This weekend I'm doing the Bike Radar Sportive - http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/BikeRadar-Live-Cycling-Plus-Sportive-100-mile-route - starting from Donnington Park and heading out on a 100 mile circuit around the midlands & southern peak district. According to the route map, it's under 6000ft climbing with most of the hills coming in the middle section of the ride. 6000 ft doesn't sound too much - I did that much on the Etape Caledonia over 73 miles so perhaps I may get a reasonable time. I've sent Joe my goals for the ride - under 8 hours is adequate, success is under 7:30, and my dream goal is under 7hrs. Under 7 hours sounds ridiculous though! The forecast is amazing - sunshine all day long and temperatures over 20C although the wind might slow us down a little.
I will be staying in a hotel for 2 nights - I think I'll really enjoy it tonight and doing the century tomorrow but I know that I'll start missing the family by tomorrow night. I'm thinking of doing something really stupid again - got another new saddle. It's the same make as my old Selle Italia - same dimensions etc - the cut out is just a little bigger. It's on the bike, I tested it last night and it felt ok. I think I'm going to go for it. I know the old Selle Italia will hurt me anyway so what have I got to lose (apart from a few layers of skin?)
On the Etape front, I still don't have a number. I've been reading on the forum about how long it takes the high numbers to get over the line - in some cases, it can be half an hour! That's a long time to be looking at the broom wagon over your shoulder. I hope I get a nice low number so that we can get an early getaway. I have everything crossed.
Colin is doing the Sportive Training plan. By that, I mean that his training consists mainly of sportives. This year he has done the Cheshire Cat 66miles, North Cornwall Tor 43 miles, Etape Caledonia 65 miles. He's done a handful of 20 mile rides (literally, about 5 at the most) and one 40 mile ride into the peaks and that's about it. He seems to go from one sportive to the next with barely any riding at all. I fear for him again this year - I wouldn't fancy doing 80 miles and then having to tackle Ventoux on that amount of training.
Friday, 29 May 2009
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1 comments:
The danger is doing 80 miles and NOT having to do the Ventoux at the end........
Having seen you climb on the Cheshire Cat, I'm sure you will be fine, especially since the Broom Wagon is likely to take over an hour to do the first 14km (1st Col of the day). Assuming the crush of riders has cleared by the top, your descent will be at over 30kmh, thus increasing your lead on the wagon by the second col.
Fear of the broom wagon is good, and will keep you focussed, but in the end, you will probably never see it.
We got to the start pens about an hour before the off, and were about 10 metres from the front, thats almost like being in the next pen up, and definitely worth it. In Pau we were all out by 20 past, so even the last riders had 15 minutes over the wagon, that means you'll be on the first climb before the wagon starts rolling.
Be positive, you'll do it, I'd put your mortgage on it (even if not my own) 8-)
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