Southern Sportive (Petersfield)

Bianchi Boy

Just thought I'd give this one a mention. Anybody else doing the Trail Break Southern Sportive tomorow the 14th Sept?

pjm-84

Yep.

JasonRwmb

I will be there too.

Looks like there is a big entry list.

brownbosh

Me too! A little ill prepared (too many shorter hard rides / tt's and no endureance runs for 3 months, arse!) but what the heck!

brownbosh

Jsut got back. Pleased with a time for the long route of 5.34 which was gold standard. Bloody hard work , but well signed and run. How did you other guys get on. Achieve your personal goals? Considering the lack of endurance training and the fact i way 16.5 stone and it was bloody hilly i had been aiming at 6 hours ,so im pleased.

VerwoodAsh

Not so bad - I did 3:58:55 but I was on the "EASY" medium ride - so I got Gold standard as well.

Plus I'm over 16stone too - perhaps it was an advantage today

mark_d

5:07 for the long route. Hoped for a sub-5 but we did an extra 5k (sign missing?) and stopped for 3 or 4 minutes after a crash. I did a lot on the front and promptly bonked after 125km. Had trouble seeing straight and could barely move until I got to 5k or so from the end. Excuses, eh!

muzzer

This was my first sportive and I did the short (71Km) course in a registered time of 3:27:11. Not bad for 108kg of heaving bulk. I had the misfortune of a puncture and a wrong turn and ride time was actually only 3hr 03 which would have got me a bronze medal :x

About the wrong turn - Seems to have caused controversy. At Ramsdean, approaching frpm the NW towards the end of the ride, some tw** turned the directional arrow from straight on to left - meaning loads of riders ended up on the A272 and entering Petersfield the wrong way.

I had a GPS on me, loaded with the official route, and should have ignored the wrong turn, but earlier in the ride the actual route had varied from the planned route at Rowland's castle meaning I could not trust the planned route any more.

Yellow - Official planned route
Red - Actual route on the day


Anyway lots of riders sent the wrong way took a short cut at Petersfield and ended up at the finish from the wrong direction! I managed to persuade the guys I was with to go round the town the official way!

Yellow - Official planned route
Red - Actual route we took on the day, looping back (all the way round) on orange route to finish


By coincidence both routes are exactly the same distance to 1/10 of a km.

I was really surprised how professionally run this event was. Are all sportives like that? You can't cater for vandalism though :x

JasonRwmb

I finished in a time of 5:34 too

My legs were still a bit tired from a 12 hour solo mtb race last weekend, so wasn't sure how hard to push myself, in the end I seemed to have loads of energy left by the finish.

It was the first 'big' sportive I have done, but have done lots of Trailbreak's mtb events in the past, and thought they had really stepped up a gear for the Southern Sportive. Given the number of riders it was incredibly well organised. Nice to have flap jack and bananas at the checkpoints.

Having read the comments above I feel like quite a light weight at a mere 90kg.

brownbosh

well done guys

pjm-84

5hr 12mins for the long route. Again was hoping for sub 5hrs but hey ho.

Again I'm another 100kg + rider!

knight2k

I managed 6:21 for the long route. Missed the Silver Award by 2 minutes - Damn it! Still pleased with my time though, as I was looking to get under 6:30.

Saw the aftermath of a nasty crash at the bottom of the first big climb. A guy had come off at the bottom because of the gravel - some people tending to him thought he may have broken his shoulder/collarbone. Hope he's not too badly hurt.

Excellently run Sportive.

huwy

First ever Sportive managed 6hr 18 on the long route scraped a sliver, suffered after having to wait 10 minutes for a combine harvester to come down the lane on the way up to Goodwood legs went to pot after that ! But really enjoye it happy with my time wanted to do sub 6:30 need to lose another few pounds for next year (another 100kg+ rider)

Well done all some cracking times ....

portuguese mike

knight2k wrote:

I managed 6:21 for the long route. Missed the Silver Award by 2 minutes - Damn it! Still pleased with my time though, as I was looking to get under 6:30.

Saw the aftermath of a nasty crash at the bottom of the first big climb. A guy had come off at the bottom because of the gravel - some people tending to him thought he may have broken his shoulder/collarbone. Hope he's not too badly hurt.

Excellently run Sportive.

alas that was me. schoolboy error really, i slipped into a deep rut at the edge of the tarmac which led straight on to the gravel. i thought i was going to just about make it back on to the road but i clipped a hedge and went flying. i hit a brick wall apparently but all iremember was lying on the ground not being able to get up.

it was way more painful than when i broke my ankle a few years ago and i'm afraid i took it less than heroically when it we found out that the anbulance that was meant to be on its way wasn't coming. i was just getting in to the organisers van after an hour and 45 mins on the ground when it suddenly turned up. it was just asell that it did because even with their pain killers every bump in the road was agony.

turns out i had dislocated my shoulder and fractured my arm near the shoulder (left arm) and am now sitting at home glummly facing up to 6 weeks off he bike. gutted too n=cos the conditions were great yesterday and my legs felt great

if tey read this forum i'd like to say a massive thankyou to the people who looked after me and the owners of the house who gave me blankets and the useof their phone (no mobile signal). i've asked the organisers forward your contact details so i can thank you personally - sorry for spoiling your rides.

