My first race
- Thread starter mikesbytes
- Start date
Cramps also seem to be a fluid thing with me also. If I go for a hard ride after work and don't drink enough during the day, I'll get cramps. I can't put down enough fluid while on the ride to ward them off. If I hydrate I don't get cramps. Be sure to hydrate enough.
And why you would go to a race without eating a meal prior is beyond me. You can't expect good results without any preperation. And staying away from any alcohol the night before would be a good idea if you want good results.
And why you would go to a race without eating a meal prior is beyond me. You can't expect good results without any preperation. And staying away from any alcohol the night before would be a good idea if you want good results.
You look in great shape...you are one of those tall blokes (??) with long thin legs so you should just get better and better...I am the exact oppposite being shorter and top heavy because of the bodybuilding...never see guys who look like me in the velo news so cycling will be a natural for you...you got cardio written all over you.
People keep telling me to be a triathlete, now if only I could swim...
-john
People keep telling me to be a triathlete, now if only I could swim...
-john
mikesbytes said:
Hi John,jsirabella said:You look in great shape...you are one of those tall blokes (??) with long thin legs so you should just get better and better...I am the exact oppposite being shorter and top heavy because of the bodybuilding...never see guys who look like me in the velo news so cycling will be a natural for you...you got cardio written all over you.
People keep telling me to be a triathlete, now if only I could swim...
-john
I'm actually a cross trainer with a body building background, however I trained more for strength rather than bulk and at the same time I built some aerobic capacity. If you saw me beside a top vetran rider, you would see that I'm carrying excess upper body muscle and therefor a weight penality. But I'm not trying to be a top vetran rider, just have some fun.
Cheers Michael.
Not doing centennial park at the moment. GeoffS and I were doing the occassional weekday leaving Ashfield/Ashbury at 6am.11ring said:
At the moment I'm working at North Sydney. Tomorrow (Tuesday) I'm going to do the LACC 6am training at Olympic Park, starting at the train station, then riding straight to work.
Well, I had my second race today, it was the Waratah's Vetran grade C at Sydney's Olympic Park tennis centre and I ended up coming Second.
However, it was a really odd race. When we left no one knew how long the race was for and we got told 45 + 2, as we went past, which I understood to be 45minutes + 2 laps. Anyway, the race progressed and no one broke away, I kept an eye for breakaways and when riders did move off the front, I moved myself up to keep a check on it. Each time no breakaway group formed and the rider off the front ended up back in the pack. Suddenly there was a whisle being blown, "what was that" I asked, aparently someone was getting a warning for something. A couple of laps later, there was a bell, probably 10 minutes early, "last lap" I said to myself and then I just bolted, somebody yelled out something as I sprinted past, I thought, s*** I'm out the front by myself and went even faster, which wasn't such a good idea, as I barely made it around the corner, just missing a concrete barrier. I put my head down and belted down the back of the circuit, lifted off for the sharp corner that takes you a semi straight finish straight. I'm heading towards the finish and I think "I must have it wrong, there must be another lap" so I sit up and slow down, one rider goes past me and I go over the line in second, the race is over and I've come second.
After the race I discuss it with some of the other riders and there was mass confusion. Me, if I didn't get confused, I would of won, however if others wern't confused, perhaps they wouldn't of let me go. And the non sprinters didn't get a chance to bump up the pace over the last 10 minutes, that the race time was cut by and drop the sprinters. All in all a bit of a suff up, but at the end of the day the placings stand.
So now I'm a professional can I give up my daytime job? See attachment.
However, it was a really odd race. When we left no one knew how long the race was for and we got told 45 + 2, as we went past, which I understood to be 45minutes + 2 laps. Anyway, the race progressed and no one broke away, I kept an eye for breakaways and when riders did move off the front, I moved myself up to keep a check on it. Each time no breakaway group formed and the rider off the front ended up back in the pack. Suddenly there was a whisle being blown, "what was that" I asked, aparently someone was getting a warning for something. A couple of laps later, there was a bell, probably 10 minutes early, "last lap" I said to myself and then I just bolted, somebody yelled out something as I sprinted past, I thought, s*** I'm out the front by myself and went even faster, which wasn't such a good idea, as I barely made it around the corner, just missing a concrete barrier. I put my head down and belted down the back of the circuit, lifted off for the sharp corner that takes you a semi straight finish straight. I'm heading towards the finish and I think "I must have it wrong, there must be another lap" so I sit up and slow down, one rider goes past me and I go over the line in second, the race is over and I've come second.
