What races are folks in?

[Too Tall]

Tell me what you are up to. Event: Location: why you entered?

This weekend is the first USCF event of the year for me. A real hilly technical road race in Charlottesville, Va. I am racing in 40+ . I like this race because it is so hard favoring power climbers and good bike handlers. haha well one out of two ain't bad ;)

Spring at last, spring at last...thank g-d almighty it's spring at last :)

[Doc Hollywood]

I do Masters races, but this year I am going to concentrate more on improving my fitness/technique for cross as Cross Nationals are back here where they belong, NEW ENGLAND, BABY!!!

Doc

[Keith A]

40+...that was the category I had hoped to compete in. However, just when I hit that magic number, they changed the Masters series to 35-45. I was trying to get away from those 35+ riders of which many also compete in the P12.

I plan on doing a couple of races this year, but I'm not doing the "race every weekend" for a while. On Saturdays I ride with a bunch of guys that race regularly and during the season, this ride takes on the attributes of a race including break-aways and even guys that will block at times. It's not uncommon for this 45 mile ride to have an average speed of 25+ mph.

[zap]

Starting May 7th :banana:

Focus on tt this year. Just wish we had a real 40k in our district. Or even something longer.

[lnomalley]

holy crap i've already got three stage races and thirteen days or so of racing under my belt and its.... only march. i'd say i love cali but i am sick of racing in the rain.

looking at 50 or 60 days this year if i dont get hurt.

[FlaRider]

I raced in my first race (a crit) this past Sunday in the Masters 35+ category. Although my cornering technique is far from perfect, I managed to finish solidly in the middle of the field :banana: I'm looking forward to the next crit 10 days from now. I think I'm hooked :rolleyes:

[Keith A]

Did you do the Festival of Speed?

[Tom Kellogg]

I race 50+ when it is available ... most of the time. To get a few more race miles in, I will race 40+ and sometimes 30+. I expect to do about 15 - 20 races days this year, about 20 - 25 actual races. In our area, there are many more crits. which is fine with me. I may look like a climber, but such is NOT the case. In a 50+ crit, I can count on good placings, but in road races, unless they are just rolling circuits, I don't do well. I can't blame it on age, since all those guys up the road on the hills are AT LEAST as old as I am. In any case, if you happen to be in a crit. with me in the last two laps of the race, I "don't place nice with others." You have been warned! :rolleyes:

[yeehawfactor]

i beat my boss to the coffee shop on a regular basis.....

[Dr. Doofus]

patrick, unless its under 300m, that's no achievement :no: :no: :no: :no: :D :D :D

[FlaRider]

Keith,

If you directed your question at me, I raced the crit in the Rosewood Series in Miami Lakes, about 45 mins. north of Miami. It was a lot of fun. Highly recommended.

[Carpe Diem]

Hi Too Tall,
I know it´s not the answer you´re looking for, but I always have the feeling I´m racing against time these days, just not enough hours in the day, days in the week etc ......... maybe it´s time to take a step back and reassess certain things.

[JohnS]

I think.

[Too Tall]

So far the polls read about 60%/40%. It is impressive the commitment level and attendence at USCF races in MidAtlantic. A few yrs. ago fields didn't even fill and now they are regularly waitlisted. Pity cat 4/5's who have to jump on registration or miss out. It is a sign of success however.

OK TOM! I have got to come up for a race or three and get schooled. I'm also determined to enter some track races.

Carpe Diem - There are no bad answers. Put up a calendar with the date of your border to border trip highlighted and start planning. That will take the edge off :)

[Keith A]

FlaRider -- Sorry for not making my question more clear to whom I was speaking to, I thought it would be obvious since this was posted just after your message. So are you planning on doing any racing outside of the Miami area?

[Sandy]

Your poll is interesting, but I wonder what the results really indicate. I wonder who is answering the poll. What is the mix of cyclists who are answering your poll?- Racers, cyclists that want to try racing and racers, recreational cyclists and racers,.... I would think that the preponderance of those that are responding to your poll are racers, but who really knows, one way or the other. The poll comes first, so anyone might be responding. Obviously none of our polls here are even close to being random or statistically meaningful, as we all know.

So I guess you wonder why Simpleton Sandy would even be making the above comments, but I guess as I see the results of your poll, I just wonder what subset of the set of forum members is really responding.

