Over 300 ride the Woodcote Sportive!

Rory, Maddy, James and myself joined this huge, well organised Sportive through the Chiltern Hills. It was still raining when we loaded the bikes at 5am but turned into a glorious day. 380 originally entered, around 330 started. The route was fantastic, the scenery stunning but the hills were relentless, some long, some very steep. A lot of the descents were through dark woods on narrow, wet, gravel strewn roads. I must have seen a hundred people puncture. (why do people use lightweight tyres pumped to max pressure in these conditions? I spoke to one man who'd punctured four times). Our new man, James did the 60 mile circuit, the rest of us did the 75 mile loop.

Rory the Rocket was back first in 4hrs21, getting GOLD, Marvellous Maddy next on 4hrs52, I did it in 4hrs 57, giving us both 'silver'. James, who'd ridden a fast 44miles the day before, clocked an amazing 3hrs 53 on the mid circuit.

The next big Sportive is the Burgess Hill Rumble on the 21st. I would strongly advise anyone doing the 95 mile event to be certain they can do the hills! This is NOT a Club Run, it's non-stop and the exhaustion is accumulative. I'm doing the middle distance 65 miles.

INCIDENTALLY...if any of you get stressed about equipment, think on this: Maddy did a great first time TT and got silver at this event on an old steel bike, she's waiting for her new machine. Remember the title of Lance Armstrong's book 'it's not about the bike'.

Event / Article Type
Southern Sportive WOODCOTE Reading
Rory, Maddy and Russell