This years Sportives?

Rich158

I know this is in the wrong topic, but everyone is way too serious over in the Road section

Which Sportives is everyone planning to enter this year if any? Somehow I’ve found myself signed up for the following list :shock:

Puncheur March Sportive - 1 March
Burgess Hill Spring Classic - 15 March
Downland Spring Sportive - 19 April
Princes Risborough - 26 April
Fred Whitton Challenge – 10 May
Tour of Pembrokeshire – 7th June
Southern Sportive – 13th September

And yes there is a little bit of showing off here :oops:

cjcp

At the moment:

Hell of the Ashdown
Tour of Flanders - 4 April
Tour of the Black Mountains - 25 July

Hopefully add the Cheddar Gorge 100 and a couple of others on to this list.

Rich158

I've been reading about the Tour of Flanders, I might be tempted to give it a go next year, if I can get clearance from Mrs R. My brownie points have just been reduced to zero having presented her with the list last night.

hhhmmmmm the Tour of the Black Mountains sounds interesting, I might be tempted to add it to the calender

cjcp

Rich158 wrote:

I've been reading about the Tour of Flanders, I might be tempted to give it a go next year, if I can get clearance from Mrs R. My brownie points have just been reduced to zero having presented her with the list last night.

hhhmmmmm the Tour of the Black Mountains sounds interesting, I might be tempted to add it to the calender

Go on. You know you want to do both this year... :twisted:

Rich158

That's just what I need, another devil sitting on my shoulder The Tour of the Black Mountains is probably, definately on :?

I have a feeling that when I wheel the new MTB through the house on Saturday, I may well be sleeping on the shed with it, so broaching the subject of the Tour of Flanders will be well and truly out of the question.

I'm trying to find someone mad enough to talk me into the Dave Lloyd Mega Challenge, any takers???????

woodyonthebeach

Your missing the dragon ride out

http://www.dragonride.co.uk/

Its a good one

Woody

cjcp

woodyonthebeach wrote:

Your missing the dragon ride out

http://www.dragonride.co.uk/

Its a good one

Woody

And Highclere. Shame on you, Rich.

cjcp

Rich158 wrote:

That's just what I need, another devil sitting on my shoulder The Tour of the Black Mountains is probably, definately on :?

Jolly good!

I have a feeling that when I wheel the new MTB through the house on Saturday, I may well be sleeping on the shed with it, so broaching the subject of the Tour of Flanders will be well and truly out of the question.

Why did you buy a mtb? I thought they were for cavemen.

There's also the Paris-Roubaix next year - the sportive comes around every two years. Just thought I'd throw that one out there too...

lost_in_thought

OK, right then.

For someone (me) who is recovering (quickly) from an injury and whose fitness levels have definitely dropped off a lot following 6 weeks of enforced inactivity, what's a realistic target sportive, do you think?

I'm not great on hills anyway, so would need to do some serious training, and the physio reckons it'll take me until about the end of feb to be able to ride a bike relatively normally.

How long does it take to get into shape for these sorts of things? What would you aim for if you were in my position?

Or feel free to tell me to MTFU and retrospectively enter HOTA this weekend

Feltup

Only the Fred Whitton for me. I shall do the occasional social ride like the Dunwich Dynamo again but mostly I will be keeping the weekends free for kitesurfing and surfing with the occasional climbing trip thrown in.

Dave Lloyd Mega sounds interesting and was an option if I didn't get into the FW. Bwllch y Groes (sorry for the spelling) looks a good solid climb but no where near as steep as Hardknott.

Rich158

The problem is the Dragons only a week after the Tour of Pembrokeshire, now if I could stay in Wales all week it might be on. I feel a plan and a road trip coming on

cjcp

Rich158 wrote:

The problem is the Dragons only a week after the Tour of Pembrokeshire, now if I could stay in Wales all week it might be on. I feel a plan and a road trip coming on

There's always the Devil Ride instead. That's on 12 July.

Feltup

lost_in_thought wrote:

OK, right then.

For someone (me) who is recovering (quickly) from an injury and whose fitness levels have definitely dropped off a lot following 6 weeks of enforced inactivity, what's a realistic target sportive, do you think?

I'm not great on hills anyway, so would need to do some serious training, and the physio reckons it'll take me until about the end of feb to be able to ride a bike relatively normally.

How long does it take to get into shape for these sorts of things? What would you aim for if you were in my position?

Or feel free to tell me to MTFU and retrospectively enter HOTA this weekend

Steer clear of anything properly steep this year as I reckon that would be prime for aggravating your tendon. Maybe the Southern Sportive in September is a realistic option? Take the recovery steady. I have had tendonitus and it is a real pain and can take ages to clear.