Heck, I responded to the poll.

Statistician Serotta Sandy

[Keith A]

Sandy I think you are correct about the poll. I think many (most) people who don't race, might not even click on this thread -- much less even bother to answer the poll.

As for me, I used to be pretty serious about doing the amateur races until I had a non-cycling injury that caused me to reflect on putting my body in harms way. I'm now in the mode of just doing a select few races during the year at events that are interesting to me. My family is growing up to fast for me to be away from them doing a race every weekend.

[Sandy]

The more I visit this forum the more I am humbled by the experience. I realize how slow I am when compared to you and your 45 mile group ride at 25+ mph, if I remember correctly. I realize how little I know, when I think about dbrk, BigMac, e-RICHIE, Flydhest, Kelly B, Too Tall, Smiley,...., and a host of others, relative to design, componetry, wheels, materials,fit, riding technique, nutrition, etc.....

I guess that I am wise enough to know and accept how little I know, and try to learn, within my limits and interests, from those that do know. When I was in graduate school, I was humbled by the remarkable mathematical knowledge and quickness of mental ability of the many mathematics teachers I had (almost none of whom had the ability to teach). That was also a humbling experience.

I will simply do one thing that I know how to do- Go on some great rides, with a great bike, with some wonderful people, and cherish the rides and the friendships, and camaraderie that occurs.

Too Tall- Sorry if I got so far away from racing in this post.

Sandy

[Tom Kellogg]

To give another example of relative talents and strengths...

I went on a ride yesterday with two of the folks on the new Snow Valley Div.3 Pro team. (Josh Taylor and Kyle Wamsley) On the way out, we had a very steady 15-20 mph head wind. I sat on and the two of them rode side by side, on the tops, yacking away, at a steady 22 mph.

I had to get back to real work and turned around after twenty miles. They were out for five+ hours and Josh went to work in the evening and taught a spinning class. Josh claims that if I did 500 mile weeks, I would be strong too. I am not so sure... age and all...

I do win races on occasion and ride and race as much as I can, but my level is very many levels below even these Div.3 riders who aren't yet in top condition. Ugh. :crap:

I still love it though! :D

[Carpe Diem]

Too Tall,
it´s "coast to coast" not "border to border" ! But I don´t want to split hairs, and am impressed that you´ve remembered ! My Ottrott will be ready for me when I return from my short Easter vacation, and I´m starting to plan all my outdoor training rides (after spending far too long indoors on my spinning bike) so I guess you´re right, there is hope on the horizon!
By the way, the trip´s on the 28th May.

[Too Tall]

Isn't that interesting Tom? Saturday I rode with a local Team owner and he made us stop and pick up one of the Snow Valley neo-pros who he saw going the other way. Similar observation. Same headwind - ouch -

Surveys are like chad. Some are in some out others just wind up on the floor.

[Keith A]

Sandy -- thanks for the kind words, but there are a number of P12 riders in our group along with some really good triathletes that keep the pace high. Somedays, I'm just happy to be there with them at the end.

Tom K -- I know exactly what you mean. We have a Trek sponsored mountain biker that trains on the road with our group. When he shows up, you know its going to hurt. There are certainly guys (and gals) out there who are in a whole other stratosphere. Just consider for a moment that the winning rider of the last ITT in the TdF averaged 30.6 mph (49.39 km/h) for 34.1 miles (55 km); and the slowest rider still managed to average just under 26 mph and this was after racing 18 days and more than 3K kms. Just think how much effort it takes to hit 30 mph and then try and comprehend maintaining that pace for more than 34 miles :eek:

[Too Tall]

Who here didn't contemplate or try to hit Greg Lemond's avg. speed during his final TT win over Fignon? 34 mph. Thirty Four Freakin' mph. avg. It still stuns me.

Racing strategy is something our team struggles with. What is a winning strategy when you have a pack intent on ,for whatever reason, chasing down every freakin' attack? I've suggested we begin attacking in twos leaving the second man to deal with the pack.

Sigh, I'm just too tall to race. X-treme knitting, yeah that's the ticket.

[Sandy]

What really amazes me is how the 30.6 mph and 34 mph rides were not done on a Serotta or a Spectrum. How could that possibly be??? :) :)

My fastest rides are always on a Serotta.

