Road Bike Racing - Bike racing is as much mental as physical..my weekend race report

So this past Saturday was one of my big objectives for the year. Lago Vista is one of the hardest races we have in the Austin area as incorporates a 2.7 mile climb for 5 laps and the decent is really a series of rollers that never let you fully recuperate. Last year I was in contention for the win when my back cramped on the climb and I finished 20th. This year I was fitter lighter and coming off a great Pace Bend weekend so I had a win on my list of things to do this weekend. The prior week was my pre-ride and I was flying up the climb at 'race' effort and it felt easy! I had great support from my team and a good plan in place and as of Wed I felt like this was my race!

Not to go into to too much detail but Wed and Thurs were two of the worst days I have ever had at a job in my life. I couldn't even begin to describe what has happened so I won't bother you with the details. Because of all the bs that has taken place I couldn't get my head motivated to race on Sat. My workout on Friday morning was race intervals and the numbers were some of the highest I've ever recorded, yet mentally I was somewhere else.

I woke up Sat morning and told my wife that I wasn't going, she convinced me to get out there and use the race clear my head. I got to race and found my teammates and told them what was going on. I suggested that instead of me being the team leader that it should be Seth and I would do what I could to help him. Another teammate, Cory, was on standby because the race was full and luckily someone dropped out and he got in. Cory is and elite mt biker and a real talent so we decided to work for him and Seth.

Lap one starts virtually on the climb. Mike, Cory and myself went to the front and kept the pace high but not too high, just enough to keep the pretenders in some difficulty. On lap two I got shuffled back and blocked in at the bottom of climb. By the time I got to the front a rider was way up the road with a big gap. I got Mike and Cory to really start pushing pace and by the top the field was down under 20 riders. On lap three Mike, Cory and I with the help of couple other guys really drilled it from the bottom and by half way the second group was no where in sight.

About this time something in my head clicked and I just gave up. This was all in my head because my legs felt great. It was like I just suddenly wanted to go home. I let Mike and Cory go and I slid to the back and let the main field ride away. I basically rode an entire lap at around 60-70% before the chase group of 4 caught me. We did the decent with five guys and I finished outside the top 20.

I have to say that physically I've never felt stronger but when I needed the mental toughness to keep going it wasn't there. In the end Cory finished 5th in his first road race and Mike after really pulling for Cory for 5 laps finished 8th. Seth bonked hard on lap 2 and finished outside the top 20 as well. I was so out of it I didn't even care about my bad finish, I just wanted to go home. I was supposed to race on Sunday as well but I skipped it and went on nice recovery ride with a couple of buddy's.

The next race is 6 weeks away and it's 2 day 3 stage race in Ft Davis Texas. This one has some real climbing with 6miles on Sat and 8 miles on Sunday. This race is perfectly suited to my riding style hopefully by then my head will be in same zip code!

Sorry to hear about your tough race this past weekend. I have to agree with you about the mental vs. physical distinction...there's lots of research to support the power of the mind over the body.

Three weekends ago I did my first race since getting back into road cycling, a local race with (believe it or not), some nice rolling hills in Central Florida. I have always been a good climber (rode competitively in East Tennessee with lots of mountains), and I trained well for the little power hills in this race, but I knew in the back of my mind I was a much better "endurance" climber (e.g., maintaining a good tempo for a 5 mile climb) than a "power" climber (e.g., hammering up a small incline in a 53*17. So, during this race, even though my legs and lungs felt fine, I found myself yo-yoing off the back toward the crest of each climb, chasing to catch up, yo-yoing off the back on the next climb, chasing to catch up, etc. Before long, I just got sick of it, disgusted with my performance, and let the peleton go (even though I still had plenty of 'go' in the legs). I was pissed after the race, and vowed never to let that happen again.

