This was to be the year for me to venture forth on a randonee or two before summer, and I had every intention of preparing to ride a 200 km event in early April. However, fate (or what-have-you) has stepped in to dash my early season plans once again.
It seems there's always something in the winter months (other than weather) that prevents me from building up endurance times. Shorter days are partly to blame, but there is more variability from parental obligations than anything else.
I had also planned to build the Roberts Audax into a full-blown randonneuse by this time, but it is still sitting disassembled on the back porch. It desperately needs a new paint job, and the funds for that are being diverted into other outlets (like the recently-acquired Basso, plus various spare parts I run across on CraigsList that are too good to pass up on.)
So, where do things stand at this point?
I've pushed the target date for completing an official randonee back to the fall. I'm in no hurry to "get 'er done," so a change in the timeframe is no real concern. On a positive note, I have noticed an improvement in fitness over the course of several weeks, so I have probably met most of my base training requirements.
The main thing to work on now is endurance. With warmer morning temps just around the corner, I can leave home early on any given Saturday, get in rides of several hours, and be home in time for other responsibilities.
If things go well I will do a three-our ride this weekend to assess endurance capability. I can manage 2.5 hour rides with little trouble, so 3+ hours should be manageable.
I'll also devise my own 100 km route to ride sometime before it gets hot, so I can practice nutrition and hydration techniques (as well as pacing!) prior to an official randonee.
Hopefully the Roberts will be ready for trials by then.
Keep pedaling!
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