Silly Commuter Sportives

DonDaddyD

Thanks for the well wishes!

Report to follow but I loved it!

Ok numbers:

distance 63miles
recorded time 5hr 48mins
rolling time 4hrs 59mins
my personal target - faster than 6hrs
average speed 12.7mph
max speed 33.6mphM

got lost - none, though I stopped twice because i thought I did
Puncture visits: 1

UndercoverElephant

Chapeau, DDD!!

Sportive cherry well and truely popped!

stuaff

DonDaddyD wrote:

Thanks for the well wishes!

Report to follow but I loved it!

Ok numbers:

distance 63miles
recorded time 5hr 48mins
rolling time 4hrs 59mins
my personal target - faster than 6hrs
average speed 12.7mph
max speed 33.6mphM

got lost - none, though I stopped twice because i thought I did
Puncture visits: 1

Well done you!

tailwindhome

Well done, look forward to your full report.

So what's next stop on the DDD Protour? Have you a big event you are working towards?

owenlars

DonDaddyD wrote:

Thanks for the well wishes!

Report to follow but I loved it!

Ok numbers:

distance 63miles
recorded time 5hr 48mins
rolling time 4hrs 59mins
my personal target - faster than 6hrs
average speed 12.7mph
max speed 33.6mphM

got lost - none, though I stopped twice because i thought I did
Puncture visits: 1

Well done bit windy round the western end of the course wasn't it!

londonlivvy

It was a cracking ride indeed. I rode most of the way with a friend of mine and Sewinman so it was v sociable and we had a bit of sheltering from the wind opportunities. Lots of competitive KOM efforts and Sewinman got a second wind in the last ten miles - steaming along at a good 22mph plus, with me 15m behind, desperately trying not to get dropped!

Gorgeous sunshine, lovely countryside and quite a lot of challenging hills (oof I hurt now!). MUCH fun. Am still grinning.

Total time 4h37 with ride time 4h30

Sorry we didn't see you DDD - I looked out for you. But a huge WELL DONE on your first sportive and I'm sure there'll be many more to come. May flyer?

cjcp

Good effort, chaps. Loely day for a ride!

itboffin

Awesome peeps just awesome

Remember DDD stretch out tonight ride slow tomorrow

Jay dubbleU

Well done guys - great weather for it - looking forward to the Wiggle New Forest

roger_merriman

Ah some of you may have passed me, as i was chatting to club mates in Dunsfold, with the road race, sportive and half marathon... was a busy village. though the cakes where very nice...

how did people like Coombe Bottom? ;-)

my self had a nice ride out, with the club and then as my back was being a pain pottered home, though couldn't resist winterdown!

Bassjunkieuk

WheezyMcChubby wrote:

Well done, look forward to your full report.

So what's next stop on the DDD Protour? Have you a big event you are working towards?

*cough* magnificat *cough*

well done to all those on sportives today, as has been said the weather seemed pretty good for a ride today :-)

DonDaddyD

I met Mark (sorry I forgot your online username) at the beginning of the ride and set off. I soon let him get on with it.

Ride report.

1 - 6miles: Puncture 6miles +: 1in7hill and 18%hill, most painful. 10miles: I get past my "commuting wall" and realise I can ride on 15 - 20miles: I make the first of the "I think I'm lost, check the map" stops. 20miles+: Serious backache 25miles: I spend 10mins at the feed station. 25 - 30miles: Backache stops. 30 - 40miles: I realise that the chaffing and raw feeling downstairs that I had for a while was down to wearing the wrong kit. In my excitement when I was getting ready I didn't realise I put on my unpadded tights. 40miles+: A 15% hill, which nearly killed me. 40 - 50miles: My left pedal stops engaging the cleat I pedal most the remaining distance unclipped. 45miles+: Head wind, head wind, head wind. 50miles+: Coombe Bottom Hill did kill me, this is a new life I'm living. 55miles+: I make the second and longest, "I'm lost, check the map and iphone" stop. 55miles+: I come to the revelation as I near the end that I've got more miles in the tank than I thought.

Things I learnt.

- C02 pumps are the future, naysayers, cave now!

- I've got more than 60miles in my tank

- I need to practice hills a LOT more

- Shimano SPD-sl pedals may not be the best pedal system

- Cycle padded shorts/tights are necessary

- The white Kharma doesn't look as nice as the black Kharma

- The Kharma is a great bike of biblical proportions.

- Cut the top off Cliff Bars before the ride. Tearing them open with teeth is near impossible.

- Glucose tabs didn't do anything. Orange/water/salt/glucose drink did do something.

- My new Lake shoes are supper comfortable

- Be nice to people online, whether its the bike or me, people recognise me on the commute and on sportives.

*Special thanks* To all the people who have shared their experience about commuting, sportives and general bike stuff. I wouldn't have been able to do that ride, gotten this far or be doing this without the support given from this website (specifically this section as it's the one I use). Peace and One.