If you want a really nice social ride then the Dunwich Dynamo is great to do with mates. Set off from London Fields, Hackney around 8-9pm and cycle through the night to Dunwich on the Suffolk coast 120miles away. You can book a coach seat to bring you and the bike back.

Edit again: The DD takes place on the first weekend of July. I might try it on the fixie this time.

Rich158

lost_in_thought wrote:

OK, right then.

For someone (me) who is recovering (quickly) from an injury and whose fitness levels have definitely dropped off a lot following 6 weeks of enforced inactivity, what's a realistic target sportive, do you think?

I'm not great on hills anyway, so would need to do some serious training, and the physio reckons it'll take me until about the end of feb to be able to ride a bike relatively normally.

How long does it take to get into shape for these sorts of things? What would you aim for if you were in my position?

Or feel free to tell me to MTFU and retrospectively enter HOTA this weekend

LiT I don't think you need any encouragement to MTFU and get back on a bike from what I've read.

If you take it easy they're no problem, I did the Southern Sportive last year with no training other than my commute and that was 96 miles. However I wasn't recovering from a torn tendon :roll:

The Puncheur promises no mega climbs other than the Ditchling Beacon at the end, and the Downland Spring Sportive should be fairly flat as it's around Canterbury. If it was me I'd give my poor tendon a chance to recover and enter something fairly flat in March or April, such as The Downlands Spring Classic.

woodyonthebeach

Rich158 wrote:

The problem is the Dragons only a week after the Tour of Pembrokeshire, now if I could stay in Wales all week it might be on. I feel a plan and a road trip coming on

might have to get the GF approval for this. Enjoyed the dragon last year, except for the fact that I have massive hangover when I started.

What is Pembrokeshire ride like. I lived in the next County to for about 14 years before going on a four year road trip?

I did very little training for it, I suppose as long as you have an alright level of fitness you should be ok.

And I forgot one more The Chiltern 100, bit more of a charity ride (action medical research) mind you but if you are looking for some friendly competition this could be another one.

cjcp

lost_in_thought wrote:

OK, right then.

For someone (me) who is recovering (quickly) from an injury and whose fitness levels have definitely dropped off a lot following 6 weeks of enforced inactivity, what's a realistic target sportive, do you think?

I'm not great on hills anyway, so would need to do some serious training, and the physio reckons it'll take me until about the end of feb to be able to ride a bike relatively normally.

How long does it take to get into shape for these sorts of things? What would you aim for if you were in my position?

Or feel free to tell me to MTFU and retrospectively enter HOTA this weekend

A lot of the sportives tend to take in hills, albeit shorter, sharper versions than those in Johnny Foreigner Land, so you will have to face them at some point. :twisted:

Shape? All depends on how quickly you want to do it and how long the ride is.

I'd say ease yourself in gently for a month and see how the injury feels. You'd need to do regular weekend rides to build up the mileage bit by bit (unless you're an idiot like me who doesn't really worry about that and opts to suffer on the day :oops: ), and also work out what food and energy drink best suits you over that distance e.g. bananas or gels etc. I'd say no earlier than June, and perhaps look for an event which has a 60 mile route as an alternative to the day's longer ride. The Dragon Ride and Highclere are two which offer shorter routes.

lost_in_thought

Feltup wrote:

Steer clear of anything properly steep this year as I reckon that would be prime for aggravating your tendon. Maybe the Southern Sportive in September is a realistic option? <snip>
Set off from London Fields, Hackney around 8-9pm and cycle through the night to Dunwich on the Suffolk coast 120miles away. You can book a coach seat to bring you and the bike back.
Edit again: The DD takes place on the first weekend of July. I might try it on the fixie this time.

DD sounds like one for my list! I live not far from there, so could get a lift home... Don't think I'd do it on the FG though! And I will sign up for the Southern Sportive...

Rich158 wrote:

If you take it easy they're no problem, I did the Southern Sportive last year with no training other than my commute and that was 96 miles. However I wasn't recovering from a torn tendon :roll:

The Puncheur promises no mega climbs other than the Ditchling Beacon at the end, and the Downland Spring Sportive should be fairly flat as it's around Canterbury. If it was me I'd give my poor tendon a chance to recover and enter something fairly flat in March or April, such as The Downlands Spring Classic.

