Lessons about bike racing:

[Archaea]

Number 1. It is hard for any older guy to race against younger guys.

Number 2. Two hard rides per week by an older guy is not sufficient to keep up with younger guys riding six times per week. IOW, lessons numbers one and two seem to compound each other.

Number 3. Some guys are really fast.

Number 4. Did you know some men with lycra, small jersey, can have a sag in it? It is true.

Number 5. If you are strong enough, you can torq and break a bottom bracket during a sprint, but it doesn't look pretty afterwards.

Number 6. It is still very fun to race even if you're last place.

Okay, an aside.

I'm sitting in the start line of the crit, not feeling too great, with normal anxieties.

So the starter talks about some of the rules, and states, if you violated a particular rule, you'd be dropped down to number 80. Which as luck would have it was my placing out of 89. Yes, I sucked, but at least my placing got special sucky mention. In reality, my placing was appropriate for my training. Everybody was bragging to me how they trained 500 miles per week. I responded, I got in a wonderful 80 miles so there.

Bottom line is, an older body with less training will not compete well against a younger body well trained.

However, bike racing is fun!

[cougjunkie]

Originally Posted by Archaea

Number 1. It is hard for any older guy to race against younger guys.

Number 2. Two hard rides per week by an older guy is not sufficient to keep up with younger guys riding six times per week. IOW, lessons numbers one and two seem to compound each other.

Number 3. Some guys are really fast.

Number 4. Did you know some men with lycra, small jersey, can have a sag in it? It is true.

Number 5. If you are strong enough, you can torq and break a bottom bracket during a sprint, but it doesn't look pretty afterwards.

Number 6. It is still very fun to race even if you're last place.

Okay, an aside.

I'm sitting in the start line of the crit, not feeling too great, with normal anxieties.

So the starter talks about some of the rules, and states, if you violated a particular rule, you'd be dropped down to number 80. Which as luck would have it was my placing out of 89. Yes, I sucked, but at least my placing got special sucky mention. In reality, my placing was appropriate for my training. Everybody was bragging to me how they trained 500 miles per week. I responded, I got in a wonderful 80 miles so there.

Bottom line is, an older body with less training will not compete well against a younger body well trained.

However, bike racing is fun!

Maybe at the end you should have violated a rule on purpose, so you had an excuse why you finished in 89th.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by cougjunkie

Maybe at the end you should have violated a rule on purpose, so you had an excuse why you finished in 89th.

I'm not certain I follow. I probably got a DNF for blowing up on the crit. My excuse is, "I'm not very good, but still have fun." I was a grand 82d out of 100, especially grand after almost missing my start with no warm up on the TT, have no idea where I was on the RR and stunk in the crit as usual.

Nonetheless sprint workouts started today to remedy the lack of speed in my legs. Those guys were cranking out 45 mph at the sprint. That's fast after a lengthy crit.

I understand Mike can crit race. I cannot until midseason rolls around. I usually go hard until I blow, then just soft pedal until I'm yanked.

[cougjunkie]

Originally Posted by Archaea

I'm not certain I follow. I probably got a DNF for blowing up on the crit. My excuse is, "I'm not very good, but still have fun." I was a grand 82d out of 100, especially grand after almost missing my start with no warm up on the TT, have no idea where I was on the RR and stunk in the crit as usual.

Nonetheless sprint workouts started today to remedy the lack of speed in my legs. Those guys were cranking out 45 mph at the sprint. That's fast after a lengthy crit.

I understand Mike can crit race. I cannot until midseason rolls around. I usually go hard until I blow, then just soft pedal until I'm yanked.

I was more or less joking, just trying to give you an excuse for finishing so far back in the pack. The fact that you can even ride a bike impresses me. I dont think i have ridden a bike in about 10 years.

[Archaea]

I forgot a rule.

Never be in charge of a bunch of single persons whose race times start after yours.

For those, who don't know or don't care, it is customary for one to warm up a significant amount of time before starting any event.

Each except the last, I was the first to start, and my compadres, a single and bunch of single women, took their sweet time getting to the car, so in the TT, I had about two minutes before I rolled out. In a TT, that is death. It probably cost me about three minutes. But oh what the hell.

In the road race, I almost missed my start, thanks again to a chick who wanted fart around. Thanks a lot. It showed as my legs weren't warm by the time we hit the hills. Chicks can be great, but just ignore the space cadettes. Our compadre did win her crit, thanks to our help.

[MikeWaters]

I've never raced.

I don't train enough.

And those guys get in wrecks all the time. I don't feel like breaking my collarbone.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I've never raced.

I don't train enough.

And those guys get in wrecks all the time. I don't feel like breaking my collarbone.

one word for Mike: Sandbagger.

Yes broken collar bones suck, that's why I sit up if it's getting too hairy, though my bike skills are improving. It pisses me off when guys touch their breaks or fail to pedal through the corners though.

[MikeWaters]

I can't do my Wed. group rides anymore because of YM and Scouting. It's really put the damper on my riding.

[bluegoose]

Originally Posted by Archaea

Nonetheless sprint workouts started today to remedy the lack of speed in my legs. Those guys were cranking out 45 mph at the sprint. That's fast after a lengthy crit.

I didn't know our very own Quisqueno rode with you this weekend. Holy cow.

45 is fast at any level. I only reach it going downhill with a tailwind.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by bluegoose

I didn't know our very own Quisqueno rode with you this weekend. Holy cow.

45 is fast at any level. I only reach it going downhill with a tailwind.

And that is why I get left in the dust. I only reach 45 on a down slope most of the time.

I did okay today and 40 is about tops if it works out okay, but most of the time, I'm struggly to break 33 to 35 mph. It is fun to feel the bottom bracket creak as one torqs away.