90 miles....... FAIL

Mikey41

My 3rd Sportive, and since it was rated as much flatter, I really did expect to be able to manage the 90 mile route, but it didn't happen

I did make a rookie mistake of trusting the weather forecast. It was dry but cloudy at the start, so I removed the mudguards :x and didn't put on my overshoes

Sure enough, after an hour and a half, light rain began falling. Well, that's OK, I can live with this, it's not even wetting the ground yet. It was still raining at the 33 mile feed stop, so I didn't stop too long and pressed on.

Hmm, now the ground is wet and the rain is heavier. You're committed now ya daft sod, it's 25 miles just to get back on the medium route. Half an hour later and the ground is really soaked, and I pull on my waterproof. That warms up the top half just lovely, but my shoes are now soaked and my feet are going numb :roll:

Discretion being the better part of valour, I decide 90 miles is not a good idea today and I settle for the 60 mile route instead. I'm surprisingly tired by this point as I assumed (rookie mistake no. 3) that flatter ground would not be so tiring as my usual hilly routes, but my legs were getting sore. A group of 3 riders passed me going uphill (quite used to this by now ) and as they disappeared over the top, I thought "sod this, can I catch them back up and stay with them?". Instead of easing off at the top, I shifted up and sprinted up to speed, kept it rolling as fast as I could, attacked other little bumps instead of dropping gears. Amazingly, the legs kept working and... I caught them! :shock: and I did stay with them pretty well, though they were making it look much easier.

Disappointed not to do the 90. If I'd had the overshoes on, I would probably have had a go, but there were some positives. I was on the big ring far more than I normally am, even staying there on some climbs. I overtook some people (this is rare). I also learned that flat is not automatically easier as there is no rest unless you stop, you pedal all the time instead of having some descents to coast down.

http://app.strava.com/activities/60929485

city_boy

According to your Strava stats this was your longest ride to date and that's a worthy milestone in its own right.

60 miles in around 4 hours is no mean feat, especially in crappy weather, so it's a well done from me Mikey 8)

Cleat Eastwood

Well its hardly a fail - more a learning curve, maybe you hadnt experienced riding in that weather over that distance - if you were to faced with those conditions again you'd probably complete it - what you learn when you ride in different conditions is how to ignore them - voights 'shut up legs' When I trained for the cat I'd read of the bad weather they had the last few years so I rode in the rain, wind, snow, minus 5 at point just to see what I could cope with.

Put it down to experience - 60 miles in rubbish weather is worth about 75 based on the effort of concentration alone so over all you did well.

Grill

I really enjoyed the rain on Sunday as I was overheating badly until it hit

As others have said, nice job on the ride. Longest to date in bad weather is an accomplishment. As long as you learned from the ride it was worth it.

Mikey41

It's the longest by less than half a mile, but the longest time I've ridden in the rain. I normally won't choose to ride in the rain, but if I've booked a Sportive then I just have to MTFU and get on with it. If I didn't start a Sportive because it might rain, I'd have wasted my money, and I really hate wasting money.

But, yes, it taught me a few things. I need some more fitness before I'm ready for 80+ miles. Riding in the rain isn't so bad if you can stay warm. I was giving up too easily when the legs are complaining.

One of my targets is to do a 100 miler within the year, I'm still on for that.

Grill

Do this one:
http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/13-495/

There's also a 110k and 200k option.

Mikey41

I'm not local to the area (250 miles away), but I will look into some Audax events nearer to home for sure. Seems to be plenty of them!

thefd

City Boy wrote:

According to your Strava stats this was your longest ride to date and that's a worthy milestone in its own right.

From what I can see - this ride was 58.9 miles, but your longest is 59.8 miles. So you have done one longer.

Good effort though!!

