Silly Commuter Sportives 2011

bigmat

Asprilla wrote:

Just checked the timing results for my first sportive. Turns out I accidentally was the quickest one round.

Well done!

Wrath Rob

Congrats Asprilla.

Did anyone here do the Hell of the Ashdown at the weekend? I didn't but I've seen a few others comparing times/crashes.

bigmat

Wrath Rob wrote:

Congrats Asprilla.

Did anyone here do the Hell of the Ashdown at the weekend? I didn't but I've seen a few others comparing times/crashes.

I did HotA - didn't quite match Asprilla's efforts but got in the top 10. Wasn't aware of any crashes, nothing too bad I hope?

Sewinman

Did the Spring Onion on sunday and still suffering. It seemed a lot harder than last year - perhaps due to the extra stone I am carrying around! The rain did not help.

Pleased to have finished! White-down hill is HELL! :shock:

jonginge

Sewinman wrote:

Did the Spring Onion on sunday and still suffering. It seemed a lot harder than last year - perhaps due to the extra stone I am carrying around! The rain did not help.

Pleased to have finished! White-down hill is HELL! :shock:

I'm the least fit I've been at this time of year for several years so I feel your pain.

I got a bit of a shock the first time up whitedown on a KW clubrun :shock:

King Donut

JonGinge wrote:

Sewinman wrote:

Did the Spring Onion on sunday and still suffering. It seemed a lot harder than last year - perhaps due to the extra stone I am carrying around! The rain did not help.

Pleased to have finished! White-down hill is HELL! :shock:

I'm the least fit I've been at this time of year for several years so I feel your pain.

I got a bit of a shock the first time up whitedown on a KW clubrun :shock:

Well done Sewinman! I had a no show after a cold got the better of me and I M'dTFD. Was gutted until it started peeing down.

jzed

Did the Spring Onion too - I enjoyed Whitedown, having ridden it the week before I knew what to expect. Still went up it like a snail.

The rain wasn't too bad - not enough to get drenched. Markings were a bit poor and I spent a couple of miles off route having followed Team Sky (a cycling team of sky employees kitted in Sky gear with a few flash Di2 Dogmas in the pack) round a local housing estate before getting back on route. Finished in 4.09 with 5 minute stop at the feedstop so averaged around 17mph which I am pleased with. Adding in the journey there and back made it 102 miles in just over 6 hours.

Favourite bit was beating one Dogma rider who just wouldn't go away. I was faster on the downhill and flat but he had me on the hills. He tucked in for 5ish miles towards the end but then seemed to blow. I should have insisted on him forfeiting his bike.

jzed

Anyone doing this:

http://www.rapha.cc/hell-of-the-north-2

King Donut

Well done Jzed too!

Last year I had a Dynamo who just wouldn't leave it be. Somehow I was quicker than him uphill but after taking him for the third time (up Leith Hill) he came bombing past on the descent obviously quite aggrieved, so I let him get on with it saving my energy for someone worth it.

Did they rely purely on road markings this year, no signs?

I'm looking for a sportive in two weeks time now after failing to get out on Sunday.

rolf_f

JZed wrote:

Anyone doing this:

http://www.rapha.cc/hell-of-the-north-2

Lol - only Rapha could call an event set in North London as 'Hell of the North' ........
Edit

Bunch of Southern Jessies clothing manufacturer wrote:

Live coverage of Paris Roubaix accompanied by Beer and Frites

Frites

jzed

King Donut wrote:

Did they rely purely on road markings this year, no signs?

I'm looking for a sportive in two weeks time now after failing to get out on Sunday.

Yes red arrows on the road with no signage. Generally it wasn't too bad but signs would have been better, as your constantly watching the road for a red arrow. There was one bit where I was bombing down a hill only to find an arrow 6 feet before a turn - only just made the turn.

Not sure of any sportives in a couple of weeks.

Butterd2

Is anyone heading for Burgess Hill this Sunday?

Sewinman

JZed wrote:

Did the Spring Onion too - I enjoyed Whitedown, having ridden it the week before I knew what to expect. Still went up it like a snail.

The rain wasn't too bad - not enough to get drenched. Markings were a bit poor and I spent a couple of miles off route having followed Team Sky (a cycling team of sky employees kitted in Sky gear with a few flash Di2 Dogmas in the pack) round a local housing estate before getting back on route. Finished in 4.09 with 5 minute stop at the feedstop so averaged around 17mph which I am pleased with. Adding in the journey there and back made it 102 miles in just over 6 hours.

