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Probably dreaming, but....1200km in under 8 months?

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Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling Do you enjoy centuries, double centuries, brevets, randonnees, and 24-hour time trials? Share ride reports, and exchange training, equipment, and nutrition information specific to long distance cycling. This isn't for tours, this is for endurance events cycling

Probably dreaming, but....1200km in under 8 months?

Old 02-07-17, 01:31 PM
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This thread has a very high humor value to me. At first I thought the OP might be trolling, but now I think he's serious. I also think he's working on "confirmation bias", hoping the forum will endorse his plan. At no point do/did I get the impression he actually wanted legitimate feedback. Moral laxity seems to be an ailment of our times, so I don't care one way or the other about his entry. I do care, however, about having fun on the bike.

When I rode my first 1200, my longest previous ride was a 400 (yes, I got an exception). I was a reasonably fast, strong rider very comfortable riding double centuries (<12 hours for mountainous routes). I suffered badly on the 1200 but I finished mostly due to: a lifetime of cycling, 42-year old body, and great volunteers. I was physically wrecked by the end.

Whether you ride a RUSA SR or not, there is no substitute for doing the work. Your body gets used to the stress of riding 750+ miles in a little less than 4 days. You learn to eat, anticipate problems, sort equipment, dress, keep moving, etc.

Good luck, dude, whatever you decide. Just quit being defensive when people here offer sound advice that you (apparently) don't want to hear.

PS - My 2c says you don't finish in the time limit.

Last edited by Flamme Rouge; 02-07-17 at 01:43 PM.
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Old 05-28-17, 05:09 PM
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As this became a warm-to-hot topic I let the thread die for a while.

Update: Decided to go for it.
Have worked up to being able to ride 400k in brevet-allowable time though none of it on official brevets. Going to try a self-designed and self-supported 600k route next week/weekend (weather-dependent). Based on advice from here/around the web/various forums and blogs, I'm not going to do any training rides further than that. I may make one 4-600km out-of-state ride in a rolling hills area in late June/early July just to test myself over that terrain, but other than that, I've been riding locally on near tabletop flat terrain because that's what's available/affordable.

Airplane Ticket bought. Passport renewed. Still researching international medical plans/costs (they're both more inexpensive than I thought and cover less than I hoped at one extreme and are outrageously expensive and still cover less than I hoped at the other so far). Bike's in good shape. Replaced a set of tires, a chain and a cassette due to all the training rides. Working out the logistics of getting the bike and spares/supplies there as cheaply as possible yet on time. Luckily, I have another recumbent I can ride while the "brevet bike" is enroute if it doesn't travel with me.

In case anyone cares/is wondering, I'm riding a Bacchetta Corsa, med/large, 650C.

Back to lurking/riding.
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Old 05-28-17, 06:44 PM
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good luck
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Old 06-19-17, 10:12 PM
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Well, after a few interruptions in my oh-so-carefully (NOT) planned life, this past weekend I completed my first-ever 600km ride on a self-designed route. Rode it solo, of course as who else would be dumb enough to do this in the Deep South's heat and humidity? (Wait, there ARE a few of you/us who do this....)

Finished in 35:17 with a 5 hour sleep break. Was very tired at the end, as much mentally as physically. I LOVE riding deep in the middle of the night when there's just me and little else on the road.

Spent about 4 hours in medium rain to light drizzle. Definitely tested my spirit then.

It was interesting.

Slept the sleep of the dead after I returned home, showered, ate and then showered again. Woke up far less sore than I anticipated, but walking up and down stairs was still interesting today. Much better tonight.

Overall, my confidence has definitely improved after completing this ride. I'm only planning on 2-20 and 1-40 mile rides this week in recovery. Next week, right back at it.
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Old 06-20-17, 07:35 AM
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Did you sleep the 5 hours at home? Because getting up and finishing after that is a super-human feat. I haven't finished designing a 400k route from here, but then I figure I could combine it with any number of 200k routes.
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Old 06-20-17, 08:13 AM
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@dual650c, sounds like you're ready to me. Nice job.
@unterhausen, why is finishing a 600k after sleeping a few hours at 400 superhuman? Isn't that what just about everyone does? I'd think it would be more superhuman to ride 30+ hours without the break.
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Old 06-20-17, 09:36 AM
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Originally Posted by kingston
@dual650c, sounds like you're ready to me. Nice job.
@unterhausen, why is finishing a 600k after sleeping a few hours at 400 superhuman? Isn't that what just about everyone does? I'd think it would be more superhuman to ride 30+ hours without the break.
It's the willpower in doing it when you're at home in your own bed, I think he meant. People talk about the 1200ks that go back to the same hotel every night as harder than the ones that tour around, because you can quit without any logistics of how to get back home to figure out -- when the cheapest/simplest way back to your car/home is to keep riding, it's easier to keep riding even if you're mentally ready to pack it in.

