New plan is start long distance challenge rides. Audax is a name given to such rides that are controlled by a national body AUK, and can lead to awards if you like that sort of thing. Of course I do.

An audax is not a race but you do have to complete the course within a certain time frame – neither too fast or too slow. I think a typical average pace (to include rest breaks) is 15 – 20 kph. The distances involved vary, I will be sticking to 100 km rides before trying 200 km. The sky is the limit though, there are grand 1400 km rides like London to Edinburgh (and back to London again) and another biggy is London-Paris-London. Ridiculous eh?

The rides seem a bit like orienteering, you are given a route card at the start line and have to find your way to assorted checkpoints where you have to get your card stamped and information points where you need to answer a question – to prove you were there.

The AUK organise awards to encourage participation in ever longer rides, you can have a badge for completing 10 100 km rides in a year or become a super randonneur for completing a 100, 200, 400 and 600 km in a year.

Details can be found on the AUK website http://www.audax.uk.net although be warned it is a bit tricky to navigate. The main point of interest is the calendar so you can find any suitable rides in your area.

I’ve signed myself up for the West London Sightseer, a 100 km trip around the London tourist sites.

Extra’s

I’m going to add any useful audax trivia I find here, mostly it will come from the C+ forum.

Classifications – Phil Dyson
The event classifications hark back to the French origins of audax.

BP = Brevet Populair (?sp). Events of up to 199km. Usually have a lower minimum speed of 12.5kph. Some multi-day longer events (eg the French Coast to Coast) are also BP events.

BR = Brevet Randonneur. Events of 200km and above. Speed “limits” are 15 – 30 kph (sometimes 14.something, and occasionally the upper limit is cut to 25 – this is done for the organiser’s convenience)

BRM is a BR event which is registered with the international organisation. Qualifying events for the Paris-Brest-Paris have to be BRM events.

On the AUK site, if you look on the calendar listing, and click on an event you will see the min and max speeds on the right hand side of the window.

AAA (Audax Altitude Award) is a classification of “hilliness”. It is based on metres climbed per continuous 100km within the event. There is a base level (I don’t have the details here, but it’s about 2900m for a 200km event) after which AAA points clock up in 1/4 point increments. Any event with AAA points is hilly. Two or more points on a 200 is very hilly (but two points does not mean twice as much climbing as one point – it’s more complicated than that). And don’t assume that an event with no AAA points attached is not hilly! Some organisers have not calculated the climbing involved.

Time Limits
To determine the time limits you have to complete a course, divide the length of the course by the upper and lower speed limits.
So for a 100 km course with speeds allowed beteen 12.5 and 25 kph you must finish the course in not less than 4 hours and no longer than 8 hours. Remember this includes tea breaks and for the longer rides any naps you may be considering taking.