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Winter Training Challenges - Signup/Discussion Thread

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  • Jakess1971
    Jakess1971 Posts: 1,208 Member
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    For those that are not aware the Classics challenge is available for signup:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10321342/2016-mfp-classics-challenge-discussion-thread#latest

    This is Marks aka TheBigYins baby but what I'd like to do is offer double prizes, for all that signup and ride the dates that coincide with the Winter Challenge:

    Trofeo-Laigueglia - Sunday Feb 14
    Omloop Het Nieuwsblad - Saturday Feb 27
    Kuurne-Brussels-Kurne - Sunday Feb 28

    For *any* rides submitted for these days an additional 3 bonus points will be awarded on the Winter challenge, the rides must be submitted on the very same day in the logging thread to qualify, the rides can be any distance, all you have to do is ride and log.

  • TheBigYin
    TheBigYin Posts: 5,682 Member
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    Jakess1971 wrote: »
    For those that are not aware the Classics challenge is available for signup:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10321342/2016-mfp-classics-challenge-discussion-thread#latest

    This is Marks aka TheBigYins baby but what I'd like to do is offer double prizes, for all that signup and ride the dates that coincide with the Winter Challenge:

    Trofeo-Laigueglia - Sunday Feb 14
    Omloop Het Nieuwsblad - Saturday Feb 27
    Kuurne-Brussels-Kurne - Sunday Feb 28

    For *any* rides submitted for these days an additional 3 bonus points will be awarded on the Winter challenge, the rides must be submitted on the very same day in the logging thread to qualify, the rides can be any distance, all you have to do is ride and log.

    very generous Jas... just for clarity, is that 3 points for each ride, so a possible total of 9 points, or 1 point per ride, for a possible total of 3 points ??

    Hope to see plenty of people out there having a go... the Classics Challenge can be a really good laugh - especially when we get into the races where there are "bonus points" on offer - for those who haven't participated before, it becomes part ride, part treasure hunt, part "looking forward to the treat-food" afterwards...

    As the "bonus points" are on various themes...

    Ride Bonuses...

    These are themed around the "general nature" of the Race on that Day... SO - for say the "Strade Bianche" - the defining feature of the race is the "white roads" - unmetalled, beaten limestone, non tarmac'ed "field roads", built for the local Vinyards to get into their fields and harvest the grapes to make the local Chianti (more of which later). So, for a bonus point, some form of photographic proof that your ride went over a "unmade road" would be in order... Alternatively, for a course like the RVV, the over-riding "flavour" of that ride is lots of short sharp hills and loops in the course - so, points were awarded for every 500m of ascent up to 1500m, and IIRC one year I gave a bonus point for a "loopy" course on strava...

    Reward Bonuses...

    Well - to be honest, I reckon that if you're going out and riding a big-ride in the early spring (or late winter, more honestly for some of this years stuff) then you're entitled to a little treat. So, I often come up with the occasional "themed food/drink treats" for bonus points - again, these need to be photo-documented in the results posting thread. As an illustration of a typical submission from a couple of events heres a couple of mine from 2013

    First the "Strade Bianche" - this was actually also the first ride I had on my current "best bike" the Dolan. Was actually a little scary to take something like £3k's worth of carbon fibre bike I'd just finished building the previous night on a metric century, AND to end up going down a farm-track on it!!
    TheBigYin wrote: »
    Ride Completed...

    104.1km - http://app.strava.com/activities/42800878

    Offroad "Secteur" - http://app.strava.com/activities/42800878#720446888

    8521896190_67b2776c17.jpg

    Ironically, the "offroad" section was smoother than quite a few bits of the tarmac...

    "recovery drink" shot to follow - need to "knock up" pizza to go with the drop of Chianti :wink:

    Edit: nom:nom:nom

    8521322001_4b90b2f002.jpg


    TBY Edit : Logged :smile:


    and one from "liege-bastogne-liege"
    TheBigYin wrote: »
    Okaay - so after my ****-up with the locking, I suppose I aught to go first...

