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Cycle SOS How To: Train for a Sportive

If you’ve signed up to tackle a sportive this year, you may be trying to get a few training rides in to prepare for it. Mass participation events can vary in length and difficulty and a 30-mile adventure in the lanes of Kent will naturally be somewhat different to an epic 100km in the French Alps. However, the better your preparation, the more fun you’re likely to have. Here’s a quick Cycle SOS guide to help you train for the big day.

Plan your rides

Figure out how long you have to prepare and plan your training rides. If you have two months to train, look at what you can realistically do in that amount of time, say, one longish ride at the weekend, plus a shorter one during the week. Now mark them out in your diary or on your phone and try to make a note of how you get on afterwards. It’s surprising how motivating it can be to keep a note of your progress.

Research some routes

Obviously getting longer rides in requires you to find some good routes. Make sure you know where you’re going and the kind of roads you may encounter. If you’re unsure where to begin, RIDE WITH GPS is a good place to find local training rides: https://ridewithgps.com/

 Prep your bike

Don’t get your bike out of the shed just before your ride. To get the most out of it – and your day – you need to pump the tyres and clean and lubricate the chain and gears the day before. The same applies to your riding kit; it makes things much easier if you have the right kit ready for the forecasted weather.

Start small

Begin with a ride of between 1-2 hours, roughly 10-15 miles. Then see if you can add 10 miles on top each week thereafter. If that sounds too easy (or too hard), just start with a distance you think you could normally do and still apply the ‘plus 10’ rule!

Keep it steady

Try to maintain a pace that’s comfortable enough so you could still have a conversation (even if a little out of breath) with your training buddy, or the cows in the adjacent field. Unless you’re looking to come first on the sportive you don’t need to train for the sprint or go on an attack, so steady riding is all that’s required. Don’t push it too much unless you feel like it.

Ride with friends

Not only will this help you stay safe and enjoy your training rides even more, it may also help you get fitter if they’re a little stronger than you – or boost your confidence if you’re the faster rider!

 Keep drinking and eating

Staying focused and energised on your rides is vital, so a sip of water every ten minutes and around 100 calories (e.g., a big banana) per hour is recommended.

Eat well off the bike

There’s no need to go on a diet, but ensuring you’re getting the right levels of protein, carbohydrates, fibre and vitamins will ensure you get the most out of your ride.

Rest up

You don’t actually get fitter when you’re out on the bike, it happens during the time when your body is repairing. Therefore ensuring you recover after a training ride is very important. Put your feet up when you can and don’t roll straight to the pub after your ride… (or at least make it a half!).

Enjoy it

If you’re a first-time sportive-rider, try not to be daunted by the event or to let your nerves transfer to overdoing the training or the pace you set on the day itself. Sportives are about having fun, so just try to get out and ride when you can, stay relaxed and, above all, enjoy it.

For more information about our services or to start your claim, call 0808 100 9995 and speak to one of our specialist solicitors. We’re here to help. You can email us or schedule a callback.

Written By:

Emily Pheysey

Litigation Executive

Emily has over 7 years of experience in the legal sector, handling road traffic accident claims to recover compensation and support her clients. Her focus is to ensure all clients feel comfortable and at ease with the claims process so that they can focus on their recovery.

Emily considers rapport to be an essential part of the role and strives to always provide excellent client care.

Away from work, Emily enjoys spending time with her family and friends and travelling as much possible.

Diane Holderness

Litigation Executive

Diane is a Ministry of Justice (TOJ) Team Leader within our Cycle Department. She has 11 years’ experience managing road traffic accident claims, and 6 years’ experience managing MOJ claims.

Diane enjoys a challenge and always strives for the very best results for her customers; something that is clear in the way her team continually adapts its strategies in order to secure the most desired outcome. Diane has worked her way through the legal ranks here, and is proud to now have a strong, specialist team that is committed to customer satisfaction.

Diane believes that happy clients make a happy working environment, and it is this that ensures a productive and efficient workforce.

Nina Haddock

Chartered Legal Executive

Nina has over 30 years’ experience in the legal sector. She specialises in recovering compensation for injury claimants as a result of road traffic accidents. Her focus for each and every claim is to help her clients secure the funding that they need to pay for ongoing treatment and support.

