Me and the weather are having trust issues this month. It all started with a 5 mile fun run just before the first of the unnecessary Bank Holidays that May has to offer, where the weather gods decided that a rain jacket was de rigueur right up to the starting gun, and then proceeded to produce sunshine worthy of a mankini for the entire duration of my plod, only to produce a cooling rain shower as I crossed the finish line.
Not to be caught out again, I began the Jurassic Beast sportive in short sleeves and a gilet only to have my arms and face numbed by chilly low cloud for the first three hours and then dosed with enough sunshine and wind to dry me out and start roasting my neck and knees.
I rolled up to the start of the Cycling Weekly South Downs Spring Sportive in pragmatic mood, however, determined not to believe the forecast for cloud and misery. It seemed that those joining me, and there were many, could not make up their minds. Rain jackets, winter jerseys, full-length tights and (yes) a woolly jumper were as much in evidence as sleeveless tri tops, T-shirts and baggy MTB shorts - dammit, I even saw sandals and shoe covers in the same group of riders queueing patiently to sign in.
As it turned out, it was a day of pleasant surprises both with the outlook and the course. Threading back and forth on the wonderfully smooth roads that meander around the northern foot of the South Downs escarpment, it was a rapid big-ring first 50km, sheltered much of the way by the hills looming to the south. Aside from a short sharp climb in the first 5km, the steepest thing I encountered before the first feed station was a fresh pile of horse eggs that was so immense and centrally deposited, riders needed to queue up to pass it safely.
Travelling eastwards for what seemed an eternity, the route finally began to swing north towards Uckfield. Those on the Epic ride got to peel off to tackle a few climbs on the eastern edge of the Ashdown Forest, but not before a welcome and overdue pit stop was reached at Waldron. I thought I had missed the feed station, but a glance at the map revealed FS1 was on the Short Route and I was in fact at number two. I'm sure many would have welcomed the chance to make a brief diversion along the shorter course to restock with drink and sugary goodness.
I had begun to stew in my gilet, so it was a good place to strip down to just two layers. I think there was some concern at the feed marquee at the number of fig rolls I was consuming, as I overheard someone ask what constituted a 'lethal dose'. I really cannot praise the organisers enough for striking a deal this year with PowerBar - it's one of my preferred brands, and I made short work of one of their Cookie & Cream Power Bars before refilling my bidon and setting off on the hillier part of the course.
A mere 20km later I came across the second feed stop on the Standard course at Isfield and so took the opportunity to fill my boots once again, in a 'strictly one per rider' sort of way, naturally...
When I say 'hilly', it's a relative comparison - nothing was really long or challenging to a seasoned Sportive Addict. There was plenty of opportunity to indulge in out-of-the-saddle efforts without worrying about going into the red, the summit of the climb was always in view. The route also avoided the majority of the busier roads in the area, fleetingly joining the A26 and traversing the A22 twice, each major junction studiously marshalled.
Me and the weather were reconciled for the day as the rain and winds held off. The area is one of my favourite places to ride (when I'm not in the mood for stupid hills), and the South Downs Spring Sportive is an ideal event for novices to build their confidence for a longer ride. It's not totally flat, especially in the latter sections, but offers the chance to cover a lot of distance while taking in the wonderful scenery. And if it was easy then it wouldn't be as much fun, now would it?
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