Tour de France CHALLENGE!

nerdieprofessor

Alrighty now, today is the first day of the Tour de France, the greatest bicycle race on earth. 198 of the best cyclists start the race today (stage one is happening right now) and the ones who survive ride up to 140 miles (on the longest day) for 21 days of the next 23 days (so they get two "rest days" on which they will all ride as well, honestly) for a total of 3,430.5 km or 2,144 miles. Insanity!

So, here's the CHALLENGE: I challenge you to bike at least 21 days of the next 23. Let's say a minimum of 30 minutes cycling each day. Maximum of two rest days. You can bike indoors or out, on any sort of bicycle, in any sort of situation (road, mountainbike, tandem, whatever). The challenge runs from July 2nd through July 24th.

The goal is to keep moving! And, to see how many folks we can get to do it together. Bonus brownie points for posting a photo of you on a bike, as well!

Who's with me?

Join me in the Tour de France Challenge! :bigsmile: (I'm off to ride now!)

funkyspunky871

Yes! I needed this! I bought a bike and haven't been riding it as often as I should! Thanks for the challenge!

Trishkit

Absolutely! I'm there!

I'm so bummed that I don't have a way of watching the Tour, this year. We don't have cable, and even if we did, our cable provider sucks and doesn't carry any stations that cover the Tour. Lame! So I'm limited to small snippets online.

EDIT: It's on NBC! So I can watch it! Yay!

SandraD89

I wish i had a bike i would totally do this too.

Colfiii

I'm in ! I ll resume my biking/spinning from Tuesday and I usually d like one hour per day .

IrishChik

This is awesome! I just dusted off my bike and have been riding in the AM with my fiance. Even bought me a new seat yesterday, funny he took mine. LOL!

CDGolden

I am in, already got a big cycling month planned

Papillon22

My bike got stolen, so I can't partake

Just wanted to let you know that last year, we went to see the riders when they passed by our county (?) (called l'Ain). It was quite an experience! We waited for hours next to the road (after walking 2kms to a spot because the road was closed), and then all the riders took about 2 mins to pass! LOL We barely saw them -they were going downhill- but it was fun. This year they are not coming so close, so we'll miss them.

nerdieprofessor

funkyspunky871 - How could you not ride a new bike! WOOHOO!

Trishkit - if you don't have Versus, try NBC (which will show some stages) because they now own Versus, or try online, where NBC sells complete coverage for under $30, I think.

RWSMLS09 - try some yard sales or get on freecycle (email lists or website) in your area and ask for a bike.

Colfiii - Yea! Resume the riding!

IrishChik - A dusted off bike is like a new one! )

CDGolden - Yea! I'm glad it fits your plan!

Papillon22 - So cool you got to see them. Can you borrow a bike? Or look for one at yard sales or in recycling? County is probably the right word in English but most Americans (who watch the Tour) would understand Department, as well.

nerdieprofessor

And be sure to post each day to let us know you did your ride! ) I'll try to track.

nerdieprofessor

And be sure to post each day to let us know you did your ride! ) I'll try to track.

Trishkit

And be sure to post each day to let us know you did your ride! ) I'll try to track.

Will do! :-)

nerdieprofessor

Who rode today, 7/2? Let us know!

Octoprof 7/2: 47 minutes

funkyspunky871

Trishkit

RWSMLS09

Colfiii

IrishChik

CDGolden

Papillon22

CDGolden

I got my miles in today ....

while sporting my Argyle socks

Trishkit

Got in a solid 60 minutes!

@CDGolden: Way to rock the argyle!

nerdieprofessor

Who rode today, 7/3? Let us know!


I did an hour in the heat. We are supposed to hit 104 today. Ick! Had to ride before noon! That's 10 hours this week! WOOT!



Octoprof 7/2, 7/3

funkyspunky871

Trishkit: 7/3 :bigsmile:

RWSMLS09

Colfiii

IrishChik

CDGolden: 7/2 :bigsmile:

Papillon22

Trishkit

Who rode today, 7/3? Let us know!


I did an hour in the heat. We are supposed to hit 104 today. Ick! Had to ride before noon! That's 10 hours this week! WOOT!



Octoprof 7/2, 7/3

funkyspunky871

Trishkit: 7/3 :bigsmile:

RWSMLS09

Colfiii

IrishChik

CDGolden: 7/2 :bigsmile:

Papillon22

Change mine to 7/2, actually. Haven't ridden for 7/3, yet.

CDGolden

I am in for today July 3rd....

nerdieprofessor

Who rode today, 7/3? Let us know!


