Ken Laidlaw Sportive

Brian B

Just tried to enter and saw that all 500 places are gone. In the past I had entered months in advance but had to wait if I was going to be able to make it this year.

Its a great event and I often do the route myself so its not quite too bad but was looking forward to it. If anybody entered is not going to make then let me know and I would glady buy the entry from you.

holmeboy

Sorry to hear you're missing out Brian. I've entered again, last year's was probally my best Sportive to date. Hopeing to get out for a 100 tommorrow although after todays cycle to work and back when I was struggling to cycle 21miles. To many hours at work I think.

brin

Hi Brian, something for you to consider - i done this event for the 1st time last year (signed up again this year) anyhows during last years event i rode a few miles with a lad who had travelled down from Scotland -Fife i think he said, he told me he missed registering for the event, but since his cousins were doing it he decided to come down with them, he explained to the organisers that he wanted to ride the event, but rather than just tag along he offered them £20 for charity, he was told he could by all means do the ride but he could not be given a number and would miss out on the medal nor have an 'official' time recorded.
Worth a go, altho i don't know how far away you are from HQ? and even if they refuse to accept a donation you could still ride the course, after all it's on public roads, just would make you feel better if you had contributed, as the afore mentioned lad explained.
Good luck either way

Brian B

Thanks Brin I may email the organisers and ask them if there is a chance to enter on the day. I am about a 90min drive from the HQ so its too much a gamble to chance it on the day but then again all sportives suffer from a small percentage of people who have to cancel.

dead sheep

Superb event this. Worth everyone's support. And not a organised by greedy profiteers.

ellieb

PM'd you

Brian B

Thanks Ellieb. I have posted a reply.

Brian B

You managed 6:05 Ellieb. Thanks so much for your place but double money for charity cant go wrong.

Great day and weather mostly behaved itself apart from one really bad shower at Eskdalemuir. Was trying for under six hours but was spent and lost a lot of time in the last 10miles into the head wind.

Just would like to say thanks to Hawick cycling club who run the best Sportive in the UK. Everything is perfect and the feed stations were even more stocked this year than usual and thats saying something. This event has the friendliest atmoshpere.

amd-sco

Completed the 52 today ( I had a nightmare day actually) - But it was a brilliantly organised event, really friendly and great support - I punctured @ 2.5 miles & 2 separate support cars stopped to help and one even took my tube and repaired it then caught me up 5 miles later and gave me the tube back just in case, fantastic. Also a big shout to the Hawick CC guys who were on the roads helping out.
Excellent event

navrig

Well organised event and a hilly route.

Only managed the 52 but am knackered.

I need to get out on the hills more.

AndyD2574

Great day and tough wee course!
105 miler for me and reckon it was tougher than last year.

Got soaked at about 40 mile so bit chilly but absolutely brilliant ogranisation.

Thanks to all the ladies at the Last feed stop.......cup of tea in a wee cup and saucer! Top shout!

Be back for Laidlaw no 3 for me next year defo!

gavinrae

WELL DONE hawick.you can hold you're heads up high.

AndyD2574

anyone know when the times and photos will be posted?

cush123

AndyD2574 wrote:

anyone know when the times and photos will be posted?

Results have now been posted on the site with an additional Excel download. Not that you would want to sort it into times as it's not a race. :?

Looking forward to this one next year when hopefully I'll be able to avoid the technical difficulties that beset me this year. Had to abort onto the 52 mile route on a single speed as I had rear derailleur issues.

Very well organised, although the mass start was a bit chaotic with the boy racers going for some crazy overtaking manoeuvres.

holmeboy

Have you got a link to that? Can't see results on Hamish web page.
Cheers

Brian B

Here you go Homeboy - nice to have met you at last

http://www.hamishdsmith.co.uk/cycling/times-2011.html

Official time for me was 6:03 minutes. Was totally aiming for sub six hours but at least I was quicker than last year by 10mins. Thought that the reverse route was harder than the normal route and I know the majority of these roads pretty well and still misjudged my nutrition and suffered towards the end with the wind. Will defo get around in under six hours next year!

navrig

Looks to me as though the first 11 times on the Red route belong to the Blue route unless they managed to average 27-35mph!!

holmeboy

Brian B wrote:

Here you go Homeboy - nice to have met you at last

Good time Brian on a hard day! Good to have met you too.
7hrs for me, legs wer'nt at there best for what every reason but perceviered.
Crashed on the road between Langholm and Newcastleton on that bit down to the small bridge were the road turned sharp right, going to fast skidded, over the handlebars but luckily onto the nice soft grass. Only damage slight bend on Back Derailler and back light snapped off.
This way round was definitly harder (45 mins slower) as I remember last year travelling in groups till after the second feed. Will defo be back next year.

brin

Glad you got a place Brian, there were still people entering on the day again, suppose it all goes to a good cause so nothing spoilt.
I too thought this route was harder than last years, but strangely i managed to beat last years time by 10mins,(must be fitter than i think)
The event was well organized once again, plenty of marshals/back up on the route and judging by the numerous cycles i seen being attended to, they were needed - who was that unlucky lad to have a 'P' 20 yards from the start?
Feedstops were well stocked, altho was awkward to open the valves on the drinks bottles, and personally i would suggest the 1st feed station (last years last) be moved, it's a dodgy road that leads to it and it is quite a way off the beaten track.
All in all a good day, somehow i managed to avoid any heavy rain just a few small showers, however that headwind in the last 10miles was the mother of all headwinds, right pig it was!
Agree with comment in previous post about the times, all academic really but probably would be a good idea to use proper electronic timing system in future?

PolyphonicBoy

Anyone do this yesterday? It was my first time on the Ken Laidlaw sportive, and my first time cycling over 100 miles in one day!

My god was it hilly. I thought we were on the home straight, a nice fast road from 98-102 miles, then hit a little bastard of a hill on the way into Hawick. Got cramp in both legs and was cursing the organisers for that pure evil addition!

My ride time was 6hrs 20mins, so total time was probably around 6hrs 30mins. Not bad for my first 100+ miler. I might just stick to the 60-80 mile sportives for now though.

sin2000

Can't praise Hawick CC highly enough for this event. In my opnion it's the best organised sportive in the UK.

The mass start is what I like about it best - allows large groups of similar ability to form. Makes it more reminiscent of a continental sportive than a UK one. The standard of riding was pretty good too - at least in my group(s) - everyone prepared to do a shift.