What's next? Rest day tomorrow. New Forest. More long rides and hill reps and descending alternating weekly or maybe bi-weekly.

stuaff

DonDaddyD wrote:

I
- I've got more than 60miles in my tank
You almost certainly did before, but just didn't know it. I did a total of 59 miles all day the first time I did the IOW Randonnee- May 2008, a few months after I got back into leisure riding, and I was aching for a couple of days. Even by the turn of that year, though, I was in better shape and 30-odd miles in an afternoon was no real problem. Last year, two full laps of the IOW, first imperial ton, I think another 10 or so 60+ days/nights
- I need to practice hills a LOT more
I know just the places IOW has many, many climbs of the testing-but-not-too-testing variety. It'll give you a good work out but not kill you (hopefully!) And if you can't climb, you just won't get round it....See also the South Downs, somewhat inaccurately named
- Cycle padded shorts/tights are necessary
Hell yes. Comfort compared to street clothes on bigger mileages is night and day. That and going commando under them. I didn't try that at first, when I did it was way way better....

- Glucose tabs didn't do anything. Orange/water/salt/glucose drink did do something.
You shouldn't need or want, glucose in the mix if you're using juice. Plenty enough sugar in the juice alone for your carb needs, and you don't want the drink to be too dense otherwise it won't be absorbed quickly. Water, juice, pinch of salt (or a flavourless electrolyte tab if such a thing exists), nothing more.

- Be nice to people online, whether its the bike or me, people recognise me on the commute and on sportives.
Too true. Keep giving the nod, people!

*Special thanks* To all the people who have shared their experience about commuting, sportives and general bike stuff. I wouldn't have been able to do that ride, gotten this far or be doing this without the support given from this website (specifically this section as it's the one I use). Peace and One.
Same here, picked up some really useful tips for my own forthcoming sportive debut, as on so many other topics...

What's next? Rest day tomorrow. New Forest. More long rides and hill reps and descending alternating weekly or maybe bi-weekly.
New Forest is a lovely place to ride, get yourself down there beforehand. I try and do a longish ride once a week (anywhere from 30-50 miles, and especially if it's shorter, with some climbing), two or three 8-10 milers during the week, just to keep the mileage up. And for fun of course!

TheStone

Was a good day out. Great to ride without a jacket for the first time this year.
Good effort DDD.

Rode there and back and still 110km short of Flanders distance, which is only 3 weeks
away ... oh dear!

bigmat

TheStone wrote:

Was a good day out. Great to ride without a jacket for the first time this year.
Good effort DDD.

Rode there and back and still 110km short of Flanders distance, which is only 3 weeks
away ... oh dear!

You'll be feeling strong after next weekend's intense training camp!

Fireblade96

Jay dubbleU wrote:

Just got my time for Watlington - 3.12.38 but not sure how long I stopped at the rest stop so I would guess true time is about 3 hours - Fireblade - thanks - that 40 mins for the first ten miles really pushed up my average in spite of the crawl up to Christmas Common

No worries, keeping it sensible for the first 10 miles was exactly what I needed :-)

However, I think their timing software is banjaxed (or their spreadsheet is wrong) - it thinks I did the ride in 2h49 at an average speed of 21 mph ! While I'd like to claim credit for that, I know my time was rather longer than that.
I shall write to Evans shortly, but not before printing off that page ;-)

PS JDub - you only had to do Christmas Common once, we had it *twice* !

King Donut

DonDaddyD wrote:

I met Mark (sorry I forgot your online username) ...

That'll be me!
Great effort DDD. I think I lost you when you suffered your flat as you were there one minute and gone the next. Obv if I'd realised I woulda stopped.


Was a splendid day for my first sportive. Exactly the sort of weather I envisaged when I signed up but was starting to fear we'd miss.

Two pnuctures just before the feed stop dampened my morale slightly as it put me down to bare bones of my supplies (stupidly left the minipump at home and had already suffered a flat on route to Leatherhead). But I hooked up with someone shortly after and we battled through the headwind after the turn.

Coombe Hill was a bit of a killer that near the end, but once I found a rhythm it was just a matter of slogging it out. Apart from that hairpin towards the top. I rounded it with someone else and I heard them cry as they fell away. My shouts of encouragement came out a bit angry so I hope I didn't scare them!

Took one wrong turn after that but by then the end was nigh and I rolled in to Leatherhead with a huge grin on my face 4 hours 20 mins after setting out. Rolling time just over 3:50.

Loved the whole experience and will be sure to hit a few more this year. Nice to meet decent people out on the ride even if I did seem to spend most of it on my own. Wish I'd cycled the journey home as it woulda taken me over my first 100 miles, but I'd already arranged a lift from the support vehicle.

Haven't stopped eating since I got in and may as well finish off that bottle of red now. Can't wait for work tomorrow!

