1st Cyclosportif...... tips please

andyfromletchworth

For reasons detailed elsewhere i have signed up for the whiteroseclassic. Pretty inexperienced.

Would you be so kind as to pass on your top tips?? Can be on absolutely any aspect from training to what flavoured drink is best....i REALLY dont know anything.

andy

pdstsp

Buy a bike and then ride it a lot up hills. Should do the trick.

Seriously - lots of miles and try to get used to the hills. Adrenaline will help on the day but its a hard courdse and you need to be fit to get round so don't waste any potential training time. Good luck and by the way - have you entered the full course? You may find the second level better depending on fitness.

Take food and eat little and often - on training rides too - your legs need to be used to that lenght of time in the saddle.

Anonymous

andyfromletchworth wrote:

For reasons detailed elsewhere i have signed up for the whiteroseclassic. Pretty inexperienced.

Would you be so kind as to pass on your top tips?? Can be on absolutely any aspect from training to what flavoured drink is best....i REALLY dont know anything.

andy

As stated previously, get lots of tough runs in...gradually build up to June...what I'm personally doing is every weekend I'm putting in 70-80mile very hilly miles, and i'm on the Turbo Trainer 2-3 times in between doing all the standard high strength/high cadence excercises. When the clocks change I'll be out doing hilly 30milers instead of the Turbo...

Im going to mix it a bit and do a VERY tough challenging 50-60milers in between...I personally choose the Lake District for this as its only 2.5hrs drive away from me...(and I also take the family yearly down to Flamingoland, so I can get some srious training in down there aswell) and I can get my legs into 'steep' mode as I call it...I find these runs hugley helpful in helping my confidence and my Strength. So if you can get to somewhere which has very tough climbs e.g Lakes/NY Moors/Dales/Wales then head for them to do a smaller intense run which will get your legs used to very tough climbs....I'm doing the WRC aswell and by all accounts its a beast of a run and anyone entering shouldn't be under any illusions otherwise...

What I do, I do nothing apart from a few sit ups for 2 days before the event, I start to eat more Pasta and Rice dishes nearing the event...the night before I usually have a big Carbo supper...in the morning of the event...Banana/Porridge./raisins etc...IMPORTANT..when the event starts almost everyone starts too fast...don't try to follow anyone, just ride your own pace as I assure you around 50miles further into the Sportif you'll be catching guys who went out too fast...eat and drink plenty...I personally try and have a bit fruit cake/banana/gel etc around every half hour...at the feeds eat again...even if you feel sickish...it'll help you enormously later on...and just keep a sensible consistent pace...try not to go into the Red...try and enjoy it...but the key to enjoying something as difficult as this type of sportif is fitness and endurance...preparation is everything...if I'm on song then i'll just suffer like a dog on a sportif...If i'm not on song...I don't even want to think about that!

These sportives are super hard...so training has to be super hard aswell.

All the best.

andyfromletchworth

Thanks guys,

am only doing the short route, that looked plenty hard enough for me. Am starting to clock up some miles by commuting to work, now need to start working on those hills, as a big guy, 15.5 stone, i am dreading it!

Bit worried about riding in big groups, particularly on descents.........

andy

aya604

andyfromletchworth wrote:

For reasons detailed elsewhere i have signed up for the whiteroseclassic. Pretty inexperienced.

Would you be so kind as to pass on your top tips?? Can be on absolutely any aspect from training to what flavoured drink is best....i REALLY dont know anything.

andy

If you are a drinker I would recommend getting fairly trashed the night before. Most likely you will be nervous so that will help you get a good sleep. Furthermore it will guarantee you dont start of too fast and by half way you should still be near the back of the field. By that stage your hangover should pretty much have worn off and you will have stopped feeling sorry for yourself. With luck you will also be well enough to wolf down some energy bars and hold down some nrg drinks. You will pass loads and loads of people on the second half which will provide an extra feel good factor.

hope this helps

Anonymous

aya604 wrote:

andyfromletchworth wrote:

For reasons detailed elsewhere i have signed up for the whiteroseclassic. Pretty inexperienced.

