your first time

[Fixed]

your first race anyone remember that ? 84or 85 sunshine state games in tampa crit on the campus of ut with a lot of old red brick road
cheers

[rwsaunders]

She was 15, I was 14 and her Dad watched the whole time. What did he say? Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah (sheep sound). Sorry, wrong thread. :cool:

[coylifut]

mine was the Jack Frost tt on Sauvie Island in 1979. I remember because a cow gave birth next to the road. it took me a few seconds to realize what was going on. my time was very average.

[regularguy412]

Early March, 1990. Thirty-eight mile road race part of a 4-race Spring training series. The promoter put all the 1's,2's,3's, 4's(including me), and Vets together. The Juniors, Women and Citizens (this was before Cat 5 category came into existence) were in the 2nd pack. Of course, I got shelled on the 'big' hill, but I'll NEVER forget it. I was hooked. Only took 3 more years of suffering before I was able to just stay on with a race pack. :p

Mike in AR

[Peter P.]

I rode in a couple non-USCF races during my teen years in the mid-'70s.

My first USCF race (what's it called now, USA Cycling?) was while I was in the Air Force stationed in Columbus, Mississippi. At the time, the USCF manual listed a TOTAL of 27 licensed racers in the entire state! It was 1980/81. The race was sort of a criterium around the parking lot and auditorium at Mississippi State University. It was raining buckets. The fields were so small that they pooled ALL the senior men categories together, 1-4, though riders came from as far away as Atlanta. I'd be surprised if our field had more than 25 riders.

I owned my first custom bike, a Richard Sachs, no less. On the backside of the lap was a short hill around a gradual turn. In lap two or three, I leaned over too far on the hill and washed out, taking out the rider behind me. That was the end of my day!

[merckx]

A race put on by Andre Raymond in Middletown, Connecticut in 1973. Took the pletcher rack off my bike for that one.

[Grant McLean]

Hamilton, Ontario 1982 (about 14 years old)
1st into the last corner, but sprinted for 3rd

Markham, Ontario 1983

Queens Park, Toronto, Ontario 1987

-g

[bironi]

love the pilots Grant, and the Canadian ride. :beer:

[DarrenCT]

i was too drunk to remember

[rounder]

Early spring 1992. It was the Tour de Harford County...multiple stages...all in one day. We started off with a time trial of about three miles. Then moved on to a 30 mile hilly stage along the Susquehenna River....followed by an eight mile crit. There were about 6 racers all knocking themselves out (I finished somewhere in the middle). There were no trophies, but we all celebrated with icecream at the Arctic Circle afterwards. Shoulda been using different wheels. Anyway, it was my only bike race ever (it was fun).

[cleavel]

Hi,

My first race was a non-sanctioned, Tuesday night, training race at Old Westbury, Long Island, NY. I was riding a (Dutch) Magneet with Campy Valentino derailleurs and Weimann center-pull brakes. Rode a couple of those in the summer of 1973. I think that I actually made it to the end of one.

My first sanctioned race (ABLA) was during the spring of 1974 on the same course but this time it was just Juniors. By then I had a too-large, Lambert with Simplex derailleurs. I can't remember the rest of the components. I was riding for Nassau Wheelmen by then. Vito's club for those of you old-timers from LI.

[swoop]

i remember doing tt's on a medici with lemond drop in bars when they just came out. so when is that .. like '90 or so? i think the first one was a 4th.

[weisan]

1987 tour of s'pore 120km road race, DNF, ran out of water, died at the 67km mark. was ridin' my first road bike, a touring Fuji lugged steel, painted with deep blue "sparkling dust" effect, absolutely gorgeous, weigh maybe 30 Ibs. while riding in the pack of colnagos and deRosas, I suddenly realized something -- it's not about the bike. ;)

[Kevan]

looks like that bike you're stomping on was custom-fitted for you to grow into.

Me? No racing. I instead rode to school, over to pal's houses, and go scout and see if by any chance Cathy Crispin was hanging outside her home.