Downlands spring classic... OK, sounds good as a possible, I'm with you on this 'flattish stuff at first' thing. And April would probably be the very earliest I'd consider - in oz for the latter half of March. Puncheur is too soon, I think, and yes to Southern Sportive. I'll be recovered rather than recovering...

cjcp wrote:

A lot of the sportives tend to take in hills, albeit shorter, sharper versions than those in Johnny Foreigner Land, so you will have to face them at some point. :twisted:

I'd say ease yourself in gently for a month and see how the injury feels. You'd need to do regular weekend rides to build up the mileage bit by bit (unless you're an idiot like me who doesn't really worry about that and opts to suffer on the day :oops: ), and also work out what food and energy drink best suits you over that distance e.g. bananas or gels etc. I'd say no earlier than June, and perhaps look for an event which has a 60 mile route as an alternative to the day's longer ride. The Dragon Ride and Highclere are two which offer shorter routes.

Agreed on the having to do the hills at some point, that's geography for you

No earlier than June... makes sense I guess. And good point on the shorter routes... I will look into this.

Thanks for the advice guys, sorry for the epic-length post!

Rich158

I've not done the Tour of Pembrokeshire, but got talked into it by someone who moved down to Cardiff from my office. I

I can feel a weeks worth of roughing it in Youth Hostels and hitting as many MTB trails as I can coming on. Given that I've no holiday planned yet, and the misses has already booked two weeks in Turkeys with the girls, I feel I have the moral high ground

jonginge

cjcp wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

OK, right then.

For someone (me) who is recovering (quickly) from an injury and whose fitness levels have definitely dropped off a lot following 6 weeks of enforced inactivity, what's a realistic target sportive, do you think?

I'm not great on hills anyway, so would need to do some serious training, and the physio reckons it'll take me until about the end of feb to be able to ride a bike relatively normally.

How long does it take to get into shape for these sorts of things? What would you aim for if you were in my position?

Or feel free to tell me to MTFU and retrospectively enter HOTA this weekend

A lot of the sportives tend to take in hills, albeit shorter, sharper versions than those in Johnny Foreigner Land, so you will have to face them at some point. :twisted:

Shape? All depends on how quickly you want to do it and how long the ride is.

I'd say ease yourself in gently for a month and see how the injury feels. You'd need to do regular weekend rides to build up the mileage bit by bit (unless you're an idiot like me who doesn't really worry about that and opts to suffer on the day :oops: ), and also work out what food and energy drink best suits you over that distance e.g. bananas or gels etc. I'd say no earlier than June, and perhaps look for an event which has a 60 mile route as an alternative to the day's longer ride. The Dragon Ride and Highclere are two which offer shorter routes.

Didn't see any of that on HOTA but maybe you had your poker face on

Lit, I seem to recall you were doing decent length rides on the weekends you were chez Grace, so, you probably still have most of the endurance left (a lot of it is in the mind anyway). Build up slowly, get a few hour rides in, then 30 miles, gradually adding distance to up to about 80% of the target. The biggest mistake on sportive day is to go off too fast and blow all your stored glycogen in the first hour or so of a 5hr+ ride...
HOTA was great for pacing (but also frustating) due to the enforced snow-go-slow halfway through. I finished feeling like I could do another lap, dancing Pantani-like through the lanes to the finish

linsen

I want to do the following this year:

Test Valley tour 5th July

Southern Sportive 13th September

a 100-miler of my own choosing

Not sure about any othe revents - will have to see what time I have. In an ideal world I would take off for the whole summer, but the children wouldn't keep up.....

lost_in_thought

JonGinge wrote:

Lit, I seem to recall you were doing decent length rides on the weekends you were chez Grace, so, you probably still have most of the endurance left (a lot of it is in the mind anyway). Build up slowly, get a few hour rides in, then 30 miles, gradually adding distance to up to about 80% of the target. The biggest mistake on sportive day is to go off too fast and blow all your stored glycogen in the first hour or so of a 5hr+ ride...
HOTA was great for pacing (but also frustating) due to the enforced snow-go-slow halfway through. I finished feeling like I could do another lap, dancing Pantani-like through the lanes to the finish

Good advice from the reported sportive-master! I'm planning to take myself out on the bike either in London or Essex for a spin round RP or the countryside, and will do the above...

woodyonthebeach

Rich158 wrote:

I've not done the Tour of Pembrokeshire, but got talked into it by someone who moved down to Cardiff from my office. I

I can feel a weeks worth of roughing it in Youth Hostels and hitting as many MTB trails as I can coming on. Given that I've no holiday planned yet, and the misses has already booked two weeks in Turkeys with the girls, I feel I have the moral high ground

The dragon goes through and up out of the Afan Valley if I remember right. Think it was one of the more nicer climbs mind you.

lost_in_thought

Furthermore, having read up on the Dunwich Dynamo, it ends really pretty near the family business base in Rendlesham, where we have a house, could offer hot showers/changing/food/etc. if people are interested.

Also, it skirts really close to my house in Essex! Like really close.

