My second Criterium race

[Deafwolf]

My second Criterium went a little better than my first. I forgot to mention that I was just coming off a cold last race.

I still got that "butterflies" feeling as I was entering the parking lot with my bike; again the El Toro Crit. But after getting on the track and warming up a couple laps, I started feeling real good. Also, I confirmed the distance of the track, it's 2.5 miles.

The start was very much the same as last week, but I could swear it was just a bit faster. Again there were about 35 riders. I was in the middle for the start. Pretty comfortable with clipping in and riding. As we rounded the first corner, I could definitely tell the pack was moving faster, more aggressively. I worked hard to stay with them, even standing a few times to generate a short power burst. After a couple turns, we were on the long stretch of the track, and again it felt like the peloton was moving much more aggressively than last week. I have found that my riding style is a little aggressive on positioning while in the peloton. If there is a gap that opens, even a tight fit for a single rider, I am pushing into it. We hit the turn where I got dropped last time in my first race, but I stood up and pedaled hard this time. I find that I can hold a very good line on the turn even while standing and pedaling hard. I had my hands on the hoods most of the time on the corners, then down into the drops on the straights. With two more turns before completing the lap, I found myself in the top 10. And here I'm thinking if I can just stay with the group and riding this aggressively, I got this. I can feel the fatigue setting into my legs, but I won;t let myself fall off. Not yet.
We cross the starting line and I am feeling really good. In the peloton, I am not working as hard and I am getting some moments to pedal easy and still position well. Then on the first turn after the start is where I made a mistake. The turn is a sharp one, but the riders around me were turning wide going in. So I took the inside and nailed that turn, awesomely so I thought. But being on the inside, I was the first to be blasted by the wind. And that rocked me. Everyone is still accelerating out the turn. I am standing and pushing to regain speed to stay in the group, but at this point, the group is more spread out in a line and people are still passing to the outside of me, using me to blanket themselves from the wind. I'm pumping hard, but the gas just goes out of my legs and I just can;t maintain the push to get back in. At this point that I got dropped, I'm 8.5 minutes in.
I eased up a little and then increased my intensity to continue the race. This is still an opportune time for improvement, so I am pedaling hard such that I can feel the burn in my legs, but a point where I can maintain my cadence. I figure this must be close to the "Sweet Spot Training" I read about earlier. I was able to complete all my laps and finished just ahead of the Cat 1,2,3 racers (the ones about to lap me a 2nd time if not a 3rd). Those guys haul ass.
Numbness report:
The hands and feet did start to get numb again, but this time much later into the ride.

I also remembered my water bottle this time. But here are some more mistakes I learned from.
1st - Don't consume Goo prior to the race. There was a vendor offering free samples of Gu. I have used Goo before on distance rides and they help tremendously. However, in an intense ride such a s crit race, you need to move air in and out of your lungs rapidly. And I could just feel the Goo coating my throat even after washing it down with drink.

2nd - I mixed a 1/2 Gatorade with 1/2 water in my bottle. But I still think I had too much Gatorade in there. Lesson learned here, fill with water and a "splash" of Gatorade for color; not much different than a "splash" of coke in a long island iced tea.

Overall, I was content with my performance. I'll try and invest in some gloves. I have another Crit race this Sunday at Dominguez Hills. Tomorrow I plan to stay off the bike to recover some. I may do a 1-mile run at lunch. Saturday I usually do a group ride around 40-miles, but I am going to ride with the slower group going about 25. The get at least 7 hours of sleep before the race on Sunday.

Again, I welcome any feedback you have to offer. I appreciate when you take the time to read my entries. Sorry they are not shorter. Also, for those who are new like I am, I hope this helps motivate you or absolve your fears in respect to crit racing.

 

[swampy1970]

Sounds like you had fun.

Just a few thoughts:

Aggressiveness is good, not being afraid to muscle into gaps is good (as long as you're not causing crashes or overly pi$sing people off) being confident around corners is good.

The incident with the wind isn't just a newbie mistake. Ride the course beforehand and make a note of where the wind is at various points. Being in the wind isn't necessarily bad for a little while if it gives you a better line or a safer route through a tricky corner or if you just want to move up. Conversely, if you're only 8 minutes into the race don't be too afraid about dropping back and getting a wheel further back. Don't panic and move into a paceline but one thing you shouldn't do is blow your wad trying to keep up when out in the wind if you don't have the legs.

It's doubtful that Gu in the throat caused any actual restriction in airflow but if it feels bad then it's not going to help even if it really doesn't cause a hinderence.

I stay away from Gatorade like the plague. There's something about drinking with too much simple carbs in that makes me fart and burp. I'd substitue that for Hammer HEED... but that's just my personal preference.

Riding without mitts is like being willing to shave with 90 grit sandpaper. The only place I ride without them is up long climbs on very hot days. I've lost nearly all my skin on my palms a couple of time and it's not fun... weeks of not fun.

