What a day! On Sunday 31st August we lit up the lanes once again for the second Whixley Phoenix – our friendly village sportive that’s all about welcoming cyclists of every stripe, from first-timers to comeback-kids, and everyone in between.
This year we sold 51 tickets and had 46 riders rolling out on the day. The weather played mostly nice, though the wind cranked up in the afternoon – meaning the home stretch was less “breeze in your hair” and more “head down and grind”! Still, every single rider finished, medals around their necks and smiles on their faces.
🚴♀️ Three routes, three adventures:
- Short: 43km
- Medium: 56km
- Long: 123km (the big one!)
We added a second food stop for the long ride this year, which meant a little more cost (and a lot more flapjacks), plus extra signage on the road. The good news? The signs are reusable, so next year the budget gets a break.
Highlights? Plenty. Some riders came back from injury or surgery to complete their first big challenge again – proper phoenix moments. Others “levelled up” from short to medium. Our last rider back, Katy, shared that she’d recently been through a bereavement and that the ride – and the kindness of the volunteers – had really helped her. That’s the kind of feedback that makes every mile pedalled, medal handed out, and volunteer cheer completely worth it.
We also had lower numbers than the first year – partly because we did a bit less advertising (turns out organising a wedding and going on honeymoon isn’t the best lead-in to promoting a sportive!). But with that out of the way, we’ll be back to shouting about it from the rooftops next year.
💸 The numbers bit (aka the “beans on the table” section):
- Income: £1,650
- Expenditure: £1,147
- Funds generated: £503
As always, the Village Hall gave us the hall for free (thank you!) – so half the profits (£251.50) went back to them, and the other half went to Spokey Dokey Badge Club, which runs holiday activities for disabled children.
And yes, we’re already thinking ahead. Next year we’d like to add a family-friendly 15km / 10-mile loop – something accessible and fun to bring even more people into the ride. We’ll also do a bit more to encourage new cyclists and returners – because that’s what the Phoenix is all about.
Biggest thanks of all to our wonderful team of volunteers who clapped, cheered, signed, fed, and guided the riders around. The riders noticed – and told us so in emails and messages afterwards.
Same time next year? We think so. With a few small tweaks, we can build the numbers back up, keep costs low, raise more for charity – and give more people that medal-around-the-neck moment.
🔥 Until then, keep your wheels turning and your socks jazzy.
– Team Spokey Dokey Bikes
(See the results here)
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