Saturday, my friend Chuck and I participated in the Boston Brevet series 200K. Leaving from Hanscom Air Field base in Conord MA, the ride went north to New Boston NH, around NH for a while, and then back down to Hanscom.
Here's the elevation for those of you scoring at home.
Our first brevet, the 100K two weeks ago, seemed a bit more challenging. The temperature was in the low 40s and it was raining. It’s amazing what a better weather can do for you. We finished the 200K in 10 hours and 15 minutes, over 3 hours better than the maximum time of 13:30. It was a nice day and the ride went well for both of us.
This ride was particularly special because it is my first brevet in which the results are sent to Paris to be certified. It is these rides that are sanctioned by Audax Club Parisien that I need to complete in order to qualify for Paris-Brest-Paris next year. It also counts as part of the brevet series I am trying to complete this year. I can also get this awesome medal.
If I complete the series (200K, 300K, 400K, and 600K), I become a Super Randonneur and can get this even more awesome medal.
Earlier last week, I was starting to get a bit anxious about the ride. Once again, it was the prospect of the hills that was making me nervous. But, I am glad to report that the hills on the 200K were formidable but not insurmountable.
At the highest elevation point of the ride, Chuck and I stopped to take in the view (of course, I forgot my camera) and another randonneur rode up behind us and we started to chat. It turns out that he rode Paris-Brest-Paris in 2007. I told him of my tentative plans to ride PBP in 2011, but that I was unsure if I could do it, that I was unsure about riding all night, etc. He said not to worry. This was great to hear, and we even finished before him! Granted, he was probably 15 years my senior.
Overall, the 200K was a great ride. Nice day, beautiful scenery, smooth and uneventful ride. The cue sheets warned to “watch out for dogs in New Hampshire”, but we encountered none.
Lessons learned:
- Respect the hills, but do not fear them – the 200K had twice as many vertical feet as the 100K and I felt better at the end of the 200
- Keep eating during the day – the turkey sandwich I ate at the halfway point really kept me going
- Boudreaux’s Butt Paste may be an essential element to completing longer rides – I won’t go into any more detail
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