Shot across the bow....
I'm just sitting here, minding my own business, 
when an email comes in with the subject "Paris-Breast-Paris". I see it's from a friend and there were no attachments, so I open it up.
The basic jist of it is, a little bird, who I'm not sure I can name just yet, wants to do the Paris-Brest-Paris in 2011. The Paris-Brest-Paris is a bike event in Paris, France that's only done every 4 years. You have to qualify for it, and the qualifiers are not exactly what most people would call easy. I read on that the little bird says he can think of no better way than to have us ride it with him, now I'm nervous.
Normally when the little bird comes up with the more crazier ideas, I shrug them off with a "this boy is crazy, there is no way I would do that".... But this one was a shot across the bow, a boom that shook my foundation. I felt the heat of it graze the back of my neck and my hair stood on end.
My curiousity picqued,
I knew it was long and I knew people suffered terribly in inclimate weather this year... So I Google'd more information, it's 1200 km... Google a kilometer to miles calculator, that's about 750 miles... You get 90 hours to do it, that's 3.75 days.... 750 divided by 3.75 is 200 miles per day. Basically 4 double centuries in succession. Not easy given I've only covered 150 miles in a day before and never multiple days in a row, but nothing saying I couldn't prepare... I mean, the race is 2011, just think of the taper I could have if I started tapering now (or continued tapering now as the reality may be)....
Then I started thinking some more, this would be a once-in-a-lifetime thing pretty much.. what would happen if the little bird said no when I'm the instigator? We wouldn't have the Wednesday group, we wouldn't have the Leadville memories, that all started as a "hey, let's do this" after my first attempt left me shattered on the side of the trail holding a Clif bar. People had great triumphs and also defining moments that left them shattered on the side of the trail, Clif Bar in hand. The defining moments renewed a love of cycling and opened up a whole new set of doorways of opportunity and enthusiasm. Friendships grew and new experiences abounded.
when an email comes in with the subject "Paris-Breast-Paris". I see it's from a friend and there were no attachments, so I open it up.The basic jist of it is, a little bird, who I'm not sure I can name just yet, wants to do the Paris-Brest-Paris in 2011. The Paris-Brest-Paris is a bike event in Paris, France that's only done every 4 years. You have to qualify for it, and the qualifiers are not exactly what most people would call easy. I read on that the little bird says he can think of no better way than to have us ride it with him, now I'm nervous.
Normally when the little bird comes up with the more crazier ideas, I shrug them off with a "this boy is crazy, there is no way I would do that".... But this one was a shot across the bow, a boom that shook my foundation. I felt the heat of it graze the back of my neck and my hair stood on end.
My curiousity picqued,
I knew it was long and I knew people suffered terribly in inclimate weather this year... So I Google'd more information, it's 1200 km... Google a kilometer to miles calculator, that's about 750 miles... You get 90 hours to do it, that's 3.75 days.... 750 divided by 3.75 is 200 miles per day. Basically 4 double centuries in succession. Not easy given I've only covered 150 miles in a day before and never multiple days in a row, but nothing saying I couldn't prepare... I mean, the race is 2011, just think of the taper I could have if I started tapering now (or continued tapering now as the reality may be)....Then I started thinking some more, this would be a once-in-a-lifetime thing pretty much.. what would happen if the little bird said no when I'm the instigator? We wouldn't have the Wednesday group, we wouldn't have the Leadville memories, that all started as a "hey, let's do this" after my first attempt left me shattered on the side of the trail holding a Clif bar. People had great triumphs and also defining moments that left them shattered on the side of the trail, Clif Bar in hand. The defining moments renewed a love of cycling and opened up a whole new set of doorways of opportunity and enthusiasm. Friendships grew and new experiences abounded.
I hope they have Clif bars in France...
AND just as a mindless afterthought, one thing I would say to the little bird... if you truly want to do it fixed, I challenge you to do it on a penny farthing, that would rock!!!
3 comments:
poke poke :)
It really would be a ride of a lifetime. Paris, endurance, wine, friends.
I've got a few friends that did the PBP this last year, and qualifying isn't as hard at it seems - considering how many brevets you have up your way and also within the 4 corners area as a whole.
If you want some names to contact just let me know. Some of the qualifying brevets are actually kinda of fun to do, and there is a whole series in Arizona over the winter.
Hey Matt, send them my way... the more info the better...
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