Scheduling races with the wife
 

I've got 4 to 5 more races (road races) in the next month I want to do. I just sent a list to the wife via email. God, I love email. I can tell (or ask) her things without seeing that look on her face. You know the one?

"This is what I think of your racing schedule!!!"
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Dont ask... just do.

I'm trying to race on our wedding anniversary. And her birthday.

i scheduled my wedding around racing

She doesn't come to your races?

Not many. I asked her to go to one coming up with the kids. I hope she says yes.

I'd have to recommend discussing "controversial" subjects face-to-face, rather than via email.

Just saying...

My wife offers to go, but I don't have the heart to wake her at 6:00 am on Saturdays to watch me be pack fodder.

careful now...

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They end up that way - don't worry. It's more of an ice breaker. She can read and stew for a bit then we can talk later. Usually she's ok by the time we're home and settled. Then I'll bring it out in the open.

No, she won't leave me. She likes my skinny body too much. ;)

She'll come straight out and say no. Then we'll make compromises. Which usually entails me dressing up in some weird costume at night for her jollies.

Tis better to beg for forgiveness then ask for permission

Yeah, email is fine for us too, but I can't overstate the importance of clear, crisp communication for a strong marriage. We put the races on the family calendar, and I'm done.

I just said that there are 10 races coming up in Feb and March, and I'd like to do three of them. Which dates are best for you? So, that's my Spring series. I'll hit some big crits in the summer, TTs in the fall. I'll be doing a lot of Tuesday Nighters, Tuesday night TTs, and Thursday crits.

That would be cool if she did. There's nothing like having your own cheering section out there. :) How old are your kids?

I guess I'm spoiled because I'm in a relationship with another cyclist. I actually research the races, sign him up and tell him which ones he's doing. :p

12 and 8.

They have been. When I did the BMW center crit they were there. I loved hearing them yell for me. I loved it. But sometimes I can't get her up to go. She loves her sleep a little more than watching me race - especially when I leave before 7am.

when i saw the title of this thread, i thought you had a wife that also raced bikes. I was going to be very jealous!

That's basically what I do. I'll send her a list and we discuss it later. For some reason this works better then coming straight out. She huffs and puffs while I start telling her or showing her the schedule. By doing this I have cut out some of that.

well... crits are petty damn boring to watch.

just sayin'

I'm in the same boat and I take the same tact - email a schedule, then discuss it later. Be sure to put a few extra races in your schedule that you don't mind missing. Also stress how many races you are skipping - as in WR's 'there are 10 races and I'd like to do 3'.

I thought the same thing.

Az

My wife and kids have come to a few races. I wouldn't bring them to a road race - too much sitting in a parking lot in the middle of nowhere. They have come to a crit, but I don't really like my wife to see the inevitable crashes. There is a 2 mile circuit race in a park about 25 blocks from my house. It has a nice safe course with a playground right near the start/finish. A perfect race to bring the family. I loved it when I podiumed in that race and my kids asked "Why didn't you win?".

too funny.. I do the same thing.. Figures she'll have time to think about it before getting home. My wife is cool with racing but doesn't like group rides since I'm usally out of the house for more than 4 hours.

I raced on my wedding anniversary last year. And the year before. Unfortunately my favorite race is scheduled for that weekend. This is the race that got me back into racing and that I look forward to and dread all year. Both times my wife came out with me to feed. We make a road trip out of it (we like road trips).

Last year she said something about racing for our anniversary, so I took her to a fancy B&B for a getaway as a replacement. Of course I did schedule it during a rest week.

This year she's gotten into running and has signed up for some races.. unfortunately they're all on the same days as races I really want to do and have already signed up for. I'd like to be there to cheer her on and calm pre-race nerves but I also don't want to make a big deal of it since its the first time she's been competitive at any athletic endeavour, and I don't want to jinx it. But if she keeps at it I think I'll have to alternate.