"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Circuit Racing...

Yesterday I walked into my LBS and the mechanic (who races cat 4) was telling me about the circuit race in Los Angeles this weekend. After some nagging (and pushing and, well plain out challenging) I am thinking about going. I have not been training for road racing at all, more for criteriums and not long endurance events. The race is a 7 lap 4 mile rolling course (28 miles) with no major climbs.

I played lip service to the idea all week, I work on Sunday and could never go do it... and then it happened... my boss asked if I want to shift to the night shift on Sunday... now I can possibly do it. There is a slight problem... physical.

Ok it is not that simple. I am all ready to go out and race my first road race but I do not know if my knee and leg is ready for all out road racing this week. I was involved in a car collision on the bike Thursday and I got on the trainer Friday and was experiencing pain in my wrist in the drops. FYI I went to the doctor this morning and had it checked out and it was just a sprain, but they said to come back in a few weeks and have it checked out. I am also experiencing a little extra pain in my right quad where I got jabed with the handle bar. Secondly this was the lower intrensity week and I am not at the form I was last week, not that I have lost increadle fitness but I have not been going nearly as hard in the interval training this week (only 20 minutes LT yesterday, partly not to push but due to pain (not burning) in my hand. I am planning on peaking in two weeks so the build process starts again (I want to be a 45 minutes LT by next Friday (See blog). My next crit in next Sunday in Carson.

Should I do the race? I know if I go out there to watch I will end up racing so that is not an option. If I take today off I feel I will be well rested but I am not sure on the endurance side of things.

Ideas? Ever been in a simular situation?

BTW can anyone tell me the pace that can be expected in a circuit style race in comparison to a criterium?

Well its really based on how you feel. Never been hit by a car and had to race soon after, but have had a few crashes and either completed the race and/or raced the next day with all sorts of aches and pains-adrenaline is a pretty incredible thing.
As for the circuit race, its going to really depend on the course, biggest thing I'd be concerned about is there's no free lap rule like there in crits if somethings goes wrong-you mechanical or crash and you're chasing your ass off.

Do you guys have an tips specifically to road "circuit" racing then? It sound like they are not nearly as intense and crits but still quite hard. I am good at rolling courses because I can use speed on the down hill sections and use them to sprint. The course is only 28 miles which is about 1.2 hours. That makes it quite simular to a normal fast group ride.

What about warmup? Is a circuit race fast from the go like a criterium or is it slower at the start like longer road races? Other than stay with the pack any other tips?

I will be going into this as a learning race. I will have no expectations but to finish but I would like to stick with the pack.

Thanks as always

the circuit races i have done have been slower for the first lap or so. they are normally less hectic than a crit because they normally don't have all the sharp corners lined up one after the other. You still need some kind of warmup, but i get warmed up after the first lap of our circuit loop (7 mile). from your posts, you should be able to finish with the pack. give it a shot, have fun, try to learn something, and be careful. also i am assuming the roads will not be block off to traffic. if this is the case, OBEY THE DOUBLE YELLOW LINE RULE. if you don't you could obviously be hit but you could also be DQ'd by the official.

My advice would be to not worry about it really. This race is both boring and exciting all in one. You have two 2 mile straights, bookended by two 180 degree turns. There's always a headwind on one leg and a tailwind on the other. The only times you really need to be heads up is in the corners since they're hairpins. Otherwise it's more like a crit then other circuit races I've done. Go do it, it's a fun way to get in some good race miles.

cheers
Pat

Is the pace a true crit pace or is it more or a rr pace? I.e. 25 MPH vs 28 MPH?

Also coming from Riverside, San Bernadino, Relands, IE, what is the best way to get there? The directions are really not too good on the map they give you. I mean how do you get to the freeway stated in the map?

I am really questing whether my hand is going to be able to survive right now but I am going to go do it anyway. If I get dropped or something fine but I think I can do good... it is only 28 miles anyway and I was planning a 50 mile race paced right with RBC Sunday so it should be fine...

How is the rolling terrien they talk about? Is it the little tiny rollers or the big suckers that I have seen that climb steep and go steep? Just curious. Hope to see you there... wierd that I have to go in the last race wow! what a change :D !

Did you go back to the doc and have your wrist checked? If you didn't then I would say no, don't race. Go and watch. Assuming you did go back and you have the green light then go for it.

If you are feeling good on race day do it. If not fa-ged-about-it.

I would not be surprised if a group breaks away at the beginning of the race. I'm pretty sure I would if it is only 28 miles and others were willing to try. If that happens then you either go or hope that the field is not lazy and picks up pace to catch the break on the last lap. Then you need good positioning for the sprint.

Circuit races are not as hard as crits usuall. Crits are the most painful because they're short, bursty and intense. The only thing harder IMHO is cyclocross. Just go do the race, you'll be fine. And if you get dropped? Nobody cares but you. And I guarantee you'll learn something regardless of the results that will help you in another race.

I don't know you but I've enjoyed reading many of your recent posts regarding your first crit. I did not get any details on your crash though and I would be interested in hearing about it.
My own 2 cents is what the other poster said, skip racing in this one but go and observe. You've been bitten by the racing bug and that's a good thing but the season is just beginning and although you're hungry right now I would not want to do anything in an early season race that might jeopardize your physical condition down the road for a race you might really have your heart set on.
Good luck either way though....and keep writing. :)

My hand was checked out and is a sprian and not a break. He gave me the green light to go vack when the pain gies away. I may start the race and if it starts hurting bad drop out, probably not but...

I am planning on going out to the race, whether I race will have to do with how I am feeling when I get there...

In reagrds to the accident, read the tread in general called "Hit car... again"

It is as the title reads...

From reading a few of your posts it seems like you obsess about random crap.
Your a first year cat5, just because you didnt do any intensity this week or whatever doesnt mean you dont have any "form".
just go out, enter the race, suffer, have fun. its simple.

Seconded.

That is true, I do obsess about stuff, it is the analytical part of my brain taking over. I agree... just og out and do it... and suffing their will be :p

shouldn't you be in bed sleeping....gotta be fresh for tomorrow...

It is 11:48 pm here and I am still at work :cry: ... but only for 12 more minutes :D

Sitting in the security office waiting for my shift to end... oh no wait there is the boss! AHHH!

My race does not start until 2:20 pm so I can sleep in tomarrow!

ah, nice