2013 Plan

When the Olympic Games finished I started doing things like baking and putting on weight.  I reached new 'heights' in both.

I wondered whether my audaxing era was over.  I've had a fantastic year, how can I ever top 2012?  Maybe some leisurely touring is the thing to do.  I've got my cycling pilgrimage planned, that will be a gentle touring kind of riding.  That's good enough, in fact that is just perfect.

Then I received an email from 'the russian guys'.  The Chui Tract 1200.  Interesting ... it's in Siberia, connects Russia with Mongolia, amongst the Altai Mountains.  No, of course I'm not doing it.  It would be just one week after finishing the pilgrimage.  The pilgrimage is the main event, I don't want anything overshadowing it.  What about my knees ... I've been off the bike for 4 months ... Altitude goes from 181m to 1836m, whereas the Kiwi Hunt went from sea level to just below 1000m and look how much I struggled on that one.  And anyway, if I did do this ride, I'd have to do a hilly series again, maybe even the 'never again Bryan Chapman 600'.  If I did all that, then I'd almost have to make the pilgrimage into an audax, because I'd be in the running for the 25000 brevet.  And 'all that' could put the pilgrimage itself in jeopardy.  No, no, no!

So here is the plan:

13 Jan -  The King's Worthy 100 - DONE
16 Feb - The Poor Student perm 200 - DONE
23 Feb - One of Manotea's perms 200 - DOING ON 3rd March
02 Mar - The Kennet Valley Run 200 - NOT DONE
03 Mar - The Ditchling Devil 200 perm - DONE
16 Mar - The Dean perm 300 - DNF
28 Mar - FNRttC Felpham - DONE
06 Apr - The 3Down 300 or - DONE
07 Apr - The Dorset Coast 200
26 Apr - FNRttC to Brighton - DONE
03 May - 'Flemish night ride to the coast', not an official FNRttC - DONE
11 May - The Severn Across 400 - ENTERED WITHDRAWN
18 May - The Bryan Chapman 600 - ENTERED WITHDRAWN

26 May- The Pilgrimage 3000, dates confirmed with John Spooner - DONE
18 Jul - FNRttC Newhaven - Dieppe - DONE
... more FNRttCs

Fingers crossed that the knees hold up and fitness returns.  It will be one ride at the time, except you need to book ahead for the longer rides.   We'll see, it's a dream plan, a little top heavy.  But, there it is, I feel better now.

The Chui Tract 1200

2012 Plan

I was to do 100s and write some ride reports for Arrivee.

The trouble with doing things like PBP is that you get introduced to other long rides.  I picked up the leaflet for VOL (Vologda - Onega - Ladoga) in Russia.  Then there was a post on YACF about the very first Southern Kiwi Hunt in New Zealand.  John Spooner mentioned the wonderfully organised rides by Jan Geerts and someone else pointed out the Borders of Belgium 1000.

From RandoCycloBelgium

All the time you put thoughts of these intriguing rides towards the back of your mind ....

So it's beginning to look like this:
07 Jan - The Poor Student 200 - DONE
21 Jan - The Willy Warmer 200 - DONE
25 Feb - The Kiwi Hunt 1200 - DONE!!
24 Mar - The Dean 300 - DONE
01 Apr - The Dorset Coast 200 - DONE
06 Apr - The Easter Arrow 400 - DONE
28 Apr - The 3D 300 - DONE
12 May - The Porkers 400 -  DONE
26 May - The Hellfire 600 -  DONE!!!
06 Jul - Vologda - Onega - Ladoga (VOL) 1200 - DONE
19 Jul - FNRttC Newhaven - Dieppe and home - DONE
31 Aug - FNRttC Felpham - NOT DONE - went to Paralympics
07 Sep - FNRttC  Southwold  - NOT DONE - did Park Tools course
28 Sep - FNRttC Brighton - probably not doing - NOT DONE
05 Oct - FNRttC Whitstable - NOT DONE - knees say no
23 Nov - FNRttC Brighton - probably not doing - NOT DONE

Rationale is this:

• The Southern Kiwi Hunt 1200: first time being run, and having a pied-a-terre in Christchurch.

