Getting into Sportives - Advice Please.

BaldBlokeOnABike

Hello

I am a slightly overweight (5'8" - 13st 5lbs) 33 year old owner of a 4 year old Giant OCR 2T (triple chainset). I currerntly ride a 12 mile loop a couple of times a week through the summer but drop down to a short daily commute through the winter. I would like to improve my fitness and the idea of getting involved with some sportive events appeals. Any advice regarding events in the south wales area suitable for a novice would be apreciated. As would any training tips, fitness requirements etc.

Many thanks

Scott.

hugo15

My best tip is to get entered into the events in December/January. I find this really helps motivate me and gets me out training through the winter when the weather is poor.

Anonymous

BaldBlokeOnABike wrote:

Hello

I am a slightly overweight (5'8" - 13st 5lbs) 33 year old owner of a 4 year old Giant OCR 2T (triple chainset). I currerntly ride a 12 mile loop a couple of times a week through the summer but drop down to a short daily commute through the winter. I would like to improve my fitness and the idea of getting involved with some sportive events appeals. Any advice regarding events in the south wales area suitable for a novice would be apreciated. As would any training tips, fitness requirements etc.

Many thanks

Scott.

I don't really know any easy sportifs in the South of Wales...the Dragon, Devil Ride, Autumn Epic etc are all demanding. Sportives by nature are very serious challenges and I feel I must speak frank...your weekly training regime aint gonna cut it....12mile loops are not nearly enough...even if you were super talented then such low mileage would most probably be fatal in a big sportif(which usually includes serious hilly stuff).

Me Best advice is to get more serious with your training throughout the rest of this year and build up your mileage...a few good traing rides of 30miles through the week and a big one at the weekend would be appropriate. Hope this helps.

grantswan

Hi Scott

Similar height, similar weight. Did my first sportive last year and have done 2 this year. Best advice I can give is spend time in the saddle. Nothing really prepares you for sitting for six hours other than doing it. The fitness improves over time

I have just done the Northern Rock Cyclone event in Northumberland, great day and they have a 66 mile and 100 mile rides which you can always drop down on the day

markos1963

Its easier than you think. Every week add about 10% to your weekly milage. That way you won't notice the increase too much and you avoid the risk of over training. Thats the reason for allowing plenty of time before an event to get up to speed. Talking of speeds, don't worry about speed yet, concentrate on getting up that milage. Your weekly long ride should end up at around 60-70% of the event distance you want to do. Look at events of around 50 miles to start with and train for that. You should have completed about 4-5 rides in the 30-35 mile range beforehand to be comfortable with the distance.
You are giving yourself a chance by using a triple chainset, also if you haven't done it yet make sure your bike is set up for you properly so you can spend as much time in the saddle as possible without the off putting aches and pains. Don't forget the importance of resting after hard rides, don't beat yourself up if you take a day or two off after reaching a new training goal or distance. All of the above I have done through this year and I can honestly say its worked for me.

Most of all have fun

BaldBlokeOnABike

Thanks to all for your replies and encouragement. I did realise such an event would involve a lot more training than I currently do. I have found what looks to be a sensible training plan on the Tour of Pembrokeshire website. I think I'll concentrate on increasing my weekly mileage for the rest of this year and maybe give the Pembrokeshire (65 mile route)a go next year.

Scott

JamesB

Yes as Richboy says c`sportives are serious events with some tough climbs :roll: , BUT maybe if you look at the route descriptions you can build up to training on sections of them initially and then increase your distances
- for example if you could get to Brecon / Sennybridge / llanwrtyd / Tregaron / Rhayader you can ride sections of Autumn Epic / Tour of Black Mountains / Devil Ride / Trans Cambrian c-sportives and others to boot. This will then give you an idea of what is involved and how you`d feel about tackling the full distances
best wishes
James

richa

Scott,

Depending on how much you want to get into this I think you could easily target the longer ride (116 mile) at the Tour of Pembrokeshire, and more.

You are only a little overweight (BMI=28ish), you are already getting a few miles in, and you have almost a year to build up to it.

Start getting out on the bike for longer sessions. Start by finding yourself a longer loop. get yourself up to 30-40 miles and join a local club. Get a few club runs in.

You could easily target a few sportives next year. Perhaps building up to the 116 miles in June or even an Alpine challenge.

agnello

most events have a shorter distance option.

just enter one.

if you get on alright go further on the next one. I don't think there are any secrets. Just do it

I did the test valley 150k on sunday but they had a 50k and 100k too. I would say 100k is a good place to start

reaper2

I recomend joining a club to find some good local route and practice group riding as this is a big help in sportives to conserve energy

howiejmidlands

This is my first year back on a bike, and i am 120kgs and 6ft tall so sportives for me are a good way of getting to ride areas i wouldnt go to, and to get fit and have some fun too.
I usually enter the shorter distances at the moment, i know my capabilities. The hills for me are a killer, but now i just stop, rest, get HR down and then carry on.
You cant beat miles in the legs, same now as it was over 20 years ago when i rode at a much higher level.
ALso, if you dont mid travelling, there are lots of sportives across the UK with great courses and scenery to match.
Most of all.......enjoy being out on the bike.

Yorkman

Joining a club will up your fitness massively - you'll be group riding and probably riding at a pace and over a distance in excess of what you'd do on your own.

mrushton

BaldBlokeOnABike wrote:

Hello

I am a slightly overweight (5'8" - 13st 5lbs) 33 year old owner of a 4 year old Giant OCR 2T (triple chainset). I currerntly ride a 12 mile loop a couple of times a week through the summer but drop down to a short daily commute through the winter. I would like to improve my fitness and the idea of getting involved with some sportive events appeals. Any advice regarding events in the south wales area suitable for a novice would be apreciated. As would any training tips, fitness requirements etc.

Many thanks

Scott.

Do some audaxes?

angelic upstart

Like some have said join yer local club,get some long sunday rides in with them, sittin on the back to start.You can do a lot more miles with a group and youll learn to ride in a goup, which must sportive types ant got a clue about.Build up yer miles nice and slow over this year, get a turbo for winter.Come next year do some reliabilty rides and audax, much cheaper than sportives.By summer if you have lost some timber youll do just fine, remember there not a race just a bit ofun, although some take them very serious :roll:

andy_wrx

Sportives are not killer rides only suitable for super-fit supermen.
They are talked-up to be in C+ & Cycling Weakly and on cyclosport.org, but really they are accessible to most regular cyclists.
They're just bike rides around an arrowed course where someone gives you drinks and flapjacks every 25 miles or so.
There are many lower-profile audaxes which cover the same sort of distances and hills with far less fanfare, but with stops at teashops.
Similarly, many clubs' Sunday rides do pretty decent distances every weekend.

So no reason why you shouldn't do one as well.
You'll need to up your mileage, get up to riding 80+miles in a hilly area, but you could do it if your intention was simply to have a good day out and finish.
Have a look at the description and route profile of your intended event, avoid one of the really harder ones like Fred Whitton, but you could do something like the Dragon Ride.
Some events have shorter distance options as well.

feel

I reckon south wales could be pretty intimidating so consider flatter parts of the country for your first ones . Go and stay B&B locally on the saturday and make a weekend of it

toffee27

If you can, try and find a riding buddy, and before you know it you will push each other along and end up increasing your milage naturally. I live in south wales and find it a little difficult to get to a club due to work so a riding buddy was great. Just done my first Dragon Ride (5hrs 26) and can't wait for the entries to reopen for next year. Grab your bike and ride. Dont forget to enjoy it!!