Favourite bit was beating one Dogma rider who just wouldn't go away. I was faster on the downhill and flat but he had me on the hills. He tucked in for 5ish miles towards the end but then seemed to blow. I should have insisted on him forfeiting his bike.

Thanks KD.

Well done Jzed, that is a great time. Considerably quicker than me - I rolled in on 5.30.

It was not the greatest organisation-wise - the road markings were difficult to spot, especially with the wet roads. I tend to zone out after about 40 miles, so looking out for tiny red arrows is a chore. The feed stop seemed a bit early - 23miles in? I really fancied a hot drink too, cold 'value' water did not really cut it.

Last year I managed to get in a decent group for most of the ride and it was so much easier. I latched on to one this year and it really upped my pace, but the feed stop broke up the group and I spent the rest of the ride almost entirely on my own - other than pulling a girl who was really struggling for 10 miles or so. I counted about 100 punctures but escaped myself.

Anyway, glad I did it. Looking to do another one in a couple of months, following some proper training and dieting! :oops:

Canny Jock

Jzed - average of 17 is good on that course with less than ideal conditions. I managed about 15. I thought it was good and will do it next year, especially as when I mailed them with comments they accepted them all and will sort them out for next year, including the road markings, feed station location and the one stretch of main road. Apart from that a good route, Whitedown was tough as was the earlier big climb.

SmellTheGlove

Aiming to do Hell of the North as a first sportive, with tongue firmly in cheek... Free entry - in a year when event organisers seem to be hoping to turn sportives into a cash cow.

jzed

Canny Jock wrote:

Jzed - average of 17 is good on that course with less than ideal conditions. I managed about 15. I thought it was good and will do it next year, especially as when I mailed them with comments they accepted them all and will sort them out for next year, including the road markings, feed station location and the one stretch of main road. Apart from that a good route, Whitedown was tough as was the earlier big climb.

Route was good - nice to get a little more south then usual. There were a couple of early climbs - the one alongside Critten lane and then Leith Hill (this is probably the one you mean). It then seemed undulating until just after the feedstop when there was a climb that seemed to go on and on through trees on a narrow track - quite enjoyed it but no idea what it was called.

asprilla

Right, have just signed up to do the Wiggle Ups and Downs out of Dorking on May 1st. Decided to do the 98 miles route as part of my training for the Dragon.

TheStone

Not really a sportive, but anyone doing The London Classic this weekend. Was a good event last year.

londonlivvy

Good skills Asprilla! impressive stuff.

My first sportive of the year was the Evans Woking one this weekend. It was a reasonable day out but I was disappointed to discover, despite over 12 hours each week training this year, a) how much my legs hurt and b) that I was only 12 mins faster than last year.

perhaps it's time to lose weight & quit the booze too. :-(

Next stop May Flyer... anyone else doing that?

King Donut

londonlivvy wrote:

Next stop May Flyer... anyone else doing that?

I’ve just put my name down for the Flyer. Will be the first sportive of the year after already having to scrap plans for Spring Onion and Wiggle’s New Forest. Looking forward to it.

jzed

May sign up for the 140km route.

asprilla

Have just put my name down for the Flyer Challenge as well. Should be an interesting couple of weekends with the Wiggle Ups and Downs the weekend before.

cjcp

I hope to receive permission to enter the Flyer tonight.

*pops off to Waitrose to buy chocolates*

Wrath Rob

What's the route like?

jzed

cjcp wrote:

I hope to receive permission to enter the Flyer tonight.

*pops off to Waitrose to buy chocolates*

Got to be Godiva and some flowers, maybe a spa day for extra points

cjcp

JZed wrote:

cjcp wrote:

I hope to receive permission to enter the Flyer tonight.

*pops off to Waitrose to buy chocolates*

Got to be Godiva and some flowers, maybe a spa day for extra points

Spa is sorted - won it in a raffle. Bonza!

jzed

cjcp wrote:

JZed wrote:

cjcp wrote:

I hope to receive permission to enter the Flyer tonight.

*pops off to Waitrose to buy chocolates*

Got to be Godiva and some flowers, maybe a spa day for extra points

Spa is sorted - won it in a raffle. Bonza!

Cool - hope you've held it back for maximum impact. I'm running out of options - may have to be a puppy next.

cjcp

clarkey cat

buy the missus a bike and bring her along?

asprilla

It's eaiser to ask for forgivness than permission........

Mrs A said the other day that she was concerned about my lack of preparation for the Dragon Ride.. Oh really......

So, am hoping to go out with KW on the 17th and 24th (unfortunately new bike won't be ready for this weekend) and then to the Wiggle Ups and Downs and the May Flyer purely to easy any fears that Mrs A may have for my health.