I did an hour in the heat. We are supposed to hit 104 today. Ick! Had to ride before noon! That's 10 hours this week! WOOT!

Monday will be problematic for me. We will be up before the sun to drive two hours so my husband can do a race. By the time we get back home the temps will be in triple digits. Might have to ride in the heat of the evening (but after the sun isn't so intense). It's way too soon for me to take a rest day, though, because we will be traveling later on in the month, making it harder to ride every day.

I hope y'all had a wonderful Sunday!


Octoprof 7/2, 7/3 :bigsmile:

funkyspunky871

Trishkit: 7/2 :bigsmile:

RWSMLS09

Colfiii

IrishChik

CDGolden: 7/2, 7/3 :bigsmile:

Papillon22

Trishkit

I got in 60 minutes for 7/3. Woot!

nerdieprofessor

Who rode today, 7/4? Let us know! I will ride in the evening.


Octoprof 7/2, 7/3 :bigsmile:

funkyspunky871

Trishkit: 7/2, 7/3 :bigsmile:

RWSMLS09

Colfiii

IrishChik

CDGolden: 7/2, 7/3 :bigsmile:

Papillon22

funkyspunky871

I did! 35 minutes today! It was one of the hardest workouts I've ever had... Probably because the neighborhood is pretty hilly, and I'm not quite sure how to use my gears yet.

Trishkit

I did about 37 minutes today (7/4). Rode from my house to my in-laws' house -- 8.25 miles.

nerdieprofessor

Who rode today, 7/4? Let us know! I rode only 42 easy minutes in the neighborhood with my husband. It was fun. He never rides with me (almost never) because I'm so slow and he's super fast, but he rode his hybrid and we did my hilly neighborhood loop with a spare bit off into another (flatter) neighborhood at a conversational pace (except on the uphills).

Octoprof 7/2, 7/3, 7/4 :bigsmile:

CDGolden: 7/2, 7/3 :bigsmile:

funkyspunky871 7/4 :bigsmile:

Trishkit: 7/2, 7/3, 7/4 :bigsmile:

RWSMLS09

Colfiii

IrishChik

Papillon22

Stick with it, guys! )

hawkeyegal1995

Is it too late th join in this challenge?

I am currently training for RAGBRAI (registers annual great bike ride across Iowa) that rolls the last week of July. We will ride for a week and cover 454 miles. We just heard that Lance will be jumping for a couple of days so I will be keeping an eye out for him amongst the 10,000 riders.

I have ridden over 1600 miles this year getting ready for this ride. I'm not very fast-average tends to be around 14 mph but stil loving my time on my bike. I try to get in a ride most mornings before I go into work and then get longer rides in on the weekend.

Here's my times/miles for the weekend:

7/2-55 miles in 3 hours and 47 minutes
7/3-50 miles-3 hours and 33 minutes
7/4-39 miles-2 hours and 31 minutes

CDGolden

In for the 4th, just around the neighborhood to qualify

(will be the same for the next couple days)

nerdieprofessor

Welcome, hawkeyegal! That's some major mileage! Glad to have you join!

OK, who's biked today, Tuesday, July 5th? ) I'm trying to tear myself away from the live coverage of the Tour de France before the temps skyrocket. Currently 76, but going up to 100. :blushing: <

---

sunburn

Octoprof 7/2, 7/3, 7/4 :bigsmile:

CDGolden: 7/2, 7/3 :bigsmile:

funkyspunky871 7/4 :bigsmile:

hawkeyegal1995: 7/2. 7/3, 7/4 :bigsmile:

Trishkit: 7/2, 7/3, 7/4 :bigsmile:

RWSMLS09

Colfiii

IrishChik

Papillon22

nerdieprofessor

Who rode today, 7/5?

I did four laps of the hilly neighborhood this morning in 1 hour 19 minutes. It's hot out there. I can't imagine riding in the afternoon (It's 103 right now).

Octoprof 7/2, 7/3, 7/4, 7/5 :bigsmile:

CDGolden: 7/2, 7/3, 7/4 :bigsmile:

funkyspunky871 7/4 :bigsmile:

Trishkit: 7/2, 7/3, 7/4 :bigsmile:

RWSMLS09

Colfiii

IrishChik

Papillon22

Stick with it, guys! )

SandraD89

still no luck bike wise.

nerdieprofessor

still no luck bike wise.

Keep looking!

Meanwhile, here's an interesting article about what Thor Hushovd eats in a day at the Tour de France:

http://zagat.visibli.com/share/9dnBek

All those Clif Bars, Clif Bloks and Clif Gels. Ick.

hawkeyegal1995

7/5-Got in 19 miles in 79 minutes before heading into work.