Forest of Dean Spring Classic

So then Russell - have you been brave and entered this in the end? As you know I did it last year - some challenging climbs both in terms of steepness and sheer drag! But a great run down to Monmouth at the end after Symonds Yat.

At 85 miles it was the furthest I had ridden in a day and I just squeaked into a bronze result category. You're fitter and stronger so should I imagine you could do quite well!
 
Hi CAS. I've entered, and frankly I'm bloody nervous!

I think I'm going to aim to average 15-16mph which should see me round in 6 hours or less but I am actually quite psyched out by the routes hilly reputation at the moment!

My bike needs a lower gear than the smallest 42/25 that I'm running at the moment, and I need about another 20 miles in my legs as the furthest I've ridden so far this year on the road is 60 miles so... I'm hoping that lucozade gel packs and 'singlespeeders-sheer-bloodymindedness-when climbing' that I practised at the HONC will get me through :)
 
I wouldn't worry about the overall distance - there's someting about the event carrying you through. My weak spot is at about 50 miles -I just need to get past that point - after that you're so kn*****ed anyway it really makes little difference.

The climbs are all numbered so you can count them down after half way round and of course there are some great descents and stretches where you can tank along and keep up yor target speed.

You'll be fine - I'd offer to come on a training ride with you before the event but you're much quicker than me!
 
:) thanks.

Not much time left now for training, its only two weeks away!

Always happy to go for a ride afterwards though, Maybe yourself and Mr Edwards could take me on a tour of the country lanes round your way? :)

In case any casual observers are wondering what I'm fretting about;

elevation.gif


:!:

Great training for Mayhem though.
 
OK - no problem - I'm sure a ride round our neck of the woods could be arranged. The gentleman in question was supposed to do the FOD classic with me last year but didn't in the end. Some lame excuse about a best friends wedding - I ask you!!

Best of luck with it anyway Russ _ I'm sure you'll do an enviable time.
 
CAS":3mtctqzg said:
Come on then Russell - don't keep us in suspense - how did you do?

:LOL: Well, I learned a fair few hard lessons about Sportive riding.

1.) Go easy for the first few miles. Being overtaken by all the people you shot past on the first climb is de-moralising.
2.) A 15 yr old bike with a 42/25 lowest gear has no place on a ride that takes you up nearly 8000 vertical feet
3.) You don't need to fill your pockets with food at the start, it will annoy you and you will curse the weight on the hills
4.) Don't leave you wallet on the dashboard of your car when you're going to out riding all day. It will niggle at you and at 60 miles, you will think about using it as an excuse to give up and go home.

However, I did the 85 miles in 6hrs28mins of riding time, a tad shy of 7 hours if you include phonecall/toilet/feed stops. Well inside Bronze time. Made me realise that with just a little bit more training and a more 'climb-friendly' gear, I could probably have scraped a Silver... Hmmmm, next year :)

I'm now off to research 'modern' road bikes and see that they come with chainrings as low as 34, I expect thats what everyone who overtook me on Symonds Yat was riding ;)
 
Don't be too hard on yourself! It took me almost another hour to get round and I had a 30/25 lowest gear on my triple!

And it sounds like you rode Symonds Yat wheras I had to give up on the last few metres ( luckily after the photoshot) and couldn't even get my leg over the cross bar of the bike - had to lie it on the ground to get off!

So well done! See you soon for that ride round the lanes of Herefordshire! And yep - go for silver next year - I'd need about 30 minutes quicker for my age group so I'm sure you'd do it no problem for yours!

Cheers

Carol
 
CAS":4iz7k0fe said:
And it sounds like you rode Symonds Yat...

Nope... the last bit totally defeated me :LOL: I did well on the long slow drag up to the turn off to the river but when I hit the last steep bit (about 200yds of 25%) I just blew up.

Whoever designed that course either needs a medal or shooting, I've not decided yet.

The last descent into Monmouth was great though! Proper swoopy fast turns. I guess that the payback for a ride with so many climbs is that you get to ride the downhills too, and some of them with their fast hairpins through bluebell dappled woods, were superb.
 
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