain is smack in the middle of the thing.  (We get it done just before lunch.)

It’s noncompetitive riding.  Wow!  What a concept.  In the southern United States, most “group” rides turn into races without rules.  This one is not like that.  There are twin objectives here. We are here to finish the ride, and to insure that all of us finish.  Together.  At the same time.

We understand that we are all rough tough cycling animals, and we are confident of our abilities.  Nobody needs to prove anything to anyone on a ride like this.  There are no “break-aways,” no “Primes,” and no bragging rights for being first.  (In fact, at the end of the ride, we assemble into a formation and ride in the last few miles together as a tightly organized unit. 

 The group rides together, stays together, supports itself, and is a moving organism.  We all have strengths and weaknesses.  Some of us can really climb.  We have folks who can sprint like the wind.  Some of us are real diesels, capable of just motoring in the flatter sections.  Over a long ride, such as this, our differences in abilities could spread us out over a lot of terrain.  It won’t happen here.  Our motto is,  “All for one!  One for all!”  If any of has any sort of problem, we will all work to fix it.  A slower rider will be supported and encouraged.  (We’ve all had days when we’ve been that rider.)  Stronger climbers will encourage the slower ones.  Power riders will provide windshelter for the lighter ones.  It all works out.

There is a unique synergy to this kind of riding.  We’ll all arrive, together, at each break point along the route.  We’ll stop for a mid ride sit-down lunch.  It’s about camaraderie and the reinforcing power of belonging to a group with a mutual objective.

The Tune Up Rides are designed to give us experience in terrain that is actually, mile for mile, more demanding than the actual 200K.  They are also intended as a means for us to practice this group dynamic, mutual support riding.  Besides, they are a lot of fun.

One more thing:  There will be a modest fee for the actual 200K.  That covers purchase of water along the way, lunch, gratuity, and a post ride sandwich snack.  We’ll be announcing the price in a future email update and post on this blog.  We just don’t have enough information to set the price yet.  Please stay tuned.

The What and Why of the Audax Ride

I do this ride every year, and have been for quite some time.  Each year I invite any and all who might be interested to join up.  If you are a long time reader, you probably already know most of what I’m about to say.  If you are new, I’ll be giving you a very brief description here, and I invite you to go back and mine some of the past posts.  There are (as the name of this blog might suggest) more than a few posts devoted to this ride.

The Reason:  I happen to believe that there is great value in getting on a bicycle and going somewhere.  Too many (most) rides are too short.  Way too short.  We look for more in the way of camaraderie than speed.  We want to enjoy the process of going out on the road and working together toward a common goal.  It’s all about having fun on the bike, enjoying each other’s presence, and living our way through one good long day.

The Structure:  This is a touring type of ride.  It’s style is rather unique.  The group will stay together.  The idea is to finish.  Together.  All of us.  But that does not make this a “No Drop” ride.  The pace is manageable, but there is a significant distance involved.  A schedule must be met.  This requires good, strong, consistent effort from all present.  This is a self-supported ride.  No SAG trucks.  No catered rest stops.  As a group, we are self-sufficient.  (More on that in the near future.)

We will leave on time.  7:30 AM start.

We will take several (short) breaks,

            10 miles for “nature break”  (optional)

            30 miles

            50 miles

            65 miles (LUNCH!)

            90 miles

            105 miles

            125 miles (FINISH!)

(All distances are approximate.)

There will be reservations for the lunch stop.  (One of the reasons for the schedule.)

Costs:  There is a fee involved.  This is to pay for lunch and for water along the way.  It’s usuall quite modest.  I will be announcing the exact amount soon.

Bragging Rights:  “I rode 125 Miles in one day!”  and “There was a mountain!”

A note about the terrain:  The route has several sections with some respectable “rollers.”  There are some good long relatively flat stretches.  We will go over Pine Mountain before we stop for lunch.  It’s long.  It’s mostly through some very scenic territory.  The traffic is mostly not much of a problem.

Can I do this?:  If you’ve never ridden century distances, you might feel a little intimidated.  If you’re not sure about your ability to get this done, you can be forgiven.  But that is why we have a series of Audax Tune Up Rides.   There are two each 45 mile tune ups, and two each 65 milers.  We will ride the tune ups in the same style as the actual 200K.  We will stay together.  We will ride in mutual support.  The pace will be controlled.  And, just by the way, the terrain on the tune ups is, by design, more demanding, mile for mile, than on the actual 200K.  If you can do the tune ups, you can do the big one.

Give it some thought.  We’ll be putting up more on this as time goes by.

Ride Report: Audax 200K

What can be said about these Audax 200K rides?  They are long?  Yes they are.  They are demanding.  Uh…  Well, yes.  Obviously there is some kind of reward to be had from them.  People come back and repeat participation, some year after year.

Another thing could be said.  It takes a leap of faith to do this ride for the first time.  Nobody really knows what to expect from a ride like this, not until they have done it.  For seasoned veterans of this kind of riding, these rides are still a challenge.  But the practiced endurance rider at least knows what to expect.  For a first timer, these things are, to some extent, a voyage into the unknown.  It takes courage to make the attempt.

We were blessed with spectacular weather.  The day dawned a bit on the cool side, and warmed slowly.  (I was in arm-warmers for the first 50 miles.)  It warmed nicely as the day progressed, but temps never got up into the unpleasantly hot range.  The skies were blue, with wisps of clouds.  We were graced with breezes to cool us during the hottest part of the day.  And even the evening thunderstorm was kind enough to wait until we had finished riding.  Perfect!

Present at the beginning were Jan Oden, Deborah Tyler, Amy Hill, Dan Christensen, Scott Rutkowski, Ken Finlon, and your humble correspondent.  Each and every rider acquitted themselves in fine style.  Six of the seven rode the complete route.  Amy was feeling a bit of time pressure late in the day, and withdrew, in good order to scurry home.  I might add, she was riding strongly, and left us to complete her day with about 105 miles.  She did the last 25 of her day in just a touch over an hour.  Good job Amy!

The Olympic Moto is Citius, Altius, Fortius.  The Latin translates to “Faster, Higher, Stronger.”  Many cyclists, and other endurance athletes keep track of “personal best” performances.  It is gratifying to report that three of our riders managed to achieve new personal records in three categories each.  Ken, Jan, and Deborah all climbed higher, rode farther, and hit greater speeds than they had ever done before.  Bravo!

Lunch was incredible, and deeply appreciated.  The afternoon was simply a good long ride, with building fatigue, but plenty of rewards too.  I’m happy to report that the more experience riders among us chose to ride in support of the newer folk.  This adds greatly to the spirit of the day.  In short, a good time was had by all.

“Official” stats:  124.3 miles in 9:27.  (Taken from my GPS device.)  The distance is just a little short of the target 125, but is exactly equal to 200 kilometers.

Bon route et Bon Chance!