h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So last Saturday I completed my rides for my first audax season.
The audax (long distance cycling) season runs from October 1st until September 30th y'see.

So after trying and failing to get into a Sportive and thereby discovering the existence of audax through internet forums from cyclists spreading Sportive hate I joined audax UK in December after about six months of cycling experience. I thought I was getting good by this point but audaxing has shown me my limitations and taught me a few harsh lessons but also given me some achievements that make me burst with pride when I think about them.

So my rides for the year with distance points (1 per 100 km - minimum of 2 per ride as rides less than 200 km don't count as 'long distance') and AAA points (awarded for climbing - riding up many steep slopes).

January - Dr Foster's Winter Warmer from Cardiff - 200 km - 2 points - debut ride

February - Gospel Pass 150 km from Chepstow - 0 points but 2.25 AAA points

March - The Dean from Oxford - 300 km - DNS (did not start) - It was snowing like fek - amazingly 3 people did actually ride and complete - nutters!

April - Two Battles 200 km ride from Tamworth - 2 points, and I WON!!! (well arrived home first at least)

May - Cambrian Series 3A - a 'permanent' (i.e. non calendar) event - 300 km - 3 point and 4.25 AAA points - this was HARD! Went from Chepstow to Tregaron and back via some proper nasty climbs - including the famed Devil's Staircase - which forced me to walk.

June - The National 400 - 4 points - first 24 hour ride - tough tough tough - mostly psycholically. From Tiverton in Devon.

July - The Buzzard - a 600 km ride from Leighton Buzzard - 6 points - strangely easier than both the 300 km and 400 km rides I did - although don't tell that to my ulnar nerves

August - Dr Foster's Summer Saunter - 200 km from Cardiff - 2 points

September - Wem We Get There - 200 km ride from Tamworth - 2 points
Ferryside Fish Foray - from Cardiff - 200 km - 2 points
Border Castle Randonnee - from Chepstow - 200 km - 2 points and 3 AAA - rediscovered my climbing boots after having them knocked out of me by the 3 big rides.

So 25 points and 9.5 AAA points.
Awards- Super Randonneur (a series of 200, 300, 400 and 600 km events in one season)
Brevet 1000 - 5 x 200 km in one season.
Gold Grimpeur medal - for riding a 300 km with more than 4 AAA points,

Yay. I'm soooo much fitter than I was - I have gained much skill in bike maintenance although I'm not there yet - and I have learned a lot about what my body is, and is not, capable of.

Next year I plan on some of the classic rides - The Brian Chapman Memorial - a 600 km ride from Chepstow to Menai Bridge and back - 8.25 AAA points(!)
Brevet Cymru - 400 km and another stab at the Devil's Staircase.

I plan on losing more weight to help with the climbing and getting a bike with a triple chainset - lower gearing to help with the climbing.

I seem to be reasonably fast as I'm big and powerful but long periods of climbing mean that my gravitationally challenged build is a proper handicap at that particular aspect of cycling.

I hope also to thereby prequalify for Paris-Brest-Paris - a 1200 km ride - in 2015. That is ride a 600 km event so I can enter early in 2015 and not risk missing out.

I also plan to suss out how to eat properly on these rides. I suffer from an inability to eat after a while on the longer rides and this is an _issue_ as eating is massively important.

*sits back and eats popcorn*

You've had a tremendous year, and I've really enjoyed hearing about them here. Not that I'm in any hurry to emulate your achievements, I still think you are crazy, but with a large dose of admiration to go with it.

Thanks

That's the usual reaction to be fair.

There are far worse nutters out there than me - not least the three who started the Dean back in March when it was chucking a slushy blizzard down.

Many of my fellow riders completed LEL this year - that is London-Edinburgh-London at audax pace. That;s 1400 km in about 5 days with typically about 6 hours sleep during the ride.
The points chapion, a guy going by the moniker Bikey-Mikey who I am quite well acquainted with now has well over 100 points for the season - that's riding 200 km about three times a week.
He's done FOUR Super randonneur series, a hyper-randonneur (that's 4 x 600 km), LEL and has over 100 AAA points I believe - unbelievable.

He doesn't have to work however - he was injured by a bus a few years back and as a consequence has poor short term memory. So he's taken up cycling to give him something to do - he uses a GPS to get him around and presumably is the recipient of substatial compensation. His bike is *very* expensive. Just the pedals cost about half the price of my best bike.
Sad story in many ways but he's a nice guy and this stuff keeps him alive

No way the rest of us can compete with the quantity of riding he does.