"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - My first race report: tour of New Braunfels, TX

I finished, and I finished not-last. FTW.


I'll raise the bar a little next time.

Way to go, you could not of asked for a better day for racing, well I guess you could of taken away the wind. I was in the 4's and finished with the 2nd group, I was also driving the follow car for the P,1,2,3 race, so I am sure that I passed you at some point, I was in the Gray VW.

I stuck with the pack up until we got to the chip-sealed road during the first lap, got caught inside the corner and lost all my speed, and then they just took off, since the wind wasn't in our faces any more. It was a good fun challenge, and I'll definitely race again. The competitiveness will definitely drive me to work harder... I've plateaued a bit recently.

What cat were you in? 5a or 5b? I was the guy in the Texas shirt in the feed zone talking crap the whole time. It was great... The course, not so much.

5A... I just saw they updated the results, and I finished 35 out of 37 (the starting field was 50), so I'm very happy with how I did...

The folks in the feed zone were pretty encouraging... although I think on one lap I almost ran over the girl in the Texas t-shirt with her arm in a sling while she was crossing the street.

Haha, she was helping me out with feeds. Glad to hear you enjoyed the race!

Who was the guy out there in the "Unattached" kit spectating?

I actually yelled at him (you?) went I went by.

Glad you enjoyed yourself. I finally got popped on the 3rd lap when we turned into the headwind section. I chased for awhile, but lost ground on the one major hill we had. I so wanted to latch onto the 123s when they came by on the rocky-road section. Was wearing the white A&M kit, btw.

UT Dude, I think I actually heard mention "not dealing with the Aggies" in the parking lot. ;) Should have wandered over and introduced myself. Is there even an official schedule out? I never saw an e-mail on the conference list. I see definite needs of improvement in communication within the conference.

Who was the guy out there in the "Unattached" kit spectating?

I actually yelled at him (you?) went I went by.

YOU were there??? Should have PMed me and said hi! But yeah, I was wondering who the Unattached guy was. I yelled 'nice kit' at him as I rode by once...

I'm grouchy with your team because they wouldn't tell me which day Tunis was on (it was Sunday last year, but it's Spring Break this year, so yeah...). Thus, I had to bust out a borderline rude email to the SCCCCCCC listserv, and, yeah, I'm grouchy with your team (and school after that basketball game, but that's another story) after that.

Jacque doesn't send stuff out on the conference listserv, she sends it to her list of Presidents/officers that she knows of. Kind of weird. But, because you asked...

Mar 8 - Tunis-Roubaix
Mar 29-30 - UT/St. Ed's Race Weekend
Apr 19-20 - Texas State Race Weekend
Apr 26-27 - Conference Champs (MSU)


Glad you enjoyed yourself. I finally got popped on the 3rd lap when we turned into the headwind section. I chased for awhile, but lost ground on the one major hill we had. I so wanted to latch onto the 123s when they came by on the rocky-road section. Was wearing the white A&M kit, btw.

UT Dude, I think I actually heard mention "not dealing with the Aggies" in the parking lot. ;) Should have wandered over and introduced myself. Is there even an official schedule out? I never saw an e-mail on the conference list. I see definite needs of improvement in communication within the conference.

YOU were there??? Should have PMed me and said hi! But yeah, I was wondering who the Unattached guy was. I yelled 'nice kit' at him as I rode by once...

Well, a shadow of me was. Spent two glorious days of getting pounded by the guys in the pink kits in the 40+. Other than ring rust and bad form, it went just peachy. I hadn't planned on racing this early and it's making me grouchy and looking at alternative sports like frisbee, er, I mean disc golf.

Yeah that looks tough.
http://www.first-pres.org/recmin/albums/time_out/images/frisbee%20golf_jpg.jpg

Jacque doesn't send stuff out on the conference listserv, she sends it to her list of Presidents/officers that she knows of. Kind of weird. But, because you asked...

Mar 8 - Tunis-Roubaix
Mar 29-30 - UT/St. Ed's Race Weekend
Apr 19-20 - Texas State Race Weekend
Apr 26-27 - Conference Champs (MSU)

Thanks for the info. Why in the world doesn't she send info out to the list? That's the entire point of the list... to pass the word on to everyone. I'm almost considering calling her out on that, but I'm not in an official status anymore to do that. I'm just an old AMCT prez that helps out with the team.

