Southern Sportive - September 13th

sampras38
sampras38 Posts: 1,917
edited August 2009 in Sportives/audaxes/training rides
Has anyone entered this Sportive in September, and if so, have you done it before?

http://www.southernsportive.com/?go=sou ... dc3e06bb9a

For those that have, what would be an respectable time?

Comments

  • mark_d
    mark_d Posts: 61
    Has anyone entered this Sportive in September, and if so, have you done it before?

    Yes. I'm in and rode both 2007 and 2008. It's very good. The course is interesting but short enough to be able to go quite hard without worrying too much about running out of steam. It's well organised, save for a couple of missing signs each year.

    A respectable time? In whose eyes? Yours are the only ones which matter. Just enjoy it! FYI, the "gold" time is 5:40:00 or 17mph.
  • sampras38
    sampras38 Posts: 1,917
    mark_d wrote:
    Has anyone entered this Sportive in September, and if so, have you done it before?

    Yes. I'm in and rode both 2007 and 2008. It's very good. The course is interesting but short enough to be able to go quite hard without worrying too much about running out of steam. It's well organised, save for a couple of missing signs each year.

    A respectable time? In whose eyes? Yours are the only ones which matter. Just enjoy it! FYI, the "gold" time is 5:40:00 or 17mph.

    Yeah, fair question about the time. Only asked as I wanted to compare it to the Dragon which was my first Sportive. I found the Dragon was fine and did it in just under 7hrs 30. Could have been quicker but lack of experience kept me in the feed stops too long. Didn't even need them half the time..
  • mark_d
    mark_d Posts: 61
    sampras38 wrote:
    I found the Dragon was fine and did it in just under 7hrs 30. Could have been quicker but lack of experience kept me in the feed stops too long. Didn't even need them half the time..

    You should be fine on the Southern Sportive then. The climbs are shorter and sharper but there's much less ascending overall. The 3 food stops all have mandatory timing checks so everyone has to stop anyway.
  • sampras38
    sampras38 Posts: 1,917
    mark_d wrote:
    sampras38 wrote:
    I found the Dragon was fine and did it in just under 7hrs 30. Could have been quicker but lack of experience kept me in the feed stops too long. Didn't even need them half the time..

    You should be fine on the Southern Sportive then. The climbs are shorter and sharper but there's much less ascending overall. The 3 food stops all have mandatory timing checks so everyone has to stop anyway.

    Hiya,

    See below what I recently received from the Sportive organisers about the feed stops this year.

    Whether you have to stop will be confirmed in the pre event literature that will be sent to you approx. 2 weeks prior to the event, but there will be mandatory timing points at at least two of the checkpoints (CP2 & CP3). These will be of the transponder & mat variety, so you don't have to physically stop, you can just roll slowly through. If you like, you can then continue riding, or you can stop to top on on food and drink.

    We have not yet decided whether a timing point will be added to the first checkpoint. However, we do have a rule for safety, that the stretch approaching a checkpoint should be treated as a 'controlled zone' and all riders must slow down until they pass. With riders pulling on and off of the road at these checks (plus maybe support vehicles), it's not safe to have other riders hacking past at full pelt, so please, even if riding past a checkpoint, do back off your pace.
  • jrduquemin
    jrduquemin Posts: 791
    I've entered this Sportive today. Looking forward to it as I've not done one since 2007 :-)
    2010 Lynskey R230
    2013 Yeti SB66
  • Chrissz
    Chrissz Posts: 727
    At present I'm torn between this one and the Sevenoaks Circuit of Kent - I haven't decided which one yet and will probably hang on 'till I've got my first one (the Burgess Hill Rumble) under my belt before making a final decision.
    http://coastalcommando.wordpress.com/
  • dinosaur
    dinosaur Posts: 86
    Chrissz wrote:
    At present I'm torn between this one and the Sevenoaks Circuit of Kent

    Me too although it looks like I'll be doing the Kent one because it doesn't seem that a train from London will get to the Southern Sportive in time to start the long route.
  • dinosaur
    dinosaur Posts: 86
    Chrissz wrote:
    At present I'm torn between this one and the Sevenoaks Circuit of Kent

    Me too although it looks like I'll be doing the Kent one because it doesn't seem that a train from London will get to the Southern Sportive in time to start the long route.
  • Gazzaputt
    Gazzaputt Posts: 3,227
    dinosaur wrote:
    Chrissz wrote:
    At present I'm torn between this one and the Sevenoaks Circuit of Kent

    Me too although it looks like I'll be doing the Kent one because it doesn't seem that a train from London will get to the Southern Sportive in time to start the long route.

    Sevenoakes is a great ride and the food after is even better.

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