First Race: Report

DC Bruz

Disaster. Nothing short of it. The simple version is that I came last.

Now that I look back I don't think I prepared myself enough for it. While I've had my Fuji for over 9 months now I've only started 'training' seriously for a month or two. Going into the race today I was fairly confident of my abilities. The course was your run of the mill Criterium track. I was nervous as hell, as can be expected, and I suspect this played a small part in my performance. I did my best to stay at the front and for the first ten minutes or so I succeded in that. However as the pace picked up I found myself drifting towards the back. Quickly my energy and breath ran short as I pushed myself to get to the front. Stupidly I spent a lot of time out of the slipstream so I wasted energy there.

Before I knew it I'd lost site of the main pack and was riding on my mine. While no one really said anything I could tell some people felt sorry for me each time I crossed the finishing line, alone. Some of the C grades, whose race started at the same time we did, told me to pull over. Although I had my arsed handed to me by everyone on that course I wasn't willing to give up. Towards the end I caught site of a couple of D graders who had dropped off the back. While I wasn't able to catch them it gave me some hope that I wasn't the only one struggling.

Looking back now I can see a number of stupid mistakes I made. First would have been going out to hard. While the early pace was relatively easy for me I was dumb enough to assume it wouldn't pick up. It did, of course, and I was soon dying. Secondly, as I mentioned, I spent far to much time out of the main group, to the side, and thus had to fight the wind myself. Finally I simply think I did not train enough for the day. While I can ride for hours at ~30km/h, I rarely push myself to try harder. I think my future sessions are going to be more productive then simply trying to ride further.

Well that's my story for today. I welcome any comments, criticisms, suggestions or anything else you can throw at me. Is there anything, specific, I can do in my training to improve future results?

Powerful Pete

You did good for a first race! You did not give up, and you did not crash out of the race!

You are correct in your analysis: 1. you need to do speed work if you are going to hang in with the peloton in a crit; and 2. you need to be comfortable riding in a pack at speed.

Train regularly, start doing speed work with some guys from local clubs (and race as much as you can!), and in little time you will be able to finish races with the group...

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De Rosa Planet
Campagnolo Per Sempre!
PAOLO BETTINI CAMPIONE DEL MONDO x 2!

DC Bruz

Thanks for the tips, mate. I'm sure as hell not going to give up now. I've got two weeks before the next criterium and I reckon if I work my arse off between now and then I could finish with the pack.

Powerful Pete

No worries. Best of luck. Let us know how it goes.

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De Rosa Planet
Campagnolo Per Sempre!
PAOLO BETTINI CAMPIONE DEL MONDO x 2!

BullGod

do some intervals.

So many riders (myself included) fall into the classic beginners trap of concentrating on distance and riding LSD (Long steady distance).

You'll notice a race (esp a crit) is all about massive intermittent surges in speed, as people attack and respond, and out of the corners.

Therefore - training needs to reflect this.

The good news is that if you can ride hours alone at 30km/h you probably have the fitness to stay in the pack for the slower steady parts.

The bad news is that if you want to be competitive (and not get dropped) you're going to have to adapt to the fast parts too....and that means doing some speed intervals to increase your top speed and how long you can maintain it.

Try doing:

1) 10 second sprints (above 45 km/h if you can) with 50 sec recovery (at 30km/h) to simulate coming out the corners

2) 30-40 second top speed (high cadence) intervals with a minute or two recovery between each.

3) "minute on, minute off" intervals.

this helped me massively in a few months.

carpediemracing

it sounds like you had a reasonable first race considering you spent a lot of time out of the draft.

it will be hard to increase fitness in two weeks. The speedwork suggested will help. Any group riding will also help as it'll get you used to sitting in the group. you've learned how a race can ebb and flow. and you've learned the importance of sitting in.

from your report, I gather that you'll probably look to do the following at the next race:
1. sit in the draft more, out of the wind
2. not get too concerned about going hard when everyone is going easy
3. go really hard when everyone starts attacking

