Out of the Office and into the Downs
[vc_row dt_bg_repeat=”repeat-y” dt_text_scheme=”lighter-overlay” dt_row_type=”fullwidth”][vc_column width=”1/1"][vc_column_text]Phoebe reflects on Brighton Tri Club’s First Ever Big Ride 2015
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row dt_bg_repeat=”repeat-y” dt_text_scheme=”lighter-overlay” dt_row_type=”fullwidth”][vc_column width=”1/4"][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1427211646586{margin-right: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”]
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4"][vc_column_text]When Glass’ Phoebe is not working she can be found out triathlon training in the Sussex Downs. Phoebe is the Publicity & Communications Officer for Brighton Triathlon Club and over the past 4 months has been working with Brighton Tri to build and implement their first ever cycling sportive, The Big Ride 2015. Sunday 23rd March hosted the event and Phoebe was live on the ground… [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row dt_bg_repeat=”repeat-y” dt_text_scheme=”lighter-overlay” dt_row_type=”fullwidth”][vc_column width=”1/1"][vc_single_image border_color=”grey” img_link_large=”” img_link_target=”_self” image=”305" alignment=”center” img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Working with Glass and Brighton Tri Club, I am able to double-up on the things I love. That is why when they started talking about their first ever Club Sportive, the Big Ride, I was keen to be on the team. As the idea was born over a post-ride coffee, I couldn’t help but dream big. In my mind, we could host an enormous event, a show-stopper. We could have hundreds of riders exploring the Sussex downs, create a huge buzz and have a Big Ride Festival for families. It was going to be amazing. It was going to be fantastic.
Maybe it was the endorphins, maybe it was the caffeine…
When we started to break it down and discuss the logistics, I realised that approaching this Big Ride event was going to be a lot like growing a social presence. We weren’t going for a quick win. We were going to commit to the longer game.
Understand your audience.
Brighton Tri Club is a club which prides itself on being fun, friendly and approachable. It seamlessly accommodates a range of athletes from novices to GB representatives all the while maintaining a very inclusive nature. Therefore we knew we had to brand the event to mirror this. We were keen to inspire more women and children to register for an organised ride and therefore devised a Fun 36k route which was suitable for all abilities. We also threw in a 40k, 60k, 80k and an epic 100k.
Work within your parameters.
From the beginning our vision was to get adult and junior club members, families and friends out on their bikes for an informal, fun and scenic ride. We’re a local triathlon club not Wiggle. We needed time to build the idea, create a team of volunteers and register the cyclists (and wait for the warmer weather). Working within our limits meant taking our time to perfect the event and extending our vision to the long game. This Big Ride won’t be the last.
Do it really well. Even if that means being small.
I quickly had to forget the festival and the ferris wheel that I was dreaming of and snap back into the room. Brighton Tri Club has only been running for 2 years. In that time it has impressively grown to 150+ adult members and 45+ juniors, with 16 BTF Qualified Coaches and more in the pipeline, but that doesn’t mean it’s ready to host a 3-day cycling festival. It does mean however that it could test the water with a kick-ass max.100 riders Club Sportive.
Have a clear strategy.
We had our vision. We understood our parameters. Now we needed a strategy. Preparation is in the planning and having a clear map of where you’re going and by what means is fundamental — and I don’t just mean planning the routes. In order for the Big Ride to run smoothly there were hoops to jump through and logistical decisions to be made. Working as a team, led by Coach Santi Brage (Owner Box My Wheels) the Big Ride came to life over 4 months.
Be true to your brand.
Brighton Tri Club’s motto is “Ask not what the club can do for you. Ask what you can do for the club” — It was important to the team that if we were going to be hosting an event for the public, that it echoed the ethos of the club. Bri Tri’s culture is not one that was cooked up over night, it has been at the core of the club throughout so this was not a difficult task. We crafted native social campaigns that resonated with all demographics of our target audience and as a team, conducted the sportive with an attitude which was true to our culture.
Deliver.
The Big Ride was a big success. Sticking to our plan: we had 5 marked routes, 3 food stations, a support team and a HQ. Brighton Triathlon Club had 75 cyclists safely complete the Big Ride 2015. Having a clear strategy for the day of the event was paramount and since the ride, we have received an abundance of positive feedback.
It was refreshing to get off the saddle and be on the volunteer team for the Big Ride 2015. I am proud to say the Big Ride 2015 was a big win, not only for the club but for cycling in general. The Fun 36k was a very popular option which was fantastic, especially as the majority of the riders on this route were kids. At the other end of the spectrum the 100k challenged an array of female and male cyclists. Cycling is such a fantastic family sport as well as being a challenging discipline. That’s why it was so rewarding to stay true to our brand and vision and deliver a sportive that catered for every cyclist.
We were able to harness this event for social engagement too! Being off the bike meant being on the iphone for me. Catch up on the #BigRide2015 storify.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1"][vc_column_text]
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