Completed My First Sportive Yesterday
Discussion
Further to this thread:http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=1532156&mid=35511
Well we did it! Me and 3 mates completed the Tour O' The Borders Sportive yesterday.
We did the "Long" route, 74 miles with 5 sizable climbs along the way, 4,800 ft of climbing.
We managed to finish in 6hr 52mins but that did include the whole event being stopped for around 1 hour as there were various accidents on one of the most technical downhill sections, the worst guy had to be airlifted to Border General Hospital and has a few broken bones and a collapsed lung (but has already been asking about his bike
).
Someone else came off at the same corner and hit him as he was being tended to so they held everyone back for an hour. Obviously compared to the poor souls who crashed it was nothing, but standing on the top of a Scottish hill, in wind and regular rain was not the best thing for muscles - plenty cramps and stiffening up was in evidence.
We did get going again and I had a thoroughly magic experience. I'd only ever ridden with one other guy before so riding in a group was a new experience.
We were set off in waves of 170, ours leaving at 7:07am (was up at 4am *shudder*).
I quickly got used to indicating when I was moving out to pass someone and also got into the way of pointing out hazards.
It was a bit windy so group riding also showed how much shelter you can get, this was even more evident once I got out on my own for sections and was pedaling into a headwind.
I did have to get off and walk part of the way up the worst climb, Talla Linn. It hits 20% in sections and whilst I could have maybe made it, my legs were telling me I wouldn't have completed the rest of the event so I had to walk part of the way, but so did about 75% of the riders around me so not unusual!
They had a timed ascent, Witcheyknowe which I did complete, and passed a fair few people so i'm looking forward to my time/position for that one.
Total moving time was 4hr 45m with an average of 15.6mph which I am really chuffed with. I also hit 44.1mph down one of the descents, a new personal best.
One of my mates had scrimped on the training and it showed so the rest of us decided to hold back regularly to let him catch up - start together and finish together.
Overall it was an absolutely brilliant day. Over 2,200 people taking part. The whole organisation, marshaling, emergency backup, etc. was top notch.
I am happy to say the organisers traced the route afterwards and struggled to fill even one black bag with litter so the participants did their bit on that score as well.
The whole atmosphere was great. Our families had come to cheer us over the finish line and the event village with food stalls, entertainment, Cannondale showing next years bike models, etc. was great.
I will certainly be signing up for next years event, and I am planning on doing my second Sportive next month, the PoppyScotland East Lothian one - I think I might be hooked!
If you are thinking of doing one of these, I can only urge you to do it - I will cherish my first finishers medal and hopefully will do many more. A couple of my mates already want to get on a bike and take part as well which can only be a good thing.
Link to the Touro website: http://tourotheborders.com/
Well we did it! Me and 3 mates completed the Tour O' The Borders Sportive yesterday.
We did the "Long" route, 74 miles with 5 sizable climbs along the way, 4,800 ft of climbing.
We managed to finish in 6hr 52mins but that did include the whole event being stopped for around 1 hour as there were various accidents on one of the most technical downhill sections, the worst guy had to be airlifted to Border General Hospital and has a few broken bones and a collapsed lung (but has already been asking about his bike
).Someone else came off at the same corner and hit him as he was being tended to so they held everyone back for an hour. Obviously compared to the poor souls who crashed it was nothing, but standing on the top of a Scottish hill, in wind and regular rain was not the best thing for muscles - plenty cramps and stiffening up was in evidence.
We did get going again and I had a thoroughly magic experience. I'd only ever ridden with one other guy before so riding in a group was a new experience.
We were set off in waves of 170, ours leaving at 7:07am (was up at 4am *shudder*).
I quickly got used to indicating when I was moving out to pass someone and also got into the way of pointing out hazards.
It was a bit windy so group riding also showed how much shelter you can get, this was even more evident once I got out on my own for sections and was pedaling into a headwind.
I did have to get off and walk part of the way up the worst climb, Talla Linn. It hits 20% in sections and whilst I could have maybe made it, my legs were telling me I wouldn't have completed the rest of the event so I had to walk part of the way, but so did about 75% of the riders around me so not unusual!
They had a timed ascent, Witcheyknowe which I did complete, and passed a fair few people so i'm looking forward to my time/position for that one.
Total moving time was 4hr 45m with an average of 15.6mph which I am really chuffed with. I also hit 44.1mph down one of the descents, a new personal best.
One of my mates had scrimped on the training and it showed so the rest of us decided to hold back regularly to let him catch up - start together and finish together.
Overall it was an absolutely brilliant day. Over 2,200 people taking part. The whole organisation, marshaling, emergency backup, etc. was top notch.
I am happy to say the organisers traced the route afterwards and struggled to fill even one black bag with litter so the participants did their bit on that score as well.
The whole atmosphere was great. Our families had come to cheer us over the finish line and the event village with food stalls, entertainment, Cannondale showing next years bike models, etc. was great.
I will certainly be signing up for next years event, and I am planning on doing my second Sportive next month, the PoppyScotland East Lothian one - I think I might be hooked!
