Rideventures has helped organise a running race for a couple of years. It starts at 10.30am but all the runners warm up first (off the course) and then when they get going its immediately intense. The whole event is over by 12.30pm.
So we thought "Why not do that for cyclists?"
Lets make it short so people can do it in the morning and then get on with their Sunday. Lets tell them to warm up before the start. Lets make it super-intense - so they don't miss out on all the usual sportive "pleasure".
Somebody said, "Call it a Shortive" so we did.
When we started talking to people the response was great. Loads of people really like the idea of it being over quickly - you can do it and still do other things on the Sunday. One comment was about how a regular sportive can get boring by the afternoon as you slog around completing the miles. Others just love the hills...
Our first go is in Church Stretton this April.
We added in an extra wrinkle - bail outs. Because the Stretton course is a multiple figure of 8 cyclists will keep coming back to near the Start/Finish line as they go around. This means they can bail out and finish early if they've had enough - we'll have signs asking "Had Enough?" and showing them how to take the easy way back.