Regrets...post race. - Page 2

Thanks for sharing. I agree 100% that taking control of one's destiny as opposed to the 'wait and see' approach is always the most satisfying in the end. That 'wait and see' approach has always had me at the end of the race saying that I coulda/shoulda/woulda went harder...

For me, I've come away from races with no regrets when I've executed my gameplan that I set for myself going in. Sure, because of the dynamic nature of a race you can't predict exactly what's going to happen before it does, but from experience you have a pretty good idea of how the finale is going to play out. As long as I'm no worse than 5th wheel when the actual sprint starts, I'll come away with a decent result and no regrets. Getting into that good position has been a struggle for me in the past...gaining the strength to allow me to move up as many places as I need to on the last lap has been my goal for this winter...more threshold work to increase the FTP to get me to that last lap fresher...

Agree 100% My old wrestling coach summed it up best by saying "You can be the hammer or the nail. Either way it is going to hurt, but it is better to be the one calling the shots." It is amazing how well that philosophy works not only in sports but real life also

Your first mistake was entering a time trial

BWAHAHAHAHAHA

This was a cycling TT brother....not trying to beat your best time 'door to door' thru macca's drive thru & back...what is your best time anyway? ....do you get time allowances if the chick says "do you want fries with that"?

Fark off hitchy. They love me so much they deliver to my front door and you know it.

Well, it's 2009 and I just into the crit season here in the lower mainland of BC and I've already gotten started on my "regrets...post race".

Weekly flat crit, non-technical - I should eat this course and every one of my competitors (Cat. 3s about 20-25 racers) alive if it comes to a bunch sprint. However, about a 1/3 of the way through the race this group of 5 goes off the front (with a couple of guys I think may be dangerous) and build about 100 meters on the field. I'm sitting near the front of field just waiting for someone to chase so I can jump in the mass and get towed up. The two guys in front of me pull off abruptly and now I'm on the front catchin' wind which is where I don't want to be. I think for a split second - should pull off too, should just slow down and let someone come around me, or should just bust it up to the break because my legs are feelin' so good?

What does this sprinter do? You guessed it - I bust up to the break and get across solo. Took me about a hap lap (~.75k) and a lot of energy to do so as the wind was blowing pretty good. Well, I skipped a couple pulls in order to catch my breath and get my legs back underneath me. I take a few pulls in the break but of course, we get absorbed after about 2 laps. Apparently another guy came across with the group in tow. Found out later he was workin' for one his buddies.

Anyway, to make a long story short another break of two gets away with about 5 laps to go and the group lets them dangle out there just in sight. Then, all of sudden, a couple guys on front shut down the speed and it's clear the break will stick til the end. There's a bunch sprint for 3rd and I hit the 200 meter mark on front and a couple guys come around me so I take 5th. That wasn't supposed to happen! The two that got around me should thank me for the lead-out, but it would've never happened had I not bridged that gap - like a fool.

I'm pissed. I shouldn't have wasted that energy bridging up. I'm a bunch sprinter and need to leave it at that. Oh well, next week...

If you had the legs, *that* was the time to do some solo action... as soon as you realise that they're going.

(In any case...... if you get on the 2 men on the front, well... it would be quite an anthology move... but the solo action you did getting on the 5-men breakaway has been quite an athletic move too, congratz)

Probably you need some teammates to work with you, in order to "enter" in all the breakaways, while you cover the final sprint...

LOL! Hindsight is ALWAYS 20/20, eh? Now if we could only predict which attack is going to get away - that'd be kinda nice . But you're absolutely right - I should've went with the last attack...

On the teammate aspect, I can only dream about having someone to work with - none of my teammates come to this race (out of their way). Further, alot of the guys I know are hangin' on for dear life during much of the race. Maybe down the road I can strike up an alliance with a strong independent racer...maybe...

The only time that you're standing trial too is the passage of time itself, ya old fart, and time is winning.

With that attitude you might as well just give up and cry to mommy. All sprinters worth a damn can work their sorry asses off and still take it in the sprint, it's what makes them sprinters. I can't remember if it was McEwen or OGrady that was on the deck with about 10km to go in a tour stage a few years back. Dude rides back when the peloton's on the rivet, passes everyone (180 to 200 riders) and wins the stage, coming from literally off the back and on the deck - all in 10km. It's those guy, the sprinters, that do the seemingly impossible and still manage high 40s mph in the sprint. It's the rest of us that have to sit in and hope we have a chance in a sprint.

