Yes, there seems to be a group of fairly "bonkers" :o) people within the seriously-long-distance-audax community. I've come across it in other sports as well - people cycling serious distances to triathlon races, people running the West Highland Way race, then turning round and running back to Milngavie, that sort of thing.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Events, rides etc.
Audaxes + sportifs 2013
(669 posts)-
Posted 11 years ago #
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It does seem that the majority of riders are male but I think it may be a bit of a middle aged crisis thing? We men seem to get either a motorcycle or a bicycle (or other fast car etc..)
Guilty as charged, m'lud. I understand Italian road bikes are the 'new' sports coupé for men of a certain age. The 'steel is real' (except when it's titanium/carbon) audax brigade are a whimsical subset of such blokes, it would seem.
Audax isn't competitive!!
Technically, on paper (or the web site) yes, but there 's the old joke that "Audax is for people who like tro pretend they're not racing".
some riders actively go for the 'Full Value' event, making the most of their time!!
Er.....no. Some folk are just slow. Like me. ;-) There's a fair bit of self-deprecating humour about competing for the lanterne rouge award, but almost without exception these same riders who joke about being last are quite fast when actually riding the event!
Posted 11 years ago # -
"auld axes aren't competitive"
Yes. I knew someone would pull me up on that, but you know what I mean- cycling that's not touring, transport, commutering etc
Posted 11 years ago # -
What's non-competitive about commuting?
;)Posted 11 years ago # -
I've now completed my spreadsheet.
Including the Snow Roads, I've logged 2988km of cycling on my road bike this year, and estimate another 600km (!) on my Brompton (just commuting and going places). Since I ran the marathon in May I've not logged any running distance, but I have cycled about 1500km (both bikes).
(I'd logged 565km running up to and including the marathon.)
Posted 11 years ago # -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidmam/8813135741/in/set-72157633677449244/lightbox/
Wasn't feeling quite so chirpy at the end, but all in all thought this was a good effort for my second ride on the new bike.
Should have done some training beyond the usual 5 miles to work though, as my strategy of taking it easy only lasted until the ramp up the Lecht, after which I had to take it easy as my knees were complaining.
Cost a lot of time, and sloppy too. I'll have to sit out the Deeside Lass now I think.
Posted 11 years ago # -
"second ride on the new bike" and I thought I was being foolish going out in brand new shorts...
My previous post should say that I ran the marathon in April, not May.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Cross post:
Hey I'm old so I appear to be quite suited to Audaxing!! I don't need to spend lots of time away from the family training though, as I just commute to work by bike. It takes roughly the same time by bicycle as it does bus. I upped my commuting from 3 days to 4/5 days / week in prep for my SR this year, and coped with the 400km audax quite well. The Snow Roads was slightly harder!
I recall speaking to a man at circuits, a similar age to my age today, when I was 19, who ran marathons. I was circuit training 3 times a week, with added hour of airobics before CCTs on Sunday morning. I also cycled to work everyday, 10 miles each way. I struggled through a 10mile race and this older man told me it was my age. He said that the older you get the more staminer you develop. I don't know if there is any truth in this though, but I appear to be coping with the longer distances. I put this down to hours in the saddle though, over my greater years! I did a few 10km races in my youth and one 10 miler but not regularly and I never really trained for them, I just entered and ran on the day. Sorry this is nothing to do with women, perhaps I should skip back to 'this other thread?
Posted 11 years ago # -
@Dave, but I thought the whole point of a bent was you could sit 'through' the event? ;o)
Shame as I was looking forward to a bit of banter again until the first down hill where you freewheel off!!!
Posted 11 years ago # -
I used to enjoy cross country running and hill walking as a teenager, but I've never been a really sporty type. That helps explain why I'm so slow, I suppose! :o)
Posted 11 years ago # -
A enormous well done to DaveC, who completed his first 600 km audax yesterday. Many many kudos for that.
Posted 11 years ago # -
We are planning to run a DIY audax on the weekend of 22/23 June. This will follow the route of the Forth and Tay audax - 200km.
Please could you let me know whether you are interested in doing this. We need to get details sorted quite soon. I think that DaveC might also be going and be able to advise on the route.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@amir seconded. Well done DaveC. (They did have the weather, but 600km is still a crazy distance...)
(As someone who might have been interested in your 200, I'm not, as I'm busy that weekend.)
Posted 11 years ago # -
I'll be in Portmahomack that weekend, I'm afraid.
I was going to share a ride report on 'A Fyne Cowal' earlier this month. However as most of the audax riders on here seem to be also in the Audax Ecosse FB group, you can catch a summary there if you scroll down a bit...
Suffice to say, a beautiful route, but rather lumpy in the first half.
P.S.:- well done DaveC.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Well done Dave C that's a very impressive effort.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@Amir can you sign me up please?
Posted 11 years ago # -
@kaputnik great - are you going to do it as a formal audax?
Posted 11 years ago # -
Just for a larf. I'm not collecting any audax tokens this year.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@Dave C - Chapeau!
@amir - I'd like to tag along (subject to clearing it with the better half). Not interested in collecting audax clubcard points.Posted 11 years ago # -
"
An Audax, for the uninitiated, is a better sort of sportive with masses of cake that costs a fiver."
http://road.cc/content/news/78990-just-genesis-equilibrium-853
Posted 11 years ago # -
Just a wee checkin before I have another sleep. Thanks for the kind words but really, we had fab weather and were fortunate that the half way point was at my house so showers and own bed were handy.
Started at 6am Sat. Brechin @11, Balater @3pm Perth at 8pm for tea and home at 11:15. 351km
Sunday. 6am start, 11 at Innerleithen, 3pm at Duns, back in SQ at 7:35pm. 250km
Dave C
Posted 11 years ago # -
Here is the route over the 40 hours:
Posted 11 years ago # -
Some choices to be made over our DIY audax:
- Saturday 22 or Sunday 23
- exact route. The original is on the Audax UK site. It starts at Dalmeny. Alternatively DaveC suggested to me that it starts in Dalgety Bay. Controls in the original were Dollar, Auchterarder, Tayport, St Andrews, Falkland.Those of us riding this as a DIY need to submit a form soonest, so we need to agree the controls. Any views on this? We can modify the route/controls as we wish of course but we need 200km minimum distance between the controls.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@amir, try this route which I ride in May: http://goo.gl/maps/0mo0f
It's 229km, so once you've trimmed off the Edinburgh section you may need a few km extra but not much. Maybe to Tayport?
Posted 11 years ago # -
I'd prefer the Sunday, I've got a colleague's leaving dinner on the 21st and don't think I'll be road legal for an early Saturday...
Posted 11 years ago # -
Hmm, I have a prior engagement on the Sunday 23rd. I thought this was the wekend before, next weekend! I'll keep an eye on this incase the 23rd is cancelled for any reason but it looks like I can't make the weekend suggested.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Let's go for the Sunday then. So far we have earthowned and kaputnik.
DaveC and fimm - sorry you can't make it. Maybe another time.
Not sure whether to do it as an audax myself - how early do I need to submit the route?
Finally, is anyone thinking of doing the Alston and Back 300km the following weekend? I might be able to offer a lift but will need a super pass from my OH as she is just back from holidays.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I owe you coffee and cake, Amir, you paid last time. Don't let me forget!
Posted 11 years ago # -
I'll be rolling up one jeans leg and haring up Arthur's Seat on that morning, alas.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Just noticed the Crystal Run on 14th July from Musselburgh - 100km, so short for people here, but with 1600ft of climbing it's a nice wee build-up for me.
Posted 11 years ago #
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