Did my first sportive, the medium-ish route of the Wight Riviera Sportive yesterday - hilliest ride I've ever done; one climb of varying magnitude and descent followed by another - with a flat bit (and head wind) on Military Rd. Weather was cloudy with occasional light rain. Aparently I burned off 2500 kcal - doesn't sound that impressive. It was a big event, start and finish in Yarmouth - marquee, brass band tent, loos, St Johns ambulance, bike mechs etc, marshalls all over the roads for the first closed 25km (a few cars ignored this). People were out clapping as we went by in Yarmouth. Complex signage for the different routes, though some brightspark removed the Short Route turning - so some ended up doing longer rides. Motorcycles doing the rounds, checkpoints and timing chip detectors. Have to say that I really needed the half way checkpoint with flapjack, jelly beans and orange 1/4s. At the finish picked up the 'freebee' T-shirt, cup of tea, muffin, and tub of IofW ice cream. Anyway, I'm glad I did it for the experience, good challenging ride, and I'd never been on the IofW before, but I'd probably be thinking twice before doing it again, as it was a pricey weekend with petrol/ferry/campsite/meal out (Bugle - Doom bar on tap)/entrance fee...
