400K alone

[Pedal Wench]

Would you or wouldn't you?

I did a 300K on my own, and I'll be honest, I wasn't happy after dark. I just did another 300K and hung back with two guys who I knew I could stay with all night long.

There's a 400K coming up - it's very, VERY hilly, so it could easily take the whole 27 hours. I'm worried that I won't have someone slower than me to drop back and ride with. I did the 300K on my own, and countless solo centuries. This is different.

Would you?

[jobob]

I hate to admit it, but no.

Unless I knew someone who was doing the ride and I knew would ride the nighttime part of it with me (that is, either someone who was at my speed or was willing to fake it ).

But, consider the source - I bailed out on the only 300K I ever attempted at about the 200K point.

[maillotpois]

I did the last half of my 400k with someone (V), first half alone.

I made a point of finding someone to ride with (3 people) between 11 pm and 4 am during my 600k. But I went into it completely alone. I might just as well have been completely alone for the whole thing, and in fact that stretch was really the only part where I had company. I just focused in on making friends during the ride. (Sounds a little like your 300k experience where you focused on finding someone to ride with.) That stretch I was very concerned about the sort of people I might encounter (drunk people, meth labs, etc.) and it was completely out of cell range.

But depending on the terrain, how comfortable I felt with the area, etc., I would consider doing a 400k alone. Devil Mtn Double (with 20,000 feet of climbing) took me exactly the same amount of time as my rolly terrain 400k (well, I finished both at right about 2 am), and I did DMD completely 100% alone (in 2007, as opposed to my DNF last Saturday). So I was ok with that.

There are plenty of reasons to put in the "to do" and "don't do" columns. Only til you start filling those columns out and really evaluating how you feel will you have your answer. How comfortable are you with the area? Is it in cell range? How confident are you in your equipment? Your mental health (only slightly jesting here)? Thing about those questions.

[Pedal Wench]

So, what are y'all doing in two weeks? I'll buy the Gatorade...

I'm confident in my equipment, and I know the general area. I wouldn't count on cell coverage, but I have a friend who lives in that area who would love to help out if she could. If it wasn't frowned upon by RUSA, I would have her ride SAG.

What I'm not as comfortable with are dog chases in the dark, twisty mountain roads at night, steep descents with just my lights - it was nice on the 300K to follow the other lights down hill.

Seriously - I'll buy the salty snacks too - come on to Georgia!

[Biciclista]

argh.
You mean alone alone?
Out of cellphone range?
If my husband wanted to do this, I'd have a fit! I don't like it.
When you combine sleep deprivation with dark lonely roads, anything can happen and who can help you? I believe you need to ride with someone
else on rides like this, that's my opinion.

oh, would I?? NO WAY!

[papaver]

isn't there someone who can ride with you (car) and who waits for you every 30 k or so? I wouldn't do it if it was too remote. You never know what can happen. If you'd be reachable by mobile phone, i would. (not that I would, but you got the picture )

[Blueberry]

So, what are y'all doing in two weeks? I'll buy the Gatorade...

...

Seriously - I'll buy the salty snacks too - come on to Georgia!

I would..but I'm sure you'd like to finish within the limit - not in - like- 4 days

[Andrea]

Yes, I would.




(just being honest )

[Veronica]

It is legal to have SAG at the check in points so if you have a friend who is willing to meet you that would be ok.

Is this a 400K on your own or part of a series?

Veronica

[Kiwi Stoker]

The one long ride here in NZ (4 160km laps of Lake Taupo- super enduro) requires you to have a support vehicle for 3 laps following you (the last lap is when all the rest of the 160km race happens during the day so you are asked to NOT have a support vehicle then).

The people I have known who have done the 2 lap Enduro (starts at 1am) have all grouped up and had one car following them during the first lap in the night (you need the headlights as well as bike lights as you are cycling through countryside).

Most of these guys stop for 1/2- 1 hour breaks after each lap to eat a proper meal, change cycling shorts and catch a nap.

Wow - my hats off to you and all other Super Enduro riders- you guys are amazing!

[Pedal Wench]

It is legal to have SAG at the check in points so if you have a friend who is willing to meet you that would be ok.

Is this a 400K on your own or part of a series?

Veronica

It's part of a series.

I wonder if I would feel better seeing a friendly face at the check points. Thanks everyone for the advice and input. I'm still weighing it.

[Biciclista]

If this is a Randonneurs ride, she can't accept support from anyone (and continue the ride) unless they are randonneurs on that same ride. That includes things like drafting and lending bicycle pumps.

[jobob]

If this is a Randonneurs ride, she can't accept support from anyone (and continue the ride) unless they are randonneurs on that same ride. That includes things like drafting and lending bicycle pumps.

I don't think that's true, Mimi.

I'm pretty sure that on brevets (at least brevets put on by Randonneurs USA, aka RUSA, the governing body for brevets in the US), the participant is allowed to have support from others - including people who are not on that ride - but only at the official checkpoints.

I know for a fact that this is OK on a RUSA permanent -- I'm a RUSA permanent owner so I'd better know! -- and I'm almost positive that's the case for RUSA brevets as well.

I'll go double check the rules on the RUSA website though ...

[jobob]

From RUSA's Rules for Riders at http://www.rusa.org/brvreg.html :

Article 6
Each rider must be self sufficient. No personal follow cars or support of any kind are permitted on the course. Personal support is only allowed at checkpoints. Any violation of this requirement will result in immediate disqualification.

(emphasis is as shown on the RUSA website, btw)

So you're right Mimi, along the route itself you can't accept "personal support" from anyone except someone else on the brevet itself (which means that person isn't "personal support").

But at the checkpoints it's OK.