Spinning Supersonic Spaceship Speeds Serotta Sandy

Tom- Would you consider sponsoring me in next year's Tour???? Somehow, Serotta turned me down. I will never understand that.

[csb]

i apologize, this thread was for races in the present, i came
here to talk about the past.

[lnomalley]

you said, "Racing strategy is something our team struggles with. What is a winning strategy when you have a pack intent on ,for whatever reason, chasing down every freakin' attack? I've suggested we begin attacking in twos leaving the second man to deal with the pack".



no. the strategy is easier when every attack is covered. the strategy is: dont attack and dont chase. the biggest thing i learned from racing is to race the race you're in and not the race you wish you were in. save your energy by rolling behind the guys as they chase and use your team to get you in position (the positioin that the course dictates) to finish in the right spot.
in those races where every attack is covered and the entire field races like a bunch of scared kittens... its all about having tenth wheel or better for the last couple of laps (in a crit) or last few kilometers and knowing which way the wind is blowing.... and then its up to you to either have a lead out train, sprint of way way back and hope its sticks, our sprint from within the pack (but only take a risk if you have a podium spot in sight). the other trick is to move up in the hard parts of the course.... or attack only in the hard parts...


race the race your'e in. hope that helps you as much as it helped me. 'strategy' is an over used concept in races. the team will work best if you focus on your role.... and the races i do are all about position.

[Too Tall]

That's really good advice.

[Keith A]

lnomalley -- So what do you do if an attack isn't covered?

[lnomalley]

look at who is attacking... is he a big engine? is it late in the race? is it a headwind? what happened when others attacked? how far up ahead is he?

usually.. what you do is be patient.. and if its a race where are the attacks are being covered.. let the other guys cover it and jump on about fifth wheel... use as little energy as possible and pimp the other fools.

if its thurlow rogers ... try an get on his wheel for as long as you can.. you'll see him again when he laps you. if its a group representing someone from every team.. get your a** up there... in most non-pro races.. the attack fades whether or not you pull it back. its just a matter of what is happening in the race.

let someone else do the work and taske advantage of them. if you are strong and have a team and its a meaningful attack.. bridge-up when the time is right. the funny thng about bike racing is that 90% of the guys in the field aren't there to win.

[Too Tall]

Keep talking...I'm taking mental notes. Patience patience. The other winning move that is common here is when 3-4 of the much stronger riders break away on the first lap never to be seen again and the pack is racing for 3'rd to 10th. The race I am in this sat. will be like that. In our field the same 3 guys will take off on lap one and that ain't a thing I can do about it.

[lnomalley]

Keep talking...I'm taking mental notes. Patience patience. The other winning move that is common here is when 3-4 of the much stronger riders break away on the first lap never to be seen again and the pack is racing for 3'rd to 10th. The race I am in this sat. will be like that. In our field the same 3 guys will take off on lap one and that ain't a thing I can do about it.

i'll tell you what i would try and do if the case were that i knew that 3 stronger guys were going to jump at the gun and stay away...(if its a crit) i'd do a nice long warm up.. and twice in the last 20 minutes of that warm up (on the trainer) i would put it in the 53/12 and do 10 pedal rotations out of the saddle followed by ten in the saddle... and i would do that sequence ten times ina row and then spin out afterwards... so that your legs have been loaded and then flushed and so that you are sweating hard at the line... like a tt.


and then i would go with those guys when they jump and not do any work... just smile and sit in. and if they attack eachother fromthe break.. let them.. just stay with the larger number and let the individual guy attack. you'll still get a top five and that is agreat result.

if you really want to mess with them.. take your whole team and attack at the gun too.. beat them to it. most guys when they atack don't go hard enough... you have to be willing to hurt yourself and also get back on after you pull through...

that's what i would do (but you gotta know i've only gotten a few 8ths, 11ths and 12ths this year.... its coming but its still early for me). the reason i know this crap isnt because i'm good.. its because my training partners are good. you wouldnt believe who you get to ride with out here in socal... and the better they are the more they give you insight on those long base rides and then at the races...

the most important thing i know is that suffering is psychological....no one dies from suffering. if you tell yourself that you have to stay in the break... you will.

the commandments off all the stuff i learned this last year that works for me:

only attack when its hard
never attack when its easy
always find youself moving up through the pack
dont park yourself on the same wheel
you cant win if you crash
the race is won not in the last 3oo meters but in the last 3-5 laps.
load your legs and flush them before the start
suffering isnt real
always always always keep moving up through the pack.
dont sprint for 20th
practice your sprint in a prime if its worth it
you need guys from a few different temas to make an attack work.
this is supposed to be fun.. be a good sportsman...compliment the other riders when they do good. you gotta race against them next week.

