Triathlon - Did a road race today...

Over the last 5 years I've been a roadie. I look forward to my Wednesday night group hammerfest with great glee. A while back, I started doing triathlons as well, and I've been torn between which I should think of as my primary sport. The rub is that I haven't done any road racing, I just train with a bunch of racers. So I finally sucked it up and did a road race (cat 4) today.

At one point I was somewhere in the pack that I shouldn't have been (mostly because I haven't been doing enough interval workouts) and looking at what people were doing, I realized that there was going to be a crash. So I moved farther to the back of the peleton and within a minute or two, somebody hit the deck and due to where I placed myself, I was able to avoid it. But I got popped off the back. Grrr.

I love my Wednesday night rides because while they are a suffer-fest, nobody violates the "Don't be stupid" rule. It is a fairly safe environment among a group of people that I really like and trust. The triathlons I've done usually have the same vibe because mostly we are all racing the clock. Road races are completely different and people seem to do stupid things for the sake of position and the attitude of some of the racers is downright repugnant.

I suppose I should accept I'm not a road racer and finally learn how to swim.

I stopped road racing because the risk wasn't worth it. There are too many riders who think they are Mark Cavendish that do some dangerous stuff.

Apparently you haven't been around enough triathletes to realize that a large percentage of participants in a triathlon have atrocious bike handling skills. I think the only saving grace is that the packs in a triathlon don't get to be so big because of the no drafting rule. Just wait until you race a course where some idiot decides to put on his brakes at the last second as he swerves over to the left, as you were just trying to pass him. Happens all the time. I see a lot of it because I'm a decent cyclist, but my swim is terrible, so I'm passing a lot of people on the bike portion.

Oh well.

Apparently you haven't been around enough triathletes to realize that a large percentage of participants in a triathlon have atrocious bike handling skills.
...
I see a lot of it because I'm a decent cyclist, but my swim is terrible, so I'm passing a lot of people on the bike portion.


I too suck at swimming but have a fast bike split. The races I've done (Olympic and HIM distances) are all pretty small (400-700 competitors) so it isn't hard to avoid being near other folks. I don't begrudge them their handling skills, I just accept that they are unpredictable and give them a wide berth as I pass (and I won't go near them in a corner). I imagine that at some of the really packed races, it might be a different story.

caelric - Yes, you are correct as my worst bike crash ever was in a sprint tri where I was taken out by another rider. With one exception, I'm sticking to the longer races and I feel a bit more in control than during a crit or road race...with the exception of going down steep hills, triathletes can be really scary one those :)

yeah, the longer the race, the more spread out it is (generally) Although at the Oceanside 70.3 earlier this year, I cam eup on a group of about 10 TnT'ers near the end of the bike course, all in a tight pack, and taking up most of the road. Pretty annoying. Really had nothing to do with bike handling, other than the obvious cheating, but hey, thats life.

I stopped road racing because the risk wasn't worth it. There are too many riders who think they are Mark Cavendish that do some dangerous stuff.

That's why I'm a triathlete now too. Some of the races in this USAC region have been downright bloody for the last season or two. And when you're in a peloton of 100 guys, it only takes one dumb rider. I have the broken Pinarello F4:13 frame in my garage to prove it. :(

caelric - Yes, you are correct as my worst bike crash ever was in a sprint tri where I was taken out by another rider. With one exception, I'm sticking to the longer races and I feel a bit more in control than during a crit or road race...with the exception of going down steep hills, triathletes can be really scary one those :)

Even the sprints with a big field are safer than the average RR or crit. I've just gotten in the habit of giving folks a wwwiiiiiiide berth as I pass them and when everyone bunches up in the corners, I just bleed off my few seconds and blow past them after the turn mumbling to myself. C'est la vie.

caelric - Yes, you are correct as my worst bike crash ever was in a sprint tri where I was taken out by another rider. With one exception, I'm sticking to the longer races and I feel a bit more in control than during a crit or road race...with the exception of going down steep hills, triathletes can be really scary one those :)


Even the sprints with a big field are safer than the average RR or crit. I've just gotten in the habit of giving folks a wwwiiiiiiide berth as I pass them and when everyone bunches up in the corners, I just bleed off my few seconds and blow past them after the turn mumbling to myself. C'est la vie.

This is the thing... in a tri I don't feel compelled to be next to someone for any amount of time. Bleeding off a few seconds before any real turn isn't a big deal to stay out of another triathletes crash zone, but fundamentally my race doesn't depend on being near anybody with dubious judgment.

Its good to know that I'm not the only one that has decided that RRs or crits just isn't worth it.

I have the broken Pinarello F4:13 frame in my garage to prove it. :(

:( That's just sad.

:( That's just sad.

Agreed... One day when I have some extra cash lying around I'll send it off to Calfee for repair and resurrect it, but for now it's just sitting there.

And it was an effing training race. The guy in front of me in the one 90-degree turn on the course freaks in the turn and swings out wide, taking me (right behind him) and the guy to my outside down. I endo over him, and get up/turn around just in time to see another rider endo over the wreckage and land right on top of my frame, cracking the top tube. Not a fun day.

Agreed... One day when I have some extra cash lying around I'll send it off to Calfee for repair and resurrect it, but for now it's just sitting there.

And it was an effing training race. The guy in front of me in the one 90-degree turn on the course freaks in the turn and swings out wide, taking me (right behind him) and the guy to my outside down. I endo over him, and get up/turn around just in time to see another rider endo over the wreckage and land right on top of my frame, cracking the top tube. Not a fun day.

I don't consider myself a violent man, but causing a wreck via stupidity that destroys such a beautiful bike would be grounds for me to ensure that should this guy not be hurt in the accident, he definitely will return home in pain. I applaud your restraint!

I’ve gone the opposite direction. Having raced triathlons and duathlons over the last 10 years, the volume (12 session - 20 hour weeks leading up to IM’s) plus running injuries over the last couple of years has me now focussing on just the bike.

With last summer now free I raced track most weekends and racing road now for the last 18 months. As to the risk, in that time I’ve only been in one race (3 day 4 stage race) where my grade has crashed middle of day one and I was able to avoid it.

Couple of reasons why I think the element of risk isn’t that high.

1. I have been racing B grade after a brief start in C grade (B grade is your Cat 2) due to the 10 year base, the rider ability in the better grades is higher and the chance of accidents therefore lower.

2. Being of Masters age, if the option is available I race in the Masters category. Here we are all a bit older and hopefully wiser and know we are mortal. Many of these guys have been on bikes for decades also so once again less chance of accidents.

I wouldn’t decide not to race road after the one experience Blossom. Learn to hold your position in the pack staying near the front. Get stronger and get promoted quickly to the higher categories ASAP.

2. Being of Masters age, if the option is available I race in the Masters category. Here we are all a bit older and hopefully wiser and know we are mortal. Many of these guys have been on bikes for decades also so once again less chance of accidents.

This is secretly my plan. Two more years and I'll be able to race in the 35+ where it seems like people realize that crashing is a bad thing.