Riding longer

For those with an interest I authored a blog on LFTC club blog on my insights into the bike leg of an ironman race. Its-all-about-bike

Continuing the theme I though I would report back on my first ever audax or randonneur event that I participated in with John from LFTC.

What is an Audax and why bother? Audax is long distance cycling. A bit like a low rent sportive you are given a list of directions to follow a route, and more recently a gpx file for your garmin. Along the route will be various checkpoints some manned and others asking you to identify some unique information (like who's name is on the bench at the crossroads in the middle of wherever it is you are meant to be going). Some of the checkpoints have got a cafe or e.g. At the town hall on our first stop they were doing tea and bacon butties.

Another term for these events are reliability rides. It is more amiable than a sportive and yet still suitably challenging. Kind of like a large club ride but with people you don't know. Inevitably you form groups and after about 60 km I spent the remaining 150 km with pretty much the same group.

The advantage of the route is you use someone else's knowledge to guide you on a long ride via some interesting scenery. It was fun. Occasionally we would miss the route but a combination of garmins and paper quickly out us back on track.

The ride itself was fun if a bit on the flat side and with a last 20 km into Southall and out again! Not sure why this was felt to be a good idea and coined a new term the urban audax. Apparently this is not the goal.

Finished with 208 km 7 hrs 30 mins or so of riding and a bit of sunburn. I felt particularly good in the run iand did some strong pulls on the front.

Next stop is Liege Bastard Liege  in april 25th which is 270 km with a lot of hills. Should be fun.



... the less said about running the better.