Nina became a CILEX Fellow in 2006 and now helps her clients and their families at a time when they have been through a traumatic experience, and everything they hold dear to them appears to be changing.

One case Nina is particularly proud of is supporting a client who had successfully sought asylum in the UK, following a road traffic accident. The claim was successfully pursued through the MIB and the client was left with significant injuries. Her client was able to use the compensation to aid family members with their applications to seek asylum in the UK.

Julian Fox

Cycling Accident Solicitor

Julian qualified as a Solicitor in 2005 and has worked in all areas of personal injury since 2000. Julian has a well-rounded understanding of personal injury law, having represented both claimants and defendants.

Julian always aims for maximum damages to meet his clients’ needs for injury and rehabilitation expenses, and can often secure interim payments to help meet clients’ financial needs. Julian is highly proactive in ensuring cases are progressed, ensuring a timely conclusion.

When not at the office, Julian is a keen cyclist, both on roads and virtually -he will often do an hour of ‘Zwifting’ in the mornings before starting work.

Richard Atherton

Cycling Accident Solicitor

Richard has 12 years of legal experience and qualified as a Solicitor in February 2014. He has been a Team Manager with us since 2019. Throughout his career, Richard has specialised in personal injury, handling an array of Road Traffic Accident cases, in addition to employer and public liability.

Richard prides himself on his very strong strategic and planning skills, which come into their own in complex injury cases where more technical arguments are involved. On every case, he is committed to ensuring that his clients receive full compensation for their injuries.

Away from work, Richard enjoys sport; he is a season ticket holder at St Helens Rugby Club and a Liverpool FC fan. Not only a spectator, Richard also likes going to play golf as often as he can.

Dave Gardner

Litigation Executive

Dave has over 20 years of experience in the legal sector. His specialism is personal injury and he has dealt with hundreds of cycling injury claims during his career. Excellent client care and communication is paramount to Dave. He prides himself on being accessible and available, attending court hearings where damages are in dispute to ensure the best outcome for his clients. One case Dave is particularly proud of is when he supported an elderly client who suffered serious injuries following a road traffic incident. The police had not taken any action against the defendant, so Dave had to be proactive and act within a 24-hour window. The case proceeded and the client was in receipt of £30,000 in damages, which he would not have been entitled to had the client not approached Dave. He is also an avid supporter of Glasgow Rangers and travelled abroad on many occasions to see them play in European competitions.

Gerard Horton

Partner

Gerard is a Senior Solicitor at Cycle SOS. In his 13 years of experience, Gerard has built a national reputation in the catastrophic injury sector, dealing with high value and complex cases. Alongside his legal role, Gerard supports several charities including Headway Central Lancashire, Northwest Regional Spinal Injuries Centre and spinal injury charity, Back Up.

Julia Eyton

Partner

Julia brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the Cycle SOS team.

Specialising in representing those who have had life changing injuries, Julia handles some of the most serious and complex personal injury cases both within Cycle SOS and nationally.

She often works on high value claims and is skilled in winning complex liability cases.

NADIA KERR

Partner

Nadia has over 30 years of legal expertise and has represented hundreds of vulnerable road users. With a focus on ensuring timely rehabilitation, speedy repair or replacement of bikes and kit, and securing fair compensation, Nadia is committed to advocating for justice and client rights. Alongside her legal career, Nadia actively participates in national campaigns to benefit vulnerable road users and acts as a Trustee/Director for the national cycling charity, Cycling UK. Nadia was named in Cycling UK’s ‘100 women’ and was a founding member, now running a women’s cycling group, TeamGlow in South Manchester. Among her many achievements, Nadia takes pride in her spot on BBC Breakfast, where she provided expert commentary on long term government funding for pothole repairs.

Caroline Morris

DIRECTOR OF SERIOUS INJURY

Caroline has specialised in personal injury for over 25 years, recovering more than £56 million in damages during that time, to help clients rebuild their lives after injury.

Caroline is committed to achieving rehabilitation options early, meaning her clients benefits from the best care and treatment at the earliest stage possible.