Sounds ok to me. If that’s solo then its a very good starting marker. Get out as much as possible and before you know it you’ll be hovering around the 18’s without killing yourself.

Good effort. You’ll be fine. Enjoy the sportive and tuck in at the food stop

Depends on how long you stop for tea and cakes.I usually aim for 40 minutes but frequently end up closer to an hour.

Did one sportive, 90km with lots of climbing stopped for a couple of mins for the food stop and that was it. It’s not a race but you do get a time so it’s nice to test yourself. 15mph comes out at 24kph over 80km of flat riding. It’s not bad for a start. Just pace yourself and don’t get suckered into the I’m not racing dawdling groups.

The last sportive I entered was a staggered start. So get there early rather than late and you’ll have a headstart over some.

Your time would be fine by what I’ve seen. If you can ride with others that might speed you up a bit.

Averages aren’t too helpful unless you are riding the same route. If that 700m came in one 12% hill at the start it would be a bit different to it being spread out over the distance. Also weather, especially wind, are big factors.

Go at your own pace if you can. If you are feeling good then hammer the last 5 miles. Don’t hammer the first 5 and cramp up! Also eat cake and talk to people and enjoy it. If you just put your head down and don’t stop you might as well go on your own.

Ride Mr steady eddy,keep a nice sustainable effort going and I guarantee you’ll pass all ‘cant keep it in the pants brigade’ later on. And have something left for the return leg.
Don’t worry about averages, mine have a 5 MPH variable. And I could take you on a killer hilly ride with less altitude gained than a flat route. From my hey limited experience sportives do like to gain height with proper hills.
Have fun, I like them now I know how they work.

It’s alright if you were just “pootling”, but if you were going for it, it’s not particularly fast.

700m is not much climbing in a 50 miler, so I’d expect to be getting “evens” (20mph) on that. For reference, I’m a mid-table Cat3.

People always tend to go faster in Sportives though – there’s always a “rabbit” up the road for you to chase!

I average 15 over 40 miles at the moment, and would considder myself a brutally unfit fatty with the currently on-trend enduro specific BMI!

On a positive note, it takes less training than most guides would suggest to get upto long distances. I’ve done a very hilly 100miles in North Yorkshire after not riding for a couple of months, it was painfull, I got saddle sores, I started halucinating at 80 miles and I don’t actualy remember much of the last 15, but it was do-able!

Just ride lots and be sociable on the day. If you want a good time then just tuck in behind some fast boys, I can easily maintian 20mph+ in a group.

Average speed for a 50 (to beat the current record?) 31.6mph 😯

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/racing/british-racing/matt-bottrill-sets-new-50-mile-competition-record-128568

Matt’s been on fire this year 8)