2011 Metric Century Challenge

pollys_bott

pdstsp wrote:

And isn't it getting close at the top of the table - and the lantern rouge competition is hotting up too!!

Not as hot as I had hoped in October - got saddled with the role of bouncy castle monitor at a huge party of four year olds and sure enough having all those lovely little germ-carriers in close proximity for two hours resulted in half of the month being written off whilst I tried to rid myself of some lurgy... . One more chance this month for a second ride then fingers crossed for good (enough) weather in December...

DeadCalm

Commiserations Mike. I took a pretty bad tumble myself a week or so ago and although my recent rides have been uncomfortable and a little difficult (unable to shift with the left hand) I guess I should count myself fortunate that nothing was actually broken and that I can at least still ride. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

DeadCalm

And now it turns out that the little lump that I've been ignoring for the last few weeks is a hernia and requires surgery. According to the Thai doctor I won't be able to cycle for at least a month after the operation. I'm not registered in France and presume I'd have to pay for it to be done. Sounds expensive. The Thai health service is excellent and if I were to have it done here my travel insurance would pay for it but that would mean no more cycling. A dilemma.

pdstsp

Bummer, especially as it looks like you are in the yellow jersey - good luck with the decision making and the recovery -.

Paul

mikeeye

That sucks DC. A difficult decision indeed. I hope you figure out what's the right thing for you, and your recovery goes well.

Mike

DeadCalm

Having done some extensive research on google (where else would one look for medical advice) I've decided to hold off with the operation until I get back. Apparently folk have cycled with a hernia for years to no ill effect. This trip is what made the redundancy a good thing in my mind and the whole point of the trip was / is a cycling tour. It also fits in nicely with my ethos of living the life of an ostrich. Why deal with something today when there's a perfectly good piece of sand into which one's head will snugly fit?

rolf_f

Two more down for November - now a couple more in December will give me a nice round 25 points for the year. I can live with that! 8)

Omar Little

starting to tail off in motivation now, few months ago if i'd done 50 odd miles i'd add on a bit just to get up to metric century...now when i reach 50 im looking forward to getting in for a hot shower and some food

pdstsp

Ok - here it is - pm me if you update late and very good luck to all for December.

Dead Calm 81
Runner2Cycling 74
toontra 74
durrin 71
daibhi 57
slog 47
Jonninho 44
genki 40
Omar Little 38
fridgeboy 35
wiffachip 31
LA 28
Rolf F 23
gbs 20
RickyG 19
the crofter 17
pdw 15
leedsmjh 15
velocitizen 14
mr_polll 13
Polly's Bott 12
renard 12

Did notice that Velocitizen has claimed 134 points but feel sure this is a typo rather than one fantastic late autumn surge!!

Great competition still at both ends of the classement - toontra has slipped from top spot after a fantastic run by DeadCalm - and can durrin end up on the podium? Meanwhile the lantern rouge is still up for grabs - seems to be between the bottom three. Lets hope the broom wagon can be kept at bay for the final month.

Paul

DeadCalm

Done it! December ride is now posted. I'm chuffed to bits to have completed this challenge. There were a few times when I really didn't think I would.

pdstsp

Congratulations - and looks like the yellow jersey could be yours unless there's some serious winter riding from one of the other contenders.

Paul

wiffachip

I'm done.

Was aiming for 20 points at the start, so delighted with 32 points and could get a couple more, weather permitting.

Thanks to all fellow participants and special thanks to Paul.

It's a great motivator

gbs

Challenge completed today. Thank you Paul for keeping the score.

Can I claim the seniors' prize or are there more OAPs out there?

pdstsp

Would that be the grey jersey?

DeadCalm

pdstsp wrote:

Congratulations - and looks like the yellow jersey could be yours unless there's some serious winter riding from one of the other contenders.

Paul

Thank you Paul for your encouragement as well as all the hard work you've put in keeping the score.

I've been aiming for 100 100km rides (which I'm now resigned to missing out on) rather than the yellow jersey but if I do win it (by no means certain yet) it will be only because I've had more opportunities to ride as a result of my particular circumstances and certainly not because I've put in any more effort than any other participant.

Congratulations and a big thank you too to all successful participants.

