Etape Caladonia

d4evr

suzyb wrote:

What were you riding d4evr, might have spotted you. I was the fat chick in orange on the tiny Giant bike with blue bar tape.

Bianchi , suzyb! My number was 5040.

I am sorry to read about your experience, I did see a couple of folk wrapped up in tin foil at the side of the road around 25/30 miles, who were not just feeling sorry for themselves, but were very hypothermic from what I could see, I suppose that wind caught a few folk out. I was well wrapped up, and have my very own insulation just now!! :?

Hope you come back to give it another go!

glasgowbhoy

http://www.sportcam.net/CompetitorDetail1.aspx?ID=4555055&type=No,39&Name=

Quite like this shot

3stripe

Is anyone having trouble finding their times? My friends who finished +4.30hours can't get theirs...

3stripe

PS. Didn't spot any Wiggle/Verenti bikes the entire weekend.. surely must have been some others about?

3stripe

PS. Didn't spot any Wiggle/Verenti bikes the entire weekend.. surely must have been some others about?

meanredspider

3stripe wrote:

Is anyone having trouble finding their times? My friends who finished +4.30hours can't get theirs...

My colleague's time, who finished 4:39 was there - I found it on Sunday night.

Pigtail

3stripe wrote:

Is anyone having trouble finding their times? My friends who finished +4.30hours can't get theirs...

If you have microsoft office - download the spreadsheet with the results. When it opens do control + F together. That will open a dialogue box. Enter your surname (or forename for that matter) move through all instances until you find your own one.

suzyb

d4evr wrote:

suzyb wrote:

What were you riding d4evr, might have spotted you. I was the fat chick in orange on the tiny Giant bike with blue bar tape.

Bianchi , suzyb! My number was 5040.

I am sorry to read about your experience, I did see a couple of folk wrapped up in tin foil at the side of the road around 25/30 miles, who were not just feeling sorry for themselves, but were very hypothermic from what I could see, I suppose that wind caught a few folk out. I was well wrapped up, and have my very own insulation just now!! :?

Hope you come back to give it another go!

Don't recall you so you were probably one of the many who zoomed past me

The tinfoil people at that point were probably a couple of women who had crashed. It was just around the 30 mile mark and resulted in a broken collar bone for one of them apparently.

3stripe I didn't notice any Wiggle bikes but did see a wiggle team top.

3stripe

Thanks Pigtail... they are missing off the spreadsheet too... weird...

dulldave

Steve_F wrote:

What really annoys me is the people who sit in the group then sprint from the middle out the front not letting anyone grab their wheel. When that happens I take a huge amount of pleasure if I can drag the whole group onto their wheel - it happened a few times on Sunday (and the last Sportive I did) and although I know it puts me over my limit I try it every time I see it happen.

Yeah I did a bit of that too. It's fun isn't it, especially if you have clicky hubs and freewheel behind them. I once chased a guy on my own for about 20 hilly miles. Not that I'm stubborn or anything.

themightyw

There seem to be new photos trickling onto the site all the time, so keep an eye over the next couple of days.



What a hunk.

It could have been worse, Bompington. When I was flicking through the random photos I saw one guy who was captured in perfect stop motion firing off an enormous juicy snot rocket.

Pigtail

3stripe wrote:

Thanks Pigtail... they are missing off the spreadsheet too... weird...

Did they get a text message?

I got a text message with my time within a few minutes of crossing the line. There is one second of difference between that and the spreadsheet though! The message I received came from 'raceahead'

tferino

My time hasn't appeared on the spreadsheet either, nor did I get a text msg. Good job I'm on some of the photos or no one would believe I completed it!

Only been cycling since last year and didn't do a great deal of prep (60 miles was the longest training run) so more than happy to finish in approx 5 hours. Did it with a mate and we didn't do a very good job of getting in any groups. Also took it relatively easy on the long stretch back to Logierait as knew there were a couple of nasty wee hills coming up.

One thing puzzled me though - even in the last 10-15 miles group of riders went whizzing past us. At the speed they were going at what took them so long to catch us, we started about 7.30am, they can't have started that much later can they?

