Ken Laidlaw Scottish Borders Sportif - Aug 23
- Thread starter Seamab
- Start date
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Myself and young Viniga met up with David (Scoosh) at the first feed station.
I think Hlab was probably home with his feet up by the time we finished!
Next time we need a better plan for meeting up at the start as there were a lot of riders fully geared up for the weather which made picking out folk difficult.
The massed start was great with the traffic stopping to let us past and a nice few miles of warm up.
Wet doesn't really cover it - drenched, soaked and on a few descents downright miserable. Consideration was given to an early exit after the second feed station but the weather improved a wee bit after that and we went for it. The prospect of a hot shower and food at the end spurred us on.
It is a brilliant route and the organisation first class. Quiet well surfaced roads. Well graded climbs with a couple of toughies at the end (The Swire and Woll Rig) but very doable for most. I'd say the steepest bits may be 10 to 12%?
I would most definitely do this one again - hopefully in better conditions and a properly working front derailleur.
Well done to Scoosh and Viniga for finishing with pain in the knees - Scoosh hit the pain barrier in the shower!
I think Hlab was probably home with his feet up by the time we finished!
Next time we need a better plan for meeting up at the start as there were a lot of riders fully geared up for the weather which made picking out folk difficult.
The massed start was great with the traffic stopping to let us past and a nice few miles of warm up.
Wet doesn't really cover it - drenched, soaked and on a few descents downright miserable. Consideration was given to an early exit after the second feed station but the weather improved a wee bit after that and we went for it. The prospect of a hot shower and food at the end spurred us on.
It is a brilliant route and the organisation first class. Quiet well surfaced roads. Well graded climbs with a couple of toughies at the end (The Swire and Woll Rig) but very doable for most. I'd say the steepest bits may be 10 to 12%?
I would most definitely do this one again - hopefully in better conditions and a properly working front derailleur.
Well done to Scoosh and Viniga for finishing with pain in the knees - Scoosh hit the pain barrier in the shower!
Waspie
Über Member
- Location
- East Lothian
I thought it was a great event, although there were a couple of points where my enthuisasm flagged mainly due to the weather.
Cacking myself on a couple of descents due to road conditions and apparently fairly crap brakes, didn't think I was going to stop on the last bit of the descent into Langholm.
Found the last 20 odd miles pretty tough, legs didn't quite recover after The Swire!
Cacking myself on a couple of descents due to road conditions and apparently fairly crap brakes, didn't think I was going to stop on the last bit of the descent into Langholm.
Found the last 20 odd miles pretty tough, legs didn't quite recover after The Swire!
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
I'd agree it was a well organised, a pity about the weather.
Viniga - 
to CC 
Good to have you on the forum and good to ride with you yesterday 
It was wet.
It was VERY wet.
It started raining at the start and, although not too windy, the wet really 'got to you'.
Adrian (HLaB) passed me early on and I continued mostly on my own till the first feed station - which was superbly stocked (oranges, bananas, tea/coffee, 4 fillings of rolls, flapjack, malt loaf
, fruit cake etc mmmmm), at which point I came across Stephen (Seamab) and his brother Vincent (Viniga). We agreed to ride together and did - until we reached a climb, when I was on my own again, as the (mountain) goats took off 
. By the second feed station, I was ready to quit, as I wasn't enjoying it and was cold to the bones ... and still it poured The roads were absolutely awash much of the time, with some puddles deep enough that the water came over my socks as I splashed through 
.The 'quit/continue junction' came and guess what - the rain had (almost) stopped, it was brightening up - and the wind was behind us
. So on we went staying together now .... up and over The Swire, over Woll Rigg, up The Leap Linns (which had been OK on the Gore Sportive at the beginning of the month - but that was after only 25km, this was after over 100km). This time it was tough, headwind, light rain BUT - it was the last climb .The whole event was superbly organised - signing in (with goodie bag), start organisation, signage (including "Prepare to climb Woll Rigg" type signs as well as "WARNING - GRAVEL", marshalling, 1st Aid car (there was one major incident, facial cuts, mild concussion -> hospital), excellent feed stations, showers, meal, medal, free photo, polo shirt
etc etc. We reckoned this is how all Sportives should be run .Will I do it again ? Absolutely
My left knee didn't like it too much and I could hardly walk into the shower, let alone over for my meal
- but I managed it 
.And now ? Knee still sore but I'll survive
Waspie
Über Member
- Location
- East Lothian
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
Wet is a bit of an understatement, the ocean is wet but it was worse than that 
I thought I heard somebody calling my name near the start. I caught the back of a group shortly after but we got a bit broken up when we came across that accident (just got an email from the organisers he broke 2 ribs it looked a pretty innocuous location too but his face was a mess). I followed a couple of riders in to the feed station but they hung around too long so I ended up going the last 75 miles on my own expecting them to catch me they never did. I occasionally hooked up with another rider after then but they were few and far between and I kept on dropping them.
