"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - A Holy Day of Bike Race Team Obligation Ride

Tomorrow we're all showing up on the Team Ride, even though half of us would rather do other things, because it has come down from On High that this is a Holy Day of Team Obligation. For me this will involve rolling out @ 6:15AM to drive an hour to the starting point to ride a route I don't particularly care for at a time of day that's too early in weather that will truly suck for late November. Cold, windy, etc. Today for example it was 20-28ºF and windy as hell. Tomorrow should be a bit warmer. That is about 15ºF below normal for this time of year in this area.

But that's really OK. I'm actually sort of looking forward to riding with the boys, and I agree with the idea we should all get together in the off-season now and then. Do any of you have similar Team Obligation Rides? Ours is reportedly 3 hours or so (50-60 miles) of moderate tempo riding, a couple of short hills.

Sunday is usually an 80 mile team ride here at NC State.

Not a holy day though, only the fast guys (plus me) show up usually.

I wish my team did, attempting to get people to ride together on the team is like pulling teeth, I have finally just given up.

I sort of think we should be doing this near my house in Austin......


oh wait


that's not me. never mind.

I thought all PCad threads go to nine pages, what gives?

Tomorrow we're all showing up on the Team Ride, even though half of us would rather do other things, because it has come down from On High that this is a Holy Day of Team Obligation. For me this will involve rolling out @ 6:15AM to drive an hour to the starting point to ride a route I don't particularly care for at a time of day that's too early in weather that will truly suck for late November. Cold, windy, etc. Today for example it was 20-28ºF and windy as hell. Tomorrow should be a bit warmer. That is about 15ºF below normal for this time of year in this area.

But that's really OK. I'm actually sort of looking forward to riding with the boys, and I agree with the idea we should all get together in the off-season now and then. Do any of you have similar Team Obligation Rides? Ours is reportedly 3 hours or so (50-60 miles) of moderate tempo riding, a couple of short hills.
2 of my boys and me are gonna be doing the rocket route and then some hills in and around Rockland, then a 9W return. We gonna see you guys?

We're rolling up 9w at 7:30 and I guess the plan is to do some laps of Clausland Mt.

2 of my boys and me are gonna be doing the rocket route and then some hills in and around Rockland, then a 9W return. We gonna see you guys?

I'll be in Manhattan next Tuesday. Will I see you?

We're rolling up 9w at 7:30 and I guess the plan is to do some laps of Clausland Mt.

'Lap(s)'?

I'm good for one, then it's back to the car.

So my holy day of bike team obligation hasn't been planned yet. I just sent an e-mail to the team saying that anyone who wants to show up can roll out with me. There's a good chance I'll be alone for 80 miles tomorrow. Usually there's a set time at 9 AM on Sunday for a ride, but no one has planned it.

I'm just a lowly first year racer, and I'm having to plan things, lazy college students.

So my holy day of bike team obligation hasn't been planned yet. I just sent an e-mail to the team saying that anyone who wants to show up can roll out with me. There's a good chance I'll be alone for 80 miles tomorrow. Usually there's a set time at 9 AM on Sunday for a ride, but no one has planned it.

I'm just a lowly first year racer, and I'm having to plan things, lazy college students.

You're not lower than me pal, and I've been doing this since 1992.

I'll be in Manhattan next Tuesday. Will I see you?

I am everywhere Pcad.

It's not Holy, but I've been trying to get my collegiate team riding together. I set up a 3-4 hr saturday ride and a 2-3 hr sunday ride with a 1 hr climb for the CSU team. We generally have some A/B men and A women show up, between 5-15 people depending on weather. Pretty good turnout considering it's November! I generally have to tack on some tempo/SST stuff at the end because the pace is pretty tame, but it's all good. I just pull as much as possible.

I am everywhere Pcad.

We'll just see about that.

You're not lower than me pal, and I've been doing this since 1992.

Now Thinking:

It's 19 degrees out, and PCad is already in the car on his way there. Since I'm the grand poo ba do I really need to show. Maybe I can just send one of my minions to wave the boys off and tell them I said to train hard.

yeah, I will stick with the group trainer sessions today. My team does sunday trainer rides about an hour and a half from where I live. Luckily, there are 4 colleges within 10 miles from my town. There is a pretty good population of faculty/staff that races so we just meet up at one of the schools and ride.

The team does not mind, I make it down near them about once a month for the sunday rides + team meetings.

I just got back from the 'easy team ride'. I feel like I got hit by a bus. Oh well.

But it really was fun. Great guys on the team, everybody gets along. I didn't think it would be that much fun. I'll be doing that ride again. The only reason it's hard is they do a circuit with a 1+ mile long climb 3x, and you know racer guys never really go easy up any hill. Easy for them, hard for me.

