Dorking Original

[Brumbear]

Anyone riding the Dorking original next month. It's going to be my first Sportive. I'm looking forward to it even though the hills are nerve wracking. 60, asthmatic and still carrying too much bulk. Not a novice however. I've been training hard and the nasty hills we have locally, though short, have some vicious gradients.

Anyway, if anyone is oing it and would like company, Le m know. I average 16mph on mixed gradients.
Jon

 

[martint235]

For £30 I'll take you round the epic route at whatever pace you like. I'll chuck in a pub lunch too.

Sorry, I'm not a huge fan of sportives. I often wonder where all the money goes for letting people ride their bikes out in the countryside.

 

[sonmk]

Yes, looking forward to this. I have Dorking twice thus far, so looking forward to some nice hills.

Yes, you pay a significant sum£, but for me it is the motivation spurred on from riding in a large group.
A bit like going to the gym. I have my own home gym set up but it does not feel the same as visiting a proper gym, since you don't have the people around to provide the atmosphere and motivation.

 

[martint235]

May I suggest the FNRttC. Much more atmosphere than a Sportive, less of the "I'm faster than you" attitude and you get to experience two very different feelings: the "what on earth am I doing 50 miles from home in the dark in the countryside" feeling and the "I've actually just cycled to the coast for breakfast".

And although the FNRttC is more of a pootle than a Sportive would probably allow, if you need to physically push yourself the Saturday Morning Ride back to Home will push you over 100 miles and is done quite a bit quicker than the FNRttC usually.

 

[Brumbear]

Well Martin thanks for the offer of £30 plus a pub lunch, but oddly enough I know what I'm doing and really wasn't asking for an opinion. Like Sonmk, it's camaraderie I was looking for and after something like 46 years of being around bikes I'm capable of pacing myself.
Sonmk.. I will be in Beds RC kit on the day come and say hello.

 

[martint235]

Hope you have a good ride then. If you see someone in a Fridays jersey don't forget to say Hi

 

[sonmk]

Hi,

Will do,
Are you doing the epic or standard course?

I just hope the weather isn't anything like today though