Machka 

Over on Bicycling Mag's long distance forum, on CyclingPlus's forum, among the UMCA members, and among the members of Big Dogs ...... cyclists are currently participating in Century-A-Month challenges.

The challenge is as follows:

-- Cyclists must ride at least one imperial century (100 miles or more) each month of the year. One century in January, one in February, one in March ..... etc.

-- Centuries cannot be banked ... cyclists cannot ride two centuries in January and then none in February.

-- Centuries must be completed outside and not on a trainer, but can be on a route of the cyclist's own choosing ... a collection of short loops or long loops, and out and back, or whatever.

-- Centuries can be offically organized rides, or unofficially organized rides ... in other words, a century could be a century the local cycletouring club puts on each year, or could be a century where the cyclist just goes out and rides 100 miles on his/her own.

-- Centuries must be completed within a 24-hour period of time, but as "all-at-once" as possible. 24-hours is permitted to allow for centuries done in exceptionally inclement conditions, such as when it is bitterly cold or if the cyclist is riding through snow (such as the Susitna, for example), but the cyclist should try to complete it with breaks/rest stops that are as short as possible. In other words, slogging through snow for 18 hours with 10 minute breaks every hour to reach the 100 mile point is OK ... but cycling 50 miles in 3 hours, then going home, doing some housework etc., getting a night's sleep, puttering around the yard for 18 hours, and then doing the last 50 miles in 3 hours would not count as a century.


I have completed this challenge twice so far, in 2003 and 2005. I'm currently working on it for this year as well. I've got my November and December centuries to go.


Are any of you currently participating in a Century-A-Month challenge organized by one of the groups I mentioned at the top of this message? If you are not, and if you ride a lot of centuries, or have a desire to maintain your endurance throughout the winter, you might consider this challenging (it is challenging in my part of the world!) little challenge.

Bacciagalupe

If I lived in Southern California, I'd probably do it.

knobster

I'd love to participate in something like this. I've done 2 this year (first 2 ever) and have really loved it. I'm planning to do the "Blood, Sweat and Gears" century in June and the "Bridge to Bridge" century so I'd like to do something like what you've mentioned to help prepare for this. Got some links to some groups putting on such a thing or is this a local only group?

supcom

I've been participating in the UMCA Year Rounder. I've got 28 centuries so far this year, including three doubles.

I live in Texas, so riding year round is easy.

Chris L

Put me down for 2007. I bombed out in February of this year.

Marcello

Randonneurs USA has its own year rounder program, called R-12. You do a brevet or a permanent of at least 200km each month for 12 consecutive months. I still have to do one this month and one in November to get to 12 months, before I start again in December. Here in Northwest we have a few people who are doing it. It is kind of nice to have other people who are crazy enough to do long distance riding during the winter. It is great training for what may come in the summer season, if the weather is bad.

fubar5

I'm in for '07.

chrispatoz

Hi All

Firstly thanks heaps Machka for all the the info and related experiences both in this forum and on your website. I have just joined Audax Australia and plan on doing some brevets and possibly a super series next year once I have me and a suitable bike organised.

The concept of the century per month is definitely something I am interested in since I am rostered over 7 days so brevets are only if I can get or have the necessary time off work and this can be done whenever as long as they can be non organised solo rides if necessary.

The Octopus 

I've got a 38-month streak that'll come to an end if I don't get a century in tomorrow. This month's schedule has been hell for riding -- out of town last weekend (NYC), next weekend (Washington), and the weekend after that (Florida), with no possibilities of a long ride (and no possibility of anything during the week, either. Damn work!). Today was torrential rain and wind that made me opt for Sunday. It's going to be do or die!

Sanulaw

What must you do to prove you've completed each ride? Is this on the honor system or are their statements to complete? The challenge is very enticing.

Chris L

As far as I can see, it's basically an honour system. The vast majority of my centuries are solo unorganised rides, and there's virtually no way to verify those. The protocol with challenges of this nature is to post various stats from the ride including distance travelled, ride time and elapsed time, with further information such as total height gained or weather conditions being optional. I suppose if someone claims to be riding centuries inside three hours, we'd all get a bit suss about the validity of their claims, but there isn't really anyway to verify it. That said, I usually post a picture or three from my rides on my blog if anybody cares.

I've always held that the real challenge here is in pushing yourself to improve your own performance and better your own achievements. It is not, strictly speaking, a competition as such, and there are no prizes awarded for the person who rides the most centuries with the possible exception of "bragging rights" (for whatever they're worth online). Consequently, I tend to take the claims people make in such a challenge on face value. If someone were to cheat and write up a bogus ride report, it wouldn't really bother me all that much. It might be a cliche, but in this case they would only really be cheating themselves.

Sanulaw

Thanks Chris, I appreciate the reply. Time to ride. ciao,

brunop

all i'll say is that machka is la chica mas macha. doin' it up up in canada! go machka go!!

bmike

Did you get it? I tried for a half on Sunday - but the rain / cold and my lingering sickness had me turned around and heading back home to warm up and enjoy a nice dinner with the wife!

spokenword

mike -- I realize that this is off topic, but when did you get married? belated congrats!

badhat

ive been doing this for like 4 years and didnt even know it

bmike

Friday, October 13th.

I'll PM you...

knoregs

Congrats!

jcm

Ok, Machka, I'm in. I'll crank out a November 100 on Sunday the 26th.

cam117

Are there any good websites for finiding organized century rides in a particular area? I live outside of Cincinnati, OH.

jschen

I'm not interested in any century a month formal programs, but it's a possibility for a personal goal for 2007. I completed one century in January and decided it wasn't really something I wanted to do regularly (but I would do the occasional century), but then since September, I've given it a new look and I have started scheduling a lot more century rides. I did four of them from Sept 17 to Oct 14. And I currently have plans for two more before year's end. Of course, being in SoCal helps.

We'll see...

ken cummings

Last year I heard of a site that lists organized century and other rides for the whole country. Hundreds, even thousands if you count the shorter options. I just can not remember how to find it again. Try the UMCA listings. They include centuries and longer rides.

BlueJay66

I'm in! That is another goal for me for 2007. Should be a real challenge for northern Illinois!! I got June, July, August, September, and October this year. Could get November next Wednesday and then that turkey and stuffing would be sooooo good on Thursday! I'm not much for riding in the rain, but I can handle the cold. Thanks for the info!

BlueJay66

Jamis Eclipse
Fuji Del Rey

jcm

I have failed. My plan was to ride a November100 last sunday, but I was asked to help with a club ride instead. With only one day left in November being a work day I won't make it.

December beckons. There is a ride scheduled for mid-month that does a half loop around Lake Washington using the I-90 floating bridge. I can ride to the start point and join the ride from there. Total mileage back to my place will be 111 miles.

This route was actually my first century. I was side-swiped by a hit and run in the last 5 miles. I stayed on the bike, but had to take off my rear wheel and bend it back into some kind of shape to get home. I didn't know I had ridden a century til I figured the miles next day. Then I collapsed into a large gelatinous mass. That was 1-1/2 years ago. ...I got better.

Ok, so, who else?

EDIT: OOPS! that ride is this sunday. Oh well, spaghetti for breakfast ain't bad.

Chris L

I had November in the bag, but decided on another 238km last Saturday, in humidity that made me feel like I was riding underwater the whole time. This weekend I'm flying to the opposite end of the country for a 200k that's supposed to be brutally hilly. That will put December in the bag. It's just a shame I bombed out back in February, really.