fordfasterr

I want to enter the local crit edit* race for cat 5.

I have only been in a crit once before I was spit out of the back in 3 laps... This was a mixed crit, with all levels of riders and I was not ready.

I have increased my mileage since then and I am much faster + more endurance so I want to see what I can do in a cat 5 race.


The race is the 28th, so I know I don't have much time but I just wanted to ask for some advice on what I can do to boost my endurance even more.

GuitarWizard

Epo

CastIron

Dude, it's cat 5. Show up and ride.

UmneyDurak

and try not to crash.

fordfasterr

I already figured that part out I suppose.

- Thanks.

tbrown524

Show up to the line well hydrated.

Don't forget to drink fluids during the race. I"m sure we've all been there.. So into the race that we forget to drink.

MDcatV

unless i'm missing something, which is a distinct possibility, by USAC rules, there is no such thing as cat 5 championship.

nothing you can do to improve fitness between now and 6/28 if you arent already fit.

enjoy the race, since you got popped early in your last race, go in with little goals like:
- not getting dropped in the 1st 3 laps,
- take a drink,
- move up through the field,
- sprint for a prime,
- when you think you cant go anymore, attack.
- finish upright

good luck.

Homebrew01

Be predictable .... Don't go into a corner on the outside then decide you'd rather be on the inside. If you take a bad line, stick with it and learn to do it better on the next lap. Anticipate where the pack is going. If the road narrows, expect the pack to slow down. If there are curves and you're on the inside, expect riders to start squeezing you ...... don't overlap wheels with the riders in front. Leave enough space for your over-reactions and those of others.

Search "beginning racing", "new racer" etc....

ElJamoquio

Your fitness is pretty much set. You aren't going to make great gains in the next week.

Follow botto's advice: do group rides (assuming you haven't). The experience following wheels will be more valuable than a slight gain in fitness.

fordfasterr

I have been doing group rides, and I have improved my fitness a lot since 2 years back. I'm still just riding about 2-4 hours a week (group rides) and just about 60 more miles of commuting as active recovery.

I will be increasing my mileage after this week, I hope to get in closer to 8 training hours per week and then hopefully I will see more results.

fordfasterr

You may be right about that, but there is a cat 5 listed on the schedule so maybe its just there to get new people interested.

bitterken

This may be coming a bit late for you but... A crit is relatively short and fast, so increasing mileage isn't really going to help you too much. My friend, what you need is some short, intense efforts to simulate the accelerations you will need to keep up with. This is the wonderful world of intervals - your new mistress. Learn to love and hate her, like the rest of us do.

Otherwise, stay smooth, relax your upper body. Avoid death grips on your bars. No sudden braking or line changing. Be mentally and physically ready to be brushed/touched. Don't overreact. Always protect your front wheel. Learn to look behind you without changing your line. Look before moving left or right.

Most of all, remember that you're doing this for fun.

wfrogge

Pointless to increase mileage a week before your race. Now is the time to back off the distance but keep some intensity for the rest of the week. If anything err on the side of riding easy.

substructure

Go in over rested and not over worked. Also, go in with the attitude like this is your last dieing hope to prove yourself. No halfhearted attempts at anything. Kill yourself every chance to stay with them. You can't improve much physically now, but mentally you can exercise until you toe the line.

ridethecliche

Crits aren't really endurance rides. You just have to learn to go with the tide and be able to recover fast. Intervals might be nice.

Creakyknees

They had a cat 5 state crit championship here in TX. Raced under USAC rules. They awarded a jersey and everything. I wept.

fordfasterr

I will be racing in the state championship scratch race on saturday night (tomorrow).

That is a mixed event, with all categories mixed in (our turn-out is so small that they mix everyone up)..

I hope they get a better turn out so I can race in cat 5 with other cat 5-ers...

I guess we'll see. 12 laps of hell. 333m track.

KendallF

I'm just wondering what state champ crit you're going to..the Florida one was a couple of months ago. Good luck at the track, I would like to come down there and try that sometime.

fordfasterr

My mistake. It is just a major crit evet.. I just re-read the flyer. The event on July 28th is called the Firecracker Criterium.

The event for today is the State track scratch race championship.

patentcad

'Tee hee'?

What are you gay?

Not that there would be anything wrong with that.

Homebrew01

There were 2 guys racing in New Britain today who should have read this advice. They we're both squirrelly, changing lines through corners, weaving a foot to the left, then to the right.

After the race, I politely said something like "Nothing personal, but it would be good to try and ride a bit more smoothly, especially in the corners .... give yourself a bit more room from the curb and the other riders ..."

1 guy admitted he had trouble cornering, and seemed genuinely interested in getting better. The other guy let loose with .... "The guys in front of me we're all over the F****** road, so don't blame me !! blah blah"

Interesting contrast. Too bad mister big mouth didn't see all the other guys shaking their heads at him in disbelief during the race.

blavelle

another nugget of advice that I learned the hard way, stay in the front 2/3rds of the pack. you wont get the dreaded accordian effect.

fordfasterr

Thanks for the tips all.

The track event was canceled yesterday due to rain, however there is a crit today that I will be heading to (starts @ 11 am for the cat 4-5 groups).

Wish me luck ! =)

fordfasterr

Report:

I raced in the cat 4-5 criterium series today. It was the Rosewood series in north Miami.

I spent most of the time on the brakes through corners (in the back of the pack)... moved up a few spots every turn and then spit out again within 100 meters..

A few people got dopped, one guy crashed right in front of me (went off the road in a turn and skidded on his head in the grass (lucky for him))....

The race was cut short due to a crash in the seniors race earlier in the day... so the last lap was crazy... at least 5 people did not sprint to the finish and I was in the middle of the pack, all of a sudden there are people NOT MOVING right in front of me. I cut it close to two guys and almost wiped out... ended up in the middle of the pack for the finish.

=)

Goals achieved:

1. did not crash.
2. did not get dropped.
3. did not finish last.


Yeah !!!

CastIron

Tee hee.