Fatsam

i had a strange day, suppose as usual went out to fast and was all about to pack it in at 35 miles. Took a breather and in the end managed a respectable 5.48. Did the Fred Whitton in May, 12 Miles more but took almost 2 hours longer. Dont know if thats a sign of the course or if im a better rider. Met some nice people and really caned the last 5 from Ramsdean and passed everyone. Pity about no grub after but spoilt the day with a burger on the way home, indigestion all night. Best move of the day a new tyre, rode half the course last week and saw all the grit so bought a vredestien tri comp, not a sniff of a puncture, could not believe how many flats i saw. Great day, loved the descent of Winchester Hill and as it happens will be there again next week in the South Downs Challenge, a 50 sprint almost, see you there.

brownbosh

Portugese mike
sorry to hear about your spill, hope you get well soon. Have you got a turbo? Once someone sets it up for you, you could get back on the bike today? If your local to Southampton i may be able to sort myself or someone else coming to put it up for you(if theres no-one else to do it).
Fatsam
congrats on the recovery to finish. Im a fareham wheeler (maybe the biggest one!!) . Im riding the southdowns challenge as well. Cant hurt as bad as yesterday!!!!

knight2k

Hi Portugese mike - glad to hear it's not as bad as it looked, still pretty bad though.

Good luck with the rehab.

huwy

Glad to hear your on the mend the roads were pretty flinty in some areas amazing amount of punctures...

portuguese mike

brownbosh wrote:

Portugese mike
sorry to hear about your spill, hope you get well soon. Have you got a turbo? Once someone sets it up for you, you could get back on the bike today? If your local to Southampton i may be able to sort myself or someone else coming to put it up for you(if theres no-one else to do it).
Fatsam
congrats on the recovery to finish. Im a fareham wheeler (maybe the biggest one!!) . Im riding the southdowns challenge as well. Cant hurt as bad as yesterday!!!!

thats a very kind offer, thank you. fortunately a neighbour has one and has said i can use it whenever i like. i'm going to give it a few days though cos i still feel a bit groggy and stiff. very good idea though - definately don't want to loose all my fitness before i can get back on the road.

right, back to the vuelta on eurosport - every cloud

jules97

Portuguese Mike - sorry to hear about your accident mate - saw you being tended to at the roadside - can't believe the ambulance took that long to arrive!

This was my second attempt at the SS - did 6.30 on the long route last year for bronze standard, and was determined to get silver this year, despite having done very little prep. Got off to a flier, and reached the first check point in Gold standard time (1.34) - however, my lack of prep really made itself felt after 50 miles - just found it harder and harder to keep going on anything flat or uphill - also, had been off work a couple of weeks ago with lower back spasms, and felt a few twinges while riding, so stopped every hour to do back stretches! Ended with a 6.40, but overall, really enjoyed the ride - a beautiful route, very well organised and sign-posted - (no missing arrows like last year). Definitely up for it again next year.

portuguese mike

jules97 wrote:

Portuguese Mike - sorry to hear about your accident mate - saw you being tended to at the roadside - can't believe the ambulance took that long to arrive!

This was my second attempt at the SS - did 6.30 on the long route last year for bronze standard, and was determined to get silver this year, despite having done very little prep. Got off to a flier, and reached the first check point in Gold standard time (1.34) - however, my lack of prep really made itself felt after 50 miles - just found it harder and harder to keep going on anything flat or uphill - also, had been off work a couple of weeks ago with lower back spasms, and felt a few twinges while riding, so stopped every hour to do back stretches! Ended with a 6.40, but overall, really enjoyed the ride - a beautiful route, very well organised and sign-posted - (no missing arrows like last year). Definitely up for it again next year.

Thanks, i can't quite believe how long the ambulance took either - it felt like a lot longer than an hour an threequarters believe me. My friend who's an orthopaedic surgeon reassured me that dislocated joints are really painful and i wasn't being a complete big girls blouse - he said he'd tended to massive rugby players who were blubbing with dislocted shoulders so i don't feel too bad.

on the plus side my lbs have checked over my bike and its fine apart from a scuffed saddle and scratch ergo lever seems like i took the brunt of the impact - us roadies will do anything to protect our steeds

Bianchi Boy

I was one of those that took the wrong route on the run in to Petersfield. I managed a 4.46 fo the mid route in then end, but would have been quicker if I hadn't gone the wrong way in Petersfield centre.