If you are thinking of doing one of these, I can only urge you to do it - I will cherish my first finishers medal and hopefully will do many more. A couple of my mates already want to get on a bike and take part as well which can only be a good thing.
Link to the Touro website: http://tourotheborders.com/
Congratulations, I know how you must be feeling right now.
I did my first sportive yesterday too. I did the Cavendish Rise Above, chose the middle route which was 120km with around 7000ft (depending on which device you go off), knocked it off in 4.47:10 with a timed climb up Bwlch Pen Barras of just over 16 minutes !!!! (christ that hill is hard work)
I did my first sportive yesterday too. I did the Cavendish Rise Above, chose the middle route which was 120km with around 7000ft (depending on which device you go off), knocked it off in 4.47:10 with a timed climb up Bwlch Pen Barras of just over 16 minutes !!!! (christ that hill is hard work)
My first sportive by myself yesterday in the haywards heath howler. 6500.feet of climbing. I'm a rubbish climber. But the buzz and my first thought was next year will be much better. It was such a great sensation finishing when 20 miles before the wall had me almost beaten. Bloody Kitts hill. Eugh
Completed my second Sportive yesterday - did the PoppyScotland East Lothian long route.
It was 9 degrees when we set off and 18 degrees when we finished - lovely day.
My 3 mates who did the Tour O The Borderes with me all pulled out through injury/work commitments so I was Johnny Nae Mates for this one.
I made the novice mistake of getting sucked into the main peloton at the start and did the first 22 miles in an hour which I paid heavily for later on.
Around 53 miles my right thigh started to spasm but I was able to make it home by a combination of stretching and doing more work on the left side to ease the strain.
The route was really nice, the first time i've cycled in that part of the country and some of the roads were great.
Totally different to Touro - not closed road and only 288 people instead of 2,200!
I managed a decent 96th our of 164 doing the long route, I know it's not a race but people still check the figures don't they
Next year I am thinking about doing the Etape Caledonia as well as the Tour O The Borders and PoppyScotland again.
It was 9 degrees when we set off and 18 degrees when we finished - lovely day.
My 3 mates who did the Tour O The Borderes with me all pulled out through injury/work commitments so I was Johnny Nae Mates for this one.
I made the novice mistake of getting sucked into the main peloton at the start and did the first 22 miles in an hour which I paid heavily for later on.
Around 53 miles my right thigh started to spasm but I was able to make it home by a combination of stretching and doing more work on the left side to ease the strain.
The route was really nice, the first time i've cycled in that part of the country and some of the roads were great.
Totally different to Touro - not closed road and only 288 people instead of 2,200!
I managed a decent 96th our of 164 doing the long route, I know it's not a race but people still check the figures don't they
Next year I am thinking about doing the Etape Caledonia as well as the Tour O The Borders and PoppyScotland again.
AmiableChimp said:
...
It was 9 degrees when we set off and 18 degrees when we finished - lovely day.
I did the Chestnut Tree House Sussex 100 yesterday, I think the weather was the same! The country lanes were a bit nippy until the sun rose above the hedgerows. One of my fave moments of the day was realising that for the first 90 minutes or so we rode as a bunch, and pretty much all I could hear was the sound of bikes and my mates chatting about stuff. Great for someone who does a lot of solo riding! Three of us did the last mile (slightly downhill) at 43 kph which is good for the brain but not so good for the quads the next day.It was 9 degrees when we set off and 18 degrees when we finished - lovely day.
Congratulations on your efforts, you seem to have got the bug bad!
Daveyraveygravey said:
I did the Chestnut Tree House Sussex 100 yesterday, I think the weather was the same! The country lanes were a bit nippy until the sun rose above the hedgerows. One of my fave moments of the day was realising that for the first 90 minutes or so we rode as a bunch, and pretty much all I could hear was the sound of bikes and my mates chatting about stuff. Great for someone who does a lot of solo riding! Three of us did the last mile (slightly downhill) at 43 kph which is good for the brain but not so good for the quads the next day.
Congratulations on your efforts, you seem to have got the bug bad!
My local roads, are you based this way too? Congratulations on your efforts, you seem to have got the bug bad!
R1gtr said:
I just signed up for the Loch Ness, doing it with 2 mates, you doing it with friends?
Yes, 3 of us at the moment, with one more potential.Just sorting out logistics, I've got a mate who lives 12 miles outside Inverness so looks like we might crash at his the night before.
Might be a tiring day with the drive home after the event but really looking forward to this one - it's also my birthday weekend (took a bit of bartering with Mrs Chimp to get away all weekend).
Hope the weather gods are kind!
No idea mate, it's my first time doing it as well. I do think it could be a couple of thousand to justify it being a closed Road event.
I did a few larger rides this year, Tour O The Borders was 74 miles, PoppyScotland was 68 and I also did an 80 mile training ride.
Next year I'm hoping to do a 100 mile ride in a day.
I did a few larger rides this year, Tour O The Borders was 74 miles, PoppyScotland was 68 and I also did an 80 mile training ride.
Next year I'm hoping to do a 100 mile ride in a day.
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