[girlie]

I stared up at the trees, while in my car, at a rainy colleagic race and promised myself I wouldn't get too involved...it was just for fun........over ten years later and a lot of sacrifices - I still LOVE RACING.

WARNING Be careful you'll never stop ;)

[Fat Robert]

1980

age group crit in champaign IL

13, on a sears free spirit

got my medal and was hooked

[Fixed]

Hamilton, Ontario 1982 (about 14 years old)
1st into the last corner, but sprinted for 3rd

Markham, Ontario 1983

Queens Park, Toronto, Ontario 1987

-g
grant you look like the kind of kid moms and dads want their daughters to meet
imho
cheers

[manet]

grant you look like the kind of kid moms and dads want their daughters to meet
imho
cheers

ya what happened

[Fixed]

bikes

[girlie]

heart bikes forever.

[Grant McLean]

looks like that bike you're stomping on was custom-fitted for you to grow into.


yes, but too bad i never got any taller! :)

-g

[William]

Piece of Cake.



.

[Ti Designs]

It was a training race in New Jersey in 1978. I raced a lot more in 79, got my own racing bike in 80...

[TAW]

My first race was a crit on July 4th in the early 90's. My wife cried when I shaved my legs. :)

[shinomaster]

It was a cross race at Alpenrose. It was the muddiest race I have ever done. That year Dario Pontoni won the mens A race.. It looked like this kinda.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/cross.php?id=/photos/2007/nov07/jaarmarkt07/1194711243_cx_gvatrofeeniel_3

[Matt Barkley]

1991ish Training Race at Tyson's Corner Virginia. 1 corner office park course. Did seniors "b" - as a junior I think. Man! :crap: I can't believe I forgot the name of the series....? I can remember it was the most difficult thing I had ever done up to that point - my throat and lungs burned for several days I went so hard just to stay in the field... Had no idea what I was doing. :beer: - WESTGATE! That was what it was called!

[Too Tall]

National Capitol Velo Club used to run a circuit race in Rock Creek Park. The National Park Service let them!!! Anywho, I was in High School riding my brothers Gitane with wing nut quick release...wow. There were two women in the field and several of my classmates. The course includes a 3 min. climb and 6 min. descent I remember being shelled on the first lap...blew up and passed by a guy with a radio strapped to his handlebars :) Dang might have been a young Sandy too...the first part is true.

[Karin Kirk]

I dipped my toe into the pool at the Garden State Games (NJ) in 1980-something. I was a junior with zero experience (never even been on a group ride) and there was only one other girl in my class. I was riding my older brother's bike. I won and got addicted.

The next summer I got my license, rode with a club, and decided to do my first real race at the District RR. Up until then I had been only wearing t-shirts to ride in and one of the nice people from the club advised me that I'd need to wear a proper jersey to race. So off I go to the bike shop and I picked out the prettiest jersey there. It was white with brightly colored stripes across the chest.

So I show up on race day all nervous and excited and clueless. While lining up for the start, a grossly overweight USCF official got all in my face about having no respect and who did I think I was wearing that jersey? I was mystified and horrified, especially when he said he wouldn't let me ride in the race! Well, it turns out I had bought a World Championship jersey, but I had no idea what it was or why that mattered.

Standing nearby, and probably getting a huge kick out of watching this unfold, was the coach of the Winning Club women's development team. She stepped in and calmed down the USCF official and told me I could borrow a team jersey. Phew. Moments later I was off and racing.

I made all the dumb mistakes one makes, like pulling like a freight train and thinking I was winning because I was in the lead. I got dropped on the climb, chased for a whole lap (like 12 miles), only to close the gap right at the bottom of the climb. Then I got dropped for good!

I somehow managed to get a decent finish though, because after the race the coach told me to keep the jersey and offered me a spot on the team. It turned out to be a great team and a perfect way to get started in the sport.

Makes me smile to think back to this story, thanks for indulging me. :)