Sportives and Gatecrashing

[dirty boy]

I paid in advance for my Tough Mudder entry, so it was about £80 IIRC. However, I drove 6 hours to the venue, stayed two nights in a hotel, ate at a restaurant both nights....cost spiralled very quickly for what was essentially a couple of hours in the mud!

[anonymous-user]

[DrMekon]

If you are put off by the price, do an audax. Any of the well attended ones will be a very familiar experiences. I did the Eureka! 200 the other weekend, and it was just like being on a sportive, albeit the controls (feed stations) were cafes. Was maybe £5 to enter, and there was food and drink at the beginning and end (in Cheadle village hall).

[Rich_W]

Hang on. The foods and water is free?

I did a Sportive that finished at the Herne Hill Velodrome couple years back. Was out of water by 80ish K (was a bit warm that day) and went past a food point with no money handy so just kept on going. No one told me on the info pack that I'd get nutritional assistance

Got some awful coconut water which I downed instantly at the finish and a medal given to me by Ben Swift and a copy of the FT. Hardly £45 worth

[Mr Will]

Rich_W said:

Hang on. The foods and water is free?

I often leave sportives with more gels and bars than I arrived with, having consumed approximately my own body-weight in cake over the course of the ride.

[Cagey]

pablo said:

Its one thing to join in if the route is local and you just fancy riding some/part/most of it with a big group or some mates, Cagey joined us (then dropped us and shot off with Steve!) for some of the Circuit Breaker recently. I doubt anyone other than Team PH noticed him. Its a wholly different thing to turn up, abuse all the facilities and then claim a medal....

As I appear to have been outed here...

My personal view is that 'crashing' a sportive and making use of feed stations etc is most definitely a no-no and anyone that does so is a tosspot of the highest order. Also, I would consider just turning up for a sportive that required a car journey as a bit off (and also just a little strange...)
However, if a large (non-charity) event is going past the front door (as in my case the Circuit Breaker and another Wiggle one from Towcester did) and heading out onto roads ridden regularly on a weekend, then I have no issue with it. I take responsibility for my own riding, and wouldn't dream of trying to blag assistance of any kind. As it was, I think I remember seeing just 2 junctions marshalled on the CB.
I also enjoy the chance to have a chat with other riders, whether for a couple of miles or 60ish, as I ride with other guys at lunchtime during the week but most of my longer rides are solo.

And just for balance, there is a local sportive that raises money for the hospice that cared for my mum which I enter and raise money for every year.

Maybe I'll see some more of you out on next years Circuit Breaker - where I'll be again sans number (I have platinum status at wiggle anyway - they should be grateful I'm there ).

[Steve vRS]

Cagey said:

pablo said:

Its one thing to join in if the route is local and you just fancy riding some/part/most of it with a big group or some mates, Cagey joined us (then dropped us and shot off with Steve!) for some of the Circuit Breaker recently. I doubt anyone other than Team PH noticed him. Its a wholly different thing to turn up, abuse all the facilities and then claim a medal....

As I appear to have been outed here...

You are excused as you dragged me round to ensure I knocked over an hour off my 2013 time!

And I can verify that you did not use the food stops, instead munching on those lovely looking Belgian waffles. Those lovely looking Belgian waffles that you didn't share I may add.....



Steve

[anonymous-user]

Sorry, didn't mean to offend! Was using you as an example of the people who ride the route but have a conscience and don't raid the jelly bean boxes! Hope to see you in 2015!....

[Steve vRS]

So is the CB 2015 a date then?

[Cagey]

Steve vRS said:

You are excused as you dragged me round to ensure I knocked over an hour off my 2013 time!

And I can verify that you did not use the food stops, instead munching on those lovely looking Belgian waffles. Those lovely looking Belgian waffles that you didn't share I may add.....



Steve

Argh, sorry - looking back that's pretty poor form on my part. I'll make an assurance now that if we're both there next year, I'll have extra on me. We'll wait until we've dropped the other guys though yeah?

CB looks to be scheduled for 25/10.

[Steve vRS]

It's OK. I didn't share my wine gums. Well, certainly not the black or red ones

Steve

[Cagey]

pablo said:

Sorry, didn't mean to offend! Was using you as an example of the people who ride the route but have a conscience and don't raid the jelly bean boxes! Hope to see you in 2015!....

No offence taken!

Was good to meet everyone - even if it was briefly!

[anonymous-user]

Steve vRS said:

It's OK. I didn't share my wine gums. Well, certainly not the black or red ones

Steve

Pretty sure wine gums are on the WADA banned substances list....

[velocgee]

I've gatecrashed sportive or two in the past not because I've not wanted to pay but because I missed signing up (they often seem to book up pretty fast). But I've always carried my own bars and gels and iso sachets and wouldnt dream of snacking off feed station.