Mutual Community have been advertising their Mutual Community Double Challenge lately and it's got me thinking. Register for both the City to Bay Fun Run and the Challenge Tour Bike Ride and you're in the running for a trip to France (Tour de France) or London (London Marathon).

I'm thinking I'll give it a go. The Ride entrance is a bit steep but it includes a pretty cool looking jersey.

Is anyone else thinking of doing the ride?

Links:

Mutual Community Double Challenge

Mutual Community Challenge Tour

I'm off to check out the hills between Burnside and Angaston

I heard them advertising it as well, but I'm not sure if I could ride that far...It was 155k or something from Burnside to Angaston.

How do you train for that? I am very keen as I love a challenge..., but the furthest I have ridden is 32k...So somehow I need to add another 120k...

I also don't like big downhills, are there many big steep downhills?

Big downhills are the only good part of hills!
It's a reward for the horrible, horrible climb that usually precedes them.
As far as training for long rides, I think if you follow a marathon plan type progression it would probably help.
One of the girls I know is doing the Smiddy Ride here, she started riding in Feb I think - i.e. bought her bike and has had to train pretty hard to get the stamina and leg strength up.

I've done 3 of them and they are fantastic. There are a few wannabees but most people get in with a group and ride along at a nice pace and take in the atmosphere. The pros are let
loose about 2-3 hours after you start; so you may or may not beat them home but you only have to pull over for 10 mins whilst the race comes though. Along the way the crowds and atmosphere are fantastic; they practice cheering on the challenge tour riders.

The jerseys I have are top quality and I'm still using all of them, so that plus the atmosphere of race day etc make it good value.

You can do a shorter version as well. I saw the ad saying do the double and win prizes; so I'll be doing both and entering....

Cheers Dave

BTW Kms I do is to build up to about 100 or so on a weekend ride plus ride to work 20kms a day. So about 250kms a week will get you through in good shape.

Thanks guys, this has really given me something to think about. If I was to do it, I would do the long distance, but am I biting off more than I can chew? I'm not sure, but will ask a few people and see what they think. It sounds like a good day out, but not much experience on the bike yet or road riding, but a few months to learn. Hmmm decision to be made!