One of my Audax targets for this year was to ride a 200 km event.
The idea of Audax was first formulated in Italy in 1897. Participants had to swim, run, walk, or cycle a set distance in 14 hours which was approximately the time between sunrise and sunset. The distance to be covered by cycling was 200 kilometres. Therefore although there are shorter distances on the calendar, only 200 km events (or further) are considered “real” Randonnées. By riding an event of at least 200 km you become a ‘Randonneur’.
I had originally planned to ride the Reservoir Triple (starting in Oundle) at the beginning of July but with two speeches to prepare for the following Monday and Tuesday I thought I better not commit too much time over the W/E. Also in opting for the 100km Reservoir Single version I could temp my son to ride with me.
Next local 200 km event was the Rutland Ramble starting in Bedford. After heading west to Blisworth the route goes north to just below Leicester, then east skirting Oundle to Elton before finally turning south back to Bedford. The route bears a passing similarity to the map of France.
Having ridden the Reservoir Single on fixed I decided to up the ante and ride this my first randonnée on fixed also. At the start it became clear I would be the only rider on fixed, although someone did come up to me and say that although they had ridden 100s on fixed they wouldn’t do 200 on one!
The ride itself was fairly uneventful. I led off from the start and stayed with the front group, led in the main by Ian Gerrard and a couple of VC Norwich guys. This resulted in a reasonably fast start but I was conscious of the distance and hills to come so let them go off up the road after about 30km. After a sticky bun at the first control I bounced the second control at Wistow and cycled a further 15km to the Berwicke Arms at Hallaton for lunch. The Bewicke Arms tea room had been recommended to me by one of my 6th formers who works there part time. Good call Flora!
I was now on local roads so I knew how fixed unfriendly they were. I managed to get up all the hills although a little bit of zig-zagging was required a couple of times, but the downhills were hard and the one down from Seaton to Harringworth was scarily steep!
I had been worried than passing this close to home after 150 km may be a problem but I was feeling good and with the hills behind me it didn’t cross my mind to pack. After controlling at the shop in Elton rather than the garden centre cafe I rode a bit with Roger from Icknield RC and then Andy Terry and Emma Jones until I hit a cats eye at speed on a downhill and punctured just after Kimbolton. After a nice 10′ break fixing the flat it was back on the bike for a nice run in to Bedford. The “arrivée” was at the organiser’s house where we enjoyed a very welcome tea.
My knees were a bit sore but overall I felt fine, certainly a 300km should be very doable, but not on fixed unless it’s a flat route!
In numbers:
6 counties passed through (Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Buckinghamshire, Leicestershire, and Rutland)
29 riders from an entry of 34 started.
Time 09:23:28 Elapsed Time 10:37:29
Stops: 10′ at first control, 40′ at Berwicke Arms, 5-10′ at Elton, 10′ to fix puncture.
Avg Speed 22.2km/h (13.9 mph)
Total distance: 208 km (130 miles)
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