Training Rides

[Tom Kunich]

Went out for another ride today. I've been waiting for a job offer but the
two I'm expecting haven't come through. Soon I'm going to have to admit that
no one wants to hire someone approaching retirement age no matter how much
it would help their company. At that point I suppose I'll just retire. But
until then I'll interview and ride.

I've got in almost 700 miles so far this month despite having to take time
out to go to job interviews quite a bit. The average speed of these rides
isn't anything to write home about since most of them have quite a bit of
climbing in them. For instance, this morning I did 32 miles with about 2,000
feet of climbing including one section that was over 10%.

Still, all of this riding doesn't build up racing speeds. The only thing
that appears to do that is racing itself. And at my age I could only compete
in old fart races - and those aren't being run around here any longer.
Though 10 years ago they were.

I wonder if we can expect old fart races to start showing up again since
probably a majority of the "serious" riders in this area are probably over
50?

 

[[email protected]]

On Apr 24, 2:21 pm, "Tom Kunich" <cyclintom@yahoo. com> wrote:
> Went out for another ride today. I've been waiting for a job offer but the
> two I'm expecting haven't come through. Soon I'm going to have to admit that
> no one wants to hire someone approaching retirement age no matter how much
> it would help their company. At that point I suppose I'll just retire. But
> until then I'll interview and ride.
>
> I've got in almost 700 miles so far this month despite having to take time
> out to go to job interviews quite a bit. The average speed of these rides
> isn't anything to write home about since most of them have quite a bit of
> climbing in them. For instance, this morning I did 32 miles with about 2,000
> feet of climbing including one section that was over 10%.
>
> Still, all of this riding doesn't build up racing speeds. The only thing
> that appears to do that is racing itself. And at my age I could only compete
> in old fart races - and those aren't being run around here any longer.
> Though 10 years ago they were.
>
> I wonder if we can expect old fart races to start showing up again since
> probably a majority of the "serious" riders in this area are probably over
> 50?

Maybe its not your age, but rather THEY don't think you'd help their
company as much as YOU think you'd help their company.

BTW, where do you live, that there are few old fart racers?

Fred

 

[William Asher]

Tom Kunich wrote:

> Went out for another ride today. I've been waiting for a job offer but
> the two I'm expecting haven't come through. Soon I'm going to have to
> admit that no one wants to hire someone approaching retirement age no
> matter how much it would help their company. At that point I suppose
> I'll just retire. But until then I'll interview and ride.
>

Don't know if you are willing to relocate to Idaho and I know nothing
about the company, but what these guys do sounded kind of interesting:

http://www.boisetechnology.org/bticareers.html

Don't tell them I told you.

--
Bill Asher

 

[Bret]

On Apr 24, 2:21 pm, "Tom Kunich" <cyclintom@yahoo. com> wrote:
> Went out for another ride today. I've been waiting for a job offer but the
> two I'm expecting haven't come through. Soon I'm going to have to admit that
> no one wants to hire someone approaching retirement age no matter how much
> it would help their company. At that point I suppose I'll just retire. But
> until then I'll interview and ride.
>
> I've got in almost 700 miles so far this month despite having to take time
> out to go to job interviews quite a bit. The average speed of these rides
> isn't anything to write home about since most of them have quite a bit of
> climbing in them. For instance, this morning I did 32 miles with about 2,000
> feet of climbing including one section that was over 10%.
>
> Still, all of this riding doesn't build up racing speeds. The only thing
> that appears to do that is racing itself. And at my age I could only compete
> in old fart races - and those aren't being run around here any longer.
> Though 10 years ago they were.
>
> I wonder if we can expect old fart races to start showing up again since
> probably a majority of the "serious" riders in this area are probably over
> 50?

55+ Cat 4,5 road race this Saturday at Wente Vineyards. Or is that too
hilly for you?

https://www.sportsbaseonline.com/Item.aspx?item_id=2420

Bret

 

[Tom Kunich]

"Bret" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> 55+ Cat 4,5 road race this Saturday at Wente Vineyards. Or is that too
> hilly for you?

Sure is unless I can spend a year doing 55+ crits to bring my fitness level
back up to speed instead of endurance.

 

[Off The Back]

Tom Kunich wrote:
> Bret wrote:
>> 55+ Cat 4,5 road race this Saturday at Wente Vineyards. Or is that too
>> hilly for you?
>
> Sure is unless I can spend a year doing 55+ crits to bring my fitness
> level back up to speed instead of endurance.
>

Tom,

I have to ask... did you even look at the NCNCA schedule before you made the
original post? Several of the races in the next months have 55+ events, and
plenty have 45+ cat 4/5 also. Why would you be complaining about not having
adequate racing opportunities in NorCal, where there are undoubtedly more
races for old farts than any place else in the country? Do Mt. Hamilton and
Pescadero RR.

Mark
http://marcofanelli.blogspot.com

 

[Tom Kunich]

"Off The Back" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> I have to ask... did you even look at the NCNCA schedule before you made
> the original post? Several of the races in the next months have 55+
> events, and plenty have 45+ cat 4/5 also. Why would you be complaining
> about not having adequate racing opportunities in NorCal, where there are
> undoubtedly more races for old farts than any place else in the country?
> Do Mt. Hamilton and Pescadero RR.