I know what you mean about the peace of the road in the dead of night; that's one of my favorite parts of randonneuring.

Good luck on your 1200k!
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Old 06-20-17, 12:58 PM
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Yes, at home. My route was a 375km out and back/semi-loop followed by the sleep break and then 225km out and back.

I had no problem with "oh man, gotta go finish" when I awoke as I was focused on completing my longest 2-day ride ever. Shrug. Different mindsets for different people on different days, I guess.

Looks like my recovery week rides will all be wet ones.. Oh well.
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Old 06-22-17, 09:26 PM
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It sounds like you're doing well.

Morning after rides are always tough
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Old 06-24-17, 08:15 PM
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the wakeup on the second day of people's first 600k is when most people need someone to push them out the door. Good that you're motivated enough to do that yourself.
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Old 08-26-17, 08:09 AM
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Just checking in after finishing a 350km ride and posting in another thread.
Status update:
Bike is doing well - have had to replace both tires and the chain due to wear. Might need to replace one or more sprockets before the big event. I've been through 4 inner tubes due to the number of flats I've experienced - I always repair my tubes and only replace them once each has 5 patches, there's a hole near the stem or a hole is simply irreparable. Will likely buy two more sets - one set of tires to take with me as backup and another to replace the ones currently on the bike 2 weeks before I ship it out (I AM shipping it ahead, not flying with it as that's the most economical; luckily, I have a backup bike for the period "we" are separated).

Mentally, I'm doing well. I'm definitely not burned out. I have found that I hit mental difficulties between 275 and 325kms on 400km rides but don't have similar issues on 300km rides. I've only done the 1-600km ride so I'm not sure if that will repeat itself between 450 and 525km or at longer distances.

Physically, I'm fairly pleased with my condition and conditioning at this point. I no longer get off the bike sore at all - well, maybe my butt cheeks for a bit but I can walk without looking like a drunken sailor or centenarian. There was a week in late July where my knees were slightly swollen after just a 200km ride - no clue what that was about and it hasn't repeated itself. Same thing happened with my right ankle and the big toe on my right foot once (each). Again, niehter has repeated itself so I am clueless and just keep on plugging away.

Off-bike preparations and arrangements are going well, not perfect but well. My airfare is locked in. I decided to stay in a low-cost hotel rather than with my friend as he's also hosting other international riders and his place will be crowded between them and his family (I don't sleep well around a lot of noise.) Got a complete physical for free at a VA clinic - the doc said I check out as a "man showing (my) years but not ridden hard and put up wet". I'm still not quite sure if that was a compliment or not. Got my travel shots, multiple ones including the (domestic) ones I've been avoiding. Got a deal on a discount for a backup pair of eyeglasses as well as a pair of prescription cycling/sports sunglasses which I wasn't expecting. They make a huge difference over my usual prescription glasses with sunglasses that fit over the regular ones.

I'm semi-"expecting" a pre-ride gift of new shorts from the family - hopefully not too close to when I leave so I can try them out/make sure they don't wind up chafing on longer distances.

I've downloaded the current data on the route and have "ridden" it via Google maps Street view. The route may change between now and the start time, but I'm pretty sure I've identified the areas where I might have difficulties - pacing, route finding, meals/replenishment, etc. Of course, Google map data overseas is not 100% accurate but I'm keeping my fingers crossed and keeping in touch with the organizer/my friend with respect to road conditions and other considerations (especially political).

So that's where things stand today.

Easy 30 miler tomorrow.

dual650c is "Outta here!"
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Old 08-28-17, 05:45 PM
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Long Distance Randonneuring

I think you can do it, your probably fitter than you think or you will get in shape quicker than someone who never road. I agree about ramping up the mileage week by week and taking a refresher week off every month and start another building block month. FWIW racing in the 70s at 360 miles a week I got tendinitis with toe clips and straps, switched to speedplays when they came out and never hurt again. Make sure your bike fits, fits, fits. I'm 60y/o and i think you can do it. Its gonna hurt but so what. Lifes too short and if you fail you fail, not the end of the world but you ought to at least try. I wish I could afford to go to the ends of the earth for an epic ride like that. Post Pictures!!! My goal in October is a Century on a Fixed Gear. Pales in comparison to what ur doing but at least its my 83' De Rosa lol.
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Old 09-14-17, 04:35 PM
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End of "the dream"... Just got out of the hospital after a ridiculous accident.