A thoroughly enjoyable day, will certainly be back next year (if only to get a proper time)!

screebs

Pigtail wrote:

3stripe wrote:

Thanks Pigtail... they are missing off the spreadsheet too... weird...

Did they get a text message?

I got a text message with my time within a few minutes of crossing the line. There is one second of difference between that and the spreadsheet though! The message I received came from 'raceahead'

Damn text gave me a time of 1 second faster than the website - i'm going by the text! LOL

screebs

themightyw wrote:

There seem to be new photos trickling onto the site all the time, so keep an eye over the next couple of days.



What a hunk.

It could have been worse, Bompington. When I was flicking through the random photos I saw one guy who was captured in perfect stop motion firing off an enormous juicy snot rocket.

You and the guy behind really should have phoned each other that morning - he's wearing the same top as you - fashion nightmare! :shock:

morley

What is accepted practice for times. Am I stuck with telling people my time chip recording, or can I give them my "on the road" time courtesy of garmin. I shave 15mins with the latter?

Boleynboy

morley wrote:

What is accepted practice for times. Am I stuck with telling people my time chip recording, or can I give them my "on the road" time courtesy of garmin. I shave 15mins with the latter?

It may sound a little harsh but sportive timing includes any stops for food, comfort or mechanicals, so I am guessing you stopped at least once during the event and that is why your Garmin is showing your actual cycling time, not the event time. The only way around this is not to stop which is what I did this year and managed to shave 10 minutes off my time from last year.

crimsondynamo

It was the first sportive I've done, and I was confused about proper manners.

I've never raced but done a fair bit of "through and off" on club runs. However the form on Sunday seemed to be that you had to accelerate from behind and overtake the leader, is that right? It is a much bigger ask.

I spent the first 40m in sheer exuberance at the skirl o' the pipes, bridging gaps, leading groups and generally riding in an utterly unsustainable manner. The back 40 was much more considered, and I found myself 3rd wheel in an absolute bullet train along to Logierait (a common theme I see) led by a guy on a yellow steel colnago and another in a red/white top on a Ti bike. 1 and 2 kept switching round but it was all I could do to hang on. I ended up letting them get on with it out of a mix of embarrasment and tiredness, and noticed that there were about a dozen riders behind me!

I liken the experience to that of a mtb trail centre, novel, exciting, undeniably fun-packed, but also somehow artificial. I can see that finishing times don't count for all that much. I'm also surprised that anyone would want to sprint finish in the last 100m, I certainly didn't see any of that.

Pigtail

I see they've changed the spreadsheet so it is now in alphabetical order without the placings. Unfortunately I didn't save it!

crimsondynamo - I think by the end of the course people may have sorted themselves out into better matched groupings. My average for the last 20 miles was faster than my average for the whole event.

Uggi

SuzyB keep your chin up and see you next year.

Highs:Finishing before the sweep
Not Crashing
No Punctures
The people of Pitlochry and the surrounding areas fantastic
Lows:
Falling on the Sche
Cramp on the sche
The wind

First real sportive for me, crossed the start at 7:28 amazing just so many fellow cyclists and was good that also some nervous folk around me. Its pretty lonley at the back rode all the way into the wind on my own and on the turn back into the wind that was real tough. Was shocked at the Queens view climb how quick it came up and really took it out of me. I chatted to people on the way round but no groups formed at the back, i did try and even offered to ride at front but people looked at me like i was mad. I fell halfway up the schenallion lost concerntration whilst trying to put £5 classes in back pocket has fooged up. Great expierience and will be back.

Uggi

Big respect:

To the man who done it on his folding bike
To the guy on his planet X with Brooks saddle only second time on road bike was the Etape
The old fella dressed as a fairy on a mountain bike
and again to the people of Pitlochry who came out and cheered, to the family and the kids who made the feel the burn poster, for some stupid reason that made me well up.

It was bueatiful to watch the formed groups go passed the Hervelo team looked awsome. The Mavic car and bikes, for a split second the Etape made this overweight novice feel he was a pro.

Thank you Etape from the big guy on the Van Nicholas 3111. See you next year.

suzyb

When does the event tend to get filled?