If you suffer from numb hands riding on the drops might help. You can get a more neutral hand position and you'll probably put less actual weight on your hands. The top of the line Specialized road racing gloves have helped me stave off numbness issues with my hands. I can't remember the name but they're an all lycra deal, slip on with no velcro strap. Price ~$35 and worth every penny.

Try staying in the drops around the corners too.

 

[64Paramount]

Another good write up, Deafwolf.

You seem to be doing well and I can't really add anything beyond Swampy's post except to chime in about the gloves:

GET SOME!!

Seriously, even a cheap pair of gloves from Walmart would be way better than riding without anything.

And good cycling gloves can often be found on sale for 15 to 20 dollars at the on-line bicycle stores. You just have to watch for the particular brand you want, like the Specialized ones Swampy mentioned, to go on sale.

Till then just get some decent gloves that fit you, give you some padding while riding, and will protect you when you fall.

 

[Deafwolf]

Thank you for your feedback Swampy and Paramount. I forgot to mention one other thing. On the straight heading back to the starting line, I quickly filled a gap between two riders. The one on the right, outside, started edging a little closer than I liked. So I said, "watch your side". I am not too specific on what the etiquette is with talking to racers in the peloton, but I figured he didn't notice me edge in there and he was trying to get closer behind a wheel.

Is it appropriate to speak up when movement like that happens, or should I have locked in and put elbows out without saying anything? For all I know, I might have displaced him when I took the spot.

 

[genedan]

If the guy is doing something unsafe (i.e., not keeping his line in a turn) feel free to tell (yell at) him to watch it. He'll be trying to win of course, so whether or not he listens is up to him.

In the lower categories riders tend to give each other a good amount of room so it's not so nerve-wracking. However, in the higher categories, riders are much closer together and elbowing is expected.

To build some confidence, take a friend, go find a soft grassy field and start rubbing up against each other. That way you'll know what it's like to bump into people and you'll have better control over your bicycle.

 

[roadhouse]

nice writeup deafwolf, thanks for that. almost felt as if i was in the race.

 

[quenya]

That's a great race report! It almost makes me want to do a crit... almost. Maybe next year. Keep writing them because before I read this and your previous thread it was more like 3 years.

 

[Deafwolf]

Doing another crit tomorrow, Sunday, at Doninguez Hills. I hear it's a great course. I have to be there early for the Cat 5 entry level group. This is going to be interesting since the El Toro group is a combination 4/5 group. I will report tomorrow.

I also did a 38 mile group ride today at a moderate pace. Another rider and I caught up to a draft line on PCH and rolled the next 10 miles or so at 23 mph easy mode. I'm learning that if you want to draft, you need to be a little "nervy". You can't allow for more that a single tire width (700cc) between you and the rider in front of you to truly feel the draft effect. And you need to trust in the rider's skill to hold a line in front of you. If you are not brave enough to close the distance, you get left behind every time.

 

[Deafwolf]

Sorry. Scratch that earlier plan. I was not watching my finances and I can not afford the Sunday Race. I'll post again after payday in a week. It happens.

 

[daveryanwyoming]

My second Criterium went a little better than my first....

Nice write up, and good on ya for getting out there and learning to ride crits. A couple of thoughts based on what you posted:

- You really shouldn't be out of the saddle while actually cornering, at least not during the entrance or apex of the turn. Sure sometimes we all have to jump hard to exit the turn but you're asking for trouble if you're out of the saddle and hitting it hard as you enter tight bends at speed. It's a recipe for rear wheel skip and having your back end come around on rougher pavement, bots dots, 'turtles' or other nasties common in crit corners and won't work while holding faster speeds on tighter courses where striking a pedal is a real concern. Maybe I read too much into your post, but it sounds like you were out of the saddle throughout the turn and that's not generally a good idea.

- Similarly you should use your gears as you approach turns so that you minimize the number of times you have to jump out of the saddle to maintain contact or accelerate out of the corners. Sure sometimes we all have to jump hard to respond to a surge or close a gap in a hurry but save that for when you really need it instead by using your gears wisely. In general shift down a cog or two as you approach corners that force the pack to slow or corners with slower exits (like slight uphill or headwind stretches as you exit the turn) and definitely downshift a few cogs on those laps where the peleton slows down a lot which often happens after prime laps later in the race. A lot of folks just pound one gear all race and work much harder than necessary to get back up to speed out of tighter turns and are jumping out of the saddle in every bend. It's ashame to carry all those gears, have shifting right up in your brake levers and still pound a big gear and kill yourself instead of thinking ahead, dropping down to an easier gear (typically only rear derailleur shifts) before slower sections and shifting up as speeds increase on the straights or for the tailwind/descending sections. That alone can make the difference between finishing and getting dropped for a lot of newer crit riders.

- Inside lines can work as long as there really is enough room, just don't fall into the trap of 'submarining' the corners by diving underneath folks taking a safe and fast line and causing a pile up. If the course is wide with lots of safe and fast lines through the corners it's not too big a deal but it's pretty common for a newer racer, especially one that's struggling a bit to start diving under folks on an inside line oblivious to the fact that they're cutting right across the line of the faster riders and leaving them with nowhere to go. Just remember that for a given speed, the tighter you enter the turn the wider you'll be forced to exit so a tight early entry at speed means you'll fan out wider coming out of the bend and that can spell disaster on a tight course if the fast riders are using the whole road as they should.

