Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Shoudl I do the Fleche?

Hey
I'm having a bit of a dilemna here: I signed up for a Fleche next week end, but the weather tendency looks like it will be very cold (like 3 or 4 degrees during the night) and there might be some snow. I'm really scared of going through the night, with negative temperatures... Yesterday I did a difficult 200 (rain and a lot of wind) as training, and it really wasnt' fun, and I think the Fleche will be much worse. Plus, my fingers and toes get usually really cold and painful, especially of the temperatures go negative during the night. It just seems to me that it won't be fun at all and frankly I'm quite tired of doing long distance rides in bad weather (the last 200 I did were under the rain, PBP was under the rain, most of my brevets last year were under the rain...). It's just no fun anymore, and now it just looks really stupid to me to go for something like that...
So the question is: do I do it or not?(there are 5 of us in the team so they can still go even if I don't).

Hey
It just seems to me that it won't be fun at all and frankly I'm quite tired of doing long distance rides in bad weather (the last 200 I did were under the rain, PBP was under the rain, most of my brevets last year were under the rain...). It's just no fun anymore, and now it just looks really stupid to me to go for something like that...


It sounds like you've already answered your question and just want some back-up. FWIW, I'm not that interested in riding brevets in poor weather after PBP either.

Most of Australia did our Fleche last weekend, with much hotter weather than you are looking forward to.

Hi claire!!! Hope things are good in Paris, physics and other things cycling!

Give it a miss. After you've done a season of riding in mostly cold and wet weather, you start to look critically at your options when yet another cold and/or wet event comes up.

By the way, belated congratulations on PBP!!

Thanks guys... Surprisingly enough, it actually looks like the 3 from our team who did PBP don't want to do the Fleche (and the remaining 2 guys who have never ridden through a night want to go...)
My legs, knees and Achilles tendons are more sore today than after the 600 last year! And it was only 200 km! I can't see myself doing twice as bad in 4 days...
Hey Rowan, things are going well in Paris. I'm leaving my very small flat in a month or so to move in with my boyfriend, which means much more space (including for bikes!!)

Well I'm glad I didnt go... The weather was pretty scary all week end, cold, snowy and rainy. Only 2 from my team went all the way. My friend Jean-Pierre (aka Michelangelo on the forum) ended up at the hospital with broken collarbone, ribs and wrist. Congrats to all of those who did the Fleche...

Well I'm glad I didnt go... The weather was pretty scary all week end, cold, snowy and rainy. Only 2 from my team went all the way. My friend Jean-Pierre (aka Michelangelo on the forum) ended up at the hospital with broken collarbone, ribs and wrist. Congrats to all of those who did the Fleche...

congrats indeed, and sad to hear about Michelangelo's crash. Hope he has a speedy and full recovery.

You are a wet chicken (like me) !

Well I'm glad I didnt go... The weather was pretty scary all week end, cold, snowy and rainy. Only 2 from my team went all the way. My friend Jean-Pierre (aka Michelangelo on the forum) ended up at the hospital with broken collarbone, ribs and wrist. Congrats to all of those who did the Fleche...
Well ... merci Claire. it was just as you said and not worth doing, except maybe the fantastic memory of arriving at about 00:30 from Saint Étienne on the top of Col de la République (where the stèle Vélocio lies). Below that's me, freezing before the descent, which was unbelievably long, slippery (Joël fell) and cold

http://homepage.mac.com/jean_pierre_smith/jean-pierre/photos_web/IMG_2144_jp_au_col.jpg

Afterwards, well... as you said, I fell asleep within 10km from St Paul Trois Chateaux after a great stop in the lovely town of Grignan. We were over 2 hours late anyway

So I confirm, you were wiser than me not going. Wisdom is a great gift. Keep it in your heart and don't regret not going