Thanks for the info. Why in the world doesn't she send info out to the list? That's the entire point of the list... to pass the word on to everyone. I'm almost considering calling her out on that, but I'm not in an official status anymore to do that. I'm just an old AMCT prez that helps out with the team.

Oh, I think I know who you are now :rolleyes:

Well, a shadow of me was. Spent two glorious days of getting pounded by the guys in the pink kits in the 40+. Other than ring rust and bad form, it went just peachy. I hadn't planned on racing this early and it's making me grouchy and looking at alternative sports like frisbee, er, I mean disc golf.

Who was in Pink? Velossimo sold out to Jack and Adams....

Who was in Pink? Velossimo sold out to Jack and Adams....

Geri Atrix. Sladek and his folks.

Oh, I think I know who you are now :rolleyes:

Hehe, yeah, it's not that hard to figure out who I am. :)

Geri Atrix. Sladek and his folks.

Yeah, I'm on the lookout for them in the 35+ at Pace Bend. College is riding really strong too. WTF am I gonna do? :lol:

Yeah, I'm on the lookout for them in the 35+ at Pace Bend. College is riding really strong too. WTF am I gonna do? :lol:

Beat him? He wins everything.

Geri Atrix. Sladek and his folks.

Ah. Should've raced the P123 field! Then, I could've heckled you as well! I was racing in the morning, so didn't get to yell at those fields :(

Beat him? He wins everything. He got second in my race Saturday...


Ah. Should've raced the P123 field! Then, I could've heckled you as well! I was racing in the morning, so didn't get to yell at those fields :( I'll probably start jumping in on those here soon. If you're going to suck, you might as well suck mighty.


Yeah, I'm on the lookout for them in the 35+ at Pace Bend. College is riding really strong too. WTF am I gonna do? :lol:

Well, if this weekend is an indicator just wait out the first 20 attacks then jump in the one I finally let go.

Pretty simple formula actually.

I was sitting on the side of the road near the start line so I didn't see the finish in the 40+ race but I saw them as hey were making the left turn after the sprint. I saw "college" yelling and who I presume was the winner - he sounded like a prick.

Isnt that how it always goes.
If N is the attacks you cover, then N+1 is the attack that gets clear. Or vice versa if N is the attacks you make N+1 is the attacks needed to stay away.

He got second in my race Saturday...

I'll probably start jumping in on those here soon. If you're going to suck, you might as well suck mighty.



Well, if this weekend is an indicator just wait out the first 20 attacks then jump in the one I finally let go.

Pretty simple formula actually.

Sounds about right. I'm more concerned about the decision to stay or go than anything else in these races. I'm just going to glue myself to College -- at least watch him (I can catch him when he goes, I just need to see it and be available). Then it's just a matter of survival for me. Geri-atrix and OKC Velo are also good to watch.


I was sitting on the side of the road near the start line so I didn't see the finish in the 40+ race but I saw them as hey were making the left turn after the sprint. I saw "college" yelling and who I presume was the winner - he sounded like a prick.

Yeah, you hear that now and then :)

How'd the 4s go? We were getting ready before they came in.

The best quote of the day came from a P12 rider. Official asks him if he's done and he responds with, "You see that mushroom cloud back there? Yeah, I'm done."

Are you in TX now (for the season)???

The 4's sucked. Pretty fast for a 4's race, I can't hang up the climbs yet (not enough V02 work this season yet). All of the races ended up pretty strung out... Lots of breaks and/or dropped people.


He got second in my race Saturday...

I'll probably start jumping in on those here soon. If you're going to suck, you might as well suck mighty.



Well, if this weekend is an indicator just wait out the first 20 attacks then jump in the one I finally let go.

Pretty simple formula actually.

I raced the 4's yesterday too. Hard course - ended up getting 28th. Yellow line rule and an 85-deep field made for some tough times moving around the group. I just sat in the pack reading the paper and having my coffee until the final lap where I *tried* to move up. Passed a lot of guys on the final stretch to the finish, but nowhere near close enough to get to the front. Note to self: move up sooner.

I saw the "unattached" rider all morning as we were circling around - anyone know who he is?

Some guys in my team were pre-driving the course for the afternoon races during our race and said there was a steady stream of popped riders all over the course.

Fun times.

Are you in TX now (for the season)???