DC

renard

Finished the Challenge yesterday.

Forecast lied - no rain till the afternoon. Borderline snow for about 30mins 20miles in!

Very satisfied to have done it. Same number of points as 2009 - 13.

Next year will try to get into the twenties.

Jonninho

Thats me done too. Surprised really, I only went out for an hour, and it ended up being a beautiful, if windy day.
Just put my head down and did 50km into a 20mph wind, then a nice run home.

I don't know whether to go for 50 now, or hang the bike up for a few weeks!
Amazed with 45 so far anyway as I had only ever done 3 before this year.

Congratulations to everyone else completed so far.

velocitizen

That's me done for the year.
14 for me this year.
Well done to all those who've got there December ride in already.
Lets hope everyone else gets round.
Always nice to hear that this thread is a motivator.
Thanks Paul for posting the updates each month.
Onwards to 2012.

durrin

I'm done as well! I guess I should be happy about the 72 points, as my goal was 52... but for a while I thought I could make top 3. That looks to be a bit hard now!

Runner2Cycling

I'm now done too - rides on both Saturday (included 21 miles of hard racing at Hillingdon) and Sunday.
I'm now on 76, in 2nd place just 2 ahead of toontra - no chance of catching deadcalm though (congratulations to him) as I'm away next 2 weekends which just leaves a few days between Christmas and New Year.

LA

I'm done as well & chapeau to everyone completing this. Forecast was for no rain today so got v cold and wet with no wet weather gear in the last 20k. Made me finish the distance though

leedsmjh

That's me done too. 16 for the year and I'm happy with that.
Cheers to Rolf F for devising a route and dragging me out to Hull despite the cold and rain, twas an excellent (if chilly) way to finish the challenge off

rolf_f

leedsmjh wrote:

That's me done too. 16 for the year and I'm happy with that.
Cheers to Rolf F for devising a route and dragging me out to Hull despite the cold and rain, twas an excellent (if chilly) way to finish the challenge off

It was a good ride and thanks for the company. Apologies again for being slightly late due to accidentally cycling through a crime scene!

I'll have to send you the route so you know where we went!

Anyway, 24 done. I'll try and get at least one more in before New Year and then it all starts again.....

pollys_bott

December ride done - it was a bit fresh starting at 0840 and the head wind in the middle third was a bugger, but at least it stayed dry. Now to get all the salt and cow shit off the bike... well done to everyone completed so far and may the weather stay fair enough for those left to ride this month.

gbs

Another windy day and for me the longest ride ever on the single speed Day 1. I am now targetting 2 more rides this year to complete 24 in total.

There, having said it I had better to do it!

genki

I'm worried about falling at the last hurdle. I'm busy the next three weekends, having used up too much goodwill over the last 11 mths, and the weather's been really lousy over here in Luxembourg. At this rate I'll be waiting for a clear night and having to do the whole ride in the dark. And I'll be cursing this challenge all the way...

thecrofter

Done. Finished on Sat. with a pleasant run from Peebles down to Moffat (Cafe Ariete if your ever in Moffat ) and back, fair bit of snow and fog over the top of the Devil's Beeftub

The whole challenge is a lot tougher than I thought at the outset but it certainly gets you out on the bike when you'd otherwise be making excuses not to....after all what's a little bit of snow.

Well done to everyone who's completed. I'll not be signing up for next year my knee has been complaining the last couple of times and I think it maybe needs a bit of rest over the winter if I'm to be fit for next Summer. Much chapeau to the guys at the top of the list.

leedsmjh

Just as well I finished this challenge last weekend. My garage door broke yesterday and my bikes are trapped inside.

thecrofter

leedsmjh wrote:

Just as well I finished this challenge last weekend. My garage door broke yesterday and my bikes are trapped inside.

It certainly beats the "my dog ate my homework" excuse

genki

Finally managed to get out for what will be probably be my only long outing in December. In the best tradition of challenges the final hurdle proved a tough one. Temperature at freezing point so sometimes it was rain, other times hail and then a bit of snow. The worst bit was having had 10 days off the bike - 100km seemed to take for ever :?

Thanks for the motivation all year, and see you in 2012 8)