am I ready to race?

[mingcat9]

how do I know if I'm well prepared to race?
I'm ready to emotionally. my motto is "If you have to lose-- lose big." so, if i lose and come in last place i would find it amusing.
I'd like to do crits or maybe track racing.
Should I be fine if I ride for nearly an hour five times a week, and at a brisk pace?

 

[utahsowle]

Originally posted by mingcat9
how do I know if I'm well prepared to race?
I'm ready to emotionally. my motto is "If you have to lose-- lose big." so, if i lose and come in last place i would find it amusing.
I'd like to do crits or maybe track racing.
Should I be fine if I ride for nearly an hour five times a week, and at a brisk pace?

If you are serious about racing pick up Joel Friels Road Cyclist Bible. This book will help develop a training plan and give you insight on what it takes to race. With the minimal training you have put in I would wait and get some interval training going before jumping into your first race. Although there are chances to race a citizens class race which many venues in MI have, this race will let you taste the excitment of bike racing. There is also a great track program in MI which I'm sure if you contact the Michigan Bicycle Racing Association http://www.mbra.org/ someone will help you out.
Good Luck and have FUN

THINK IT!
BELIEVE IT!
WORK AT IT!
ACHIEVE IT!

 

[stowerider]

Originally posted by mingcat9
how do I know if I'm well prepared to race?
I'm ready to emotionally. my motto is "If you have to lose-- lose big." so, if i lose and come in last place i would find it amusing.
I'd like to do crits or maybe track racing.
Should I be fine if I ride for nearly an hour five times a week, and at a brisk pace?

Hi,

You'll find out how prepared you are when you do your first race! If you're ready emotionally then give it a go. The only caveat that I would add is that you should be regularly riding with a group and know how to ride in a paceline.

SR

 

[dhk]

Originally posted by mingcat9
how do I know if I'm well prepared to race?
I'm ready to emotionally. my motto is "If you have to lose-- lose big." so, if i lose and come in last place i would find it amusing.
I'd like to do crits or maybe track racing.
Should I be fine if I ride for nearly an hour five times a week, and at a brisk pace?

Suggest you find a local weekly training race series, then go out and try it. It's the quickest way to improve. Forget about winning or losing; your goal for the first few races should be to meet a few racers and learn how it's done. If you can hang on to the back of the pack for the first few minutes before you blow up, you're doing fine.

 

[Goldfishboy]

Originally posted by mingcat9
how do I know if I'm well prepared to race?
I'm ready to emotionally. my motto is "If you have to lose-- lose big." so, if i lose and come in last place i would find it amusing.
I'd like to do crits or maybe track racing.
Should I be fine if I ride for nearly an hour five times a week, and at a brisk pace?

Don't be bashful just go and have a go,give it your best shot, and if you get your **** kicked (quite likely, first few times) go train abit more, then have another go. Nobody gets disrespected for giving it their best shot

Word of warning though, be very aware of where and how close other riders in the pack are you wont make any friends if you bring them down.

Happy cycling,

Goldfishboy.....

 

[oneradtec]

brings back memories of my first race back in 1991(I think it was). It was a crit somewhere near Norfolk, Va. I had not the slightest clue as to what I was doing...but I wanted to race and I went for it. Besides...I had this spiffy new bike that I wanted to show off. It was a new Trek 2100 carbon/aluminum composite. That was a kool bike back in '91. Anyway..once the race got underway I shoot off the front thinking that the way to win a race was to ride as hard as you could until you get to the finish..like in a running race. I had no clue that a pack could ride faster than one 'unfit' man alone. It was not more than a lap or two 'til the pack came up behind me..and by then I was huffin and a puffin and desperately in need of an oxygen tank. I tried to fall into the pack. Suddenly I'm getting screamed at by the other riders.."Hold your line you **** hole!" and "Hey dude..whatta ya doin! I had no concept of holding lines. Further, I found out during this race that you are suppose to have your inside pedal up when leaning into the corners...for I was almost taken out when I scraped my inside pedal leaning into a turn. I think my bike was lifted completely off the ground by that dang pedal...and I just avoided wiping out myself along with the rest of the field. Fortunately for those guys they didn't need to worry about me for very long...as I rode with them not more that a lap or two before I was spit out the back of the group and pedaling squares. Within minutes the entire pack was up the road and out of site. I continued on for another lap riding solo. I noticed that every time I came through the start/finish line some folks from the tifosi would yell to me "Shift into the big ring!!!!" I was way too far into oxygen dept to comprehend their advice..so I kept pedaling along at 16 mph and 140 rpms. eventually I just pulled off and quit. That day was one of the most special feelings I've ever had since I started cycling. I was now a full fledged bike racer. I knew where I stood and also knew what I needed to do to get better. I say go for it!

 

[mingcat9]

thanks for all the advice and encouragement!
I'm going to do some group rides, and more training. my goal is to enter a race by mid-july.
Thanks again!!!

 

[utahsowle]

Originally posted by mingcat9
thanks for all the advice and encouragement!
I'm going to do some group rides, and more training. my goal is to enter a race by mid-july.
Thanks again!!!

let me know how things go in michigan as this was my starting grounds for road and mt biking