I hope 'Portuguese Mike' is on the road to recovery.

rhys_gibby

Finished the long route with a time of 5:08, which was mostly down to being involved in a great chaingang. A couple of guys from London Dynamo doing most of the work. Mark from further up the post being one of them. Had a crash around half way which was a shame. Carried on with a painfull right arm and chest, could'nt move my right arm/hand or take deep breaths, so was really relieved to finished. Thanks to the chap parked next to me for taking my jeresey and base layer off!

Promptly visited A+E after getting home, got discharged yesterday with what turned out to be a broken sternum/chest bone.

I noticed around 3/4 of the way round that my chest had swelled, initially at A+E they thought I may have damaged my wind pipe which was causing the chest to swell with escaping air.

Ah well it could have been worse. Now I just need do pass on that entry to the Autumn Epic and the booking for a B&B for the weekend as well.

Bloody good ride by the chap on the Scott Scale with full knobblies doing the long route!

pauln99

rhys

i was the chap that rode the last 20 miles or so with you on the focus bike from bigfoot.

i'm gutted to hear about your injury mate. that puts your ride into perspective though i think - an incredibly ballsy performance.

anyway, take care, good luck with the recovery and hopefully see you again sometime

cheers

paul

pjm-84

Bloody good ride by the chap on the Scott Scale with full knobblies doing the long route!

Sounds like "Mountain bike Tony".

roznlance

Hi Portuguese Mike
It was I and my friend Karl who were with you when you came off . Glad to know your on the mend ! The other guy who helped to move you was called Steve.
Have a speedy recovery . If you want to get off the turbo trainer for a while try a spin class it's challenging and good training it breaks up the monotony sometimes of turbo trainers.
Take care
Roz

portuguese mike

roznlance wrote:

Hi Portuguese Mike
It was I and my friend Karl who were with you when you came off . Glad to know your on the mend ! The other guy who helped to move you was called Steve.
Have a speedy recovery . If you want to get off the turbo trainer for a while try a spin class it's challenging and good training it breaks up the monotony sometimes of turbo trainers.
Take care
Roz

i can't thank you enough for your help and patience. i know i really started to lose it when they said the ambulance wasn't coming after all so i apologise if i was being difficult.

i hope you finished the ride ok (and took off the 2 hours from your time) and enjoyed the rest of your day.

i do know feel a complete wimp of course hearing that Rhys managed to complete the ride with a broken sternum :shock: chapeau. Mind you i couldn't even get up of the ground without 2 of you helping me up let alone getting back on the bike.

again, many thanks to you, Karl and Steve you made a big big difference.

thanks,

Mike

pinkbikini

rhys_gibby wrote:

Finished the long route with a time of 5:08, which was mostly down to being involved in a great chaingang. A couple of guys from London Dynamo doing most of the work. Mark from further up the post being one of them. Had a crash around half way which was a shame. Carried on with a painfull right arm and chest, could'nt move my right arm/hand or take deep breaths, so was really relieved to finished. Thanks to the chap parked next to me for taking my jeresey and base layer off!

...

Bloody good ride by the chap on the Scott Scale with full knobblies doing the long route!

Think we must have cycled together at some point then - I was one of the Dynamos at the front of the second big group that eventually caught the main group when we all took a wrong turn, just before your fall. Don't want to do so much time on the front next time - I was very tired for final 20 miles! I think Mark from above was on the front for quite a bit of the remainder of the ride...

Glad you're healing - my offer of the bandage wouldn't have done any good on your injuries then!

The guy on the Scott MTB was awesome...

pjm-84

I spotted you LD guys after the first climb but eased back on the descent and never saw you guys again.

I'm 100% sure that the guy on the Scott Scale 20 was Tony. His a local and got a bit of reputation. Loves the hills and amazing quick up them .

Rhys ... chapeau (Were you and Mark the two guys in the Assos / CSC kit?)

rhys_gibby

Hello again Chaps,

pjm-84 - No, I was wearing just a plain pair of black Nike shorts and a Tour of Deutchland young rider white jersey which had ProCycling and Velomotion on it. Can't remember where I last saw the CSC pair actually! I do remember seeing one guy with a woolen retro jersey and a Casati bike who stayed with us for a bit,

Pinkbikini - Thanks for offering me the bandage at the second feed stop I think.

Paul - Thanks for pairing up at the end. I havent got back on the bike since. I may slick up the hardtail MTB and head out for some 20 milers or something to see how I get on, especially as it is going to be a nice week coming up - apparently!

topcattim

The pics have been up on takeyourpics for some time now, but I've not bothered to try and find mine as they are not organised by race number but instead by time past a particular point, Chalton. Can anyone tell me how far through the route this was, and then I can make a guess at my time to get there - it will save me trawling through 2000 photos, although of course I can make some kind of guess by working out my rough position in the whole field..