First organised cycle event for me since getting into Road biking properly last year.
There were 3 distances to choose from - 30, 50 or 75 miles. I chose the 75 - signed in nice and early and got my timing chip attached to the bike.
All the 75 milers set off at 8:30am; approx 70-80 riders. First 10-15 miles were flattish but once the first inclines appeared the group started to lose a few riders. Not big hills by any stretch of the imagination but enough for the strong riders to put pressure on us lesser mortals.
By the time we'd covered 20 miles the average speed was around the 21 mph mark which, for someone who usually is out solo, is a big increase from the norm! There were three food stops - 13 miles, 25 miles and 50 miles. I intended stopping at the 25 mile point to keep myself well refueled as I had only previously completed 71 miles and still not sure how much I need to eat for these distances. Of course, the group hurtled past the food stop, so I get unsettled and decide to try and eat a flapjack on the move. Made a right hash of it - dropping half my food and then struggling to swallow the rest whilst trying to keep onto the back of the main bunch.
Slowly I see the group disappear into the distance to be seen no more and then began the solo slog for the next 10 miles. Thankfully another gentleman caught up with me around the halfway mark with very similar abilities, and we spent the next miles talking and pressing on together to the 50 mile food stop. Some riders were sitting there - and still sat on after we left, so I guess the main group had caused them to overreach to some degree. The two of us got refueled and hit the road once again for the final 25, sharing the load at the front and even managed to overtake 4 riders with a handful of miles to go.
So, I finished my first ever sportive event doing 5 more miles than I'd ever done at an average of 19mph moving time. Time at the finish was 4 hours 10mins which I was more than happy with, even if some others had been home for the guts of half an hour before me!! A great experience at a very well organised event. I shall return in 2016!
There were 3 distances to choose from - 30, 50 or 75 miles. I chose the 75 - signed in nice and early and got my timing chip attached to the bike.
All the 75 milers set off at 8:30am; approx 70-80 riders. First 10-15 miles were flattish but once the first inclines appeared the group started to lose a few riders. Not big hills by any stretch of the imagination but enough for the strong riders to put pressure on us lesser mortals.
By the time we'd covered 20 miles the average speed was around the 21 mph mark which, for someone who usually is out solo, is a big increase from the norm! There were three food stops - 13 miles, 25 miles and 50 miles. I intended stopping at the 25 mile point to keep myself well refueled as I had only previously completed 71 miles and still not sure how much I need to eat for these distances. Of course, the group hurtled past the food stop, so I get unsettled and decide to try and eat a flapjack on the move. Made a right hash of it - dropping half my food and then struggling to swallow the rest whilst trying to keep onto the back of the main bunch.
Slowly I see the group disappear into the distance to be seen no more and then began the solo slog for the next 10 miles. Thankfully another gentleman caught up with me around the halfway mark with very similar abilities, and we spent the next miles talking and pressing on together to the 50 mile food stop. Some riders were sitting there - and still sat on after we left, so I guess the main group had caused them to overreach to some degree. The two of us got refueled and hit the road once again for the final 25, sharing the load at the front and even managed to overtake 4 riders with a handful of miles to go.
So, I finished my first ever sportive event doing 5 more miles than I'd ever done at an average of 19mph moving time. Time at the finish was 4 hours 10mins which I was more than happy with, even if some others had been home for the guts of half an hour before me!! A great experience at a very well organised event. I shall return in 2016!
(Thankfully!!)
