Originally Posted by
StephenH
Around here, the randonneuring people like to make the rides hillier rather than less so. So don't be surprised if the ride in question is hillier than the average local ride.
Try some longer rides and see how you do. By the time I did my first 200k, I had done 3 or 4 100-mile rides, so it wasn't that much more of a stretch to do it. Check if there are some 100k+ permanents in the area that you can try in the meantime.
You may discover that it's more a matter of how long it takes than of completing it or not, but allotted times tend to be generous.
On the RUSA membership- generally, a brevet is organized by a regional club and MAY require membership in that club, but does not require RUSA membership. Whereas, in riding a permanent (a solo ride), RUSA membership will be required, but membership in the local club will not be. I think RUSA membership is well worth it, so I'd advise to sign up anyway, whether you need it for the 200k or not.
Thanks for the info! It's heartening to have so much good input.
I don't believe the club organizing this brevet requires membership to ride its brevet series, but since it's my local cycling club, Louisville Bicycle Club, I'm planning to join anyway. I think LBC's dues are about $15 a year, and it's a pretty large organization, so I'm hoping it will be a good way to meet other people who enjoy cycling (if I'm not too shy to speak to them -- I am horribly shy in person). The $35 total for both that an RUSA membership seems very reasonable (indeed, coming from a horsemanship background, I'm used to much-pricier dues -- basic US Equestrian Federation membership is $55/year!).
I've noticed that randonneurs seem to like hills!
Some of the brevets out there are impressively hilly (I've been looking at the route profiles for various rides online). I know the area where the brevet I'll be riding takes place -- it's actually pretty close to where I live -- and it is, indeed, quite hilly, though not obscenely so for a first brevet.
There's a route map and cue sheet out for the 200K they did this month, and I'm guessing that it will be comparable to the June ride, so I plan to incorporate parts of the route (and equivalent hills in the immediate vicinity, which is pretty hilly) into my training plan. I may give that actual route a go as my equivalent-distance training ride (especially if I can find someone to ride it with me).
All the 100K permanents I know of are at least 3 hours away by car (which is a shame, since they look like great rides!), so I probably won't be doing those prior to the 200K. However, LBC has frequent organized long rides around here, many of which take place in challenging terrain. I plan to get in on at least a couple of those, as well (possibly one in late April; definitely at least one in May).
I'm glad to hear that the times tend to be generous. I'm not the slowest cyclist on earth, but I'm not particularly fast, either. My goal is basically just to pace myself reasonably (not my strong suit, LOL!), get through this first brevet (preferably within the allotted time!), have fun, and see how I do. I'm guessing I'll enjoy it, and if I do, I plan to keep riding brevets, with the hope of eventually doing an entire series and possibly even a 1200K.
My non-cyclist friends, of course, think I've finally gound 'round the bend. Guess I'll just have to make friends with some other crazy people