After the race I discuss it with some of the other riders and there was mass confusion. Me, if I didn't get confused, I would of won, however if others wern't confused, perhaps they wouldn't of let me go. And the non sprinters didn't get a chance to bump up the pace over the last 10 minutes, that the race time was cut by and drop the sprinters. All in all a bit of a suff up, but at the end of the day the placings stand.
So now I'm a professional can I give up my daytime job? See attachment.
Go ahead, i dont think you need to work anymore, you can replace Basso at CSC i think they'll sign you up in a second...supreme confidence is placed in a rider capable of second place is a race where no-one knows what is going on Sorry bout the joke, but nice result, sounds like in just your 2nd race you've got the whole tactics thing together! Well done
they'll sign you up in a second...supreme confidence is placed in a rider capable of second place is a race where no-one knows what is going on Sorry bout the joke, but nice result, sounds like in just your 2nd race you've got the whole tactics thing together! Well done
Well done Mike good result and it looked like C grade was going a bit faster than usual with a big field going round.
You just need know for future reference that in a crit which has "plus" laps eg 40 minutes plus 5 laps, the whistle is the start of the plus laps (theres never a whistle for a warning or anything like that), and the bell is always the last lap.
If you are racing a fixed lap race eg 4 laps, you'll just get a bell on the last lap.
Regardless of the time they tell you on the start line which can change during the race pretty frequently, for example if it looks like theres going to be simultaneous sprint laps in different grades, they might pull a grade a little earlier, or leave them out a little longer, the one thing that never changes is the whistle and bell.
--brett
You just need know for future reference that in a crit which has "plus" laps eg 40 minutes plus 5 laps, the whistle is the start of the plus laps (theres never a whistle for a warning or anything like that), and the bell is always the last lap.
If you are racing a fixed lap race eg 4 laps, you'll just get a bell on the last lap.
Regardless of the time they tell you on the start line which can change during the race pretty frequently, for example if it looks like theres going to be simultaneous sprint laps in different grades, they might pull a grade a little earlier, or leave them out a little longer, the one thing that never changes is the whistle and bell.
--brett
Hey Mike
I just saw this thread. Good effort! I was a commissaire the day of the Centennial Park races. Think I was in driving the lead commissaire car for that race.
**** day huh! You guys had the worst of it though. I did same race 2-3 years ago and picked up a showbag full of sponsors products for 2nd place - couple of St George juniors worked me over in final lap or two - cunning little buggers...
In a short race the cramps are most likely you not used to the intensity along with an inferior preparation that morning/previous day. Pre-race fuelling and warm up helps. Also an easy ride the day before with a few short hit out efforts < 1min helps to open up the legs a bit for the next day.
Finally - especially in short races (< 1hr) start at the front. You don't have to ride on the front but at least that way you aren't killing yourself in the 1st km and can ease into the paceline/bunch as it builds up speed.
Enjoy your next series of races!
I just saw this thread. Good effort! I was a commissaire the day of the Centennial Park races. Think I was in driving the lead commissaire car for that race.
**** day huh! You guys had the worst of it though. I did same race 2-3 years ago and picked up a showbag full of sponsors products for 2nd place - couple of St George juniors worked me over in final lap or two - cunning little buggers...
In a short race the cramps are most likely you not used to the intensity along with an inferior preparation that morning/previous day. Pre-race fuelling and warm up helps. Also an easy ride the day before with a few short hit out efforts < 1min helps to open up the legs a bit for the next day.
Finally - especially in short races (< 1hr) start at the front. You don't have to ride on the front but at least that way you aren't killing yourself in the 1st km and can ease into the paceline/bunch as it builds up speed.
Enjoy your next series of races!
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