Well, I’ve done something stupid……….

I’ve entered the Mille Pennies 

1000km in 75 hours? That’s easy surely? I’s not even 10mph……..

Ohhh, the clock doesn’t stop while you’re eating, sleeping, defecating, faffing, applying liberal amounts of bum butter …..

And there’s 13850m of climbing.

And I’m 38 and about the least fit I’ve ever been.

Just thought I’d start a thread where moan about my FTP never changing however many hours I spend on the turbo, try to lose 4 stone and you all tell me to do even more Z2 miles. It’ll be fun …….. right?

1000km in 75 hours?

Well, 1001km apparently.  So three days of 200+ miles a day. Sod that, good luck to you and your arse 🙂

That’s quite hilly, too.  I’d book your physio appointments now.

Thirteen thousand metres of climbing?!

gulp

Do what I did on the 3-peaks CX. Break your only bike after 2 peaks, terminally 🙂

Buy shares in Bum Butter now.

Do what I did on the 3-peaks CX. Break your only bike after 2 peaks, terminally ?

The Village Store in Muker just off the route at the start of day 2 sells amazing flapjack

Thirteen thousand metres of climbing?!

gulp

Only 9 and a bit times more climbing than the London – Edinburgh  – London

Sounds incredibly painful unless you are used to these distances. I did the Mad Manc in May, 205km, and to do that 3 days on a row, no thank you !

And, if the weather is bad…

See I like the idea of some of those Audax events but I invariably find bits of the route that I just think “Nope!”

The main road between Staveley and Windermere (OK, there’s an adequate cycle lane alongside some of it), the main road up to Thirlmere, the unnecessary jaunt up to Lockerbie and back….

I did the Mad Manc in May, 205km, and to do that 3 days on a row, no thank you !

Actually 50% more each day than that.

Only 9 and a bit times more climbing than the London – Edinburgh  – London

Eh? Total climbing is about 15,000m for LEL. Obviously Mille Pennines is packing it into a shorter distance.

the unnecessary jaunt up to Lockerbie and back….

I was looking forward to that bit, northern Cumbria is relatively flat.

I did the Mad Manc in May, 205km, and to do that 3 days on a row, no thank you !

Actually 50% more each day than that.

Actually more like a 50 mile hilly ride, a Fred Whitton, then another 50miles, for three days, and a nice 50mile hilly recovery ride on day 4.

The main road between Staveley and Windermere (OK, there’s an adequate cycle lane alongside some of it), the main road up to Thirlmere, then unecessary jaunt up to Lockerbie and back….

Much depends on when you ride the main roads. Well designed routes often use A roads in the middle of the night, and quieter lanes during the day.

Good luck, you might need some training 😉

I’ve signed up for LWL and hopefully will get on LEL so am in the silly distance club too.

I’ll probably ride Brevet Cymru and LEL. Thinking about the Pennine 600 as I can’t do the Bryan Chapman next year.

Eh? Total climbing is about 15,000m for LEL. Obviously Mille Pennines is packing it into a shorter distance.

I stand corrected, I thought it looked low when I googled it even for a route that avoids excessive hills by sticking East as far as possible in the Southern part.

I’ve signed up for LWL and hopefully will get on LEL so am in the silly distance club too.

I fancied the LWL, but it was already full.

There’s a flat 600 in Essex that I might do as shakedown instead, and if I’m doing a 1000 I’m getting my goddam Super Randoneur 2500 badge!

Good call.. Saw an article about it a while back and was tempted but also a bit wary. July ’25 .. you have time.

FWIW the first TINAT was 600km and ~10,000m elevation so in a way this has less elevation per km, but it still does look like a rather big ride on distance alone never mind the hills.

The main road between Staveley and Windermere (OK, there’s an adequate cycle lane alongside some of it), the main road up to Thirlmere, the unnecessary jaunt up to Lockerbie and back….

To be fair if you’re on pace you should/ideally get those A-road bits at very quiet times at night when you’ve lights on so they can feel much safer than daytime use. I’ve also been on some of them in the daytime and would never do them again.

Fair play, entering that takes some balls.

I’ve done all sorts of tough sporting things and the only one I’ve ever quit part way through was a London to Edinburgh ride. I got to the camping point at York on day one (215 miles, 14.5 hours), then got the train home the next morning instead of doing day 2.

Piece of cake, double the distance of the Xmas Rapha 500 in half the time. 😮

Sounds painful. Very, for that distance.

July ’25 .. you have time.

Yea, I’m trying to ignore the “training for 1000km” bit and remember it’s “just” 3x 300’s and a ride back to the coast.  I’ve done 200’s with similar climbing per km without training, so a 300 should be doable?

Piece of cake, double the distance of the Xmas Rapha 500 in half the time. ?

I’ve never completed a Festive 500, ohh well ?

Maybe I’ll use it as an excuse to escape the in-laws.

Fair play, entering that takes some balls.

If I have massive cojones it’ll just be because of the swelling from spending 75h on the bike.

Following with interest as someone who hasn’t done a 200 for 10 years…..

I’d be reluctant to drive that you madman or madwoman.

It’d be good to keep this thread going as we work towards our long distance goals. So we can support or take the piss as appropriate.

I’m doing the Moonrakers and Sunseekers 300 next weekend. It was minus 4 last year and my bottles froze, I really can’t explain why I’ve entered it again.

mille pennies?  is that £10.00 ?