    Liège - Bastogne - Liège challenge ride...

    Ride tracklog - http://connect.garmin.com/activity/301009726 - 135.5km, 703m of ascent.

    One of many, many, many level crossings...

    8972549834_ca27f03f24_z.jpgCliffe Level Crossing, near Selby, North Yorkshire by The Big Yin, on Flickr

    (ironically, while I was saving the shot on instagram, the barriers came down and a train went through... probably one of the 3 that day!)

    Food Bonus - Moules Frites.

    MoulesFrites.jpg

    Recovery Drink

    Biere.jpg

    So, by my count that's 1pt Climbing Bonus, 1pt Food, 1pt Recovery Drink and 1pt Photo Bonus.

    Actual ride was great for the first 2/3, and the rest was a miserable grovel into a fairly horrible headwind - coinciding with pretty much all of the actual ascent of the ride. As a result, to quote Sean... "I'm Cooked"...


    TBY Edit - 1pt Climbing Bonus, 1pt food, 1pt drink, 1pt Photo - total 4 Bonus pts

    and from the "Foglia Morta"

    TheBigYin wrote: »
    ok then - guess i'll start the ball rolling...

    Ride Details - http://app.strava.com/activities/87275382

    106.2km, 529m of ascent -Basically, my bog standard Sunday Circuit...

    Roadside Chapel (on a hill, though you can't actually see it - the hill is the road to the left of frame)

    10114221714_bf98dfb3e9.jpg
    Madge felt instantly at Home!


    Falling (well - fallen actually) Leaves...

    10114313726_81f0ec046f.jpg
    Foglie Morte


    And just to up the Ante on the Italian Theme....

    10113796473_19e90f3207.jpg
    A little Italian flavour in Yorkshire

    Recovery Food/Drink to follow later. (The Pizza Dough will need at least 3-4 pints worth of proving time :wink:)

    edit:

    Pizza Rustico (Very Rustico... that'd be the effect of the 4 pints :wink:) and a Surprisingly pleasant glass of Barbera

    10134145513_ac297d5194.jpg
    Pizza Rustico


    TBY Edit - 1pt Climbing Bonus, 1pt food, 1pt drink, 2pt Photo - total 5 Bonus pts



  • Jakess1971
    Jakess1971 Posts: 1,208 Member
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    3 points per ride so 9 in total.
  • TheBigYin
    TheBigYin Posts: 5,682 Member
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    Jakess1971 wrote: »
    3 points per ride so 9 in total.

    wow - now that's definitely worth going for then... I think as you want the rides booked "on race day" that I'll definitely try and ride the Trofeo-Laigueglia on the specfied Sunday Feb 14, rather than decide if saturday's riding weather may be kinder... the other two are back-to-back saturday/sunday anyway, so it's academic that weekend (races that are the only event on a weekend can be booked as either a saturday or sunday ride for my challenge this year - it's all in the notes in my challenge discussion thread, or PM me and i'll try and explain it)

  • Jakess1971
    Jakess1971 Posts: 1,208 Member
    edited January 2016
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    Yep it'll be near the end of the Winter challenge so I'm hoping to get it tied up asap after the end date on Feb 29th so it's encourage getting the sheet updated, I'd go as far as to say that all rides declared past midday on 1st March will be deemed invalid anyway but I'll be making this clear towards the end of the challenge anyway but a good heads up for anyone reading this :).
  • TheBigYin
    TheBigYin Posts: 5,682 Member
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    Looking at the "dates for the diary" it's actually getting a little close and worrying already... bearing in mind i've only actually managed three rides outdoors since my "episode", the idea of 5 rides at the end of february/start of march is giving me a real "squeaky bum moment"
  • Jakess1971
    Jakess1971 Posts: 1,208 Member
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    Just don't get carried away with distances yet Mark, just ride and enjoy the taking part bit.
  • Dave2041
    Dave2041 Posts: 257 Member
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    Not sure about points for food and beer/wine. I don't really drink so that puts me at a disadvantage! haha
  • TheBigYin
    TheBigYin Posts: 5,682 Member
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    Dave2041 wrote: »
    Not sure about points for food and beer/wine. I don't really drink so that puts me at a disadvantage! haha

