1st sportive tomorrow :)

#david2012

Well I wish it could be warmer but I'm doing a 107 km tomorrow which is also going to be my longest ride so 2 milestones tomorrow ( hopefully ) i've done a few 40+ and a 50 one with another rider.
Looking forward to my first group ride, and measuring myself against fellow riders

Wish me luck !

dabber

Have a good one... I hope you enjoy it.

ShutUpLegs

Wrap up warm

ugo.santalucia

I don't understand why they keep organizing sportives in winter... They don't do it in Italy, they do it here... :roll:

smidsy

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I don't understand why they keep organizing sportives in winter... They don't do it in Italy, they do it here... :roll:

Yes but unlike Italy if we waited for summer we would never go out :evil:

elderone

Good luck and report back how it goes.If you have strava then a link would be cool as I like looking at others rides.
Sad but true.

Buckie2k5

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I don't understand why they keep organizing sportives in winter... They don't do it in Italy, they do it here... :roll:

yes but we breed real men.. well up here in scotland anyway

ugo.santalucia

Buckie2k5 wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I don't understand why they keep organizing sportives in winter... They don't do it in Italy, they do it here... :roll:

yes but we breed real men.. well up here in scotland anyway

Not sure about that... I see people scared of a puncture...

ShutUpLegs

Remember to fill your water bottles with hot water

#david2012

really enjoyed it! And completed the 107km in 4 hours and 42 mins, 16 achievements on strava!
8 months ago hadn't ridden for 25 years 16.7 stone now 12 12lbs and just done 66 miles

Nothing for some of you I know and lots of much stronger riders out there today but really chuffed

Gizmodo

#david2012 wrote:

really enjoyed it! And completed the 107km in 4 hours and 42 mins, 16 achievements on strava!
8 months ago hadn't ridden for 25 years 16.7 stone now 12 12lbs and just done 66 miles

Nothing for some of you I know and lots of much stronger riders out there today but really chuffed

I don't think you should under estimate your achievement. Chapeau sir.

#david2012

Cheers Gizmodo !

southdownswolf

Well done!

Links for Strava performance?

Mikey23

Excellent ... Well done

Mikey41

Well done! Glad I wasn't the only one out today, it was cold!

lotus49

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I don't understand why they keep organizing sportives in winter... They don't do it in Italy, they do it here... :roll:

That's because Italians live in perpetual terror of a colpo d'aria and dress up in about 7 layers of clothes the minute the temperature drops below 20 degrees. We're generally made of sterner stuff further North.

PS Let us know how the sportive went.

BigDaddyG

#david2012 wrote:

really enjoyed it! And completed the 107km in 4 hours and 42 mins, 16 achievements on strava!
8 months ago hadn't ridden for 25 years 16.7 stone now 12 12lbs and just done 66 miles

Nothing for some of you I know and lots of much stronger riders out there today but really chuffed

Bravo Sir......... I have my first Sportive on Saturday and hope mine goes as well as yours!!!

#david2012

The preparation was worth it, riding some of the route, driving another bit ( just to know what to expect ) took more food than I needed.
Was in a nice little group of 6 for the first 30km then the hills dropped me to be fair but kept ok pace
Had a small group on my wheel for about 3 miles at round 50km and I was working really hard, they then shot off the half way point.
Didn't stay long at the cafe as it was so cold just wanted to keep moving lol 70km was tough.. Headwind pretty just me and my mate.
Guys that were on my wheel breezed past again with a few very strong club riders in 6/8 groups
Then at 100km slowly ascended the last real climb of the day and the guys that were on my wheel had stopped (one with cramp I think ) and I had a hare & tortoise moment lol as I slowly spun past.
Last 7km is a route I do regularly so I enjoyed it to the finish and 3 of us that started together finished together! ( they waited for me )
Really enjoyed the whole experience and can't wait to improve over the next few months to build on my speed / endurance.
I love riding my bike at my level but if I can keep up with the types of riders I saw yesterday I can imagine me enjoying it more,and would enter more rides but I also just keep reminding myself its only been 6 months!!