Following with interest as someone who hasn’t done a 200 for 10 years…..

If I’m motivated enough* I’ll keep the thread updated with the training plan and progress.

Up until Christmas at least it’s looking something like:

M – Turbo MyWhoosh FTP plan*

T – Velodrome, essentially a ~60min bunch ride / TTT

W -Rest / Gym work

T – Evening clubrun, 40miles by the time I get home again.

F – Turbo MyWhoosh FTP plan*

S – Rest / Gym work

S – Clubrun

Plus commuting (it’s a short commute so I’ll have to escalate the detouring to start getting Z2 miles in) , plus join a pool to keep me moving on rest days.

*The plan has 4-5 structured sessions a week, I’m aiming for 2 and just spreading it out.

Current Weight 99kg

Current FTP – 200W on a seated ramp test (I think that’s optimistic, 185W might be closer).

I’m doing the Moonrakers and Sunseekers 300 next weekend. It was minus 4 last year and my bottles froze, I really can’t explain why I’ve entered it again.

Good luck, I was tempted to sign up and ride the first half, then decide if I’m bailing and riding back to Reading or carrying on.  But suspected even the bailing option might be optimistic.

mille pennies?  is that £10.00 ?

Dammit, I was duped it was £68 ?

It’d be good to keep this thread going as we work towards our long distance goals. So we can support or take the piss as appropriate.

Every once in a while – and usually fairly spur of the moment – I’ll do a long-distance thing. Rode down to London last year (helped greatly by the fact I have family there so free accommodation and I keep some basic clothes down there too so nothing to carry) but I only decided to do it about 3 days in advance. Basically chose a day with a tailwind, decent weather and just enough daylight hours. 230 miles.

And a couple of months ago I did Way of the Roses coast to coast ride in a day (177 miles plus another 15 miles of riding up to the station at 3.30am to get the first train of the day out to Lancaster). Did 75 miles the following day in an extended ride back to York station for the train home.

About 4 years ago I talked a mate into a massive loop of the Lake District – about 144 (very hilly) miles but actually it turned out to be an amazing day on the bike.

However that’s me choosing things on my own terms. The extra pressure of an audax and the forced nature of being quite uncomfortable with snatched segments of sleep in random village halls surrounded by snoring blokes somehow carries less appeal.

that is brilliant…… good on you and good luck.

longest audax i have done is a 300km. and it was pretty tough.

i would love to enter one of the long ones, with nothing to concentrate on other than riding and eating, and no time limit.

a challenge to myself rather than getting the clothe badge.

and if i ever get round to it……. i would ride a recumbent of some kind… to save my bum and wrists.

The extra pressure of an audax and the forced nature of being quite uncomfortable with snatched segments of sleep in random village halls surrounded by snoring blokes somehow carries less appeal.

If you don’t go straight to sleep, you haven’t ridden far enough. Though I was tripping my tits off on PBP, trying to make 600km before sleeping was not one of my better ideas

might be worth doing 1 day of 200 miles amd 5000m of climbing. I don’t think I’d fancy doing a second afterwards

Impressive! Will be following your progress OP.

Burning question is “flat bars or drops”

Burning question is “flat bars or drops”

Drops, I once did 300miles over a long weekend on flats and couldn’t feel my palms for over a month!

Drops, I once did 300miles over a long weekend on flats and couldn’t feel my palms for over a month!

I get numbness on the outside of my palms and up my fingers on longer rides, 400km plus. It’s the ulnar nerve, which takes a long time to regrow. Seasoned audaxers tell me tribars help, as you can get weight off of your hands.

Hat off to you! I think sometimes you have to have the confidence to put yourself forward for challenging events and push yourself.

As long as you can get over the climbs then hopefully you can pace yourself through the distance.

I have done the Fred whitton multiple times but of course that is not on par with this challenge. I’m not sure if I could have got back on the bike and gone again the next day but I was always pretty out of shape when doing it.

Will keep an eye on the thread and best of luck!

Seasoned audaxers tell me tribars help, as you can get weight off of your hands.

Yea, there’s a few long drags hidden in amongst all the hills so I think aero bars will be something I’ll have to get used to again.

I think sometimes you have to have the <s>confidence</s> stupidity to put yourself forward for challenging events and push yourself.

TBH I’m more looking forward to the shorter (relatively) training rides, the event itself is just a painful kick up the arse to get me back out on the bike again regularly.

There’s something very terrifying about the idea that it’s only ~30 Sunday club rides away ?

snatched segments of sleep in random village halls

If only, there’s a reason bus shelters are referred to Audax Hiltons!

Yea, I’m trying to ignore the “training for 1000km” bit and remember it’s “just” 3x 300’s and a ride back to the coast.  I’ve done 200’s with similar climbing per km without training, so a 300 should be doable?

I did a 300k (and +3,000m) early this year, only my 4th ride at 100 miles or more (in my life).

Not doing another 300k but did do a 200k a month later – happy with 200k.

If you can’t do 3x200k (or 100miles) over a long weekend beforehand, you shouldn’t be doing the 1000k would be my ‘advice’.

And 99kg – you’re not that tall if I remember (although this was +15 years ago at a Gorrick), you’ll make it easier for yourself every kilo you lose.