Originally Posted by Rowan

WE finalised the rando season's Petit Year Round Randonneur (PYRR) series. It requires a total of 1200km for the year, made up of rides from 50, 100 and 150km in length. You can do the fifties, for example, in the cold winter months, and make the distance with 150km rides. A bit complicated, but I like the concept for (a) an Audax award, (b) the need for strategising throughout the year to end up with the minimum 1200km, and (c) it encourages riders back into the sport. They also can be made up of Permanents or organised Audax events.

Anyway, we finished the series with a 50. And it was so darned tough... one of the toughest rides I have done EVER. Might seem a bit trivial for distance, but this had some climbing, and all but one climb were into the wind. Wind? Yep, gusts over 70km/h funnelling down the valleys and directly into the face.

And you need to pay attention to 50s at the 15km/h minimum speed... you don't get much time to play with before getting to a checkpoint at 37km, as well at the one at 50km... we just made the 37 one with 13 minutes to spare after being 15 minutes behind at the top of the last clilmb. We finished 12 minutes within the time limit... after the last big climb that featured 9 to 14% grades.

Phew!!