2017, time to delete Metric Century 2015

Whilst riding to work this morning I got back to thinking about some 2017 riding targets and came up with my own sort of bespoke metric century challenge.

It's based on doing a minimum of a metric century each month.   However in addition the idea is to firstly build up to doing a double metric century ride in June to benefit from the longest days.

 Then after that probably in one of either July, Aug or Sept my idea is to do two metric centrury rides on back to back days.  This is because I've done long rides before but never one day after another and so I wanted to challenge myself to see if I'm capable of rides on back to back days with perhaps one eye on a multi day challenge at some point in the future.

My rough plan goes like this:-

Long ride targets    Target Miles    (Target km)
January    min 65 miles ride   (105 km)
February    min 75  miles  (121 km)
March    min 90 miles    (145 km)
April    min 105 miles    (169 km)
May    min 115 miles    (185 km)
June    min 125 miles     (201 km)
July (attempt two back to back min  75 mile rides one day after another   (121 km each ride)
August    min 75 miles    (121 km)
September    75 miles    (121 km)
October    65 miles    (105 km)
November    65 miles    (105 km)
December    65 miles    (105 km)
Total    1,070 miles    (1,722 km)

Now my main problem with the above is finding the time what with both family and work commitments.  Therefore there's every chance that this idea/plan will come crashing down in failure.  However despite this I thought that I'd at least start 2017 with the optimisim of setting myself a challenge and some targets.

John

I had a 130mile ride this summer and could've kept going but for the missus having a winge. Took my time, had a pasty, loads of bananas and the Cornish cliffs coves and lanes to entertain my senses. Awesome. I get the Audax thing now, especially since I have started racing and I don't go chasing KOM's anymore.

Not sure why you dismiss long rides. My most memorable ride this year was an 8 hour solo ride with no particular plan other than to enjoy the gloriously quiet surrey and Sussex lanes without much traffic whilst the ride london thingy was on. It was way more enjoyable than doing that ride (yes, I have done that too) and just a joy to cover new ground and see where your front wheel takes you. Each to their own right ?

I've done lots of  one 100Km / 100 mile ride per month 'Challenges' over the years. I even got a pair of socks for doing it  once. Next year ( 2017 ) I'm going to do at least one 200 miler every month, and use 100 miles as a fall back. I've found that with the improvements in bike / tyre tech year on year, that 100 milers are a bit 'meh'. 200 miles is the new 100 miles

Hi both

You can definitely do DIY audax rides where you plan and ride your own route - take a look at 'DIY by GPS'. Rides need to be completed in accordance with Audax requirements - so ride route needs to be submitted in advance, be self supported, and completed within min/max speeds (up to c. 14 hours for a 200km ride).

Take another look at the AUK site from the above link.

I've not done the metric century challenge before and having now spotted it I liked the idea of doing it next year & so it's a shame that it's no longer running.

I've ridden audax uk rides before and I enjoy them more than entering sportif rides so I took a look at the link above.  In order to enter the challenge mentioned they do have to be audax uk events.

I like the idea of this but being realistic between being busy with work & having two under 5s at home I'd really struggle to find enough audax rides close enough to my doorstop to mean I'd have enough spare time to enter them all.

Thetefore being slightly time pressed I'm thinking of just doing my own variation of this over the year but building up to the 200km ride.  Maybe something like this or a variation on it.

Jan: min 75 mile ride

Feb: min 85 mile ride 

Mar: min 95 mile ride 

Apr: min 105 mile ride

May: min 115 mile ride

Jun: min 125 mile / 200 km ride

Jul: min 115 mile ride

Aug: min 105 mile ride

Sep: min 95 mile ride

Oct: min 85 mile ride

Nov: min 75 mile ride

Dec: min 65 mile ride.

John

It would be great if Road.cc did offer this challenge for 2017, I have found that, in previous years, it has motivated me to add an extra loop to a ride to take it over the 100k.

if anyone else is interested in a similar, but more demanding, challenge for 2017 then you may be interested in the Audax 'Randonneur Round the Year' award. This requires a 200k ride to be completed in each of any 12 consecutive months. 

http://www.aukweb.net/results/other/rrtyclaim/

Yeah, noticed the site didn't bother with anything like that for 2016. Think clearly it's a money loser so  the idea is dead.

Maybe we could run it ourselves. I like these sort of challenges, they really do motivate people.

100 miles

125 miles

150+ miles

That should pretty much cover everyone. Have a Strava Club just for the kudos sharing and legitness. Or maybe that would put people off as they don't want to share their personal info online.. club could be private?