This year has been a bit poo...knee injury in December has meant 7 months of no biking at all and now a very slow return as the knee heals. The result was a lazy beer and food filled few months resulting in stone plus weight gain. A few other things along the way means I need to press the restart button.
So, to give me some motivation I need a goal, a challenge, something to set my sights on and train for. I havent done any events in the past (been riding 4 years now), so I was wondering what the singletrack peps could come up with.
In my armoury I have:
- Trek 2.1 road bike
- A blinged up Rockhopper
- Nicolai Hellius CC
I can swim (of sorts), I have a gym and swimming pool I can train in over the winter. Running is pretty much a no go as my knees wont stand it, though I do fancy doing a Rat Race next year for something a bit different. Also on the list for next year is a bivi weekend.
So give me some ideas. Something May/June/July would be good so I am fit for our planned trip to the alps at the end of August. And before anyone suggests a 24 hour solo - no, I need some sleep!
If it helps, I am based in NE England, but happy to travel.
Learn to wheelie like a chav. Chavs are ace at wheelies.
Seeing as your year so far has been disappointing, I'd suggest seeing if you can put on three stone more by xmas. Give you something to aim for!! If you're worried about the weight, think how good you'll feel if you shed all that next year......
If you're going to the Alps, can you take the road bike? Aim to do Alpe d'Huez in under an hour, or take a detour and do Ventoux 3 times in one day.
Or do the Galibier d'Huez stage from this years TdF.
Or SDW in a day?
Fred Whitton challenge next may, not a particularly epic event but its a nice 112 mile ride out on the bike.
Or just enter a few road/xc races.
This is also on my todo list - I am rubbish at wheelies and manuals!Learn to wheelie like a chav.
We are just thinking mtb in Morzine, but maybe I can make a weekends road biking on the list, after all, its not that far away!If you're going to the Alps, can you take the road bike?
Yes a few people at work are talking about doing this. This would require some training - me and my road bike dont always see eye to eye!Fred Whitton challenge next may
The way I am going this is more achievable! Lol! However my Mum just sent me 3 low fat cook books. Got to love mothers 😛I'd suggest seeing if you can put on three stone more by xmas.
Challenge?
Get the lass from N Dubz into the sack.
Thank you Pimpmaster....! I know its shocking, but I am actually a stw girl! And a straight one at that!Get the lass from N Dubz into the sack.
How long have you got - John O'Groats to Land's End??
I know its shocking, but I am actually a stw girl! And a straight one at that!
In that case, I have a challenge for you;
[i]Deal with the big can o' worms you've just opened up there![/i]
😉
Lick your own elbow, that's a challenge that I hope I never get the opportunity to do!
Yes, should have kept my mouth shut! 😥 😉Deal with the big can o' worms you've just opened up there!
me and my road bike dont always see eye to eye!
Turn that one around and use it as part of your training plan.
Ask,bribe or threaten your mates to put in some time with you(or at the very least slag you off if you are not making enough effort).
Take the pie shop off your speed dial 🙂
An interesting idea. I have quite a flexible job so I could do this - just need to encourage p20 that he should come with me 😛John O'Groats to Land's End??
Last year I set myself the target of riding an hour each day for 50 days.
The rule I set myself was that it had to be done all in one go, with only one break of max 1 hour (so I could ride 10 miles to Waitrose in Newport, buy a bit of stuff and ride back the longer way) but I couldn't add together all the bits and bobs in a day.
I also said the day didn't end till 9am, so if I couldn't get out one day, I could get up early next day and ride 2 hours from 8am, which would count as 2 days worth.
I found it hard to fit in but made me feel I'd really achieved something.
Fred Whitton challenge next may, [b]not a particularly epic event[/b]
😯
Last year I set myself the target of riding an hour each day for 50 daysi did that but had to go home after three weeks
Bring an end to the riots?
Hee hee 😀
.
Cape Epic?
Not on your doorstep granted but has to be one of the great challenges?
Get the lass from N Dubz into the sack.Thank you Pimpmaster....! I know its shocking, but I am actually a stw girl! And a straight one at that!
Surely that makes it even more of a challenge?
geoffj, the FW is only really a bike ride for a few hours. Its not like doing LE to JOG or any other massive multiday trip.
Thank you Pimpmaster....! I know its shocking, but I am actually a stw girl! And a straight one at that!
Bah! That ruins my fun then.
😉
On a slightly more serious note: http://www.welsh3000s.co.uk/
On Wiki here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_3000s
I was going to say the Dave Lloyd Mega challenge ,but they have down graded it to 120mls 🙂
People must be getting soft 😉
Welsh 3s is good. Tough on the knees possibly?
If you are NE, have you done the route up to Edinburgh? Or the many available coast to coasts: in fact do all of them. Which bike though!
[url= http://www.denverpost.com/favorites/ci_9540129?source=pkg ]There always 100 days of sex ...[/url]
There's always 2012 Kielder 100?
A couple of hardish sportives in the NE too
Fred Whitton as mention is probably the hardest and then the [url= http://www.etapedudales.co.uk/ ]Etape du Dales[/url] and even the [url= http://www.richmondcyclingclub.co.uk/content/cyclosportives-2011 ]Richmond 5 Dale 100[/url]
You could do an audax. 300, 400 or 600km? Or a shorter, hillier audax? I think there's usually a few happening around NE England / Borders / Edinburgh area.
Or the Vatternrundan? 300km in Sweden, with 20000 participants.
2012 Welsh Ride Thing at the end of May
This looks quite fun and a bit different! Needs a lot more miles than I do now.Or the Vatternrundan? 300km in Sweden, with 20000 participants.
Some really cool ideas. I hvae just been told by the surgeon I can get on with riding my bike (though my knee will hurt for the rest of my life). I am going to have a couple of months getting started and then work out exactly what to do. Given me loads to think about and research.
The Cape Epic looks awesome, but that might be a step too far!
Dusk 2 Dawn solo. You've got 'til early October to get some training in!