So yesterday, it's a short road race, 7 mile loop, and on the back side is a nice 3/4 mile rise at probably ony 3-4%, just enough to hammer up and shed some riders (we finished with 20 out of original 50 starters). On the third lap at the bottom of the climb a guy just puts in a ferocious attack and is up the road in no time...so of course the peleton throws down the hammer to chase, and I was so very close to blowing up...but I gritted my teeth and focused my eyes on the rider's wheel in front of me (the point where his rear stay met his seat tube to be exact)...I blocked everything else and just focused on staying close, staying close, staying close, etc....made it over the hill fine, recovered, and was fine after that.

I don't know what it is, but its just that at that split second where you either keep in contact or get dropped, when the mind just says yea or nay.

Now, my goal is develop more of a killer/competitive mindset. At the start of the sprint (which was uphill the whole way), I was on my teammates wheel when another guy dove in, I touched the brakes, and my day was done...finished somewhere 15-20th.

Next race is two weekends away. Will not be so satisfied keeping up this time around...will try to be more competitive.

Mark

I don't know what it is, but its just that at that split second where you either keep in contact or get dropped, when the mind just says yea or nay.

Mark


It's amazing how in that split second a race can be completely lost. It was one of those moments on Sat for sure, my mind said nay and I just drifted off the back. What was so staggering was how much our group gapped the rest of the field. I kept looking over my shoulder expecting the rest to swallow me up. My teammate Paul has a saying, if you know your fit and your hurting, the guy next to you is hurting even more. To me that's all mental, and so important in a sport where getting throught the suffering is the hardest part!

It's amazing how in that split second a race can be completely lost. It was one of those moments on Sat for sure, my mind said nay and I just drifted off the back. What was so staggering was how much our group gapped the rest of the field. I kept looking over my shoulder expecting the rest to swallow me up.

I hate to hear about what happened but it's good to know that you are in shape and riding strong. You have plenty of time to get the mental aspect straight before your next race.
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My teammate Paul has a saying, if you know your fit and your hurting, the guy next to you is hurting even more. To me that's all mental, and so important in a sport where getting throught the suffering is the hardest part!
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I'm starting to learn that myself. Whenever I am in pain I keep thinking that I am the only one. I'm starting to learn different. It seems like when I am in pain just about everyone else in my race is as well.

I hate to hear about what happened but it's good to know that you are in shape and riding strong. You have plenty of time to get the mental aspect straight before your next race.
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I'm starting to learn that myself. Whenever I am in pain I keep thinking that I am the only one. I'm starting to learn different. It seems like when I am in pain just about everyone else in my race is as well.


Thanks man, my goal is to have a new job by this afternoon (I'm simi serious). I've allready sent out a ton of resumes so hopefully I'm on my way out of this joint!

The other thing I've learned is that everytime the pace gets really hard and a selection is made the group kinda lets up a bit to catch it's collective breath. Sometimes just hanging on for that fraction longer is all it takes to be there at the end.

Thanks man, my goal is to have a new job by this afternoon (I'm simi serious). I've allready sent out a ton of resumes so hopefully I'm on my way out of this joint!

The other thing I've learned is that everytime the pace gets really hard and a selection is made the group kinda lets up a bit to catch it's collective breath. Sometimes just hanging on for that fraction longer is all it takes to be there at the end.

Good luck with the job.

I have learned that about the collective breath thing as well. I have had to suffer plenty and at times felt that I would be dropped. However when the finish line appeared I have managed to be there each time. So far out of four races I have a first and two thirds as well as a dnf with a big star beside of it.

... I have a first and two thirds...

Don't hold claim to that 3rd just yet. I'm waiting for the official photo finish evidence then if you still got it I'll file a protest. :p

yeah, i've been there before and i'm sure most people have. sometimes you just aren't willing to tolerate the pain and discomfort that race effort requires. sometimes it hurt in a good way, and sometimes it just hurts. good luck with the next race.

Don't hold claim to that 3rd just yet. I'm waiting for the official photo finish evidence then if you still got it I'll file a protest. :p

doh.....busted!!!! I keep checking for the results. Either way it was still a fun race.

