Ken Laidlaw Sportive

AndyD2574

Riding this for first time................anyone know what the course is like?

Any info welcome

:?:

Brian B

WET if the last two years are anything to go by.

Wamas

Quiet rolling roads.
No major long climbs, but not many long flat sections either, typical borders style roads, with a few shortish steep climbs.

And as Brian says, expect it to rain.

Course is shown here.

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=75372

robmurr2000

link doesn't seem to work for me.

Buckled_Rims

Link works OK for me in opera and FireFox.

AndyD2574

Whats a respectable time for a 100 mile sportive?

Brian B

Depends on a few things Andy such as terrain, personal fitness etc and the time of year. My fitness for summer sportives is so much better than April or early May. This sportive has no real killer hills but challenging enough. I usually dont get involved in groups and just always ride solo but some look to form groups for quicker times.

I reckon I am an average sportive rider and I should get round this course in around the 6hrs mark. You will see people a hour quicker and 2 - 3hrs later than this average time though.

ged123

doing it for the first time my self looking forward to it just hope its dry

AndyD2574

Changed my rear block for the Fred Whitton so I had a 29 but will I be ok wiith my 11-24 for this?

holmeboy

Brillaint! Best Sportive I've done Me thinks! how'd Ya all get on?

glasgowbhoy

Very well organised. Thanks to everyone who gave up their time to help.
Had a great 120km then started feeling very unwell, dizzy, light headed and burning up (heat stroke in Scotland of all things!)
Had a tough time on the final climb but still got in at the 167km finish in 5.49 according to the bike computer. It was a lot of climbing, much more than the Selkirk sportive but far more rewarding.
Sitting at home now with a very burnt neck and arms!

Great event.

Brian B

Best £25 spent this year. Fantastic event, sign on was low tech but simple and fast and thats how it should be. Well sign posted and marshall's were great and I must have got my photo taken more than the queen today. Feed stops were aptly spaced and the roads were quiet and mostly decently surfaced. I had done a lot these road before on other events and on my own but this course was great today.

I liked how the last 30 odd miles had 4 decent climbs then a fast finish. Great day and weather was dry this year for a change. I got round in 6hrs13min and was with the same people(mostly 3 honister 92 guys) for about 50% of the course.

A must do event and I will be doing it again. Thanks for all who made it a good day out.

holmeboy

Brian B wrote:

Best £25 spent this year. Fantastic event, sign on was low tech but simple and fast and thats how it should be. Well sign posted and marshall's were great and I must have got my photo taken more than the queen today. Feed stops were aptly spaced and the roads were quiet and mostly decently surfaced. I had done a lot these road before on other events and on my own but this course was great today.

I liked how the last 30 odd miles had 4 decent climbs then a fast finish. Great day and weather was dry this year for a change. I got round in 6hrs13min and was with the same people(mostly 3 honister 92 guys) for about 50% of the course.

A must do event and I will be doing it again. Thanks for all who made it a good day out.

+1

Don't know about the last climb though seem to go on for ever, then into the wind on the way down. Garmin said 6hrs 24mins Wi 6hrs14mins on cycle computer. Hey Brian I must have been near you as I was with 2 Honister Guys(was with on and off for a good part after 2nd stop.) till I met a mate with a puncture and waited for him on a fast descent/dodgy corner nearer the End.
What were you wearing? Iwas in Blue short sleeve with black shorts.

dulldave

That was a nice event. I really enjoyed the neutralised ride through Hawick despite some of the dodgy riding on display. I loved the section after the last feed station to the finish. I thought the earlier climbs were tougher but the little food stop at the top of that hill was a god send.

glasgowbhoy

any idea when the official times will be posted up?

robmurr2000

Well organised and I enjoyed the roll out through Hawick into the countryside.Some of the climbs were tougher than I expected but manged them none the less! The views from the top of the climbs were amazing and the descents were great! Food stops well stocked and a good variety with plenty for everyone.This was my first century,came in around 7 and a half hours but just pleased to complete the route,the roads were very quiet and support cars were allways nearby.All in all,I couldn't really fault anything about this event and the free stovies at the end went down a treat.Will be back next year.

jockyfoost

Holmboy and Brian we must have all crossed the line practically together ( I was the sweaty mess dressed like a tomatoe all in red). I finished in 6hrs 13 as well.
Really enjoyed it. First century for me. Surprised not to be sore today.
Very well organised and great feedstops.
Will do again.

AndyD2574

What a brilliant day!

Superb course.......much harder than I thought it was going to be......plus a brutal head wind...........how can you ride round in a big loop and ALWAYS have the wind in your face!? :?:

Great food stops and really good atmosphere..............DEFO on teh calendar again for next year!

Thanks to all who organised!

Came in with a 6.41 and about 104th I think so quite chuffed!

glasgowbhoy

AndyD2574 wrote:

Came in with a 6.41 and about 104th I think so quite chuffed!

Where did you get the results?

holmeboy

AndyD2574 wrote:

What a brilliant day!