[weisan]

lnomalley, I think I just got a little smarter because of you. ;)

Man! You know when I get home today, the first thing I will do is throw away those useless **racing instruction manuals** I've got from goodwill and 1/2-Price bookstore into the dump.

Racing knowledge and tactics should be taught just in the way you described...full of life and applicable. :banana:

[Too Tall]

Duly noted. Infact the main instigator at last yr.s race was warming up just like a TT. I've never seen anyone going so hard before a road race. Derrr.

[Keith A]

Inomalley -- Thanks for all the good input on racing tactics. One thing you said is so true...
<snip>... you have to be willing to hurt yourself and also get back on after you pull through...<snip>Sometimes this is much easier said then done -- especially if you've got a couple of guys that are trying to sit in and they don't pull through. Your expecting to be able to slide to the end of the pace line, but the guys that are sitting in will let a gap form and you are forced to put in an effort just to get on the back (after you just pulled hard up front). You can always make the guys sitting in go around you and then get on their wheels, but you take the chance of the break getting away from you.

[lnomalley]

how many times have you actually seen an attack work in a higher category crit (maybe one out of ten times)?

now i dont want to give you guys any fuel to think i know what i am talking about... i am just a huge fred and .. you teach what you need to learn. that's all i've got. huge fred i am.
*i am also that fred that makes every mistake you can make in a race.

[Roy E. Munson]

...

[weisan]

i am just a huge fred and .. you teach what you need to learn.

I like that comment.

Roy, you trying to blow somebody's cover? :rolleyes:...actually, it's **self-incriminate** with that cool shot on the bike. :D

[Too Tall]

That ain't no Fred. Good crit form. Uh, whoever that guy is ;)
Doof and the rest of you east coast knuckleheads let's hit a few of each other's races and have some fun. I'm for sure headed up to T town for some racing.

[Dr. Doofus]

Too Tall --


Come to the Rock Hill Sping 05 Omnium and you can stay at the house....if more than one of you board geeks comes, some of you can stay in the shed...but too Tall gets the house....

April 1-3 -- street sprints/crit (a block away from the house)/ road race

rock hill racin (http://www.RHBCEVENTS.com)

[duke]

Mumm 30 Worlds

[Too Tall]

Oooo. That's sooo tempting. Wife is on a bike tour in AZ/NM next week and returns Sunday. But to an empty house??? Ouch. No kidding. I'll negotiate and see how she feels about that.

[spiderman]

3 canine friends to the end of their sections
on rural minnesota county roads
along the river valley...
...hope i'm up to the challenge
one almost got me this summer at 28 mph...

[Too Tall]

And the poll is still running close to 60%/40%

[Tom Kellogg]

Too:
Before coming up, give us a buzz and stay with us. Now that two of our three daughters are gone (to Louisville and Berkley)we have a nice guest room. We are about three miles from the Velo and about twenty feet from amazing rides. Take care.

[Too Tall]

Done and done. I'm up for anything that you suggest esp. want to get out on the track and learn the ropes more. I'll give you a shout.

[weisan]

Too:
Before coming up, give us a buzz and stay with us. Now that two of our three daughters are gone (to Louisville and Berkley)we have a nice guest room. We are about three miles from the Velo and about twenty feet from amazing rides. Take care.


Now, does that mean we get to stay in doofus's house instead of the shed now??? :D

[Too Tall]

Hold on bob-a-looie. Wait a goll durn minit.

Still waiting to hear from Doof.

[weisan]

Hold on bob-a-looie. Wait a goll durn minit.

Still waiting to hear from Doof.

Don't worry tall-pal, you still have prima nocte, or "first night"...erh...I mean first-comer rights to Doofus' bed...erh..I mean...gas-room. When you get there, please do the doc a big favor would you mind, by cleaning up that empty motor oil bottle off his backyard. And lastly whatever you do, don't drink anything off the tap. ;)

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