Randonneurs

[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

[maillotpois]

Thanks, guys. I only know it because I have gone through the cycle (no pun intended) a few times myself.

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

It is the easy side of Coleman. I took a shake out route I have been doing in the dead of winter for a few years (last year it was below freezing for 3 hours and 22 for the entire run up Marshall) and turned it into a brevet. My two local RBAs, DH and I will do the inaugural ride next weekend. Once that's done, we will throw it up on the SFR website.

I am also working on a perm in Tahoe, but that won't really be rideable for a bit.

[tulip]

I admire randonneurs and once researched what it would take to qualify for the PBP. Then I realized that I'd rather just take my time and actually enjoy the route. I'd still like to ride from Paris to Brest and back to Paris, and someday I will, but I will go the round about way and stop in villages and explore small roads and it will take weeks, not hours. I'm of the touring mindset, that's all.

[jobob]

I really appreciate how RUSA acknowledges (nowadays!) that the ultra-long distance rides like PBP and the other 1200k brevets, a.k.a. randonnees, aren't necessarily the do-all and end-all for everyone. In recent years many 100K rides (called populaires) have been added to event calendars, and the P12 award was introduced, which recognizes a rider who completes a RUSA-sanctioned 100K ride (populaire, hence the P) every month for 12 consecutive months (otoh, the R12 recognizes a rider who completes a RUSA-sanctioned 200K+ ride every mo for 12 consecutive mos). That's a good thing IMHO.

If/when I do get back in the grove, I'm likely going to look into some of the 100K permanents routes that have popped up in my area (a couple of which cover much of the same territory as my long-departed East Bay 200K, ahem )

Speaking of the East Bay 200K, I glanced in my file from back when I ran that route -- nope, I couldn't part with that, either -- and V, your RUSA number was 4055. Back when I ran that route I probably could have spouted you number off the top of my head, I think you rode that route more than anyone else back then.

Yeah, I'm going to renew my membership for another year.

Jo, # 3749.

[MojoGrrl]

My husband just bought me a 2-year RUSA membership for Christmas. So far I have only gone on one "official" brevet (our local "Last Chance" New Year's Eve 200k) and two other "unofficial" 200k rides. Planning on doing the Last Chance again this year (last year I was unofficial when I did it) and we'll see what the next year has in store, but honestly, I don't see myself doing any distance longer than 300k.

[maillotpois]

My husband just bought me a 2-year RUSA membership for Christmas. So far I have only gone on one "official" brevet (our local "Last Chance" New Year's Eve 200k) and two other "unofficial" 200k rides. Planning on doing the Last Chance again this year (last year I was unofficial when I did it) and we'll see what the next year has in store, but honestly, I don't see myself doing any distance longer than 300k.

You guys have a great club and terrific support on your brevets. I've done your 400k, which was lovely (V joined me for the second half which was awesome, but I now realize is forbidden. Whatever, we had "fun" and I was so grateful for the company.) We had a few folks from your club on our 1000k this year and it was really nice to meet them.

We have a lot of folks in our club who do only 200ks, and that's awesome. You don't have to do 600ks to be a randonneur.

[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...