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first sportive - stop for free cakes or keeping going ?

Kingsmill1Kingsmill1 Posts: 103
edited August 2013 in Road beginners
I am entering my first sportive in a few weeks only doing a short route and wondering if its worth stopping for the free cakes and bananas or cracking on for a good time, I am looking at about 2.5 hrs for 40 miles and going to take my own gels e.t.c. I been doing some training and losing some weight and have done the distance twice in the last month without stopping but hey I've paid for the event so should'nt I really stop and fill my face !! Posted with humour intended.......
Giant TCR Comp 2
Specialized Allez Sport

Posts

  • markhewitt1978markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    The best riders will be able to ride past while scooping up all the cakes and gels without stopping. ;)

    Of course the best approach is to take a rug, sit down on the grass and have a picnic.
  • djm501djm501 Posts: 378
    On a 40 mile ride I wouldn't bother with anything except a single bottle of electrolyte drink. If you eat a good breakfast before you start you should have plenty of energy in your system for the whole ride.
  • markhewitt1978markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    djm501 wrote:
    On a 40 mile ride I wouldn't bother with anything except a single bottle of electrolyte drink. If you eat a good breakfast before you start you should have plenty of energy in your system for the whole ride.

    Yeah but if you fill your face at the rest stop it saves money on lunch ;)
  • cescocesco Posts: 252
    Bahamontes once stopped for ice cream on the Col de Romeyere, so why wouldn't you?
  • djm501djm501 Posts: 378
    Lunch is for whimps :-P

    ;)
  • marylogicmarylogic Posts: 355
    I thought you were an audaxer! What part of "free cakes" don't you understand? :P

    To the OP - if it's an easy distance for you, eat the cakes and enjoy the chat at the feed stations. Unless you are aiming for a good time (in which case shouldn't you be racing instead of doing a sportive?) Hope you enjoy your day :)
  • Wirral_paulWirral_paul Posts: 2,476
    If you want a fast time - do a time trail (as per Mary ^^^).

    Otherwise - its supposed to be an enjoyable day out where you go to have a nice ride out in different scenery. Take the time out and make the most of the food you have paid for. I dont need gels or energy bars for any ride under 100 miles typically - but always stop and stock up.... even if the gels etc then go home with me.

    PS if you need gels after 2.5hrs then you're probably doing something seriously wrong in your preparation diet.
  • djm501djm501 Posts: 378
    marylogic wrote:
    I thought you were an audaxer! What part of "free cakes" don't you understand? :P

    Shoot, outed!
  • charlie_potatoescharlie_potatoes Posts: 1,917
    Nothing wrong with wanting to post a fast time in a sportive. Especially your first one.
    The novelty soon wears off though and I now nearly always stop for the social side of things.
    Oh! and the cake 8)
    "You really think you can burn off sugar with exercise?" downhill paul
  • djm501djm501 Posts: 378
    Charlie Potatoes wrote:
    Nothing wrong with wanting to post a fast time in a sportive. Especially your first one.
    The novelty soon wears off though and I now nearly always stop for the social side of things.
    Oh! and the cake 8)

    Take up audaxing!
  • charlie_potatoescharlie_potatoes Posts: 1,917
    djm501 wrote:
    Charlie Potatoes wrote:
    Nothing wrong with wanting to post a fast time in a sportive. Especially your first one.
    The novelty soon wears off though and I now nearly always stop for the social side of things.
    Oh! and the cake 8)

    Take up audaxing!

    Done a couple this year. Nice events. Not sure about the beard and sandals though :D
    "You really think you can burn off sugar with exercise?" downhill paul
  • Kingsmill1Kingsmill1 Posts: 103
    must admit my diet prep for my rides is usually censored hence why I take a few gels for a boost, I'm usually either training after a 12 hour work day or getting up early to enjoy quite roads and skimping on my breakfast any suggestions for a breakfast sportive prep will be warmly received. However something is working as I've gone from 15 stone to 13 stone in 8 months. However seriously thinking about the cakes now....................
    Giant TCR Comp 2
    Specialized Allez Sport
  • charlie_potatoescharlie_potatoes Posts: 1,917
    Kingsmill1 wrote:
    must admit my diet prep for my rides is usually censored hence why I take a few gels for a boost, I'm usually either training after a 12 hour work day or getting up early to enjoy quite roads and skimping on my breakfast any suggestions for a breakfast sportive prep will be warmly received. However something is working as I've gone from 15 stone to 13 stone in 8 months. However seriously thinking about the cakes now....................