Would you be so kind as to pass on your top tips?? Can be on absolutely any aspect from training to what flavoured drink is best....i REALLY dont know anything.

andy

If you are a drinker I would recommend getting fairly trashed the night before. Most likely you will be nervous so that will help you get a good sleep. Furthermore it will guarantee you dont start of too fast and by half way you should still be near the back of the field. By that stage your hangover should pretty much have worn off and you will have stopped feeling sorry for yourself. With luck you will also be well enough to wolf down some energy bars and hold down some nrg drinks. You will pass loads and loads of people on the second half which will provide an extra feel good factor.

hope this helps

Think your on the wrong forum mate.....also think you've had way too much Buckfast.

vermooten

Don't dread it, look forward to it because it's good fun. Go at your own pace. If you want to go slowly on the descents, then do so. I do cos I'm the world's scardiest descender of all time.

aya604

RICHYBOYcp wrote:

aya604 wrote:

andyfromletchworth wrote:

For reasons detailed elsewhere i have signed up for the whiteroseclassic. Pretty inexperienced.

Would you be so kind as to pass on your top tips?? Can be on absolutely any aspect from training to what flavoured drink is best....i REALLY dont know anything.

andy

If you are a drinker I would recommend getting fairly trashed the night before. Most likely you will be nervous so that will help you get a good sleep. Furthermore it will guarantee you dont start of too fast and by half way you should still be near the back of the field. By that stage your hangover should pretty much have worn off and you will have stopped feeling sorry for yourself. With luck you will also be well enough to wolf down some energy bars and hold down some nrg drinks. You will pass loads and loads of people on the second half which will provide an extra feel good factor.

hope this helps

Think your on the wrong forum mate.....also think you've had way too much Buckfast.

Away back to yer turbo trainer

Eat My Dust

aya604 wrote:

If you are a drinker I would recommend getting fairly trashed the night before. Most likely you will be nervous so that will help you get a good sleep. Furthermore it will guarantee you dont start of too fast and by half way you should still be near the back of the field. By that stage your hangover should pretty much have worn off and you will have stopped feeling sorry for yourself. With luck you will also be well enough to wolf down some energy bars and hold down some nrg drinks. You will pass loads and loads of people on the second half which will provide an extra feel good factor.

hope this helps

That's how it was done in the old days!! I know an old guy who used to work on the coaching staff for Dunfermline Athletics in the 60's. He said the players would down half bottles of spirits in the tunnel before the game!!

AntLockyer

Riders also took strichnyne, speed, morphine, heroin and died whilst climbing mountains.

:roll:

Eat My Dust

AntLockyer wrote:

Riders also took strichnyne, speed, morphine, heroin and died whilst climbing mountains.

:roll:

Well I don't agree with the dying bit, that'd just be silly.

Anonymous

aya604 wrote:

RICHYBOYcp wrote:

aya604 wrote:

andyfromletchworth wrote:

For reasons detailed elsewhere i have signed up for the whiteroseclassic. Pretty inexperienced.

Would you be so kind as to pass on your top tips?? Can be on absolutely any aspect from training to what flavoured drink is best....i REALLY dont know anything.

andy

If you are a drinker I would recommend getting fairly trashed the night before. Most likely you will be nervous so that will help you get a good sleep. Furthermore it will guarantee you dont start of too fast and by half way you should still be near the back of the field. By that stage your hangover should pretty much have worn off and you will have stopped feeling sorry for yourself. With luck you will also be well enough to wolf down some energy bars and hold down some nrg drinks. You will pass loads and loads of people on the second half which will provide an extra feel good factor.

hope this helps

Think your on the wrong forum mate.....also think you've had way too much Buckfast.

Away back to yer turbo trainer

Ok, i'm on my Turbo Trainer, now you go back to Carstairs...

aya604

RICHYBOYcp wrote:

aya604 wrote:

RICHYBOYcp wrote:

aya604 wrote:

andyfromletchworth wrote:

For reasons detailed elsewhere i have signed up for the whiteroseclassic. Pretty inexperienced.