Anonymous

Sounds like more of a bail than a fail
You were wise to change to the shorter route and not just stubbornly go for the 90.
90 is a big jump from 60 so best to do when things are going your way, not against you.
Knowing when to bail out is a strength, not a weakness.

marylogic

+1 for the audax - Sounds like you will be very capable of route finding yourself and worst case scenario if it is a blizzard you can bail out and will only have lost a fiver.

Well done on the 60 miles

markhewitt1978

Agreed I wouldn't call it a failure, it was still a 60 mile ride which isn't to be sniffed at.

e.g. Moutain climbers will often make several attempts at a summit before they get there, each attempt isn't a failure, it's just an attempt.

The best thing is that you recognised it wasn't going to happen and adjusted your route so you didn't injure yourself.

supermurph09

I think your inbuilt self preservation may have kicked in and made you finish the ride early. Its not like you dont see tour riders quit early is it? Happens alot. Bad weather and not being prepared for it is a different ball game to quitting because you're knackered. If it was just the latter, you could have stopped fo 30 minutes, refuelled and paced yourself to the end. In your case it was the weather not fatigue that beat you. Lesson learned I guess, but still, 60 miles is a good effort so dont beat yourself up. There's always a next time.

elderone

Well done,60 miles is still a good ride.Not a fail just a change of mind.If goals were easy there would be no point striving to achieve them.

zardoz

I did the full 90 (or 88.2!) and the weather was really rubbish. http://app.strava.com/activities/60722886 The ironic thing was when I got home to Bracknell it was sunny and had been most of the day my shoes are still drying out. Flatter rides can be deceptive as you have to turn the pedals all the way so can be just as tiring as hills as you don't get the rest on the descents.

There were two reasonable climbs on the long route that you missed out on, the first one was 14% , I had problems with my rear wheel spinning on the wet road surface when I stood on the pedals and nearly did myself a mischief.

And I agree, its hardly a fail, the sport is supposed to be enjoyable and it wasn't that enjoyable towards the end especially with the amount of surface water and mud.

Grill

Climb seated

zardoz

Grill wrote:

Climb seated

I only did it once! Stayed firmly in the saddle after that.

smidsy

Attempting to ride 90 miles and not making it is not an issue.

Fail to attempt 90 miles in the first place - now you can say you have failed :-)

Keep it up - you will do 150 before you know it.

Mikey41

zardoz wrote:

There were two reasonable climbs on the long route that you missed out on, the first one was 14% , I had problems with my rear wheel spinning on the wet road surface when I stood on the pedals...

I thought that may be an issue. I nearly crashed on an innocent looking turn because I didn't turn smoothly and the front slid :shock: That got my attention.

It seems that going from 60 to 90 is tougher than going from 30 to 60, but I have the time and the terrain to make improvements. I have a nice 55 mile route that I can work on and extend to 67 miles. When I can do that, then I'll be much more ready

Mikey41

Tonights post-ride fettling.

1. Replace rear inner tube (cos the valve is screwed)
2. Replace tyres. Rears are about finished and the front has a cut in it that is starting to get bigger. GP4000S to go on.
3. Lower saddle very slightly and ensure saddle is level. (think it's down at the nose)
4. Rotate bars up slightly to bring the hoods up.

I'm working on the positioning because on the longer rides, it is becoming uncomfortable and I feel I have too much weight on my hands. I think I'm falling out with the stock saddle too, got a Charge Spoon coming to try out (it's cheap)

And I just discovered my pump handle has filled with water

mrbrightside

Well done on the ride in the wet, you done well as you made the right decision on the day. I'm no expert but would say from own findings;

1) only adjust one thing on your bike at a time. You might find by lowering the saddle a touch you don't need to rotate the bars etc...

2) if you decide to go with a group coming past, do it before they get to you and jump straight on as they come past. Sounds like you put in a good effort to get on the back where as if you went with them you could of finished in comfort.

Bozman

Sell your bike and take up golf

Mikey41

I already play golf

Bozman

Mikey41 wrote:

I already play golf

Every time I use that comment in jest I get that reply, maybe there's a link!