giropaul

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I don't understand why they keep organizing sportives in winter... They don't do it in Italy, they do it here... :roll:

Mainly, I suspect, because there is a profit to be made!

jotko

Buckie2k5 wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I don't understand why they keep organizing sportives in winter... They don't do it in Italy, they do it here... :roll:

yes but we breed real men.. well up here in scotland anyway

I was walking along the beach in Devon yesterday in flurries of snow - there were people surfing

#david2012

giropaul wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I don't understand why they keep organizing sportives in winter... They don't do it in Italy, they do it here... :roll:

Mainly, I suspect, because there is a profit to be made!

One other purpose of my ride was to do it for Marie curie cancer care surprisingly only 50 out of 500 opted to do it for sponsorship, this was another reason to make this my longest ride to date! I raised £250 in sponsorship pledges but only received £202 in hard cash so that's what I handed over
It was £10 entry and got some bits at the end so didn't feel it was too bad value, but then nothing to compare as it was my first and like I say I had other motivations in finishing!!

ugo.santalucia

lotus49 wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I don't understand why they keep organizing sportives in winter... They don't do it in Italy, they do it here... :roll:

That's because Italians live in perpetual terror of a colpo d'aria and dress up in about 7 layers of clothes the minute the temperature drops below 20 degrees. We're generally made of sterner stuff further North.

PS Let us know how the sportive went.

That's so true... last October I was in Italy... about 20-22 degrees, a warm sunny spell that lasted for a week... I was the only one cycling in shorts and long sleeve jersey (bit of temperature drop to negotiate as you go up to 1300 mt elevation)... most of the other riders wore the kind of stuff over here we use in December...

giropaul

ugo.santalucia wrote:

lotus49 wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I don't understand why they keep organizing sportives in winter... They don't do it in Italy, they do it here... :roll:

That's because Italians live in perpetual terror of a colpo d'aria and dress up in about 7 layers of clothes the minute the temperature drops below 20 degrees. We're generally made of sterner stuff further North.

PS Let us know how the sportive went.

That's so true... last October I was in Italy... about 20-22 degrees, a warm sunny spell that lasted for a week... I was the only one cycling in shorts and long sleeve jersey (bit of temperature drop to negotiate as you go up to 1300 mt elevation)... most of the other riders wore the kind of stuff over here we use in December...

They (very sensibly) don't do wet either - first spot and it's race for home. "we're amateurs - only professionals have to ride in the rain".

ugo.santalucia

giropaul wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

lotus49 wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I don't understand why they keep organizing sportives in winter... They don't do it in Italy, they do it here... :roll:

That's because Italians live in perpetual terror of a colpo d'aria and dress up in about 7 layers of clothes the minute the temperature drops below 20 degrees. We're generally made of sterner stuff further North.

PS Let us know how the sportive went.

That's so true... last October I was in Italy... about 20-22 degrees, a warm sunny spell that lasted for a week... I was the only one cycling in shorts and long sleeve jersey (bit of temperature drop to negotiate as you go up to 1300 mt elevation)... most of the other riders wore the kind of stuff over here we use in December...

They (very sensibly) don't do wet either - first spot and it's race for home. "we're amateurs - only professionals have to ride in the rain".

I still partially comply with the rule...
You can't blame them... if on average you have 250-300 days of sunshine per year, you would be an idiot to choose the remaining to go for a bike ride.
In my case there is also the geography... I come from a very mountainous area... you don't go up and especially down a mountain when it rains... you need a scotsman for that...

drlodge

BigDaddyG wrote:

Bravo Sir......... I have my first Sportive on Saturday and hope mine goes as well as yours!!!

Which Sportive is this, Burgess Hill Springtime Classic per chance? I'm going to this one, and its my first Sportive :-)