    I'm pretty much on the wagon due to the meds myself, and considering I'm highly unlikely to be banging in back to back centuries, I won't have the spare calories for either beer OR pizza, but part of the fun of the classics challenge is using the "themed" food to recreate a little of the race atmosphere, while you're sat in your armchair after the ride, watching the race on Eurosport/Sky+... Anyway, it's the Spring Classics, it's for the big rouleurs not the skinny little climbers that have to watch every crumb they eat/drink ;)
  • TheBigYin
    TheBigYin Posts: 5,682 Member
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    plus - its great fun seeing how people in more "far flung" lands manage to find exotic belgian trappist ales and stroopwaffels or such like culinary wierdness... It got that the "friday shop" for the post-ride bonuses was as much of a part of the preparation and psyching up for the ride as applying embrocation or chamois cream before the ride :lol:
  • Dave2041
    Dave2041 Posts: 257 Member
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    TheBigYin wrote: »
    plus - its great fun seeing how people in more "far flung" lands manage to find exotic belgian trappist ales and stroopwaffels or such like culinary wierdness... It got that the "friday shop" for the post-ride bonuses was as much of a part of the preparation and psyching up for the ride as applying embrocation or chamois cream before the ride :lol:

    Now you're talking my language!
  • Spatialized
    Spatialized Posts: 623 Member
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    TheBigYin wrote: »
    plus - its great fun seeing how people in more "far flung" lands manage to find exotic belgian trappist ales and stroopwaffels or such like culinary wierdness... It got that the "friday shop" for the post-ride bonuses was as much of a part of the preparation and psyching up for the ride as applying embrocation or chamois cream before the ride :lol:
    And this is my language!

    I'm planning a trip to civilization that includes a trip to the beer store(s) to acquire "exotic" beers again (mind you most here in Redneckistan believe Natty Ice is "exotic" and think a trappist beer is something you catch critters with).

    Really look forward to these to the point I'm trying to piece together a local ride similar to this: http://www.rondepdx.com/ if not for many, at least for myself.
  • steffenson
    steffenson Posts: 312 Member
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    TDSeest, KitTheRoadie and ntunk - you all better start peddling hard because I'm catching up!
    :)
  • ntnunk
    ntnunk Posts: 936 Member
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    steffenson wrote: »
    TDSeest, KitTheRoadie and ntunk - you all better start peddling hard because I'm catching up!
    :)
    I'm back on the gas hard now! I plummeted in the standings during my longer-than-planned offseason slacker period. I'm back to regular training now, and even stepping it up another notch. Come get me! :smile:

  • TDSeest
    TDSeest Posts: 1,089 Member
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    My mileage will tail off as I'm traveling on business the until 2/11/2016. Then, I'm on tour the rest of the month and I'll come riding back...
  • steffenson
    steffenson Posts: 312 Member
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    ntnunk wrote: »
    steffenson wrote: »
    TDSeest, KitTheRoadie and ntunk - you all better start peddling hard because I'm catching up!
    :)
    I'm back on the gas hard now! I plummeted in the standings during my longer-than-planned offseason slacker period. I'm back to regular training now, and even stepping it up another notch. Come get me! :smile:

    My offseason was Oct through the end of Dec and I just barely scraped by without being ejected from this Winter Training Challange!
    Now I'm starting to get back into shape and your challenge is accepted! Be prepared for an 'On your left!'