Mark, I really should have explained my position more carefully. There used
to be old fart criteriums every Tuesday evening out at the Oakland Airport
area. That was centrally located for the east bay and so they had good
attendance.

These crits are the perfect high speed training to get someone to the level
where they can actually stay with the road races in the area. Without that
sort of training you simply cannot accomplish anything at all by riding a
road race 15 minutes off of the back.

Berkeley Bike Club was responsible for those local crits and the people
putting them on had to put up with an awful lot of guff from the riders, the
citizens in the area and the public works people. I can't say that I blame
them for dropping that race but it was convenient and perfect training for a
lot of people.

 

[[email protected]]

On Apr 24, 4:29 pm, "Tom Kunich" <cyclintom@yahoo. com> wrote:
> "Off The Back" <[email protected]> wrote in messagenews:[email protected]...
>
>
>
> > I have to ask... did you even look at the NCNCA schedule before you made
> > the original post? Several of the races in the next months have 55+
> > events, and plenty have 45+ cat 4/5 also. Why would you be complaining
> > about not having adequate racing opportunities in NorCal, where there are
> > undoubtedly more races for old farts than any place else in the country?
> > Do Mt. Hamilton and Pescadero RR.
>
> Mark, I really should have explained my position more carefully. There used
> to be old fart criteriums every Tuesday evening out at the Oakland Airport
> area. That was centrally located for the east bay and so they had good
> attendance.
>
> These crits are the perfect high speed training to get someone to the level
> where they can actually stay with the road races in the area. Without that
> sort of training you simply cannot accomplish anything at all by riding a
> road race 15 minutes off of the back.
>
> Berkeley Bike Club was responsible for those local crits and the people
> putting them on had to put up with an awful lot of guff from the riders, the
> citizens in the area and the public works people. I can't say that I blame
> them for dropping that race but it was convenient and perfect training fora
> lot of people.

So, you can't race until you have a few races under your belt? I think
this is a known problem. Go to www.SchwarzSoft.com and download a new
bootstrap loader.

Bret

 

[Colin Campbell]

Tom Kunich wrote:
> "Bret" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>
>> 55+ Cat 4,5 road race this Saturday at Wente Vineyards. Or is that too
>> hilly for you?
>
> Sure is unless I can spend a year doing 55+ crits to bring my fitness
> level back up to speed instead of endurance.
>

Well, here's where you start bringing the fitness level back up! Go
out, try hard, get dropped, try hard again, etc.

 

[marika]

"Tom Kunich" <cyclintom@yahoo. com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I've been waiting for a job offer but the two I'm expecting haven't come
> through.

here are some nice words for you, including possible future job and also
improving interview technique

mk5000

Rheba: Grandpa go to the graduation exercises today?
Essie Carmichael: Guess so.
Rheba: I wonder how many people Grandpa's going to bring home for dinner
tonight.
Essie Carmichael: I don't know, it all depends if he goes walking in a park.
Rheba: Well let him bring them, I'll be ready for them.
--You can't take it with you

 

[Amit Ghosh]

On Apr 24, 4:21 pm, "Tom Kunich" <cyclintom@yahoo. com> wrote:
> Went out for another ride today. I've been waiting for a job offer but the
> two I'm expecting haven't come through. Soon I'm going to have to admit that
> no one wants to hire someone approaching retirement age no matter how much

> I wonder if we can expect old fart races to start showing up again since
> probably a majority of the "serious" riders in this area are probably over
> 50?

dumbass,

what you should do is staring you in the face.

you should start to organize events that you see a need for. you could
start with TTs and low key rides that don't need permits and road
closures and go from there.

there are masters races here where packs of differing abilities have
staggered starts, with the idea that the groups merge somewhere near
the finish. for the sport to grow there has to be more events for the
non-hardcore riders.

 

[Diablo Scott]

Amit Ghosh wrote:
> On Apr 24, 4:21 pm, "Tom Kunich" <cyclintom@yahoo. com> wrote:
>> Went out for another ride today. I've been waiting for a job offer but the
>> two I'm expecting haven't come through. Soon I'm going to have to admit that
>> no one wants to hire someone approaching retirement age no matter how much
>
>> I wonder if we can expect old fart races to start showing up again since
>> probably a majority of the "serious" riders in this area are probably over
>> 50?
>
> dumbass,
>
> what you should do is staring you in the face.
>
> you should start to organize events that you see a need for. you could
> start with TTs and low key rides that don't need permits and road
> closures and go from there.
>

Not too far from Tom, a non-sanctioned 3-mile hill TT, about as low key
as you can get, take it as seriously as you want.

http://www.ccwater.com/losvaqueros/LVDamTrials.asp

Open to recumbents even.

 

[Booker Bense]

In article <[email protected]>,
Tom Kunich <cyclintom@yahoo. com> wrote:
>"Bret" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>>
>> 55+ Cat 4,5 road race this Saturday at Wente Vineyards. Or is that too
>> hilly for you?
>
>Sure is unless I can spend a year doing 55+ crits to bring my fitness level
>back up to speed instead of endurance.
>

Isn't that what the noon ride is for?

_ Booker C. Bense