All this talk is making me want to sign up for next year. But I rushed in to signing up last year and look what happened :?

Pigtail

You can register an interest on the website Suzy. People who do get an opportunity to book 24 hours before it opens to the public.

I had just started cycling last year when someone told me about the event. I didn't book in immediately and by the time I did there were only Macmillan sponsored places left. I had to agree to raise £200 for them, which wasn't a huge hardship.

Wallace1492

suzyb wrote:

When does the event tend to get filled?

All this talk is making me want to sign up for next year. But I rushed in to signing up last year and look what happened :?

You know you want to..... 8)

However, as you know, nothing beats putting in the miles. A leisurely 50 miler is not the same as a 82 mile sportive. Only enter if you are willing and able to put in the time and miles.... But it doesn't need to be all hard work, getting someone to ride with during training helps, as does setting goals and sticking to them as best you can.

I have registered an interest and I will do again next year. Sub 4.30 is my target, and to reduce my KOM time.

See you Thursday night hopefully.... start training for Etape 2012?

suzyb

Wallace1492 wrote:

suzyb wrote:

When does the event tend to get filled?

All this talk is making me want to sign up for next year. But I rushed in to signing up last year and look what happened :?

You know you want to..... 8)

However, as you know, nothing beats putting in the miles. A leisurely 50 miler is not the same as a 82 mile sportive. Only enter if you are willing and able to put in the time and miles.... But it doesn't need to be all hard work, getting someone to ride with during training helps, as does setting goals and sticking to them as best you can.

I have registered an interest and I will do again next year. Sub 4.30 is my target, and to reduce my KOM time.

See you Thursday night hopefully.... start training for Etape 2012?

That's why I'm reluctant. I was willing and able to put in the miles last year when I signed up for this one. Then I got work and my time and willingness was vastly reduced.

That's why I'd like to wait until I have my cycling mojo back before signing up. But with the Etape there isn't really time to wait as places get filled so fast.

Wallace1492

Does anyone know that if you sign up, then decide by say Xmas that you cannot do it, can you get a refund/sell your entry? That way you could sign up, full of eagerness and willing, but if something as trivial as work or family gets in the way, then you could pass on the entry to someone else.

thecrofter

Pigtail wrote:

I see they've changed the spreadsheet so it is now in alphabetical order without the placings. Unfortunately I didn't save it!

crimsondynamo - I think by the end of the course people may have sorted themselves out into better matched groupings. My average for the last 20 miles was faster than my average for the whole event.

Anyone want the original spreadsheet I have it. PM an e-mail address and I'll send it on.

3stripe

Wallace1492, I reckon if you signup and can't make it, you just have to consider it a generous donation to a good cause, ie Macmillan

Signed up for the Etape Hibernia fully knowing there was only a 50/50 chance of making it... looking at the course profile now it looks a lot tougher... loads more hills... (?)

I don't think you have to go out on 80 mile rides to train properly... intense hill reps and plenty of 50/60 mile runs with as many sprints as you can muster will get you plenty fit...

Trinafour

SuzyB

Like you I did Pedal for Scotland last year.

Along with all other comments the best thing I did was cycle with friends throughout the year winter included. They keep you going, wait at junctions for you and even tops of hills. They keep you going.

I work away from home and it was demoralising hearing that they were out cycling mid-week while I was stuck away from home but I just needed to make the most of my weekend cycling.

Keep cycling and get a group of friends to cycle with and keep you going on the darkest days.

screebs

3stripe wrote:

Wallace1492, I reckon if you signup and can't make it, you just have to consider it a generous donation to a good cause, ie Macmillan

Signed up for the Etape Hibernia fully knowing there was only a 50/50 chance of making it... looking at the course profile now it looks a lot tougher... loads more hills... (?)

I don't think you have to go out on 80 mile rides to train properly... intense hill reps and plenty of 50/60 mile runs with as many sprints as you can muster will get you plenty fit...

Are you sure the Hibernia is hillier?

One of my friends is doing it - he has previously completed the etapeCaledonia - and he was saying whilst tthe EtapeHibernia is a few miles longer (84 miles if i recall correctly), but it is less hilly.