My first Wiggle and training regime

B5NGV

Completed my first Wiggle on Saturday and although it was only the short 41 miler I feel chuffed to have it tucked under my belt. Spoken to my boss and riding the 19 miles into work tomorrow, my main concern is dealing with the weather and appropriate clothing.

slowbike

well done on your first sportive - it may have been "just" 41 miles - but they're not an easy 41 miles ...

19 miles into work is a decent length for commute - it'll be chilly in the morning and warmer in the afternoon. Pop over to the commuting section to see how others deal with it ..

OverTheHillAt21

Agree with the first response. Well done on the 41; 19 before the day's work starts is tough. Is it mostly flat and wind-free? How many days a week are you planning to do it?

littledove44

My first too. I gave up cycling the day I got my motorcycle licence 39 years ago and only started again this July.

I can see from other threads that Sportives are not everyone's cup of tea, but for £20 or so I thought it good value. Someone else plotted a route, did the signage, marshalled all the dangerous junctions, set up some catering, and organised some entertainment.

Riding with so many other bikes (I was told there were 3000 yesterday) was enlightening. Some pleasantly so, some not so pleasant, but a new experience anyway. As my first I only did the short course, and took it easy. Next time a little longer or a little faster, or perhaps a bit of both.

I shall sign up for another.

B5NGV

Seems to be a week of firsts and managed the 19 mile commute into work this morning. Luckily we have shower facilities and feel all the better for an early morning workout. It did mean leaving home at 05:15 and I need to upgrade my lights as the unlit roads were a little difficult.

B5NGV

OverTheHillAt21 wrote:

Agree with the first response. Well done on the 41; 19 before the day's work starts is tough. Is it mostly flat and wind-free? How many days a week are you planning to do it?

Half of the ride is fairly hilly and the other half is dead flat. I'm sure the weather is going to play a big part in it and as a newbie i'm still to experience the worst that winter can offer. I plan to do this twice a week to start with and then build it up from there.
I've signed up for the Silverstone Wiggle at the end of the month and looking forward to it.

B5NGV

markhewitt1978

Nice one, must have been hilly if it's 41 miles as the short route on the Northern Angel was 67 miles!

Nice picture, although I've realised you should smile when you pass the camera, as the serious face make you look daft

B5NGV

markhewitt1978 wrote:

Nice picture, although I've realised you should smile when you pass the camera, as the serious face make you look daft

I do look daft but I was blowing at the time and near the top of a hill when the camera man sneaked up on me.

B5NGV

This week has been very productive for me with yesterdays commute in the bag although after a days work and then the ride home I was shattered. I have some arm warmers on order and think I will get some overshoes for when it is wet.

B5NGV

I'm managing to hit my targets with another commute into work this morning and as already stated by someone else the wind certainly has an effect. 19.4 miles in 1hr 21mins I know is not setting any records but I really feel like i've achieved something. I did invest in some new lights which I am very pleased with. I got as set of the Lezyne micro drives which are plugged into my desktop recharging.
I found the front light more than bright enough for unlit country roads and like the rechargeable facility.

napoleond

Nice bike. Get it posted up in the Your Road Bikes thread!

You'll get used to commuting. I do 7-7 shifts and it's 24 miles each way. What I often do to make it easier is drive in with my stuff, ride home, ride in next shift and drive home. Or I'll just do both ways which is a bit of a killer, particularly if it's been a hard shift! I never ride if icy though after a near miss on some black ice and an HGV.

Camcycle1974

B5NGV wrote:

I'm managing to hit my targets with another commute into work this morning and as already stated by someone else the wind certainly has an effect. 19.4 miles in 1hr 21mins I know is not setting any records but I really feel like i've achieved something. I did invest in some new lights which I am very pleased with. I got as set of the Lezyne micro drives which are plugged into my desktop recharging.
I found the front light more than bright enough for unlit country roads and like the rechargeable facility.

Good work that man. I wish my commute was longer, I have to elongate my commutes just to get some miles in (regretted it yestrday as I got soaked on the way home). 19 miles is a decent ride, target has to be doing it in less than an hour surely? Just making the effort to do it once or twice a week is an achievement. Too easy to wake up and take the car. Keep it up and you'll be in the front group of the long ride in your next sportive.

B5NGV

I started off the week with a good start and managed the ride into work yesterday. The 05:15 start was not the problem but the cold fingers were. A new set of gloves have been ordered but my bib shorts and jacket kept my main body warm enough. I realised how poor my riding is when I tucked up behind someone on the way home on a nobbly tyred mountain bike and realised he was maintaining an 18mph average. It also made a difference to my overall time to get home and my quickest yet.
I'll be trying for 3 commutes this week and really looking forward to the Silverstone Wiggle at the end of the month.

andy46

Well done on your first sportive and your targets commuting to work, makes my 7 mile commute look rubbish

I also did my first sportive/event this month, I did the Lakeland Monster Miles in Keswick, very hard but rewarding. I'm fairly new to this and hadn't heard of the Wiggle Silverstone sportive, I'd like to give that a go

B5NGV

andy46 wrote:

Well done on your first sportive and your targets commuting to work, makes my 7 mile commute look rubbish

I also did my first sportive/event this month, I did the Lakeland Monster Miles in Keswick, very hard but rewarding. I'm fairly new to this and hadn't heard of the Wiggle Silverstone sportive, I'd like to give that a go

Here's a link to the Silverstone event http://www.ukcyclingevents.co.uk/events ... -sportive/
Would be nice to see you there....

andy46

Thanks, if i do go for it I'd probably go for the 52 mile one as my biggest ride so far is only 54 :oops:

Monster Miles was hard enough at 44 miles although half of that was off road on a heavy full sus mtb.

B5NGV

andy46 wrote:

Thanks, if i do go for it I'd probably go for the 52 mile one as my biggest ride so far is only 54 :oops:

.

I'm doing the 52 and this will be my longest ride yet. Ordered some Assos cream as I think i'll need it.

slowbike

B5NGV wrote:

I realised how poor my riding is when I tucked up behind someone on the way home on a nobbly tyred mountain bike and realised he was maintaining an 18mph average. It also made a difference to my overall time to get home and my quickest yet.

Ah - but you just mumble excuses about being on a recovery ride or some such and either drop off before you blow a piston or take refuge on his back wheel ...
Just don't go over to the MTB section where there'll be someone bragging a scalp of a lycra clad roadie whilst he was on his way to the shops in jeans & flipflops! ...