Vuelta Espana Cycling Challenge.

TheBigYin

No, sorry, this doesn't come with a free air ticket to Spain I'm afraid... it's just a virtual challenge themed around the cycling "grand tour" - the Vuelta Espana.

it's part of a long-running series of challenges that I've been organising over in the Century+ Cycling group, but we're looking to expand and try and get a few new and keen members to ride the challenge.

Rather than duplicate the whole (rather large and wordy) challenge signup post, I'll simply link to it if I may...

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10376932/2016-mfp-grand-tour-challenge-vuelta-signups-now-open/p1

Have a read, see if you're interested, and maybe join up...

What Do I need to do on this challenge?

It's Quite simple. You need the following

1. A bike

2. An Account with Strava - https://www.strava.com/ (you can get a free account, and it'll work with most popular smartphones, though dedicated gps logging devices (garmins, Mio, lezyne etc DO work considerably better - and don't kill your phone on a 4 hour ride!)

3. A Account with the data aggregation server we uuse for the challenge, CycLeagues.com - don't worry about the technicalities of this, we'll talk you through it if you join up...

4. A commitment to try and ride for a reasonable number of km's on as high a proportion as you can of the days between 20th August and 11th September (there ARE 2 rest days in there, we're not asking you to ride 23 days straight)

5. a bit of team spirit - it's a team based challenge - the total distance is only 3279km, between 9 riders that comes out at nearly 365km each, or 17.5km a day (under 11 miles, for those "metrically challenged") - but, obviously, not everyone can ride every day, so the idea is, that between the 9 riders, you sort out between you who's riding or not, and if you're riding, you try and up the km's to cover any shortfall...


it's fun, it's strangely motivating - at least the people who've done these challenges for the past 4 years have all told me it is, and they keep coming back for more... - and it get's you out of the house and gets you're backside on the bike and riding. I've certainly noticed an improvement in my overall riding fitness at the end of each one of these that I complete...


Hope to see some of you over on the "signup thread" in Century+ Cycling...


Mark

Jakess1971

I've been doing these challenges for a number of years and love them, having to miss out on this due to a holiday but I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys a team based challenge based on a real life grand tour.

All abilities welcome from the beginner wanting to improve to the extreme rider looking for glory, everyone has a place in the team.

TheBigYin

thanks for the recommendation @Jakess1971 - just thought I'd post in here to mention that with signups open until Friday Afternoon this week, we've still got around a dozen places open if anyone's interested...