tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2264095833827785600.post190787281835365559..comments2023-08-04T08:08:15.006-07:00Comments on The Dr Codfish Chronicles: That was so much fun ...Paul Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06072480695472781764noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2264095833827785600.post-82236906308350340762010-02-21T10:17:54.905-08:002010-02-21T10:17:54.905-08:00I agree about growth but as far as 10000k+ being &...I agree about growth but as far as 10000k+ being "not uncommon", there were only 14 RUSA memebers who did it last year, which is still a pretty select group :-)Chris Heghttp://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=profile&id=1406341075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2264095833827785600.post-36170952588249152542010-02-19T10:31:22.934-08:002010-02-19T10:31:22.934-08:00You were a racer, how would you compare the enviro...<i>You were a racer, how would you compare the environment or mentality of racing to randonneuring.</i><br /><br />This being only my second season of randonneuring, and my first season of looking at breaking into the really long distances (600k and up) I don't know if I'm fully qualified to speak on the similarities/differences.<br />I haven't noticed much similarity between my former tri-racing weight/aero obsession and my rando rig. I rode a carbon, aero bar, aero wheel speed machine and kept myself below 5% bodyfat when I was racing tri's. <br />17 years and 40 pounds later, I'm pretty sure I got all the speed demon out of my system when I was a wee youngster, and I'm more content to ride at a moderate pace and enjoy myself instead of trying to finish as painfully fast as possible.<br />I still have a training schedule but I'm more willing to let it get "interrupted" by things like an afternoon out with my fiancee, or taking my dog for a hike up Little Si. Back in my racing days, it would have taken a naked supermodel offering me a sports car with a trunk full of beer to distract me from my training.<br /><br />However, I've seen some very strict plan adherence for people who are intent on making it to Paris next year... and that might be the difference for me: I don't currently have any PBP dreams. I'm not gunning for a 1200k, a Charly Miller award, or looking to hoist Vincent from his mileage record. I've got a pretty much plain-Jane goal of making it to an S-R this year, so my uber competitiveness is in remission.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2264095833827785600.post-34392135158525050502010-02-18T12:56:58.442-08:002010-02-18T12:56:58.442-08:00Rob;
It will be interesting at the end of this ye...Rob;<br /><br />It will be interesting at the end of this year to see numbers: Numbers of members, events ridden, kilometers ridden, all that. Do y'all have records of participation from past years? I'm sure that some of what we are seeing and will contiue to see in terms of increases has to do with the Pre-PBP cycle but I suspect that if we looked at things over a 12 or 16 year period we'd see a pretty steep increase in the last two years or so. Probably the year AFTER PBP is the best measure of how many cases of infection have taken hold.<br /><br />Yr Pal Dr CDoc Codfishhttp://www.drcodfish.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2264095833827785600.post-15522102115051348802010-02-18T12:04:30.855-08:002010-02-18T12:04:30.855-08:00Hiya Doc,
Regarding your point about the growth o...Hiya Doc,<br /><br />Regarding your point about the growth of Randonneuring, that fact is evident here in the Bay Area too. So far this year we've had two brevets: Jan 23rd, Lighthouse 200km and the Feb. 6th Two Rock Valley Ford 200km. We've averaged about 100 riders for each. In 2008, my first year as RBA, we had something like 65 riders for our first two brevets combined. For our last event in 2009, in November we had 65 riders, and for next week's 300km we expect about 100 riders. Yep, interest is definitely up.<br /><br />rob hawksrob hawkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10884613886419587605noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2264095833827785600.post-22804855069798007292010-02-18T11:52:41.552-08:002010-02-18T11:52:41.552-08:00Right, I think we are on the same page here. But ...Right, I think we are on the same page here. But I am sure you know someone who has tumbled down the rabbit hole of looking to 'get better' to the point of what could be seen as obsession. <br /><br />Sometimes breaking through a threshhold compels one to see that if they just take it one step futrther, then they could be just that bit "better", and so the progrssion begins. Loosing a little more weight, upgrading to a carbon fiber watt meter holder, low spoke count wheels, and as mentioned counting and timing calories. I have heard friends say "no, I can't do that race (or brevet), it interferes with my training".<br /><br />Don't get me wrong, I'm not down on racing or racers, I'm just saying that high mileage randos play in a zone where it would be easy to slip into that 'racer' mode, and for whatever reason, it seems not to happen very often.<br /><br />What appears to happen more frequently is people with a background in racing migrating to randonneuring or so it seems to me. No science or survey to bear this out, just my view from the behind the barriers. You were a racer, how would you compare the environment or mentality of racing to randonneuring. Me? I've never raced. <br /><br />Yr Pal,Dr CDr Codfishhttp://www.drcodfish.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2264095833827785600.post-41967911128496376072010-02-18T11:00:42.479-08:002010-02-18T11:00:42.479-08:00"Somehow many of these mileage monsters are a...<i>"Somehow many of these mileage monsters are able to avoid succumbing to what I call the ‘racer mentality’, where everything that gets eaten is first weighed and analyzed for caloric content"</i><br /><br />When someone rides 15,000kms or more of events (not to mention any "unofficial" mileage they may ride) at a relatively slow speed compared to racers, not many of us are worried about an extra ounce or two. <br />First, when you ride that much you can fuel on just about anything you darned well please and not have to worry about your weight. Heck, I'll be lucky to get in 4000km of events and 9600km total for the year, and I'm losing weight even with the Bacchanalian mountains of food I consume.<br />Secondly, 36 spoke wheels, stainless steel fenders, 32mm tires, canvas/leather luggage with brass hardware... These aren't the things which cry out "weight weenie". Sure, to some extent we're all looking out for where to shed a pound (whether on ourselves or our bikes), but I haven't encountered the true weight weenie personality on any of the SIR rides: The riders who'll spend an extra $100 on this year's version of a part because it's 2g lighter than last year's model.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com