Would you be so kind as to pass on your top tips?? Can be on absolutely any aspect from training to what flavoured drink is best....i REALLY dont know anything.

andy

If you are a drinker I would recommend getting fairly trashed the night before. Most likely you will be nervous so that will help you get a good sleep. Furthermore it will guarantee you dont start of too fast and by half way you should still be near the back of the field. By that stage your hangover should pretty much have worn off and you will have stopped feeling sorry for yourself. With luck you will also be well enough to wolf down some energy bars and hold down some nrg drinks. You will pass loads and loads of people on the second half which will provide an extra feel good factor.

hope this helps

Think your on the wrong forum mate.....also think you've had way too much Buckfast.

Away back to yer turbo trainer

Ok, i'm on my Turbo Trainer, now you go back to Carstairs...

Very good. Someone has a different point of view from you or a sense of humour and first they are on the wrong forum then a Carstairs inmate. Class.

For many people sportives are about having fun and a laugh. Most are not willing or able like you to drive 2.5 hours then do a training session. For many sportives are not "superhard" and a few hours training is enough for them to manage an average time. We also dont all need "carbo suppers" how *%"*ing arsey is that :!:

It must be a real scream goin for a ride with you

Anonymous

I don't know how many sportifs you have taken part in....but this fella asked about the White Rose Classic...and asked about experienced advice...I gave advice that works for me...you gave advice like he was emabarking on a run to the shops and back, now remember this fella is genuinly worried about this Challenge so all I did was try and help out... I'm from Scotland aswell...I've cycled all over Scotland and the sportives up here are easy in comparison to the Tough Southern ones...Christ I did that Etape caledonian route and its by a mile the easiest route i've seen used as a Spotrif, they don't even use Glen Quaich or Ben Lawers climbs...in fact i'd say its more of a gentle scenery ride.

I don't know if you have ever cycled in the Dales before but it's a totally different ballgame, the terrain is much tougher than that of anywhere in Scotland...at the time I thought he was doing the big one...115miles with 4000meters ascent...now I did the Fred Whitton / Polkadot / Wild Wales Challenge last year...and I needed to be as fit as I stated...I needed to prepare myself as otherwise I would never have finished...thats a fact...and I assure you I don't think many were bevvying the night before any of these ones....

I'm not a total serious type cyclist but I do know whats required for such challenges as the North England and Welsh monsters......as even finishing these routes which have numerous 25% hills etc is an acheivement in itself.

aya604

If you believe that the terrain of the Dales "is much tougher than that of anywhere in Scotland" I hazard a guess you may not in fact have "cycled all over Scotland"

Why don't you try this one?

Ullapool Sportive 27 September 2008

Length 130 miles Ascent 5300 metres

cheers

ps - I only questioned your advice after you insulted me twice

Bart Puss

Don`t worry I rode the Short route last summer on a rainy day no problem got round easy enough and I weigh 16 st + and due to the poor weather could n`t use the weight to my advantage on the downhills.... the real killer is the last climb at Beamsley but get yourself used to the distance and I`m sure you`ll have no problem.

Bart Puss

aya604 wrote:

If you believe that the terrain of the Dales "is much tougher than that of anywhere in Scotland" I hazard a guess you may not in fact have "cycled all over Scotland"

Why don't you try this one?

Ullapool Sportive 27 September 2008

Length 130 miles Ascent 5300 metres

cheers

ps - I only questioned your advice after you insulted me twice

I had a holiday in Ullapool a few years ago when I was a bit fitter and lighter than now....there are some horrendous climbs in the area and if you take the back road from Loch Inver to Drumbeg there is one short climb that`s well on it`s way to being unrideable for the average rider.... almost fell off in the bungalows driveway.... :oops: bet that sportive is a right ride....shame it's a long , long way to travel.

andyfromletchworth

update, went for a 'hilly' ride today, 26miles with 1800 ft of climbing. Enjoyed it a lot BUT.............. oh the everlasting shame............... i had to stop as a cycled up the cow and calf and push for about 50 yards. I'm sorry, i feel like i have let all cyclists down.

on a brighter note, following on from all your advice the LBS can supply carb drinks, wairose do pasta, the junction does beer........ having a spot of bother getting hold of the heroin though.

On a final note does anyone know which colour jersey is fastest, i'm partial to blue but feel there must have been some research into this.

seriously i am grateful for your advice, please keep em coming.

Andy