What's the longest activity you've ever done?

[Soren]

This is it, your opportunity to brag about that loooong hike, grueling ride that left you sore for days, or 6 hour rowing activity that made your shoulders scream. What has your longest activity been?

Illustration by Brendan Leonard (@semi_rad)
Share the link to your activity if you feel comfortable doing so. Please keep in mind that if you do, you are willingly sharing data representative of personal information such as location. For more information, please visit our Privacy Policy.

[leissp]

As a Long Distance rider brevets and Ultra marathons my distances are quite long. The longest single day ride 567 kilometres. 2017 I rode across Canada 72 days 8030 kilometres.

[Soren]

Those are some massive, incredibly impressive efforts! Truly hard to comprehend, wow! The ride across Canada sounds absolutely amazing, do you have those rides on Strava? Did you ride it alone? I'm so curious about the planning that goes into such a long journey and how to figure out all the logistics, nutrition, lodging (if you're camping or not). I'd love to do something very long and elaborate like that someday, too!

[leissp]

Yup all those rides are on Strava. I did the cross Canada ride with Tour du Canada (Cycling Canada) a mix of camping and indoor stays They carried our tents etc. This year myself and two others rode from Dawson to Tuktoyaktuk completely self supported carrying all our gear for camping, cooking etc. That was a 980 k ride with most of it 880 k on gravel.

[Magic]

Hello

My name is Mark I retired earlier this year and I still ride from time to time. My longest ride was 300k and it was done way before Strava existed so it's not a confirmed ride. I used to be a member of a club called Audax UK that organises long distance rides from 60k up to 1200k. I also rode the Alpine raid over the Alps in France but that was over 7 days and sleeping in hotels. "I don't like roughing it" I wish Strava was about back then because I have lost all my ride records over time, and it would have been good to relive the long climbs and very fast descents.

[Soren]

Hello Mark and welcome to the Community! Congratulations on retiring this year and being able to live the dream by riding bikes. It sure sounds like you've accomplished quite a few impressive feats on the bike, I am personally a huge fan of long distance rides and have also completed some long rides pre-strava, so I share the sentiment of not having them logged anywhere, it truly is a pity! If it's not on Strava, it didn't happen, right? I often question my memories, being able to see an activity in my Training Calendar with photos, stats and segments makes it feel much more tangible. How much elevation was involved in the Alpine raid? That sounds like a tough, but beautiful journey!

[Magic]

I don't really know how much elevation I climb on the alpine raid. We cycled from Thonon les bains on Lake Geneva to Antibes. We climbed a lot of the major cols including the Col du pre, col du vars, col d'Iseran, col de mont-cenis, col d'Isoard and the Restefond. We dropped down into Italy to Suza then clinbed the col d'Isoard. There are other cols that we climbed but I can't remember the names. I have been living in France for 18 years now, it's ironic I come to the home of the tour and stop cycling. I have retaken the saddle twice so far and after retirement the kilo's have piled on so there might be a third time. Below on the summit of the col du Pre.on the summit of the col du pre

[Soren]

That is an incredible photo, which one are you? It's also amazing to witness how much bicycles have evolved throughout the years. I often think about the conditions and the very primitive bicycles the riders of the first edition of the Tour had to endure (and then I promptly stop complaining about whatever small thing is bothering me while I'm riding)!

[Magic]

I am the one in the front sitting on my cross bar.  Yes you are right bicycle have evolved from steel to aluminium to carbon fibre and all the bits as well. I still ride steel I have two bikes one is all Reynolds 653 the other is a mixture from 531c to 653, one bike has a Shimano 105 group set with down tube gear shifters and the other has a Campagnolo chorus group set with ergo levers. I have joined the 21 century I have a Garmin bike computer and a wahoo heart monitor. My son has a complete carbon fibre bike, I've never wanted one steel is more forgiving and comfortable than rigid carbon which is important to me.

[CreakyCrank]

I have a few that I would call longest... by distance, I have a few road rides over 100 miles (MS150 in PA - 5356ft climbing, one in MA with 6150ft climbing).  I also completed a 60 mile MTB race - 6980ft climbing (took as long in time as the 100 mile road rides).

[Soren]

That 60 mile MTB race sounds brutal! I started mountain biking last summer and I have so much respect for it, you definitely can't measure the experience in terms of distance or speed. Kudos for completing it!