commuterDude: The 2009 Brevet Calendar

February 4, 2009

The 2009 Brevet Calendar

Before you know it, spring will officially be here: That can only mean one thing.... it's brevet time!

It's time to get yourself ready for a solid season, and there is no better way to do it than with a long, steady base ride. The Kansas City Ultra Cycling Brevet series is the way to get that big, big mileage base to support your hard training to come, racers!

Not a racer? No problem! You don't have to have a big racing goal, or anything like that, to enjoy a nice, long spin in the rural reaches of this fine area. Brevets are "timed tours", so they're perfect for getting out and seeing a lot of the countryside from a bike, while still participating in an organized and recognized event that can get you a shiny medal. That's right, these aren't t-shirt rides... you get a real, substantial, beautifully detailed medal from the Audax Club Parisien after your ride is certified. Quite literally, you can collect the whole set; completing the series of a 200, 300, 400 and 600 kilometer brevets qualifies you for the coveted SUPER Randonneur award!

Here is this year's brevet schedule:

March 28th, 2009 - 200km - Kansas City, KS., to Linwood, to Ottawa, and back.

April 11th, 2009 - Fleche - a 24-hour Team event - see http://kcbrevets.blogspot.com for details.

April 25th, 2009 - 300km - Liberty, MO., to Stewartsville, to Albany, MO., and back.

May 9th, 2009 - 400km - Liberty, MO., to..... TBA! Exciting NEW route!!!

May 23rd, 2009 - 600km - Grandview, MO., to La Cygne, KS., to Appleton City, MO., to Weableau, MO., and back!

June 7th, 2009 - 1,000km! - Santa Fe, NM to Herington, KS.!!! Take the train to Santa Fe, and ride back!

Visit http://kcbrevets.blogspot.com for more details and ride organizer contact information.

(RUSA membership required for brevet participation - join @ http://www.rusa.org)

If you have any questions about the above or want to know more about this exciting sport, contact me via the comments on this post - or ANY post, for that matter. I'm happy to help you get started, and fill in any blanks you might have.

It's addictive, it's challenging, it's not a race, but it's no "Sunday stroll", either.

Pump up your tires and hit the road towards a new challenge in 2009!

No goal, no glory!

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What is bicycle commuting?

Simply put, bicycle commuting is the act of travelling to a place of work or education by bicycle. In many areas it is common to combine bicycle commuting with public transport. Worldwide, the bicycle remains the most common commuter vehicle, and bicycle riding the second most common form of commuting, second only to walking. While the absolute number of bicycles in existence globally is unknown, it is clear that significantly more bicycles are manufactured than automobiles. In the United States about 40% of automobile trips are two miles or less; using a bicycle for these short trips can reduce your emissions and expenses. If you live within ten miles of work, you could save thousands of dollars in fuel, insurance and automotive maintenance costs each year. This webpage seeks to highlight bicycling as a viable transportation platform and a fun, exciting, healthful way to improve your life! Visit the commuting links below and get started today!

What is Randonneuring?

The French term "randonnée" loosely translates as a long tour or ramble along a defined route, and persons embarking as such are dubbed "randonneurs". In cycling, the term defines a hard-riding enthusiast attempting a long-distance randonnée (called a "brevet", usually 200 kilometers or greater) within a certain time allotment. Non-competitive by design, randonneuring encourages camaraderie: riders test themselves against the clock, the weather, and a challenging route - but not each other. Randonneuring's ethos embodies self-sufficiency and mental toughness; support vehicles are not allowed and brevets are held regardless of weather. Randonneurs USA (RUSA) organizes brevets in the United States under the auspices of the Audax Club Parisien (ACP) and the Randonneurs Mondiaux (RM), and rider's results are recognized world-wide. This website seeks to highlight the excitement and challenge of long-distance bicycle riding by sharing personal ride accounts, with the hope of growing the sport. If this type of bicycle riding interests you and you'd like to find out more, visit the RUSA webpage to find rides in your area!

For ride announcements and discussions on randonneuring in the greater Kansas City area, visit KC Ultra Cycling, and join the KC Ultra-Cycling Email List:

Subscribe to KCUC

Email:

Visit this group

Courtesy Randonneurs USA

What is Ultra-Marathon Cycling?

Just as the 26.2-mile marathon represents a benchmark for runners, bicyclists generally consider the "century", riding 100-miles, a worthy endurance challenge. Ultra-marathon cycling involves exceeding that benchmark, often several times over, offering the long-distance challenge of randonnuering with a more competitive flavor. This is the world of 24-hour races, double-centuries, and beyond. Where randonneuring rewards all finishers equally and emphasizes self-sufficiency, ultra-racers compete for time and placing, maximizing speed by utilizing support crews for hand-ups and fast repairs. Event courses can be long and scenic, but may take the form of many laps of a looped course. Winning ultra-distance events requires the rare combination of endurance and a high average speed. Randonneuring and Ultra-Marathon often complement one another: brevets can offer base-training to prepare for racing, and fast randonneurs often enter ultra events for a new challenge. Visit the World Ultra Cycling Association's website for more information.

Courtesy World Ultra Cycling Association

February 4, 2009

The 2009 Brevet Calendar

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