Rich158

Had a good one yesterday, my first Audax, which was great fun. The Invicta grimpeur certainly lived up to it's name with 1900m of climbing around the beautiful Kent countryside.

I thought I'd bitten of too much first thing when I decided to ride the 20 miles to the start, and then created much amusement as the only person in shorts and fingerless gloves. Come 11ish I was the one laughing as temperatures started to rise a bit making my choice of clothing look inspired.

I must make a not when I do this next year, all the descents that are so much fun on the first loop then become climbs when you reverse the loop for the second 50k

Anyway the 100k was dispatched in 4:05ish, not bad given the amount of climbing. I managed a new top speed on the Condor of 45mph, and found out she corners fantastically at speed, and managed to hold 27-30'ish several times on the flat.

All in all a fantastic day, and with the ride to the start and back cracked my first imperial 100 this year

rolf_f

Congrats to all for the weekends work! I did nothing - resting my left knee which I am a bit suspicious of. My sportive season should start on Sunday with the Evans Yorks Ride It. Hope to do the long route again (they are listing it as a 90 but unless they go East to the flatter countryside I doubt it will be that long) but depends on knee and the slight cold I have. The 60 should be fine either way.

Then there is Lakes and Richmond in May. Those should be a bit harder but by then I should be on my new bike - no more lugging 501 tubes about the countryside!

King Donut

Rich158 wrote:

Had a good one yesterday...

Nice one Rich! 1900m climbing sounds painful (although admitedly I have little to compare it to).

I was surprised to see so many people out yesterday in full winter gear. I was wishing I'd warn short sleeves within 15 mins of setting off. The wife-beaters are dusted off and ready to go for the commute this week. You have all been warned!

Sewinman

My back is killing me today! Great ride and a lovely day.

I started a few minutes before Londonlivvy but she caught up with me after a while, we then ended up riding together for the rest of the ride with her friend. We were chatting for a lot of the way and maintaining a reasonable pace. I seemed to have waves of energy and got dropped a few times only to catch up and feel sprightly again. Seemed to have a lot of energy at the end bizarrely!

I drank one of the mini energy bottles before the start – regretted it as it set me heart racing for the first ten miles or so. Also had a lot of the usual back pain and forgot the pain killers. Other than that it was happy days!

Final time was 4.38, rolling was 4.31, 63.97 miles, 14.2 ave.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/27056709

p.s. well done DDD.

DonDaddyD

Thanks Sewinman, and well done to you to. It seems you met your target. Chapeau

King Donut, I thought it was you I remembered you from the slowcial but couldn't for the life of me remember your username. No worries about going on ahead, I wouldn't have wanted to slow you down anyway.

Today's a rest day and I've played X-box from 9am until now.

To be honest, my muscles feel tight, but energized. Nothing really hurts. My head feels heavy though, mentally I'm tired.

Richmond Park this Sat, Long ride weekend after (In that order). I'm actually going to train (more than just commuting) for New Forest. Whose going, is there a plan to meet up prior or after the ride?

King Donut

Photo's from Spring Onion are up.
:oops: ... when's someone gonna start making lycra that actually looks good?!

Bassjunkieuk

King Donut wrote:

Photo's from Spring Onion are up.
:oops: ... when's someone gonna start making lycra that actually looks good?!

Gonna need your numbers, ain't hunting through 3K+ pics ;-)

linsen

DonDaddyD wrote:

Thanks Sewinman, and well done to you to. It seems you met your target. Chapeau

King Donut, I thought it was you I remembered you from the slowcial but couldn't for the life of me remember your username. No worries about going on ahead, I wouldn't have wanted to slow you down anyway.

Today's a rest day and I've played X-box from 9am until now.

To be honest, my muscles feel tight, but energized. Nothing really hurts. My head feels heavy though, mentally I'm tired.

Richmond Park this Sat, Long ride weekend after (In that order). I'm actually going to train (more than just commuting) for New Forest. Whose going, is there a plan to meet up prior or after the ride?

I'm not doing the NF ride, but if someone offers to buy me a beer I may come and say hi when you're done 8)

King Donut

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

King Donut wrote:

Photo's from Spring Onion are up.
:oops: ... when's someone gonna start making lycra that actually looks good?!

Gonna need your numbers, ain't hunting through 3K+ pics ;-)

Was hoping you wouldn't ask!

312 - King Donut

Sewinman

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

King Donut wrote:

Photo's from Spring Onion are up.
:oops: ... when's someone gonna start making lycra that actually looks good?!

Gonna need your numbers, ain't hunting through 3K+ pics ;-)

The usual pasty looking face of pain. 314.

DonDaddyD

311. I look fat. From now on I'm wearing black, black is slimming.

oscarbudgie

DonDaddyD wrote:

311. I look fat.

Jeez that photographer liked you eh? Also you seem to have been gifted the rare (unique?) privilege of having your photo taken from behind! Chapeau indeed!!

owenlars

OK then 064