540 k in one go.
#1
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540 k in one go.
Yesterday I rode the "Great test of strength", from Trondheim to Oslo. It's been on for 42 years and on friday I spoke to one of the two guys who have a perfect record. At 62 he was doing his 42. consecutive ride! I guess there is a bit of a competition between them as to who will yield to old age first. In my group we were 6 riders over 50 that finished the ride. We used 16,52 (aiming for 17), and I am very happy with the time. We had bad weather in the mountains and great conditions riding along the biggest lake in Norway.
Last edited by plodderslusk; 06-22-08 at 07:41 AM.
#3
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Having four 5 minute breaks for the whole ride we were strongly adviced against bringing a camera. Others took plenty so I will see if I can get some in a few days.
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Is my math right? That's 350 miles at 21 MPH! I think that one century in under 5 hours is pretty good.
#5
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It is quite a bit less tough than it sounds. We started out with a total of 49 riders divided into two groups alternating every half hour at the front. Two lines of riders constantly change places when one group is leading. This gives time to feed and recuperate at the back, and even when up front you only take the wind for a few seconds at a time.
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It is quite a bit less tough than it sounds. We started out with a total of 49 riders divided into two groups alternating every half hour at the front. Two lines of riders constantly change places when one group is leading. This gives time to feed and recuperate at the back, and even when up front you only take the wind for a few seconds at a time.
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Oh man this sounds like an awesome ride!!
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Somewhere in the first 1/4th-1/3rd of the event, you would find my lifeless body lying along the route.
540km in less than 17 hours. Hard to even believe.
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"Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen." Louis L'Amour
There are two types of road bikers: bikers who are faster than me, and me. Bruce Cameron - Denver Post
"Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen." Louis L'Amour
There are two types of road bikers: bikers who are faster than me, and me. Bruce Cameron - Denver Post
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Really hard to believe. How could you find 49 riders of that level who could work together for 17 hours? Is there climbing? Mountains and bad weather? I know a guy who did a triple century in around 15 hours, but he is a very rare individual.
Are you guys all pros or ex pro racers?
Are you guys all pros or ex pro racers?
#13
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None of the members in my club are pros and only a few are, or have been "racers" . We are the third fastest group for this distance in the club. (13.32, 15.18 and our time of 16.52. We had two more groups coming in at nearly 18 hours and a bit over 21). Total climbing is 3350 meters and the highest point is 1040m which in Norway is treeless mountain terrain. We had a nasty cold headwind and rain up there.
We have trained together three times a week since april and quite a few are veterans with a lot of knowledge about how to ride this event well.
We have trained together three times a week since april and quite a few are veterans with a lot of knowledge about how to ride this event well.
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Interesting. So do you do other events like this, or is this the only one each year? Do you train for long hours together? How many kilos, or miles, do you ride for the year?
#15
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Wow, what a ride.
I thought Randonneurs were crazy...
I thought Randonneurs were crazy...
#16
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I guess most riders in my group will have around 3000 to 4000 k so far this year. Two times a week we do longer rides training for the kind of group riding we shall be doing (usually 80 to 120 k) and once a week we do intervals, both speed and hills. It varies a lot what other events people do but a number uses early season rides to train for this ride. Some do much more later on. A guy my age told me during the race that he was doing the Trans Austria this september. (16000 m elevation in 7 days). I do not know what I will do the rest of this season, I will see how my body feels in a couple of days.
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I'm guessing you don't ride the road for at least part of the winter, so 4k to this point does seem like a lot. You're posting here, so I guess you're over 50. The road riding in Norway must be good? I have read that the mountain biking in Norway is wonderful, and there are no land use problems.
#18
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Us, yours truly is the second rider in the second picture:
https://www.skomedal.com/foto/dssp200...a_DSCN0255.JPG
https://www.skomedal.com/foto/dssp200...a_DSCN0257.JPG
https://www.skomedal.com/foto/dssp200...a_DSCN0267.JPG
https://www.skomedal.com/foto/dssp200...a_DSCN0275.JPG
The winning group:
https://filer.sportsklubbenrye.no/bil...oer_Oppdal.jpg
https://www.skomedal.com/foto/dssp200...a_DSCN0255.JPG
https://www.skomedal.com/foto/dssp200...a_DSCN0257.JPG
https://www.skomedal.com/foto/dssp200...a_DSCN0267.JPG
https://www.skomedal.com/foto/dssp200...a_DSCN0275.JPG
The winning group:
https://filer.sportsklubbenrye.no/bil...oer_Oppdal.jpg