Randonneurs

[thekarens]

Do we have any randonneurs here? We have several in our club and those folks both amaze and frighten me....frighten mostly because I can't imagine doing it.

If you're curious about randonneuring check out rusa.org.

[Anelia]

I sometimes go to 200 km brevets because they are good for base training. I race XC and I do not have a road bike so I ride my mountain bike.
Next week I'll do my second 200 k this year if the temperature is over 40 F.
This is the route

[Catrin]

There are several here who have done some serious randonneuring over the years - I am sure they will speak up when they see this thread. During my first year of cycling I had an intention of doing this but over-use injuries prevented it. My goals have been less...aggressive since then I still hope to do a brevet someday, we will see.

[thekarens]

I sometimes go to 200 km brevets because they are good for base training. I race XC and I do not have a road bike so I ride my mountain bike.
Next week I'll do my second 200 k this year if the temperature is over 40 F.
This is the route

Wow on a mtb that's impressive!

[murielalex]

This, and touring, is the type of cycling that attracts me, but I don't have the time right now to consider it. It's regularly featured in my " if I win the lottery" type fantasies.

[Pedal Wench]

RUSA #5603 here!

[angel@]

Do we have any randonneurs here? We have several in our club and those folks both amaze and frighten me....frighten mostly because I can't imagine doing it.

If you're curious about randonneuring check out rusa.org.

Hello, This year was I started that amazing non competitive and long distance cycling. I live in Portugal and the Randonneurs Portugal are very recent. In 2012 I did four brevets of 200kms and one of 300kms. I was very injured of a fall, so I did not participate in the 400kms brevet. I was DNF at 600kms (only ride 389kms), because of backpain, knee pain and so.
I remember every quilometer as special moment, with good weather, stormy weather, riding by day or by night, and so many times alone. I remember once, I had to hide my hair under the helmet because my female condition could affect my safety during a long night ride. I was lost so many times, because my garmin became crazy and the road book did not seem very clear.
But I am lanning to return to the road in 2013.
You can see more about Randonneurs Portugal, our Calendar and also some photos of the 2012 brevets, here
http://www.randonneursportugal.pt/

Bonne route
Angela

[jobob]

I used to be a randonneur ... not remotely hardcore compared to some here, but I managed to eeke out a few 200Ks back in the day. I was even a permanent "owner" for a while (look up permanents on the RUSA site if you know not of what I speak), mainly because back when I got into randonneuring and was persuing an R12 there were hardly any perms in my area. After my bike crash 3 (yikes, almost 4!) yrs ago I gave away my permanent routes to others in my club (SF Randonneurs) since during my recovery I wasn't able to maintain my routes.

My enthusiasm for cycling in general has been waning over the last couple of years and has really taken a nosedive in the past few months. My RUSA membership renewal is coming due the end of this month (I had a 3-yr membership) and I'm not sure I'm going to renew. Eh, maybe I'll renew for one more year in case I catch the cycling bug again. Randonneuring was such a large part of my life several years ago that it's kind of hard to let go of it completely.

[salsabike]

RUSA # 7236, and my husband Chris and I just earned our first P-12 award on our tandem (http://www.rusa.org/award_p12.html)--and we'll probably start on our second soon. I've done at least one RUSA-official 200k, but truthfully, a 100k ride totally works for me. Chris, of course, is in deep, having done multiple 1200ks including Paris-Brest-Paris. So I'm a rando but definitely on the weenie end of the continuum. They're nice folks, randos--I like them a lot. Unpretentious, welcoming, pleasant--just regular folks who like to ride long.

Jobob, you've had a tough year. Don't know if you'll want to rando more but I do know things will get better and more fun again. Hugs to you.

[maillotpois]

RUSA #3502. My first brevet was a 600k. Not the smartest start, but I stuck with it and have done a couple of SR series (200, 300, 400 and 600ks), a fleche (410k in 24 hours), a dart (210k in 13 hrs) and just now created my own perm (inaugural ride set for next week).

Jo we may have talked about this at some point, but I have absolutely found that my riding ambition comes and goes. I had a GREAT year last year and a CR@P year this year. I have learned not to read too much into the highs or the lows. And if you are on a low, ride when it is fun and because it is fun and don't *make* yourself ride because you think you should. You will find the fun again. Oh - and I let my RUSA membership lapse for a couple of years too.

I do really love the rando crowd.

[Veronica]

I think I've let my RUSA number lapse. I guess I could look it up. I was on my way to an R-12 - 9 months in when I realized I was just not having fun. It was also the first year I did a Half Ironman and I just like those events more and the trainining that goes along with it. I briefly contemplated doing PBP, but realized I really like to sleep every day.

MP what is your route?

Veronica

[Veronica]

Yooza! - I looked up your route. That's a doozy with 8800 feet of climbing. Is it up the "easy" or the "hard" side of Coleman? That is such a pretty area. I couldn't find my RUSA number, but my fastest 200 K was in August, 2 weeks after doing my HIM. Funny, I can do a HIM faster than a 200K, even with not running much of the run!

Veronica

[salsabike]

RUSA #3502. I have absolutely found that my riding ambition comes and goes. I had a GREAT year last year and a CR@P year this year. I have learned not to read too much into the highs or the lows. And if you are on a low, ride when it is fun and because it is fun and don't *make* yourself ride because you think you should. You will find the fun again.

Wise counsel, this...

[Crankin]

Although I'm no rando, I agree, sage advice. I'm in a little bit of a down year, too, about 400 miles less than last year and 600 less than the year before. I'm blaming it on weather and time commitments (and my riding partner, Hirakukibou being away for the summer), but in reality, I just a little sick of it. My ability to want to ride in the cold is a little less this year, too. I'm not reading too much into it, as I have found other forms of exercise and I'm actually fitter.
I need a good snowy winter, with lots of x country skiing, to make me want to ride lots next season.

[Catrin]

Sage advice indeed. I had a down year as well, mainly due to occasional mountain bike injuries and a lingering whiplash injury from late 2011. This winter I am backing way off on riding, outside of some work on the trainer and spinning bike, as I need to focus on increasing my t-spine mobility, shoulders, and upper body strength. I would love to do some gravel riding this winter, but right now I need to take care of my mobility issues to increase my bike performance (and general comfort level) and, hopefully, finally stop tweaking old injuries.


Like Crankin, I am fitter than before - probably the most fit in my life so I am not hurting from this period of backing off on the bike and focusing on other things for the winter. Doing a brevet someday is still in the back of my mind, but I need to address these mobility issues before anything. I do need to find some way to get outside this winter though. I keep toying with the idea of geocaching...