- Ride your drops as much as you can during a fast crit including throughout the corners. If your bike isn't set up so that you can comfortably ride that position for the entire crit then make any necessary position adjustments. The only time you should ride the brake hoods during a crit is if it slows down to the point where you're very comfortable and in no danger of being dropped. I see folks falling off the back or struggling to close gaps while riding the brake hoods and have to wonder WTF? It's hard enough to fight wind resistance at speed while giving yourself every advantage, no sense in making it harder on yourself by riding up and tall while riding fast. Sure come up from time to time to stretch and relax if the pace slows but if you're going hard then stay in the drops and learn to shift from the drops with a flick of your fingers which for some reason seems to give a lot of folks trouble.

Ohh, and you might just retitle your post something like 'crit riding' or 'my first crits' or are you planning to start a new thread for your third, fourth, fifth.... I'm sure a lot of new racers can learn from your excellent descriptions, makes sense to keep it running in a single thread rather than spawn a host of discussions.

Nice work, good luck,
-Dave

 

[daveryanwyoming]

... You can't allow for more that a single tire width (700cc) between you and the rider in front of you to truly feel the draft effect....

You don't need to be quite that close, in actual race conditions even a team pursuit or team time trial I'll generally be about five to eight inches back and in mass start racing I'll generally also be a few inches off to one side or the other of the wheel in front to buy some reaction time for pace changes or unexpected slowing. Being slightly off to one side or the other (ideally on the downwind side) makes it easier to see up the road for upcoming hazards and to see attacks and surges happening sooner which makes it easier to spin up to speed in the saddle without a big jump. Don't actually ride a single tire width off of the wheel in front if you want to stay upright in races.

If you haven't done so already, you should read this book: [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Racing-Tactics-Cyclists-Thomas-Prehn/dp/1931382301"]Amazon.com: Racing Tactics for Cyclists (9781931382304): Thomas Prehn, Charles Pelkey: Books[/ame] he does a great job of describing some really important stuff including safe drafting, predicting surges, dealing with different race situations etc. In the end you need to develop the feel for all this stuff while actually out on the road but Prehn's book can help speed the learning curve.

-Dave

 

[Deafwolf]

That was some excellent feedback Dave. I'll put more time into the drops and do some more "core" exercises. I also need to work on my application of power while in the drops. With my excess weight, breathing is limited more than when I ride the hoods.

As for posts, I thought people would tire of having to read through a long line of postings to finally reach an end that is nothing like how it started. People also lose interest as postings begin to take up a lot of pages. You do have a point that perhaps it is time to condense them together a little more. After it grows to 3 pages, then start a new one.

As for the drafting, I may not have been clear in my description. But I meant the diameter of one wheel as the maximum distance, maybe 20"-24". I try to draft about 12" from the front riders tire with maybe 2-3" to the right or left for visibility and wind direction. Even closer in a Crit.

 

[quenya]

I've noticed that the faster you're going the further away you feel the draft, so if it's a long smooth non-technical descent you can and will out pace the guy even a couple of meters in front. Personally though when I'm going 45+ mph I prefer to have a heck of a lot more space than that.

Deafwolf, it really does make sense to keep it all in one thread, check out the thread "regrets...post race" and you'll see what I mean.

 

[jamesvbusa]

I may race the Great Park this Thursday.... Let me know if you want to follow me around.

 

[Deafwolf]

If I can keep up, sure. First I need to come up with the $$. Sad but true, payday is on Friday. 2-weeks ago, I wore the Coors jersey. Last week I wore the blue shirt with bones, looks like an X-ray. If I make it this week, I am wearing my green and orange Irish jersey. It's loud and obnoxious. My bike is always a dead give-away because it is covered with stickers, most notable, the anime' chick and the "Live Wrong" Stickers.

Thanks for the offer James.

 

[jamesvbusa]

I'm on a Red Cannondale with zipp wheels. Sho-air/Sonance kit. I'm 50/50 as I'm recovering from a Triathlon and my legs are killing me.

 

[shamrok]

good stuff!

i just finished my first practice crit today - was pretty fun, albeit I do need to improve on corners so I'm not losing as much speed.

 

[Deafwolf]

Crit #3 coming up this Thursday at Great Park. I have put on about 187 miles since the last race just doing group and individual riding. Tried my first ride with an actual team last Saturday, Team Velocity out of Fullerton. The intermediate group gave me a great work out. Realized I am still weak on the hills. At 5'9" and 185 lbs, I am still a tad too heavy. I'm thinking of cutting my races down to 2 or 3 a month since the costs add up. Riding Dominguez Hills on the 1st of Aug, the Monkey and Son Crit. I would really like to do well at that race, so I need some specific interval training suggestions please. I do not have a power meter, but I can probably find a stationary bike at the gym that can give me wattage feedback and use the sensation of difficulty as a reference while on the street.