    We have about 2 weeks to store up enough milage to keep ahead of TDSeest for when he is on bike touring vacation.
  • m1xm0d3
    m1xm0d3 Posts: 1,576 Member
    edited January 2016
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    I did a Zwift Watopia ride today with the date 31/01/2016 for the map change (stupid idea), but I switched the PC clock back to 30/01/2016 before I started the ride. When I saved the workout it shown as Watopia - 01/30/2016 but now that I saved, it isn't showing up on Strava or Zwift. However, Zwift website is showing a short (partial) ride, strange... but I checked my .fit file directory and the files are all dated 31/01 so I uploaded it manually. If the missing ride shows up, I'll delete it.

    w4e4nuesxb7d.jpg

    30.JPG 26.7K
  • Jakess1971
    Jakess1971 Posts: 1,208 Member
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    To shake things up for Feb I'll be setting new bonus point distance goals, this will be for everyone with checkpoint bonus points from 25km right upto 483km, a distance bonus point league table will also be setup with additional points awarded based on end of month positions.

    25km = 0.25pts
    50km = 0.5pts - training distance
    75km = 0.75pts
    100km - 1pt Metric Century - Enthusiastic
    161km - 2pt Imperial - Dedicated
    200km - 2.5km - Double Metric
    250km - 3pt - Killer!
    300km - 4pt - Tripple Metric!!!
    322km - 5pt - Double Imperial - Superman.
    350km - 6pt
    400km - 7pt - Quad Metric - Madness!
    450km - 8pt
    483km - 10pt - Tripple Imperial & certifiable

    The table will be linked to the summary & Feb Cat leagues starting tomorrow.

    When stating these on the logging thread state the distance and bonus earned as you did with all the previous distance based bonus points claimed.

  • TheBigYin
    TheBigYin Posts: 5,682 Member
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    Jakess1971 wrote: »
    To shake things up for Feb I'll be setting new bonus point distance goals, this will be for everyone with checkpoint bonus points from 25km right upto 483km, a distance bonus point league table will also be setup with additional points awarded based on end of month positions.

    25km = 0.25pts
    50km = 0.5pts - training distance
    75km = 0.75pts
    100km - 1pt Metric Century - Enthusiastic
    161km - 2pt Imperial - Dedicated
    200km - 2.5km - Double Metric
    250km - 3pt - Killer!
    300km - 4pt - Tripple Metric!!!
    322km - 5pt - Double Imperial - Superman.
    350km - 6pt
    400km - 7pt - Quad Metric - Madness!
    450km - 8pt
    483km - 10pt - Tripple Imperial & certifiable

    The table will be linked to the summary & Feb Cat leagues starting tomorrow.

    When stating these on the logging thread state the distance and bonus earned as you did with all the previous distance based bonus points claimed.

    just for clarity, is this just for outdoor rides, or indoor as well...

    is this as well as, or instead of the 0.25pt "logging bonus"

    and, if I were to do 20 days of riding indoors, at 25.2km every day, would I get 0.25 bonus points for each of the 20, or is it for a single one-off ride?

    and, would this be an acceptable way of logging a bonus claim ?

    (i'll copy in an excerpt from my existing rides in january as a demo... ignore the dates ;) )
    01/01/2016 - rest day
02/01/2016 - in - 1049 kCal - https://www.strava.com/activities/461230381 (Zwift) 53.9km 0.5pt Bonus
03/01/2016 - in-  963 kCal - https://www.strava.com/activities/462030716 (Zwift) 50.5km 0.5pt Bonus
04/01/2016 - rest day
05/01/2016- in - 640 kCal - https://www.strava.com/activities/463539326 (Zwift) 35.4km 0.25pt Bonus
06/01/2016 - rest day
07/01/2016 - in - 642 kCal - https://www.strava.com/activities/464988900 (Zwift) 31.7km 0.25pt Bonus
08/01/2016 - in - 989 kCal - https://www.strava.com/activities/465743265 (Tacx T1956.55) 51.1km 0.5pt Bonus

    - just want to make sure claiming is simple enough to get in...
  • Jakess1971
    Jakess1971 Posts: 1,208 Member
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    This is on top of the logging bonus, it's for distance prizes and valid for indoor and outdoor riding, the distance is on a per day basis for combined rides on a day.

    So for example you could pick up a 0.25 for a days commute where both rides add upto 25km and also claim 0.25 for the logging bonus.

    The aim is to push those who do shorter distances and also reward those who go for big distances.

    Good luck and may the wind be with you!

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