We really had a great pace line going near the end, then I punctured, they waited, then I punctured again, they kept going. That's OK, I didn't want to hold them up any longer. I got it fixed and got back fine.

Just for the record, I did show up.

Just for the record, I did show up.

I'll confirm that.

Heh, atleast you showed to your ride! I didn't!

I had to make some fit adjustments (started having shin splints and really don't want them to get worse), so I rode on the trainer instead.

That was a fun climb. I wish we had done another couple of circuits though. Going to get on the rollers now.

That was a fun climb.

Climbs are fun when you're at the front dishing out the pain. They're less fun when you're at the back wondering why you showed up on this ride.

Guess where I was?

Our weekly team ride turned into me and another road newb (College B MTB) riding together. We did 80 miles. It wasn't too bad. He doesn't hold a line very well, so we ended up riding side-by-side most of the time. Basically did the work of a solo ride, but had company. We passed one of our captains on our way back.

Well, fwiw, I'm too tired to ride the rollers like I planned. It looks like my week is coming up 30 minutes short. I blame the new lady friend, and not the ride in arctic temps. Or PCad, I could blame him. If we wasn't there I may have ridden easier. I wanted to make sure the sponsor felt like the team was getting ready for the season.

The general tendency with any group of bicycle racers is the whole 'we're going to ride tempo' thing only goes so far. Throw in a hill or two and that generally goes right out the friggin window every time.

I'm not complaining, that was really fun and it was a great workout. Hey listen, this GL boys are arguably the best team of 35+ racers in NY in some respects, and I'm out there trying to ride with them, which does beat the crap out of sitting at home waiting for a coronary. I'd rather get one on the upper slopes of Clausland Mtn. Road. But man, I was pretty wrecked when I got home. I feel better now. The Jets just crushed the (formerly) undefeated Titans : ).

Gary, you can always blame Pcad for anything, that is what I'm here for.

Logically speaking I'm probably better off blaming you than the lady.

Logically speaking I'm probably better off blaming you than the lady.

Listen Gary, if the girl has been naughty, she does need to be punished. Oh yes. But usually it's better when you're naughty and then they punish you. Either way, there's a spanking in there somewhere.

Just remember PCad, there's no "I" in team.

But there's an "m" and an "e".

Just remember PCad, there's no "I" in team.

But there's an "m" and an "e".

Well in races, usually it's like this: 'I think my team is somewhere near the front'.

I'm trying to get faster and stronger so I can join them up there more frequently next season and be more helpful.

Our team should be riding more now, but I think we are waiting until school begins to wind down to do that.

PCAD, you just gave me a good idea. I'm also having a bit of trouble getting people to show up for a collegiate team ride... it seems that everyone "has mid-terms" every week and is apparently studying every saturday and sunday in the [late] morning...

At least the hungover folks show up on occasion.

Siggy,

You know damn well that all your teamates aren't studying.

Lately, all my collegiate "team rides" are me and one teamate. And I'm injured, so now it's just him. But soon, we're going to join up with you and your guys and do some good work.

I sort of expected to not enjoy that ride, and then, lo and behold, it was actually very enjoyable, and very motivating. As in 'hey stupid, you're on one of the fastest vets teams in NY, time to ante up and try to be part of it this coming season'. Looking forward to racing with them again soon.

Clearly I wasn't riding hard enough. I'll try more better next time :p

Clearly I wasn't riding hard enough. I'll try more better next time :p

But Gary, if you kill the sponsor, the team won't have funding. But I guess you'd be OK until 2010.

Just remember PCad, there's no "I" in team.

But there's an "m" and an "e".

...does this follow the same logic as there being no "u" in "victory"?

That one we wouldn't know.

A team that does not ride together is not a team. We sign up because we enjoy it.. If the roads are clear, I'd go.

...does this follow the same logic as there being no "u" in "victory"?

There's a 'u' in 'suck'. As in 'God I do suck at this'.

But Gary, if you kill the sponsor, the team won't have funding. But I guess you'd be OK until 2010.

How about killing your coach? I signed up for some small group training at the local velodrome. The coach is Roger Young. Saturday he's teaching us how to sprint around a lead rider. He then says, "OK Cleave you lead me out so that I can demo this for the class." :twitchy:

Great, here I am leading out this guy who even in his 50s can sprint around most of you weenies with his eyes closed. He wants me to start the leadout from the top of the 45º banking in turn 4, dive down to the pole line in turn 1 and hold an 80% effort for the rest of the lap while staying right on the pole line. He said he'd do the rest and that he wouldn't "hit" me as he was sprinting towards my rear wheel in turn 3. :eek:

Obviously it turned out OK and I didn't embarrass myself. :)