Sportive newbie- never done one before (madness?)

[gazza285]

hora said:

Anything else I can do to 'prepare'? Its only a couple of weeks away though..

Anyone else fancy it?

Just remember it is not a race, although 90% of the men there will treat it as such, so ride at your own pace.

I'd join you, but it's the same day as the Three Peaks Cyclocross, which is a race...

[dave0010]

Just enjoy it. Don't let yourself get demotivated by people whizzing past you. Chat with the people around you, everyone will be more than happy to share there stories of rides and this is great for passing the time.

[gazza285]

Well?

[gazza285]

I am well acquainted with Miss Mills, she is my physio of choice when I need my pre-race/post-race injuries patching up.

Which option are you going for? I'm in the cyclocross 35 mile event, I'll be in my Pistonheads shirt, either an old or a new one.

[WinstonWolf]

hora said:

33mile one first. Although my heart says 70.

The only thing stopping you from doing the seventy is the limits you place on yourself

JFDI

[Bbunter]

hora said:

33mile one first. Although my heart says 70.

By the time you've done the 33, the endorphins would have kicked in enough to mean you'd float to the 70 before you knew it.

[Jonleeper]

I bought a road bike this year for the @4 mile commute each way. A couple of months ago I ended up meeting soemone who offered to show me "a few local routes". Since then, and with no real training before hand, we went for a "short 10 miles or so with no climbs" which turned out to be 27 miles and 3,000 ft climbed. Three weeks ago we headed "off for a coffee" cue a 45.7 mile hike across the Severn into Wales and the following weekend I was ropped into the Bradley Stoke Charity Cycle ride. I thought he said 15 miles, turns out it was 50! Still my first experience of riding with a larger group and, much as I hate to admit it, it was enjoyable and nothing like as hard as I thought it was going to be. My advice is just go for it. You will never know how far you can go until you try to go there.

Edited to add:

Oh and stay away from the PH jersy threads as they get expensive very quickly! ;-)

[Dixie]

You should have done the Nanny. You'll have breezed round it. My wife did it last year as pretty much her first ride on her new bike.

If you fancy something a bit more challenging this is at the end of October:

http://darkwhitecycling.co.uk/matlock-top-ten/

Sportives are fun. Sure they cost a bit but riding with a big group is nice.

[WinstonWolf]

hora said:

Entered and paid for the long route. RIGHT. More PHers to enter please. I'll wear my PH top too

You'll be fine, just remember to eat and drink and you'll be OK. Don't try too hard, you'll need your legs at the end

[anonymous-user]

hora said:

Me too. I bet it arrives Monday.

Hillswise I've ridden around Huddersfield (if you know it?)- up and over Castlehill from town, down Farnley Tyas etc. Thats the extent of my hills experience though.

Not much hills experience in that neck of the woods!!! I can't remember much flat cycling round there, with the two valleys its pretty much the hills are everywhere complete with gurning inbreds in the countryside or Meltham

If you don't fancy holme moss yet, why not try some of the roads from Brockholes to Thurstonland, there are a couple there that are short but steep and will have your lungs burning in no time. Also do check out the around the Colne valley, cycle up to to top of Golcar and you can swing round and meet the Homle valley.

[gazza285]

Did you do it Hora?

Long route set off at eight, and the CX set off at nine, I wouldn't have seen you.

I finished at one, just as the first long route rider came in.

[gazza285]

Left at nine, fifth back on the CX route in 3.59. Tough old route. Did you meet my mate Amos then? He was the young lad dressed as a chef at the feed station.

[gazza285]

He's a talker alright.

You've got five months to prepare for the Ronde Van Calderdale, now you have done an easy one.

[gazza285]

Ten places left on the Ronde Van Calderdale, you know you want to...

[gazza285]

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/1...

[nammynake]

gazza285 said:

Ten places left on the Ronde Van Calderdale, you know you want to...

Quite local to me so I've signed up for the first time. Loads from our club doing it.

I manage fine on steep hills (20% or more) but the addition of cobbles just makes them so much harder!

[nammynake]

hora said:

I'm on this- which route did you sign for? The sane 'I can go out and drink after without falling asleep at 9pm' or the 'wiped out for the rest of the weekend' ride?

Long route. I know a few who did the ride last year and really rated the route. Some bloody tough climbs though!

And I need all the training I can get - just signed up to a 7 day stage race from Germany to Italy across the Alps.

[gazza285]

I'm doing the long route, plus the 20 mile ride to the start and back.

[gazza285]

hora said:

gazza285 said:

I'm doing the long route, plus the 20 mile ride to the start and back.

Is that all? Im riding from/back to south Manchester

Cool, I'll meet you at Slaithwaite.

[Barchettaman]

scubadude said:

Having signage, catering and mechanical support is a great safety blanket to extend your riding- its far more relaxing and easy than doing it from home and having to taxi it back or sheepishly call your missus for a ride home when your sat in a layby with a minor mechanical.

I tend to bring all tools required for a ´minor mechanical´ and would do for a sportive too.

Having had more snapped chains than punctures in 2012 my toolkit now includes a chain tool and a quick link!