My cycling plan for 2013

My main objectives for 2013 were to finish the London-Edinburgh-London and to ride the Quebrantahuesos in less than 7 hours. But it just happened that I didn't get a place for any of the events. I'm in the waiting list in both of them, so my objectives are a bit on the air.

This is a bit of a setback but that does not prevent me to fix a few dates and rides I would like to ride this year.

• Feb 24th. It will be my first The hell of the Ashdown (done! strava link). 
• March 17th. My second Surrey Rumble. I hope we get better weather than last year. (you won't believe but I forgot to register to this one :-( )
• March 24th. Man of Kent 200. I rode this 200K last year and enjoyed it so I'm giving it another go this year. It will be 209km and 1,425m climb (Done! strava link)
• April 27th. The Oasts and Coasts 300. I know nothing about this 300, but it is "close" to home and in the right date (Done! My report)
• May 11th. The Severn Across 400. 3,500m climbing in 407km. This is going to be interesting (Done! My report)
• May 18th. The Bryan Chapman Memorial 600. ¡¡¡¡8,300m climb!!!! in 619km only 7 days after the 400. That's what I call a recovery test (Done! My report)
• June 2nd. Gran Fondo Stelvio Santini 4,000 m climbing in 150Km including the Mortirolo and the Stelvio. Can't wait for them. Depending on how this goes I might ride this one instead the Quebrantahuesos in following years (I finally didn't sig up for this one, couldn't make the dates, maybe next year)

El Stelvio. Simplemente impresionante

• June 9th. The Wiggle Dragon Ride. Last year I couldn't ride it because I was in San Francisco so I want to try again this year. 206 k and 3,350m climbing two weeks before the Quebrantahuesos. That should be a good test. Done! Strava
• June 22nd. The Quebrantahuesos. It would be the forth time I ride it. I want to ride it in less than 7:02:40 (my last year's time). I would be really disappointed if I finally don't get a place to ride it. Done! Strava
• July 6th (optional). Hereward the Wake 300 A 300 that starts at 21:00. Ideal to train LEL and/or MGM. I'll keep this one as optional as it will depend on whether I get a place for the LEL and/or MGM. I finally didn't sign up for this event
• July 14th (date not confirmed yet). The Kingston-Worthing, It would be my third time, last year I had a punture and even including it I did a better time than the previous year. This year I want to make a better time than last year (2:16:25). Done! Strava
• From July 28th to August 2nd. The London-Edinburgh-London. 1,400 km in a bit less than 5 days. It would be my second audax longer than 1,000k, after my first París-Brest-París. I really was looking forward to ride it (it is only once every four years) and I really liked the idea of starting and finishing at home (riding to and from the HQ). No time objectives in this one, just finish it (which means riding it in less than 116 hours).
• August 19th to 23rd Madrid-Gijón-Madrid. 1,200Km in less than 90 hours. I will ride it if at the end I don't get a place for LEL. I was toying with the idea of riding both LEL and MGM but that would clash with family holidays so, as today, that is discarded.
• August 28th. I'll pay compliments to the tradition of climbing the Angliru (12.5km avg grade 10%, max grade 23.5%) once a year. I want to improve my last years' time (1:23:33)
• September 8th. The Etape Cymru. I couldn't ride it last year because I had my arm broken so I'll give it a try this year.
• September 28th. The John Bornhoft Memorial Climb. It will be my first hill climb and I'm not particularly good at these short and very intense efforts but I wanted to at least try it once. Less than 5mins and I'll be happy.

On top of all that I want to try racing. I never raced and I want to try it. I got a racing licence but looking at the plan I think I'll wait until the autumn. No racing objectives, just trying. If I enjoy it I'll set and objective for 2014.

Take care
Javier Arias González