I would add the following:
- For now, you should rarely venture in into the wind unless absolutely necessary - for example, closing a gap someone else has left (but let them try to close it first). sitting to the side of the field is a waste of energy - and virtually no one is strong enough to do that for any amount of time.
- in the field, sitting 3 meters off of the group is somewhat beneficial but not great. sitting, say, a meter off or so is better. less than a meter is ideal. if this makes you feel uncomfortable, you'll need to work on group riding skills. consider yourself comfortable if you can sit 7-10 cm off the next wheel at 40-50 kph (and 3 cm or less on a trusted mate's wheel).
- if the pack is bunched up, sitting a few rows back from the front but towards one of the sides allows you to react to moves but still gets you a lot of shelter.
- If the field is not in single file all the time, it is not critical to stay at the front - in fact, you may find yourself coasting along near the back versus pedaling furiously at the front.
- If the field is in single file, then don't get out of line! Just follow the wheel in front, go around only if they blow and start getting gapped off, and wait for things to calm down.

If, with a few laps to go, you are in the field and feeling frisky, then you can move up and start trying moves.

How to sit closer to a wheel:
- avoid using brakes (but be ready if you have to). hold the drops or hoods. there will be times where you are coasting and really want to brake but just finger the levers, coast, and only if you get closer than a couple feet should you brake smoothly, steadily. you don't want the guy behind you to smash into you.
- steer with your hips, not your bars.
- look past the other rider - either through their knees or over their shoulders. don't focus just on them.
- imitate other riders, esp ones that seem like they know what they're doing - they may not win but they don't crash and they finish. use the same gears, same cadence, same cornering lines.
- at first, sit 4-6" (10-15 cm) to the side of the rear wheel in front of you. you'll get some draft and more room to see.
- wear eye protection. I found that when really focused, I blinked much less frequently.
- if the wind blows into one ear but not the other, put a rider by the blown ear.
- ALWAYS protect your handlebars and front wheel - unless you have practiced hitting them while riding, if someone hits your bars or front wheel, you will probably go down.

When I started racing, my goals were the following in the following order:
1. finish a race
2. win a prime
3. win/place a race
It's as good a place as any to start out.

Good luck!
cdr

DC Bruz

Awesome information BullGod and carpediemracing. No doubt I'm going to have memorise all that. The intervals are probably the best way to go and those racing tips were really helpful. Thanks again .

scottmilk9

Most importantly, you beat everyone who was too chicken to race........... I'm gonna do my first race this coming spring, I'm still overweight and have trouble motivating myself, but i'm gonna do it.......Congrats to you!!!!

DC Bruz

Good News Everyone!

Just finished my second race. I managed to place 10th out of about 26 riders. I felt a bit sick afterwards from pushing myself hard but I'm glad I did it. Major confidence boost. Really looking forward to next Sunday, definitely aiming for better then 10th. Managed to pass about 3 or 4 on the final sprint which was great too.

mikesbytes

Congratulations DC, reading thru the tread, I see you won a wealth of experience from the first race and have capitalised on that experience and the advice of others to put in a good solid result in the second race.

Capitalising from your experince of the second race, what do you think you will do in the third race that you didn't do in the second race.

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Training Log

DC Bruz

Well towards the end, about 10 minutes to go, I followed another guy off the front just trying for a 'show off' lap finish. I came in behind him but I regretted it right away. Luckily I was able to hang on and let the legs recover. However I doubt I'll ever do that again.

I also got caught on the inside of the peloton a number of times on the turns. Obviously this meant I really slowed down and had to use a fair bit of energy to catch up again. After I realised what was happening I did all I could to stay on the outside. Next week that'll definitely be the plan from the start.

Also, stupidly, I left my drink bottle at home so I went the entire race without fluids. I don't doubt that this had some effect on my performance. Better preparation next Saturday night is in order

helmutRoole2

You go, DC.

Thirty second rule...........

Okay, submit reply.

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"Bait in 08" --nns1400

The Double Zero

Here's another tip that I learn't today the hard way, If there is anything on your bike that can possibly fall off, it will.
Racing today sitting nicely in the lead bunch, my pump decided to eject itself from the holder and jam between my crank and the frame. I have never before even contemplated this happening.
Needless to say race over.

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Nothin's faster than the Double Zero.

cyclepromo

Sounds like things are getting better.

Re: the bottle. make yourself a check list and keep it some where. Everyone forgets something at some point (even seen forgotten shorts).

The biggest thing to help your actually racing (and it looks like you've figured it out) is your postion n the pack. Especially with a smaller group having a good position is important.

Good luck and it'll keep getting better.

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