There was one bloke who was going a good speed who only had a thin tee shirt on and some un-padded shorts looked like he was riding a top of the range Italian frame though. I'd have the bike but not the clothes
I was hoping the rain would ease so I could get into my back pocket, it never did! I got home with an uneaten banana, energy gel, 2 x energy bars and 4 x cereal bars).
The feed stations were worth the stop though. I quite liked as well as the direction signs which were big and clear, they were followed up by repeater confirming that I was still on track.
I thought I heard somebody calling my name near the start. I caught the back of a group shortly after but we got a bit broken up when we came across that accident (just got an email from the organisers he broke 2 ribs it looked a pretty innocuous location too but his face was a mess). I followed a couple of riders in to the feed station but they hung around too long so I ended up going the last 75 miles on my own expecting them to catch me they never did. I occasionally hooked up with another rider after then but they were few and far between and I kept on dropping them.There was one bloke who was going a good speed who only had a thin tee shirt on and some un-padded shorts looked like he was riding a top of the range Italian frame though. I'd have the bike but not the clothes
I was hoping the rain would ease so I could get into my back pocket, it never did! I got home with an uneaten banana, energy gel, 2 x energy bars and 4 x cereal bars).
The feed stations were worth the stop though. I quite liked as well as the direction signs which were big and clear, they were followed up by repeater confirming that I was still on track.
scoosh said:
It was wet.
It was VERY wet.
It started raining at the start and, although not too windy, the wet really 'got to you'.
Adrian (HLaB) passed me early on and I continued mostly on my own till the first feed station - which was superbly stocked (oranges, bananas, tea/coffee, 4 fillings of rolls, flapjack, malt loaf
The 'quit/continue junction' came and guess what - the rain had (almost) stopped, it was brightening up - and the wind was behind us
The whole event was superbly organised - signing in (with goodie bag), start organisation, signage (including "Prepare to climb Woll Rigg" type signs as well as "WARNING - GRAVEL", marshalling, 1st Aid car (there was one major incident, facial cuts, mild concussion -> hospital), excellent feed stations, showers, meal, medal, free photo, polo shirt
Will I do it again ? Absolutely
My left knee didn't like it too much and I could hardly walk into the shower, let alone over for my meal
And now ? Knee still sore but I'll survive
arranandy
Legendary Member
HJ
Cycling in Scotland
- Location
- Auld Reekie
So what were your times??
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
HJ said:
Here they are.
Waspie said:
Is George McCuster a cc'er
Edit: that was the beginners route 60km, Cameron Fraser poste the fastest time for the full 168km 5.27
HJ
Cycling in Scotland
- Location
- Auld Reekie
HLaB said:Here they are.
Is George McCuster a cc'er
Edit: that was the beginners route 60km, Cameron Fraser poste the fastest time for the full 168km 5.27
Aye but that doesn't list forum names...
In our defence, we spent a lot of time in the feed stations trying to dry out
Actually according to my computer about 1h30mins of non riding time in the 8h 29min. We must have been in the second one for ages debating whether to finish the full route or take a shortcut back to Hawick and drinking coffee and eating cakes and wringing out clothes...
But it wasn't a day for setting times - just getting round safely and enjoyably was the main thing.
I did the Radar Ride in a much faster time but didn't enjoy it much at all as i was on my own for most of it. A bit of company really helps and without it yesterday i doubt i'd have started.
Actually according to my computer about 1h30mins of non riding time in the 8h 29min. We must have been in the second one for ages debating whether to finish the full route or take a shortcut back to Hawick and drinking coffee and eating cakes and wringing out clothes...
But it wasn't a day for setting times - just getting round safely and enjoyably was the main thing.
I did the Radar Ride in a much faster time but didn't enjoy it much at all as i was on my own for most of it. A bit of company really helps and without it yesterday i doubt i'd have started.