Greetings all,
I have noticed that one of the regularly recurring topics on these forums is some variaton of the would-be first time racer wondering, "am I fast enough/how fast should I be/what's a good average speed", etc.
As a new racer myself (I have completed two 42 mile Cat 4/5 road races, both times finishing with the main filed in a field sprint, once 12th, once too far back to count), I just thought I would share some of my experience with how my average speed, HR etc translates from solo training rides to actual racing.
I decided I was ready to race when I had done a couple of hilly, solo training rides of 45 - 50 miles at an average speed of 19 Mph in the endurance HR zone, and a couple of 20 - 25 mile rides at an average of 20.5 Mph or so. I am in no way suggesting that this is a litmus test for everyone, surely it will be slow for some and fast for others, it is simply what I felt was "good enough" to feel comfortable entering a race.
The main things that I would stress about the difference between racing and riding solo is 1) experienced riders don't talk about the effect of the draft for nothing, it makes a HUGE difference. Example: Yesterday I raced 43 miles at an average speed of 23.2 Mph, my average HR was 146 and I spent 31 minutes above 80 % of MHR as calculated by my Sigmasport Fit Watch. Basically I just cruised in the pack. Today I rode 33.5 miles solo at an average speed of 18.6, average HR 148 and I spent about 35 minutes >80%. I should mention that I did more climbing today than yesterday, but none the less, I cannot hold 23 Mph as an average by myself even on a rolling circuit race loop over that distance. Not yet, anyway. And hills or no, when I am cruising at 24 - 25 Mph on my own, my HR gets up to 158 - 160 or so after a couple of minutes. I can hold that speed comfortably in a race while buried in the peloton at a HR of about 145
Thing #2 is the effect of the good old carrott/stick phenomenon. Carrott= holding the wheel in front of you, passing the guy next to you, stick = getting dropped and having the wheel van pass you :-( Basically just good old fashioned competitive instinct. For me at least. When I am suffering on my trainer with my HR at 175, it feels a lot harder than when I am cruising into the finish line with a chance of fighting for the sprint.
So those are my thoughts. I post them here in the hope that other folks who are as unsure of what to expect from racing as I was will find something in my expeerience to relate to their own.
Cheers all, and a happy Easter.
NW
I have noticed that one of the regularly recurring topics on these forums is some variaton of the would-be first time racer wondering, "am I fast enough/how fast should I be/what's a good average speed", etc.
As a new racer myself (I have completed two 42 mile Cat 4/5 road races, both times finishing with the main filed in a field sprint, once 12th, once too far back to count), I just thought I would share some of my experience with how my average speed, HR etc translates from solo training rides to actual racing.
I decided I was ready to race when I had done a couple of hilly, solo training rides of 45 - 50 miles at an average speed of 19 Mph in the endurance HR zone, and a couple of 20 - 25 mile rides at an average of 20.5 Mph or so. I am in no way suggesting that this is a litmus test for everyone, surely it will be slow for some and fast for others, it is simply what I felt was "good enough" to feel comfortable entering a race.
The main things that I would stress about the difference between racing and riding solo is 1) experienced riders don't talk about the effect of the draft for nothing, it makes a HUGE difference. Example: Yesterday I raced 43 miles at an average speed of 23.2 Mph, my average HR was 146 and I spent 31 minutes above 80 % of MHR as calculated by my Sigmasport Fit Watch. Basically I just cruised in the pack. Today I rode 33.5 miles solo at an average speed of 18.6, average HR 148 and I spent about 35 minutes >80%. I should mention that I did more climbing today than yesterday, but none the less, I cannot hold 23 Mph as an average by myself even on a rolling circuit race loop over that distance. Not yet, anyway. And hills or no, when I am cruising at 24 - 25 Mph on my own, my HR gets up to 158 - 160 or so after a couple of minutes. I can hold that speed comfortably in a race while buried in the peloton at a HR of about 145
Thing #2 is the effect of the good old carrott/stick phenomenon. Carrott= holding the wheel in front of you, passing the guy next to you, stick = getting dropped and having the wheel van pass you :-( Basically just good old fashioned competitive instinct. For me at least. When I am suffering on my trainer with my HR at 175, it feels a lot harder than when I am cruising into the finish line with a chance of fighting for the sprint.
So those are my thoughts. I post them here in the hope that other folks who are as unsure of what to expect from racing as I was will find something in my expeerience to relate to their own.
Cheers all, and a happy Easter.
NW