I was stepping off a New Orleans St. Charles Streetcar this past weekend on a rare day-off the bike and got bumped by someone simultaneously getting on causing me to awkwardly "roll" my ankle as I stepped down/off the streetcar. Well, the ankle rolled alright... so far that I went all the way down onto my knee, tearing collateral ligaments, my ACL and MCL. I also cracked the bone at the elbow joint and my collarbone. Surgery was two days ago and the scars are as much mental as physical due to the disappointment.

- So much for riding for the next "half-of-forever". Rehab? - not looking forward to it.
- So much for the "dream ride", the trip and seeing my friend.
- So much for the non-recoverable @$2200 I've invested in non-refundable plane, car and hotel reservations, training expenses to date and equipment replacement/upgrades as a result of the training rides since January.
- We won't talk about how I'm going to pay for the surgery... I don't have medical insurance. It'll probably take me years to pay it off (I've been advised bankruptcy may be the "smartest" financial move but that goes against my sense of personal integrity).

So, for all those who said they doubted I could do it... you were right. Ain't gonna happen. I failed.

In case anyone's interested, Since January, my training "mileage" was 7784km.
- My average days/week riding was 5.2.
- My longest period riding without more than a 1 day break was 14 days.
- I went through 2 chains, 4 tires, 10 tubes and numerous patch kits. i broke 1 pedal, replaced it and then broke that one ultimately replacing the crankset.
- I ruined the hardshell seat on my Corsa due to cracking along the edge after a fall after being run off the road into a soft sand shoulder by a cop who didn't honor the 3-foot law (had camera footage of it, showed it to the Sheriff who said, "So what? You shouldn't have been riding on that section of 2-lane road"). This also required replacement of the handlebars as straightening it manually never got it back to "feeling right". This accident also required replacing a handlebar-mounted mirror.

Physically, I strained my right knee twice (probably due to over-use/over-training), suffered severe sunburn over a 3-week period in late June/early July that was only "solved"/pain-lessened with a prescription salve normally given to "real" burn victims (freakin' SUN!), and fought off 2 intestinal viruses probably related to unhealthy convenience store food prep areas. Despite an historically weak right ankle (from military service-related damage 30 years ago), for the most part it held up. There were only 3 rides where I finished so "waxed" at the end of the ride that I was unable to walk up the stairs in my house without assistance. (this was probably a result of too much effort, too soon). I did get an infected toe and lost a toenail due to clipping a toenail too closely then riding through muck before it was healed - which made the next week's worth of riding really miserable.

Knowing what I know now about "the journey" and "the outcome", would I do it over again if this outcome wasn't "guaranteed"; would I do it again if I could have a "do-over" starting this past January? Probably. The possible reward of seeing my friend, making a once-in-a-lifetime (and likely my last) overseas trip, and completing the challenge of a 1200km ride makes me think it was/would be worth doing it...again.

What would I do differently?
Well, I wouldn't get off a St. Charles Streetcar at the same time as someone else was stepping on! (Seriously, it was an unusual accident, I've done that exact on/off routine hundreds of times if not thousands). I'd wear long-sleeved, breathable, 50SPF+ jerseys/shirts sooner. I'd get better wrap-around/over-glasses sunglasses/prescription sunglasses. I'd wear breathable, "sunproof" leggings and damn how it looks. Doing this all solo/unsupported was a strain - but how can you ask someone/anyone to actually support this kind of training routine(or amount)? My only "assistance" was that I knew I could rely on 1 person to perform a "come get me ride of shame" function if I called (never made the call though I was tempted twice).

I guess that completes the wrap-up.

It's over.
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Old 09-15-17, 08:37 AM
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Hope you recover quickly and are able to begin training for the next 1200k soon.

As a side note, you might add "get a new/better brand/model of tire" to your list. If I flatted every 385k, I would have quit riding. Honestly, if I have a flat twice a year in 7500 miles, I've had bad luck.
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Old 09-16-17, 12:45 PM
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Originally Posted by turtletwins2002
As a side note, you might add "get a new/better brand/model of tire" to your list. If I flatted every 385k, I would have quit riding. Honestly, if I have a flat twice a year in 7500 miles, I've had bad luck.
Of the 6 tires I had on my bike over the last 8 months, 3 were Gatorskins, 3 were Terry Tellus. I don't think I had bad luck with them. Flats are simply a part of life where I ride (Louisiana roads are as notorius for being poorly maintained/strewn with sharp detritus as the New York Turnpike is... they're just bad and hard on tires, period).

Otoh, I'll heal. This was probably the only "shot" I'll take/would have taken at a 1200km. I no longer have any doubts I could have made the distance in an acceptable time. And I'm not getting younger. So.... almost got there, almost got the t-shirt, and don't see me actually going for a 1200km ride in the future. Making the trip and seeing my friend was more important than actually completing the ride; the ride was mostly an excuse to go.
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