I signed up for this 400 km ride sponsored by Audax Kanagawa, a "Brevet" of the type used to qualify for Paris-Brest-Paris (next scheduled for 2011). The sign up (via Sports Entry) is easy, but requires Japanese language skills or assistance.
Start is 9AM on Saturday Sept 19, at Zama in Kanagawa Prefecture, with an 8:15AM pre-ride briefing. Finish is ... no later than Noon the next day, but hopefully much earlier! The route includes some territory we know well (Yanagisawa Pass), but also some new territory for me, going around the West/South side of Mt. Fuji. It looks like there may be some special gear requirements (reflective vest, lights) given that one will be riding well into the night so I'll need to read the Audax rules carefully ... Deadline for sign up is Sept 12 -- this week. 2500 yen for non-members (for that price, I expect only minimal support -- mostly just checkpoints).
Michael tells me that TCC bulletin board is discussing a similar Brevet in Chiba for October. Follow-up Note: The TCC discussion of autumn Brevets in Chiba is here -- and includes helpful information about carrying food, some of the more unusual rules (double tail-light requirement, headlamp on helmet requirement -- for 400km+ Brevet and useful to read a map at night), need for accurate odometer to follow cue sheet, etc.
May we assume that you have to come to the conclusion that your next cycling goal will be Paris - Brest - Paris in 2011?
ReplyDeleteActually, my next cycling goal is the 400 km Brevet on Sept 19.
ReplyDeleteIt is way too far in the future to think about whether to try P-B-P in 2011, or maybe wait for 2015, and I think the 200/400/600km qualification Brevets for P-B-P must be ridden during calendar year 2011.
I just take it one game at a time (that is what all the really great athletes are trained to say, if you've ever seen Bull Durham).
Then again, on the entry form there was a box to check on whether one intends to ride the 2011 P-B-P. ... and I did not want to check "no".
I hadn't heard of the Brevet until last Sunday when the taxi driver who was driving me and my pneumatically challenged bike back from the train station mentioned it. At the time I thought one would have to me mad........
ReplyDeleteSadly I'll be in New York.
Dominic:
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you will be traveling over the long "Silver Week" weekend. Fortunately, the Chiba 400km Brevet is on October 24, so there is another chance if you should wish to try racing at night on open roads! I updated the blog post (above) to include a link to the TCC discussion -- seems like they have some Brevet veterans. The very first Positivo Espresso race appearance (Michael K., David J., Jane F. and myself, Tsukuba July 2006 mixed team Enduro) included Jane Farrell (a/k/a cyclejanetokyo), who completed the 2003 P-B-P, after some very impressive times in the qualifying Brevets. If cyclejanetokyo could do it, so can we!
David L.