Tour of Wessex 2010

Mendip rouleur

Has anyone any comments or tips on riding all three days of this sportive next weekend?

I have done a number of sportives before, including three this year, and done Lands End to JoG in 10 days last year. What extra challenges will the ToW throw at me? I'm not looking to pull up any trees, just to finish, but obviously want to enjoy it too.

Any thoughts?

FransJacques

random thoughts:

hit the protein power as soon as you finish day 1. get your feet up high right away to stop the lactic laced blood from feeding your leg muscles. do a nice 10 min walk later after dinner to get the nutrient rich blood into your muscles.

nail the vit c, b6 and 12 when you finish. mix both long and short acting proteins. i do 0.5 grams of protein to 1 kg of body weight.

sleep more than you need. wash your shammy. air out your shoes - take out the insoles.

use more sudocream or DZnuts than you think you need

be the biggest wheel sucher you've even been - imagine your the protected rider, the sprinter and the others are delivering you as fresh as possible to the finish.

energy wise, your body is like a match book - when you do a big acceleration, or you push it on a hill, or up the tempo on a flat, or ride into a block headwind, you're taking a match and striking it and throwing it over your shoulder. you only have about 10 or 12 of these in you. else ride piano based on HR zone. ride easiest on day 2

coast above 55 kph on downhills. the marginal power expended for a marginal gain in speed goes off a cliff when your chest, legs and head are pushing 50kph worth of sea level density air. tuck instead like a demon - watch your HR and try to get in below 100 bpms as you coast. it's like saving matches.

TheBullet

FransJacques I just have to say that your post contains some great information.
Not bad for just random thoughts

markp2

Good question Bullet and great answer FJ.
I am doing ToW - Saturday and Monday 100 milers. (I am on duty elsewhere on Sunday)
I rode the 100km Saturday route last year. Nothing too desparately hard but I think there is a stiff climb after the 100 km splits off ie in the last 20% of the ride so we will need to keep some energy in reserve.
On Monday, Dunkery Beacon is quite tough going (part of Exmoor Beast ride) but other than that, the route is all new to me.
I haven't done 2 long rides in such quick succession let alone the 3 you are doing. I am worried about getting round on the Monday!
Cheers,
Mark

Mendip rouleur

Thanks for the advice FransJacques, absolutely brilliant, I'll take it on board.

Mark, may see you on the road, I'll be the other one on a Kinetic One roadbike!

markp2

Mendip rouleur -did we meet on the Exmoor Beast last year - while staggering into what felt like a100mph headwind?
I will look out for you. I usually wear a white/orange top with 2 or 3 of my buddies.
Cheers,
Mark

Mendip rouleur

Exmoor Beast? Was that the one where you moved two feet across the road every time you went past a gate? Yes I think we did.

I'll be in red, a long way behind my superfast mate, as I trundle round. Let's hope for a lighter wind than the EB. Oh and sunshine would be nice too.

ThreeLionsBrian

I only did day 2 that was enough for me. I would however like to thank all the kind wellwishers that passed for their encouragement on the closing 20 miles. Great day out but i must train harder! :oops:

skinsey

Did all 3 days in a not especially impressive time - did think the Gold and Silver standards were quite challenging however - so a few random reflections:

- really good organisation and signage generally, just 2 observations: 1) the only c0ck-up was the positioning of the first feedstation yesterday, which meant a lot of folk missed it; 2) could have done with a few more loos available at the start!

- have to say I didn't enjoy Day 1 very much. For me it's the weakest of the 3 routes, but it was the weather that really spoiled it. The atmosphere amongst the participants felt a bit different that day too - there seemed to be a few aggressive riders on the road; I was shoulder-barged out of the way whilst riding with a group going up Cheddar Gorge. No need!

- enough moaning, Day 2 was superb. Not a part of the country I knew very well, but it was an excellent route, some good groups formed, especially in the afternoon to counter the wind, and the appearance of brown rolls with cheese savoury mix and coronation chicken at the 2nd feedstop was great. I also got sunburned, much to the bemusement of my wife stuck in a cloudy Macclesfield all weekend.

- also enjoyed Day 3, with perfect weather conditions of sunny and not too breezy, but enough wind to keep you cool. Hadn't done that particular ascent of Dunkery Beacon before, and what a brute it is too, though I suspect it was the preceding 270+ miles that made it as difficult as those 2 miles themselves. Again, some really good groups got going, and they were a pleasure to ride in - co-operative, disciplined, fast. Thanks particularly to Norwood Paragon.

- apologies if this is patronising, but it was great to see so many women taking part. Maybe it's my imagination, but we don't see to get some large proportions in events north of Birmingham. A lot of them were also really strong riders.

- enjoyed the clapping and encouragement from the sidelines, and the regular smell of wild garlic!

Overall, a good experience, not sure if I'd do it again, but I'd speak highly of it if asked...

akbond1973

I only rode day 2 and thoroughly enjoyed the ride south but not so much the return journey into the wind . Had a good blast after Cerne with 2 Steves but due to one puncture and my lack of fitness this didnt last as long as I would have liked I struggled at about 20 miles to go but seeing my wife/daughters and family standing at the turning at South Cadbury made my day . I hope they behaved and didnt send anyone the wrong way ! This ride has made me realise my limitations and what to work on but as it was my first century ride I will always remember it with a smile

fizz

I only did day 1.

I noticed a few people who seemed very keen to get to the front and didnt leave alot of room at the start of the ride, figured they were club riders who were used to riding in close formation and put it down to that. One young lady on the descent down into Wells where it was narrow and raining hard, decided to pass me on a blind bend and found herself on the wrong side of the road staring down a BMW driver. If you are reading this, next time dont shout at the car driver for beeping his horn at you because you were on the wrong side of the road and riding like a pratt.

Apart from that I enjoyed my ride despite the weather. I got up all the climbs even King Alfreds tower which has defeated me in the past. Saw an awful lot of people mending punctures though. Signage and event organisation excellent as usual. I personally found by the time I got to them the feedstops a little lacking food wise, but I had my own stuff with me so no biggie.

TBH with the weather like it was I was just plesed to get round. Respect to you guys doing all 3 days.

Mendip rouleur

Very pleased to have got round and ridden all three routes in their entirety-Dunkerry Beacon was a brute though, as my gurning zig-zags on Sportive photo site will testify.

I followed most of the advice from up above, I've still got a few bits of rubber in my mouth from all the wheel-sucking (thanks to everyone who towed me along I really appreciate it, although I reckon I did 80 miles solo yesterday and 50 miles each on day 1 and 2), and I'm still very hungry.

I missed the first feedstop yesterday but other than that I thought it was all very well organised. If only they could get the tanks to fire over our heads at the military firing range. That would be an exciting sportive.

Ironman595

Skinsey qoute-
"Did all 3 days in a not especially impressive time - did think the Gold and Silver standards were quite challenging"

I ended up with the 3rd fastest time over the 3 days with 17hr 08m, Fastest in my age group (15-29) by 1hr 10min.... and still ended up with bronze.

Must try harder. :oops:

symo

Did day 2 with 8 others from the MDCC, (You will know us by our red and yellow outfits) had a great day, but the GF waiting at the end made the pain worth it. Lot hillier than the profile suggested too.

symo

Oh yeah forgot to mention that the photos are available on sportivephoto.com look up your race number. Mine was 0914, feel free to laugh then post your own number to be laughed at.

Mendip rouleur

Photo number 0128, smiling on Day 1, a bit miffed on day 2, positively screaming on day 3........