Yep, probably for several years actually. I was looking around for a place that would be a good fit for a 150 lb guy whose biggest strength was long hard climbing races.

While 44 seconds of small chain ring per lap yesterday wouldn't, on the face of it, SEEM like a lot of climbing, we did go up that thing 4 times.

I mean it adds up.

Yep, probably for several years actually. I was looking around for a place that would be a good fit for a 150 lb guy whose biggest strength was long hard climbing races.

Welcome! So does this mean I'm going to have to deal with you too, in M35+? :eek:

Welcome! So does this mean I'm going to have to deal with you too, in M35+? :eek:

I think it's the other way around :p

Texas is not the armpit of America!

To Racer Ex... Come say hi sometime! You racing Castroville next weekend?

I finished, and I finished not-last. FTW.


I'll raise the bar a little next time.

Also my first race... did you do the crit on Sat? I raced in 5a group sat, and 5b group sunday.

So other than myself.... Who's doing next weekend? The course is awesome from what I've heard.

Texas is not the armpit of America!

To Racer Ex... Come say hi sometime! You racing Castroville next weekend?

I will (say hi) and nope. Long drive (I'm up above Plano right now) and a stage race the following weekend.

Plano. Fancy.

Valley of the Sun?

I will be doing the race next weekend. I was talking to a guy in a UT kit during the 4's race, don't think that it was you though. We were chatting about my pink bar tape and how he wanted to get his hands on some. I ride for the BSK law/Bikeworld team .

Plano. Fancy.

Valley of the Sun?

North o' Plano. Nothin too fancy. VoS it is. Give me a chance to get some baseline numbers and some miles.

Texas may not be the armpit of america, but I can most definitely say that Houston is in the summer!

I think it's the other way around :p

"Most improved" isn't the same as "most fastest," but I'm hopeful :)

I will be doing the race next weekend. I was talking to a guy in a UT kit during the 4's race, don't think that it was you though. We were chatting about my pink bar tape and how he wanted to get his hands on some. I ride for the BSK law/Bikeworld team .

Hey mike, how do you like that team? The bikeworld guys are awesome, that's my favorite shop in San Antonio, and where I go for all my bike stuff when I am back home.

My numbers for the race:

Duration: 2:01:50
Work: 1694 kJ
TSS: 158.7 (intensity factor 0.884)
Norm Power: 283
VI: 1.22
Pw:HR: -11.3%
Pa:HR: 4.59%
Distance: 47.273 mi


I'm missing around 25w BTW. They were very fresh and in excellent condition last time I saw them in October. If anyone finds them please let me know and I'll pay for their return.

Actually I think I'm already paying.

Yeah, I was in the ATT / Brain and Spine kit (Blue/Yellow/Black with big AT&T logos!). You were either talking to Mario or Scott. Probably Mario, since I can't see Scott chasing pink bar tape...


I will be doing the race next weekend. I was talking to a guy in a UT kit during the 4's race, don't think that it was you though. We were chatting about my pink bar tape and how he wanted to get his hands on some. I ride for the BSK law/Bikeworld team .

Texas may not be the armpit of america, but I can most definitely say that Houston is in the summer!

Houston sucks... Austin, not so much.

Since we've seem to collected a number of Texas racers here, does anyone know of any Houston-area crits or road races that happen regularly, or at least once a year? After my first race this past weekend, I'm looking for more races to register for, but I don't want to drive out past Austin or San Antonio every weekend in order to do so.

There will be a few closer to Houston later in the Spring.

Fayetteville Stage Race - March 15-16
Medical Colleagues of Texas RR (Coldspring, TX) - May 3

Just keep an eye on the TxBRA schedule. They'll have Texas Cup and non-Texas Cup events listed.

Houston Grand Crit and the Bear Creek Crit in the summer. July/August? They're not on the calendar yet.

Sugar Crit Series in late April-May on Wed. nights.

Houston Memorial Park Crit series basically June through August also on Wed. nights.

These are both a lot of fun.

There is another earlier crit series (or there was last year) held at the test track for Momentum. I didn't do it, and haven't looked to see if they are going to do it again this year.

Houston sucks... Austin, not so much.

True, that.

Any word on Ft. Davis?

Any word on Ft. Davis?

What about it? I'll be out there unless my season heads south (it's an expensive race).