first road race for new/old guy

[sloji]

Ok, so i've entered my first race for this Saturday in the Masters 45+ cat 4/5 in a 42 mile race. I've been riding about 175 miles or more a week for about 5 mos and ride with a larger group of racers on Sundays. Most the guys are riding this weekend as well but they are young and rank from pro level to cat 3/4 riders...I draft a lot! What I know very little about is race strategy and haven't had a chance to talk to the riders about it and thought I might tap into the collective and see if I can take a bit of wisdom away with me for this weekend, anyone?

It's Wednesday and I rode hard this morning should I take a couple days off or spin easy tomorrow? Nutrition night before suggestions? I'm an average sprinter but can pace fairly well for longer distances. The course is rollers to flat with two laps of 22 miles.

[regularguy412]

Off tomorrow. Easy spin with a couple hard efforts thrown in on Friday. I wouldn't do more than about 20 miles on Friday.

Find out who the 'big' guys are in your race, if you don't already know, and try to mark them. Don't try to cover every break, unless those guys are in it. It's a 42 mile race. Don't blow yourself up in the first 4 miles. Be prepared to go hard for a couple of minutes from the start (tho this 'may' not happen in Masters class racing). Don't get sucked into blowing up on the first 'hard' climb.

If things seem really hard,, don't panic. Pick out a good wheel and hang onto it. Don't forget to breathe. 'Try' to stay within the first 1/3 of the pack, but NOT on the very front. Hang for as long as you can. If you get shelled, consider it the very best training you can have.

If it's any consolation, it took me 3 years of racing and training before I could even STAY ON with a race pack and finish with it (let alone, being competitive enough to even THINK about placing well). OH! And I didn't start racing until I was 30 years old. Masters packs are mostly made of up guys who have already raced for 10 or 15 years. Usually there are Cat 1, 2, and 3 in there with many thousands of miles in their legs. You'll never forget your first 'real' race.:)

OK. That was my brainstorm. Others will surely have additional.

GOOD LUCK! You'll never have more fun suffering. :):):)

Mike in AR:beer:

[sloji]

I'm getting pretty excited about the whole game...and at 50 it's cool to feel like a kid.

[kerrycycle]

1) Stay in the first 1/4-1/3 of the pack. If there is a crash, you will be more likely to avoid it and you should be able to stick with any surges.
2) Stay toward the edges - it gives you more strategic options.
3) Stay off the brakes as much as possible.
4) If you don't fancy your chances in a bunch sprint, you will want to go as far out from the line as you can hold.
5) If you learn the big guys & who can stay away, go with the brake.
6) Stay out of "no-man's land" between a break and the pack.
7) Most importantly, do as little work as possible throughout the race.

[sloji]

Thought i'd look at some of the guys showing up and all these guys have been racing for years, should be fun...at least for a few minutes!