Besides, at 3rd cat you can't really call yourself anything in terms of specialities. I used to be a 1st cat and did best going up hills (weighing mid 140's you'd expect that) but I sure as hell wouldn't call myself a climber and it sounds like my pee-wee herman esque stickframe of a body had more success in crits that you for the sole reason that I had to give it grief in order to stay with the fast lads so I might as well just gun it for the duration of the race.

Play tactics when you're a couple of categories higher. Until then just set about ripping legs off people using the short term power you have and reset your game plan to staying in the first 9 at all times. You're a big lad - picking your spot shouldn't be that hard. Now less of the whaaaambulance talk and more about how you let loose with a 1500watt sprint and the use of elbows to lay down some serious intimidation.

^^^LOL! I'm flattered that you're bringing in ProTour sprinters to make your point that I'm a washed-up, has-been (actually, 'never-was'), Cat. 3 bunch sprinter . These 42yo legs only got so many sprints in them...

Now where do I get that EPO stuff????? Or better yet, some of that stuff that's got your FTP above 340...and you're shortin' me about a good 200-300 watts off my sprint there, bud... Keep up the good work and I don't want to hear any excuses comin' outta your piehole when you're climbin' them mountains....

If you're putting out 1800 watts in a sprint and can't take the win then you need to consider another sport. You must have the tactical genius of Mr Magoo

That stuff that got me over 340 watts... not sure why you'd want lots of coughed up lung cheese and sweat but hey, if that's your thing I'll sell you a bottle for $500. If I'd have read this earlier I could have 'harvested' a couple of litres of the stuff this weekend whilst hammering out an honest 6 hours of discomfort and dehydration. You can also go away and buy your own set of Powercranks... But there's more power to come and if I can figure out why I can't put down the power on the hills I'll be as happy as a pig in sh!t.

The only think coming out of my piehole in then thar hills will be me cursing Tahoe CHP for forcing Alta Alpina to knock 2 1/2 hours of the cut off points for the final mountain in their Challenge ride. It's not like 198 miles, 8 passes and 21,000+ft of climbing wasn't enough of a challenge already.

LOL! I'm not sure you're aware, but around here the sprints are at the end of the race and not at the beginning when I'm 100% fresh...as such, I doubt I'm putting out max training power at that time...I have to imagine you know this already, but one shouldn't assume...

Latest installment of "Regrets...post race."

"A" crit this Saturday - Tour de Delta. Flat, 0.9k, horseshoe-like circuit through streets of downtown Ladner in British Columbia. Combined Cat. 3&4s, about 40 starters. 25mins + 5laps. 2 winners from the last 3 years in field as are 4 of the top 5 from last year. I finished 8th last year.

Final corner is dicy as the section leading into it narrows quite a bit forcing considerable braking if the speed is not high enough or too many (4+) racers try to go through at the same time.

Basically sat-in for the most of the first 3rd of the race and then decided I needed to move up in order to get out of the yo-yoing in the back coming out of the final corner to the start-finish line.

To make a relatively short story shorter, I've come to the realization that: 1) I don't have the nerve (aka cajones, nuts, balls, etc...) to mix it up with the hungrier, and for the most part younger racers when diving into the final corners of these crits; 2) I don't have confidence in my sprint being "there" if I give a hard (500w+) 1 minute effort on that final section leading to the final corner; 3) I'm still not strong enough to position myself better (no worse than 4th wheel) coming out of the final corner; 4) possibly some of all of the above.

Came out of that final turn maybe 7th wheel and passed 3 guys in the final 200 or so meters to end up 4th in the bunch sprint. 2 guys had went and stayed away by about 6 secs. 6th place. Upgrade points for 5th or better (doh!). Cash prizes for 5th or better (double doh!).

Relatively fast race 43k average speed. Could only muster up 1320w in the final sprint. Thought I was rested more than that, but the yo-yoing around in the first part of the race probably cost me some snap.

Still got 2 more "A" (flat) crits left for the season. I'll try not to add another chapter to this thread...

I often remember this thread when a race is coming up...

Did one of my favorite races June 28th for the 3rd time.
Every year I had a 'regret'.
I learned from them.

This year:
Didn't go too early.
Didn't hang at the back for the first few laps.
Didn't let anybody take advantage of me, (did a bit of yelling to wobbly riders in front of me).
Didn't want to have a 'regrets' story again this year.

Did conserve energy.
Did position myself where I wanted to be in the last 500m. (if not the whole race).
Did stick to my plan.

Didn't anticipate my team mate come flying past me at the 500m mark then swerving to the far left so I couldn't jump on his wheel... (he won).

Would have been nicer to have come 1st or 2nd but I was happy with 3rd out of 43.

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