Superb course.......much harder than I thought it was going to be......plus a brutal head wind...........how can you ride round in a big loop and ALWAYS have the wind in your face!? :?:

Great food stops and really good atmosphere..............DEFO on teh calendar again for next year!

Thanks to all who organised!

Came in with a 6.41 and about 104th I think so quite chuffed!

Lots of coincidence's here , my time was 6.41 too!
Andy. you wer'nt the Guy in Red Sprinting past me to finish just in front were u?

holmeboy

Some photo's here.

http://www.pbase.com/ianbell/kenlaidlaw2010

AndyD2574

Glasgowbhoy wrote:

AndyD2574 wrote:

Came in with a 6.41 and about 104th I think so quite chuffed!

Where did you get the results?

The results were emailed to me from teh organiser today. He wants them al checked before posting them.

AndyD2574

holmeboy wrote:

AndyD2574 wrote:

What a brilliant day!

Superb course.......much harder than I thought it was going to be......plus a brutal head wind...........how can you ride round in a big loop and ALWAYS have the wind in your face!? :?:

Great food stops and really good atmosphere..............DEFO on teh calendar again for next year!

Thanks to all who organised!

Came in with a 6.41 and about 104th I think so quite chuffed!

Lots of coincidence's here , my time was 6.41 too!
Andy. you wer'nt the Guy in Red Sprinting past me to finish just in front were u?

I was in black and white......and probably not sprinting coz I was knackered!!

glasgowbhoy

that'll be me

http://www.pbase.com/ianbell/image/127743292

Brian B

My emailed time says 6'15.

Holmeboy - I think I saw you at the sign on but you were talking to a mate and I was going to come over and say hello but I met people from my neck of the woods and missed you.

Jockyfrost - I remember you as you were just in front as were two of the three honister 92 guys I was with but I had to stop for traffic in Hawick(cars eh!) and made a sprint to try to catch up with you for the finish.

Heres is a few pics of me in the black/white long sleeve top, 2nd one I am clearly suffering as I was putting in a big effort on the first real climb to leap frog to the first group on the road. The 3rd pic is the honister guys I ended up with as they were in the group I had just left but they caught up with me and a few others who ended up on the road for many miles.

http://www.pbase.com/ianbell/image/127710730

http://www.pbase.com/ianbell/image/127743431

http://www.pbase.com/ianbell/image/127743436

glasgowbhoy

Thanks for the email Andy.

Was 33rd according to that sheet.

skooshy

I did this event to, it was only my second event so only the beginners 50 mile route. I had a great time and the weather was fab.

There was a guy that fell off his bike behind me shortly after the start at the first bridge, does anyone know if he is ok?

Skooshy

holmeboy

That's me in Blue.
http://www.pbase.com/ianbell/image/127743441
http://www.pbase.com/ianbell/image/127743445


Brian I was in that Honister group! till the first feed.

brin

Yeah, that's got to be the best sportive i have ridden, organisation was second to none, marshalling has to be the best i have seen, well directed route, great scenery, great encouragement from locals in most of the villages we passed through. well stocked friendly feed stops. The course itself was unrelentingly undulating, and altho the climbs were not too difficult, boy they were long, that trek across Langholme moor was a b*tch, and the climb up the swire sapped your reserves somewhat, and you got no respite at the top for the descent, as there was a stiff headwind to cope with. Thoroughly enjoyed the day, was still grinning yesterday, looking forward to next year.

brin

just submitted my ratings on cyclosportive website for this event, can't believe someone has rated this event so lowly, understand if feed stop does not stock your preferred choice of palate, but to give it 1/10? 7/10 for support? at times the support cars/motorcycles got in the way, and how on earth he scored 4/10 for signage??? got to be the best directed sportive i have done, and iv'e done a few. Obviously he did not enjoy the day, forgot to fill his water bottles,was plagued with p*******s, and his grandmother registered a better time than him.

skooshy

It was me that rated this event so low, and while I had a brilliant day it doesn’t mean I am not going to highlight areas I think can be improved, it’s not very fair on the organizers if you don’t now is it.

it’s a pity you can’t see the comments associated with the rating. so here you can have it

I was doing the short route and I suspect for short route riders it may have a slightly different experience to the long route riders

Feed stops 1/10 the feed stop was beyond the short route turning therefore I had to double back and ride extra miles(this was not clear on the route card)

Signage 4/10 this is why I mention short route riders may have had a different experience, after turning back for the short route you were riding mostly on your own or very spread out, at most of the junctions the "Sportive" sign was beyond the junction it should be before it! The route card provided was not much good unless you knew the area and the signage when you got back to Hawick was very poor(I was not the only person to mention this on the day)

Web site 5/10 anyone that thinks the web site is 10/10 clearly has only visited that one website in their lives!

Support 7/10 while everyone was very friendly, when I got back no one knew what to do or where to go And at the start f the event no one further back than row five could hear the guy on the tannoy's instructions.

Hope this helps