    Porridge and Honey for breakfast.
    I always have a few gels in my pocket but don't always them. The good thing about them is they keep for next time.
    Medjool Dates are my favourite snack on the move.
    "You really think you can burn off sugar with exercise?" downhill paul
  • Wirral_paulWirral_paul Posts: 2,476
    Kingsmill1 wrote:
    must admit my diet prep for my rides is usually censored hence why I take a few gels for a boost, I'm usually either training after a 12 hour work day or getting up early to enjoy quite roads and skimping on my breakfast any suggestions for a breakfast sportive prep will be warmly received. However something is working as I've gone from 15 stone to 13 stone in 8 months. However seriously thinking about the cakes now....................

    Preparation starts at least the day before so a good carb rich meal the night before - pasta etc. On the day then you are just looking to top up your reserves without eating too heavily - ideally something with slow release energy like museli, porridge etc.

    Go for the cake and enjoy it without too much guilt as a treat to yourself. Eat it mid ride and you know you're going to burn it off over the next hour - eat it after and you wont!! There you go - all the excuse you need to stop and eat cake! 8)
  • IanRCarterIanRCarter Posts: 217
    I did a 40 mile sportive in the peak district a couple of weeks back. Only stopped to top my bottles up and grab the free energy bar (one bite made me feel sick, it was like eating bird food). Didn't hang around to eat cake, it was my first sportive so was keen to push on. In future I will stop for longer and just go by the time on my computer, not the timing chip.I stayed in a travelodge the night before so didn't exactly have a proper breakfast, just some weetabix breakfast biscuits and a banana.

    Just enjoy it, and, if that means eating cake, eat cake.
  • itboffinitboffin Posts: 20,035
    there's FREE cake WTF how did i miss that !?!?!?!?!? :lol:
    Rule #5 // Harden The censored Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • djm501djm501 Posts: 378
    *hint* There's an entry fee? It's not free ;) */hint*
  • ctcctc Posts: 232
    Depends on the cake:
    Mrs Miggin's home made marzipan cake - yes
    Tesco value maderia - maybe
    Jaffa cake - meh, it's a biscuit
  • apreadingapreading Posts: 4,533
    NEVER pass up free cake & jelly babies etc at an event - you have earned them and it is sinful to not partake. Just my opinion...!
  • Schoie81Schoie81 Posts: 749
    CAKE??? FREE cake??? And you're thinking of riding past? Tell me where and when and i'll eat yours for you!!
    "I look pretty young, but I'm just back-dated"
  • markhewitt1978markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    It's not even free cake. It's like going into a cafe, ordering a cup of tea and a lovely bit of cake, and then walking out without eating your cake !!!!!!!!!!11
  • EmphursisEmphursis Posts: 124
    See how you feel. On my first sportive, I stopped at both feed stops for water and to stretch my legs, which were getting very stiff. On the one I did last weekend, I stopped to fill my bottle at the first stop (36 miles in or so) but ignored the second, as there was less than 20 miles left and I still had a bottle and a quarter.
  • gozzygozzy Posts: 640
    Don't spend the entry fee, turn up anyway with a couple of cakes in your pocket and use your computer to time the ride. Result: cheap ride / more cake.
  • fat_catfat_cat Posts: 566
    Don't do what I did last weekend. Determined to get my monies worth at the feed stops, stopped at all of them, and missed the gold standard time by 10 seconds over 80 miles. Nice cake though!
  • NavrigNavrig Posts: 1,352
    CTC wrote:
    Jaffa cake - meh, it's a biscuit

    [Pedant mode on/:]Not accoridng to the VAT man. It's a cake and as such classed as food and hence attracts zero VAT. [Pedant mode off/:]


    Breakfast = large bowl of Dorest muesli (any variety will suffice) and a banana. Digest for 40 mins, no need to stop for cakes just for energy, gluttony yes but energy no.
  • Team4LukeTeam4Luke Posts: 597
    Kingsmill1 wrote:
    I am entering my first sportive in a few weeks only doing a short route and wondering if its worth stopping for the free cakes and bananas or cracking on for a good time, I am looking at about 2.5 hrs for 40 miles and going to take my own gels e.t.c. I been doing some training and losing some weight and have done the distance twice in the last month without stopping but hey I've paid for the event so should'nt I really stop and fill my face !! Posted with humour intended.......


    well you have paid for them
    Team4Luke supports Cardiac Risk in the Young
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