I'm liking the sound of this one.

jonginge

lost_in_thought wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

Lit, I seem to recall you were doing decent length rides on the weekends you were chez Grace, so, you probably still have most of the endurance left (a lot of it is in the mind anyway). Build up slowly, get a few hour rides in, then 30 miles, gradually adding distance to up to about 80% of the target. The biggest mistake on sportive day is to go off too fast and blow all your stored glycogen in the first hour or so of a 5hr+ ride...
HOTA was great for pacing (but also frustating) due to the enforced snow-go-slow halfway through. I finished feeling like I could do another lap, dancing Pantani-like through the lanes to the finish

Good advice from the reported sportive-master! I'm planning to take myself out on the bike either in London or Essex for a spin round RP or the countryside, and will do the above...

I wouldn't believe everything you read So, here's an article with some HOTA stuff at the end: http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/The ... 76380.html

Rich158

The DD looks good, and starts just across the river from my office . I can go one better that LiT, my folks have a house in Dunwich itself looking out on the beech, I'll have to double check it's not booked that weekend.

This all sounds too easy, it's almost like it's calling me!!!!!!!!!

iirc the beech cafe is very good in Dunwich, a definate carrot on a stick if ever there was one.

Feltup

lost_in_thought wrote:

Furthermore, having read up on the Dunwich Dynamo, it ends really pretty near the family business base in Rendlesham, where we have a house, could offer hot showers/changing/food/etc. if people are interested.

Also, it skirts really close to my house in Essex! Like really close.

I'm liking the sound of this one.

It is really surreal seeing so many flashing lights as you cycle down dark country lanes. I shall be using my fenix this year with spare batteries as I crapped myself last year doing 30mph down wooded lanes in the pitch black with only a small cateye on my bike! I have very fond memories of sitting on a park bench at a junction somewhere in Suffolk eating flapjack just as the sun was rising and saying hi to lots of other cyclists as they appeared from random directions having got lost.

Feltup

Rich158 wrote:

The DD looks good, and starts just across the river from my office . I can go one better that LiT, my folks have a house in Dunwich itself looking out on the beech, I'll have to double check it's not booked that weekend.

This all sounds too easy, it's almost like it's calling me!!!!!!!!!

iirc the beech cafe is very good in Dunwich, a definate carrot on a stick if ever there was one.

They do a wicked breakfast and open especially early for the DD. The only downside to the DD are the Essex chavs in their Corsa's. One very drunk Essex lady did shout to me from the door of a pub "to stop the madness and come in and get lashed"!

lost_in_thought

Rich158 wrote:

The DD looks good, and starts just across the river from my office . I can go one better that LiT, my folks have a house in Dunwich itself looking out on the beech, I'll have to double check it's not booked that weekend.

This all sounds too easy, it's almost like it's calling me!!!!!!!!!

iirc the beech cafe is very good in Dunwich, a definate carrot on a stick if ever there was one.

Brilliant! Right, I am so in.

I'll get the Grace family to contribute a stopover of carb-rich food and coffee somewhere in the Castle Hedingham/Sudbury area for my bit!!

Rich158

Looks like I can't back out now

With all those strobes going it'll be like a giant moving rave through the Essex countryside :shock: :shock: Nothing the locals aren't used to Whose going to provide the music

I'll see if I can get breakfast sorted, and there's always the offer of a lift back to London, I'll have 1/2 spaces going spare. Feltup has first option on one of them

lost_in_thought

Feltup wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Furthermore, having read up on the Dunwich Dynamo, it ends really pretty near the family business base in Rendlesham, where we have a house, could offer hot showers/changing/food/etc. if people are interested.

Also, it skirts really close to my house in Essex! Like really close.

I'm liking the sound of this one.

It is really surreal seeing so many flashing lights as you cycle down dark country lanes. I shall be using my fenix this year with spare batteries as I crapped myself last year doing 30mph down wooded lanes in the pitch black with only a small cateye on my bike! I have very fond memories of sitting on a park bench at a junction somewhere in Suffolk eating flapjack just as the sun was rising and saying hi to lots of other cyclists as they appeared from random directions having got lost.

I don't think I'll be doing 30mph... unless it's downhill! You guys will so drop me!

Mind you, I'll have the uber-bike by then, maybe I'll be faster than I am on the rubbish roadie.

Feltup

Thanks for the offer! I have a feeling I will end up on the bus just to be sociable with the lads I ride with unless I am feeling really masochistic and ride back to London :shock: We should be fit after the Fred Whitton fancy the out and back? (please say no)

One of the lads who did the ride with us last year left some spare clothes in Southwold with his Dad so he could get changed out of his shorts etc. If you have the chance to do a clothes drop I would, Webby looked a lot more comfortable than the rest of us!