I have met @chris on the original Keepers Tour. He seemed like a reasonable person at the time. Then again, @rob passes himself off as a rational person yet he signed up for the Too Much on 100 ride and completed it. People sign up for these crazy rides because it forces them to get in the best shape possible. It makes these long rides more enjoyable or less horrible or both.
But either way, you will hate your life at some point during these rides and vows will be made never to do anything like this ever again, if the sweet baby jesus sees you to the other end. But then the ride is over and you’re pretty psyched and then before long you forget how much it sucked and all of a sudden you’ve signed up for the next one. Its genius, that kind of stupidity. And speaking of stupid things, @chris is even auctioning off a jersey signed by team Garmin.
Yours in Cycling, Gianni
Some might say that I’ve done some stupid things in my time, which I wouldn’t necessarily agree with, but this has to be a strong contender for the most ridiculous. Manchester Velodrome, home of the mighty Team GB track team and road programmes that turned out the like of Wiggo, Cav and Geraint Thomas, to the Olympic Velodrome in London.
350 kilometres in a day. In a day. Fuck.
It seemed like a good idea at the time. How hard could it be? It’d be a great challenge that would raise money for a good cause with the added benefit that I would be forced to really train properly, cut back on the post ride recovery drink, tighten up the sprinters muscle and generally invoke more Rule #5 than I’d previously imagined possible. Along the way I’d most likely risk completely alienating my poor Velomiwidow and cause her to truly come to hate that fucking bike but all for a good cause. (Fortunately the Velominippers are largely on my side.)
Reading the blurb on the Rapha site, part of my brain must have done a great job of ignoring the bit of blurb that described it as hard riding and noted that the first climb would be Snake Pass in the Peak District. Snake Pass has been dropped from the route but it hasn’t got any flatter. There was also a nasty little hill in the last 20km that made me seriously contemplate a compact and dinner plate sized cassette for the day. Emasculate my bike or risk having to get off and walk? Tricky, but Rule #5 carried the day and the standard remains.
This is going to be by far the toughest thing I’ve done on the bike but it’s for a great cause, Ambitious about Autism is a national charity that helps children and young people with Autism to learn, thrive and achieve.
Autism is a lifelong developmental disability which affects 1 in 100 people in the UK. It affects the way a person communicates and how they experience the world around them.
Ambitious about Autism works to improve the services available for children and young people with autism and increase awareness and understanding of the condition. They’re also committed to campaigning for change to ensure the needs of people with autism are understood and met.
Through TreeHouse School and Ambitious Support the provide specialist education and support. If you’d like to know more about Ambitious about Autism watch this short film, read their impact report or visit the website.
It’d be fantastic if you’d go as far as sponsoring me but at the same time I get that 99% of you have never met me and are never likely too so I’d completely understand it if you’d rather save your charitable spend for someone you know and a cause that might be closer to home. There is another way, though. Jonathan Vaughters was kind enough to donate a 2013 Garmin Sharp team jersey signed by approximately 20 members of the 2013 team including Alex Howes, Christian Vande Velde, David Zabriskie, Fabian Wegman, Jack Bauer, Jacob Rathe, Michel Kreder, Rohan Dennis, Ryder Hesjedal, Andrew Talansky, Steele Von Hoff, and Tom Danielson. The jersey will be auctioned on ebay with all of the proceeds going to Ambitious about Autism* (I’ll pay any ebay fees, postage and any customs charges incurred). Just be warned, it would look awesome on my study wall so I might be tempted to bid as well! Click here for the Auction and if you do fancy sponsoring me as well, follow this link to my Just Giving Page.
Four months after signing up and a month before the ride, the truth is dawning that despite having a months gardening leave in May, I have not trained properly, I’m too fat to climb and I’ll be lucky if I’m peaking in two months. That’s by the by though, I won’t look out of place grimacing in a Rapha film and nobody will notice how slow I’m going in slo-mo.
*All of the money raised, both from donations and the Auction will got to Ambitious about Autism. The costs of organising the ride are covered by the riders and have already been paid.
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Having just returned from a ride where I bonked 40km into a hundred, I can't imagine riding 350. Best of luck to you, Chris!
I simultaneously need to eat, puke, sneeze, and die. But first I'll fry up some sausages.
@harminator Yet another great contribution! Always enjoy reading your posts.
@harminator It seems allot of aspies are drawn to cycling, and it suits them very well. In fact it wouldn't surprise me if allot of top riders are on the autistic spectrum. My theory is that it is the perfect aspie sport. You can be quiet and alone, but have people around, we follow an easy to understand set of rules. No social misunderstandings, no difficult conversations. You are respected for your riding, not your ability to read emotions. As long as you respect other riders and follow the rules (as apposed to The Rules) you are accepted. This is where allot of aspies fall down in other areas, not understanding the ever changing hierarchic and social rules. That and when it gets too much they can be alone and quiet, just back off and sit at the back or put the hammer down and they can drop away if social chit chat becomes too much.
An aspie I saw giving a talk said he loved cycling because he knew what to talk about. He could talk all day about SPD vs Look or different group sets. He could indulge his "special interest" and also have space.
I think the "collecting" side has something to do with it. You get to fiddle and collect and try and get everything lined up correctly on your bike. Also, I think the rhythm of cycling and the when you are pushing yourself all you can think about is the next sprint, the next clime, even the road to the next junction, or the next turn, the next log, the next drop, is very soothing to someone who's mind is going constantly. The Zen nature of it all.
Given the obsession many cyclists show, the attention to detail we have and the silence of riding even in a group, is it any wonder aspies are drawn to it?
Aspies kids are not odd, or problematic, they just see things different way. The way I see it (which may not be very accurate) is like being very tired in an important meeting. Lots of people talking, when they all blend in to one, but you know you have to remember who they are and people get angry if you don't. If you imagine being like that all the time its no wonder stuff gets too much sometimes.
"It seemed like a good idea at the time." Story of my life. Chris, that looks like a great ride and certainly a great cause. I look forward to your post-ride report.
Gianni, What's the source of the artwork? That is gloriously horrific.
René Pellarin
350k in one day? Good lord. Good luck, Chris. That is a stout day in the saddle.
@harminator, @Steve Steveson Those are both great stories and fantastic insight into what it can be like to live with autism/aspergers. It's so important for people to realise that for a lot of people with it, things that we take for granted are so much more complicated but that doesn't mean they're impossible. Inclusions is often the most important thing.
One of my sons suffered from verbal dyspraxia. It's not on the same scale as autism but there are similarities. His speech is fine now but it impacted the development of his reading and writing quite severely and he's also got dyslexia which doesn't help. He's always been lucky in that he has a great group of friends who've never given him a hard time about it or allowed any other kids to do so. As a result he's always been really confident but there have been the odd incident that have made us realise how easy it would be to damage that and cause him to retreat into himself or lash out at people.
@Teocalli We're setting of at dawn. Rapha have just posted the following with regards to feed stations but it gives a bit of an indication about timing:
Many of you have been asking for information about the feed stations so here is a basic overview for the day:
I won't be one of the first riders.
@everyone who've donated on the just giving page; thank you so much. I'm stunned that people I've never met and people whose names I don't recognise from here have been so generous. Thank You.