From KiwiRandonneurs

• The Borders of Belgium 1000: not doing in the hope it is a yearly event.
• The FNRttC Tour: not doing if the Wessex series goes to plan, and VOL is coming up quickly also.
• The Vologda - Onega - Ladoga 1200: what an opportunity, I can't wait!
• Now for the Wessex series which are the ones marked as PENCILLED IN.  I'm just scared, that's all.  I vowed never to do The Bryan Chapman 600 again, and then I think it is OK to pencil in The Hellfire 600.  I just wonder though, if I should go against convention and do the 600 first, then the 300, then the 400.  But that would mean doing them completely on my own.  There is a group of riders forming doing the rides as DIYs on the Pencilled In dates.  I wouldn't see any of them during the ride, but still, it provides for moral support before and after. EDIT: I might put these in the back of my mind ... make it a target for another year.

From Vol1200

2011 Plan

The plan for 2011 is to do PBP in August. In order to qualify for that you need to do a Super Randonneur series (200, 300, 400, 600). And of course I'll fit in as many FNRttCs as I can.

A few things stand out:

• introducing friends to FNRttC to Southend,


• maybe a FNRttC from Manchester extended into a ride to York


• or maybe the Valley of the Rocks 200 in Devon


• BCM is always a highlight


• a new 600 in the Invicta or Wessex


• FNRttC to Whitstable, but I might not be able to do it


• FNRttC to Newhaven and home, will it be as good as last year?


• PBP

08 Jan: The Poor Student 200 - DONE

22 Jan: The Willy Warmer 200 - DONE

26 Feb: The Kennet Valley Run 200 - DONE

18 Mar: FNRttC Southend with Mandy and Rob - DONE without Mandy and Rob

26 Mar: The Dean 300 - DONE

15 Apr: FNRttC Manchester OR The Valley of the Rocks 200 - NOT DONE (Work reasons)

22 Apr: FNRttC Bognor - NOT DONE, Easter Arrow instead

22 Apr: Easter Arrow to York - DONE

30 Apr: The Severn Across 400 - DONE

14 May: The Bryan Chapman 600 - DONE

11 Jun: The Invicta 600 OR The Wessex 600 - NOT DONE, London to Brighton 300 DIY instead

17 Jun: FNRttC Whitstable - DONE
25 June: Yorkshire Dales 200 PERM - DONE 

15 Jul: FNRttC Brighton - DONE

21 Jul: FNRttC Newhaven - 300 to Rumbeke - DONE

06 Aug: The West Bay and Back 200 with Jamie - DONE

13 Aug: a 100 or DIY 200 - NOT DONE (can't remember why)

21 Aug: Le Paris Brest Paris 1200 - Frame number 5741 - DONE!!!

2010 Plan

The plan for 2010 is to attempt a Randonneur Round the Year (200 for 12 consecutive months) and to do another Super Randonneur series (200, 300, 400, 600).

The RRtY was my original and only plan for 2010. The SR came only because, for some bizarre reason, I want to do the Bryan Chapman 600 again. For that you need to build up by cycling a 300 and a 400. I'm on the same trajectory as the Fabulous Faccombe Four, so it can't be helped :). Then the second half of the year is when the FNRttC comes into play. One of the rides I am most looking forward to, is the FNRttC to Dieppe. The plan is stop over in Le Treport and the next day, cycle to my parent's place in Rumbeke (Belgium).

09 Jan: The Poor Student 200 - NOT DONE due to ice/snow

23 Jan: The Willy Warmer 200 - DONE

27 Feb: The Kennet Valley Run 200 - with the Faccombe Four - DONE

27 Mar: The Dean 300 - DONE

16 Apr: FNRttS - DONE

24 Apr: The Severn Across 400 - DONE

15 May: The Bryan Chapman 600 - with the Faccombe Four - DONE

28 May: FNRttC Whitstable - NOT DONE

19 June: Brussels - Paris - Brussels 600 - DONE

25 Jun: FNRttC Bognor Regis - DONE

15 Jul: FNRttC Dieppe - onto Rumbeke!! 200 DIY - DONE

12 Aug: The Severn to Wye 200 PERM - DONE

14 Aug: The Radnor Roundabout 100 - DONE

27 Aug: FNRttC Whitstable - DONE

19 Sep: The William the Conkerer - DONE

02 Oct: The Upper Tea 200 - NOT DONE - The Anfractuous 200 instead

22 Oct: FNRttC Whitstable - DONE

06 Nov: The Upper Thames - not planned but DONE

19 Nov: FNRttC Brighton - NOT DONE due to holidays