Road Bike Racing - So embarrassed

After doing my first real group ride on Sunday I got bit by the bug and decided to do a crit last night. I show up for the race and go to sign in, no cat 4 or 5. The race organizer tells me to just go into the cat3 race and if I get dropped just slow up and wait for the next lap and hop back on(.9 mile loop). The race starts and I looked down at my computer and I'm pedaling along at a nice 27mph(respectable for me) sustainable pace. Then the embarrassment begins as I am not dropped but hurrled off the back :eek:. 45 minutes later and 2 laps down(would have been three if the race was any longer :rolleyes: ) and the punishment ends, I quietly make my way back to the truck with my tail between my legs. THAT SUCKED

Heh. Crits are for the hard core, IMO.

I know the feeling... it gets better with time.

Thats a hell of an introduction to racing. Is there just not enough people in your area interested in racing and thats why no cat 4/5?

It was a evening race starting at 5:30, I'm not sure if there isn't a 4/5 demand or just to many people still at work

What was the quote, and who wrote it? "Dropped like a hot rock at a hot rock dropping contest." That's my favorite so far.

Good for you for getting out there and jumping in. And don't worry about it... crits are insane. They're like really painful skydiving - and you are the parachute and gravity and the plane that got you up there in the first place.

If you enjoyed it, keep at it. There will be other races.

In your training...

1. work on intervals, 2. learn to ride close to the wheel in front of you, bumping it without falling, 3. learn who the strong riders are, (and also the weak riders), 4. keep track of the race (who's making the moves to thin the field, are any gaps opening up ahead or behind), 5. Don't panic, keep your emotions under control, and 6. keep a journal of your races-type of course/race, your gearing, your heart rate, what you ate, distance, how you felt, your placing.
Oh, and 7. Do this for the PLEASURE of it!

In your training...

1. work on intervals, 2. learn to ride close to the wheel in front of you, bumping it without falling, 3. learn who the strong riders are, (and also the weak riders), 4. keep track of the race (who's making the moves to thin the field, are any gaps opening up ahead or behind), 5. Don't panic, keep your emotions under control, and 6. keep a journal of your races-type of course/race, your gearing, your heart rate, what you ate, distance, how you felt, your placing.
Oh, and 7. Do this for the PLEASURE of it!

Thanks for the advise(I always adhear to number 7). I didn't post this for trainning tips but to make the rest of you racers feel better and ridicule me into never racing a crit again :D

do race again. It will get better. You say this was after your first real group ride. find some fast group rides and get some experience in those. That will start to get you conditioned for racing, and develop skills and a comfort with handling at high speed in a tight pack

so, was it a true cat 3 group? or were there other 5's like yourself mixed in that group? if it was a true cat 3 no wonder you got smoked.

Secret tip: park your truck on the back side of the course so that when you drop out, no one will see you slink back to your truck.

We've all been there.
(though I've never owned a truck)

so, was it a true cat 3 group? or were there other 5's like yourself mixed in that group? if it was a true cat 3 no wonder you got smoked.
There were no other cat4/5 riders so I guess it is a cat 3 group.(I know with motocross local pros/experts vary alot in speed and would guess cycling racing is no different). My results were not totally unexpected as I have raced a couple of duathalons now and make time on the runs and loose it on the bike. I guess I'll just have to get out there and keep pounding the roads.

Come race in Ontario, no CAT 4/5. Senior 1/2/3 only. And the Masters A (30-39) and Masters B (40-49) are almost as competitive, so you don't get much of a break as you get older.

Don't sweat it. The fact that you're the only 4/5 there is testament to your fortitude (or lunacy ... you decide). If you're gonna do this again, practice taking 90deg turns at speed. You can lose a large amount of ground and energy by backing down in the turns and forcing yourself to close gaps.

Mark

wow 27? You must be pretty good, or you can draft :D

Well im starting next season. It will be interesting...

I say GREAT TRY!! You didn't crash and you finished the race. Congrats on a job well done!

Thanks for the sympathetic encouragement all. Crashing wasn't to be of a concern when you can barely see other riders let alone have to avoid them :D

Someone told me early on, you only get faster by riding with those who ARE faster. :)

The problem is that you also get slower when you ride with people who are slower than you, but at a slower rate of decline.