First Sportive

[stoneyloon]

Well, I've spent my £58 and entered my first Sportive, the Loch Ness Etape.

I've got until April to get my mileage up to 67.....

 

[tug benson]

Done it last year, good sportive, a very flat first 2 hours, then you hit a cracker of a big hill that goes on for and 5 and a half miles, the route after that is a little bit lumy but not to hard?

are you staying in inverness for it?

the views of the Loch are amazing and getting to cycle down that death road traffic free is a major plus point of this ride

 

[Osprey]

Sounds amazing. Wish l lived closer. Plenty of time to train for the 67m. Good luck

 

[SWSteve]

Well, I've spent my £58 and entered my first Sportive, the Loch Ness Etape.

I've got until April to get my mileage up to 67.....

What mileage are you doing at the moment? Think of where you need to be ~march and then work for it. You've got plenty of time so it shouldn't require too much work

 

[Mrs M]

Get training laddie! Go for it.

 

[tug benson]

get the climbing started as soon as you can...this is the big climb you do

http://www.strava.com/segments/723617

 

[stoneyloon]

I had my first outing on my first road bike last Saturday. I did a 12.5 mile route before my butt gave up!
The weather is shocking tomorrow but will try for 15-20 miles on Sunday....

 

[stoneyloon]

I've booked a hotel room for the night before and after, don't think I could handle the drive home straight after....

 

[stoneyloon]

17 miles on Sunday, Strava is a handy tool....

 

[Justinslow]

I did my first 100 mile sportive 50 days after getting my road bike, I had barely ridden my mtb up to that point. So pretty much was starting from scratch. I went out 2-3 times a week (this was between august and October so better weather and light evenings) upping my mileage steadily until my last training run of 70 miles.
I would just say take it easy as I probably rushed it and it used to hurt a lot between rides - stiff legs, back, neck and shoulders! But gradually as you get fitter and better at it, those things subside.
Funnily enough for me it takes at least probably 7-8 miles before I start to feel comfortable and the numb bum goes away.
Since the 100 miles in early October I've done bugger all riding except for a few turbo runs, so hoping to pick it up again in the spring - fair weather biker!

 

[Banjo]

You will do it ok provided you get some miles in between now and then. I would aim to do at least one 50 mile ride in preperation and get plenty of hill practice in.

Its not a race so take your time and enjoy the day. Usual newby mistake is to set off too fast then struggle at the end. Stop at every feed station and eat as much as possible. Drink plenty even if its cold and you feel like you dont need it.

There are masses of opinions on saddles and butt cream .I find vaseline as good as anything with sudocrem applied after the ride if any soreness.

 

[Justinslow]

I didn't use anything in the nether regions, but I did buy some good bib shorts with a decent pad in.

 

[huwsparky]

@Banjo has some good advice. The best advice think I could give from my limited time riding would be to not set off to fast. I find by riding 'clever' you can go further and it hurts a lot less.