Thanks man, my goal is to have a new job by this afternoon (I'm simi serious). I've allready sent out a ton of resumes so hopefully I'm on my way out of this joint!



One thing I learned bike racing that has carried over into my professional life, when I'm attacked I attack back. Sometimes the best way to voice your dissatisfaction is with your feet, best of luck.

Why so long between races?

My teammate Paul has a saying, if you know your fit and your hurting, the guy next to you is hurting even more. To me that's all mental, and so important in a sport where getting throught the suffering is the hardest part!

No joke dude. Two seasons ago, there was a climbers race up north: 70 mile road race finishing with a 14 mile long beast of a climb. Our climber was fit for the win, so I was the attack guy. 12 of us got off the front at the bottom of the climb and half-way up it, there was only 5 of us left. I drilled them until I cramped up and broke off. Mentally, I had given up. I told myself that I had done my job and I could cruise to 5th place no problem. Turns out on a twisty mountain road, I didn't see my team-mate lay the biggest ass stomping on those guys and they dropped like pounds on Jan Ullrich. 5 miles of climbming later, I ended finishing 5th - only 40-some seconds behind two of the dropped guys. I am still bitter towards myself for that. From then on, I never give up unless it's going to damage me or the bike.

One thing I learned bike racing that has carried over into my professional life, when I'm attacked I attack back. Sometimes the best way to voice your dissatisfaction is with your feet, best of luck.

Why so long between races?

I'm the same way, I've always just made a few phone calls and within a few days I've had a new job. That was in L.A., here in Austin the job market for what I do is very tight so I can only hang on here until something else comes around. I can tell you this, if I didn't have a wife and two kids to support I would have stood up and told them to go f themselves and walked out.

The next race that is anywhere near me (considering how far Lowcel travels I shouldn't complain) is next weekend. I've been either racing or training every weekend for the last two months and I think my kids are ready to put my picture on a milk carton! The other races are so far away that I'd have to leave the night before and I don't want to take that much time away from the family.

This weekend's race was actually close. I only had to travel 205 miles each way. Next weekend's race is in Indiana, it is 231 miles each direction. To make it even more enjoyable the price of gas keeps going up and I only get about 17 mpg.

This weekend's race was actually close. I only had to travel 205 miles each way. Next weekend's race is in Indiana, it is 231 miles each direction. To make it even more enjoyable the price of gas keeps going up and I only get about 17 mpg.

omg :eek: you must really love this sport :) you're going to be mad when you hear this, but every weekend in the summers i have a race less than 1/4 mile from the front door. that's pretty sweet.

omg :eek: you must really love this sport :) you're going to be mad when you hear this, but every weekend in the summers i have a race less than 1/4 mile from the front door. that's pretty sweet.

I defininetly enjoy it. I would like to be able to do enough races this year to cat up. It won't be easy with all of the driving though. We are spending at least $200 a weekend to go to these races.

Not only is it fun though, it is great training for mountain bike season.

Not only is it fun though, it is great training for mountain bike season.

I assume you are heading up to Elizabeth, IN for the St. Peters' Race this coming weekend? Why not hit Elizabethtown, KY instead? XC Time Trial on Sat, XC race on Sunday. But with all the rain we've had maybe a road race is a better idea :( - it may be a mudfest.

This coming weekend opens the Kentucky Points Series for us MTB'ers, so since I am lame I'll be skipping the road race. I plan on being back on the road for the following weekend at the Clark State Forest race.

Lowcel, if you are going to be at St. Peter's PM me - I'll give you the name of a guy who wants nothing more than someone to work with.

Duane

I will be doing the race at St. Leon, Indiana. I have no idea if that is near Elizabeth or not. I'm not familiar with Indiana in the least.

I plan on getting as many road races in as I can before April 23. It seems to be great training. April 23 is when the WVMBA series starts. The first race is at Mountwood, near Parkersburg, WV. I'm hoping to keep my body in tact up until then. Road racing seems to be much easier on the body and on the components so I'm probably better off sticking with it until our season starts.