Going to races alone.
06-24-13, 01:07 PM
#26
soon to be gsteinc...
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Only if you need it.
FWIW, I have an Excel checklist that I print out for any real race and check things off as I pack it the day before. On race morning, I grab the cold bottles out of the fridge and roll. It saves me from the small pre-race aggro and/or second guessing. That alone is worth hitting 'print'.
FWIW, I have an Excel checklist that I print out for any real race and check things off as I pack it the day before. On race morning, I grab the cold bottles out of the fridge and roll. It saves me from the small pre-race aggro and/or second guessing. That alone is worth hitting 'print'.
06-24-13, 01:30 PM
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06-24-13, 01:42 PM
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1.How soon before the race should I stop warming up?
2.Err, is it normal for people like myself who are going alone in a race to set up their trainers in the parking lot? lol I know silly question, but I need to trainer to warm up.
PS
Going to watch some M-SR 2013 highlights as it's a "risk of thundershowers" tomorrow. I'm really getting christened tomorrow.
On my first race, I overdid the warmup. Coupled with lots of anxiety, I got dropped after the 3rd lap of the 20 lap crit.
Don't be surprised if you get dropped. If not, good for you.
#2 : Totally normal, fine, nobody cares really. Do it in the shade. Thank me later.
Also pack your bags the night before, and don't change your bike - seatpost height, saddle fore/aft, etc. Don't touch. Eat a good breakfast, even if you're not hungry.
06-24-13, 01:48 PM
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06-24-13, 02:06 PM
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06-24-13, 11:05 PM
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06-24-13, 11:33 PM
#37
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Demain, on roule!
06-26-13, 12:43 AM
#39
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07-02-13, 09:49 AM
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top 25% overall, top 5 in my age group (participants were 200+).
I played my cards right until I got over confident (newbie mistakes galore!): got stuck in a group who didn't want to chase (there were 4 groups ahead of us). "Felt" strong so I tried going myself twice but they reeled me back - I wanted to try and drop them all at this hilly section but I gassed out. I really paid the price on the 2nd try. I had very close chances to get back in the group because I knew the terrain/course, but I'm obviously not the most powerful guy on the flats being 145lbs. It was 1 vs 10, lol.
Had to go a lonely 12mi by myself. I passed the guy who led the group I was in with about 3mi left.
Still, I enjoyed and was satisfied by my result considering it was my first one.
I played my cards right until I got over confident (newbie mistakes galore!): got stuck in a group who didn't want to chase (there were 4 groups ahead of us). "Felt" strong so I tried going myself twice but they reeled me back - I wanted to try and drop them all at this hilly section but I gassed out. I really paid the price on the 2nd try. I had very close chances to get back in the group because I knew the terrain/course, but I'm obviously not the most powerful guy on the flats being 145lbs. It was 1 vs 10, lol.
Had to go a lonely 12mi by myself. I passed the guy who led the group I was in with about 3mi left.
Still, I enjoyed and was satisfied by my result considering it was my first one.
Last edited by KantoBoy; 07-02-13 at 09:54 AM.
07-02-13, 09:58 AM
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Well hell. You finished your first race and didn't crash. That counts as a win. 
Now just 9 more. Did you happen to meet anyone there who lives near you and seems cool that you could ride with so you don't have to go alone to you next race. That that you'd expect to find a team at your first race, but races are probably the place where you're most likely to find and hook up with other people who like to race.
Now just 9 more. Did you happen to meet anyone there who lives near you and seems cool that you could ride with so you don't have to go alone to you next race. That that you'd expect to find a team at your first race, but races are probably the place where you're most likely to find and hook up with other people who like to race.
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07-02-13, 10:01 AM
#42
Tiocfáidh ár Lá
07-02-13, 10:17 AM
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07-02-13, 10:42 AM
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Well hell. You finished your first race and didn't crash. That counts as a win. Now just 9 more. Did you happen to meet anyone there who lives near you and seems cool that you could ride with so you don't have to go alone to you next race. That that you'd expect to find a team at your first race, but races are probably the place where you're most likely to find and hook up with other people who like to race.
Now just 9 more. Did you happen to meet anyone there who lives near you and seems cool that you could ride with so you don't have to go alone to you next race. That that you'd expect to find a team at your first race, but races are probably the place where you're most likely to find and hook up with other people who like to race.Thanks for all the tips and well wishers here. Now it's time for me to enjoy being on a bike. It was 2 long months of structured training so I wasn't able to do what I wanted to.
07-02-13, 10:46 AM
#45
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There's nothing wrong with that. I race at a pretty high level, but if I had to choose between racing and riding, no contest.
07-02-13, 12:32 PM
#46
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Checklist:
- shoes
- bike
- helmet
- kit
- toolbag (if track)
- food/water
Everything else is relatively minor and can either be done without or easily bummed. At the race, I register/check in, then dress, then warmup, in that order. I usually want about an hour+ to get everything done pre-race. I ride around a bit prior to a road race. I'll ride rollers or trainer until I'm smooth and warm prior to a crit. For track I have a very specific warmups depending on the events. What others are saying, that the shorter the event the longer the warmup, is definitely true. My longest warmup is for track sprinting and might take an hour in its own right. My shortest is for road racing where I might roll around the start area for a couple minutes to let my chamois and bits settle into place.
- shoes
- bike
- helmet
- kit
- toolbag (if track)
- food/water
Everything else is relatively minor and can either be done without or easily bummed. At the race, I register/check in, then dress, then warmup, in that order. I usually want about an hour+ to get everything done pre-race. I ride around a bit prior to a road race. I'll ride rollers or trainer until I'm smooth and warm prior to a crit. For track I have a very specific warmups depending on the events. What others are saying, that the shorter the event the longer the warmup, is definitely true. My longest warmup is for track sprinting and might take an hour in its own right. My shortest is for road racing where I might roll around the start area for a couple minutes to let my chamois and bits settle into place.
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Cat 2 Track, Cat 3 Road.
"If you’re new enough [to racing] that you would ask such question, then i would hazard a guess that if you just made up a workout that sounded hard to do, and did it, you’d probably get faster." --the tiniest sprinter
Cat 2 Track, Cat 3 Road.
"If you’re new enough [to racing] that you would ask such question, then i would hazard a guess that if you just made up a workout that sounded hard to do, and did it, you’d probably get faster." --the tiniest sprinter
