bkaapcke

What is all the hurry? Makes no sense to me. bk

BlazingPedals

I've ridden in a few HPRA (human power racing assn) races and one hundred-mile road race, but nothing I had to get a license for. Mostly I just like riding,and faster is always better than slower.

Digital Gee

I only compete with myself, and even then, I usually let myself win.

Tom Bombadil

I've lost that race on many occasions.

Cleave

Hi,

I started racing in 1974 as a Junior and have raced every year since. Some years were just one or two races but other years were too many to count. So far this year I've competed in 35 events (crits, road races, and TTs). Some were 50+ races, while others were 40+ or 45+. Didn't do any regular Cat 3 races this year but I did some last year.

I won a Tuesday night series race this year and a prime at a crit. However, I am generally pack fodder (and proud of it ). Maybe that's why I've stayed in the sport for so long. BTW, I haven't crashed in a very long time -- racing or training -- but I won't say in how long because I don't want to jinx myself.

I love racing and it gives me a reason to train as hard as I do (which isn't really that hard).

maddmaxx 

Input...............need input!

DnvrFox

Yes, but you aren't 50+ quite yet.

Date of Birth:
September 2nd, 1957
Age:
49


I won't read your post until September 2nd.

Just kidding.

Welcome and congratulations on your successes!

maddmaxx 

Riding in 50+ races when 49. Surely you will get a two year ban for this. And a 50+ posting cheat too, when will all this maddness end.

Where's Dick Pound when you need him......................................................need him?......................never mind.

jazzy_cyclist

After a 4-5 seasons now as a "roadie", I'm very intrigued by racing. Done a little time trialing, but I'd like to try some road races. I suppose at the core, I just like to ride my bike and the fitness that it provides, but I also feel the need to have something more to aim for. I'm just getting to the point now where I can hang with some "intermediate" groups, and my abilities have continued to improve. I would have never considered hill climbs, but I am actually getting a bit better in that category, too.

One problem is that "masters" racing isn't so much racing against your peers - it's guys who used to race Cat1,2 etc. that just got older -- and they are very fast! So, it's a little hard to find a spot to jump in.

I'm a little concerned by the crashing stuff, but I crashed Sunday (my wife who was drafting me ran into me when I had to slow for a car making a right) and I have survived (my bike needed a little surgery).

Interested in hearing more about people getting into racing at an "advanced" age...

rm -rf

I don't have an interest in doing a road race, but I do like hanging in the pack on the local racing club "tempo" rides. There can be 40 riders, with maybe 25 of them actual racers, the rest are riders like me. With the pack riding at 25-30 mph, I'm doing a max effort, while the racers are spinning easily. Everyone holds their line, there's no racing tactics, so it's safer than races.

SteveE

Going fast, racing, and competing are not synonymous with hurrying. If we were in a hurry, we'd be driving cars; not riding bikes.

Red Rider

Oh, so you were at Esparto? How'd you do? What category did you ride? And did we see each other?

Congrats on your ambitious schedule! I'm impressed!

dminor 

"More input . . . more input!"

Hermes

Tom Bombadil

I thought I had stomped out all of those pictures of me on the net.

Cleave

Hi,

Ahh, but you see, our cycling federation, USA Cycling, sets your racing age based on your age on December 31st of the current year. So as far as bicycle racing goes, I have been 50+ since the beginning of the year.

Now as for this august forum, maybe I did post a bit early.

maddmaxx 

Are you telling us you have an certificate of exemption? If so, then you are right, Dick Pound would not be appropriate. Instead we will have to send you to see the Italians to find out if you have used the over 50 claim a normal amount of time or excessively.

We who are in the best position to understand the advantages of being over 50 must carefully guard the portals. You will more fully understand this position on Sept 2. In the meantime, if you must, feel free to hang around and post. Everyone else does anyway.

SSP

Yes...I was at Esparto. It was my first real USCF TT (though I've done some duathlons and tris). I looked for your red Sidis, but I was probably warming up when your group started (I was racing in Masters 45+, which I think was the last group to start).

It was my first real ride on my new TT bike. Unfortunately, I still have some fit issues that need to be worked out...especially with the saddle (either that, or I'll need to hire a team proctologist ). I had a good race from a pacing and effort perspective, and left nothing out on the course but sweat and drool.

Anyway, I finished in 46:12 (I think)...which was only good enough for 14th out of 21. But, a guy on my cycling team with lots of experience said that was pretty good for a first effort and encouraged me to keep at it. He also hooked me up with a nearly new skinsuit that didn't fit him, but fits me quite well.

And my plan to ride the road race at Dunnigan on Saturday was screwed up yesterday evening when I (whoops) rode into the back of a car that slammed on his brakes in front of me. The bike needs to go into the shop because the rear wheel (weird, eh?) is no longer straight in the frame.

Velodiva

Great job! BTW - the Esparto times are posted at:
https://www.ncnca.org/road/2007/espart07.html

AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, your photo is posted at:

https://hcphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/3...84091661/Large

Very cool.

SSP

Hey, thanks! I couldn't locate my time on the velopromo website, and I didn't know about the photo site.

I was so focused on hammerin', I have no idea where the photo was taken. But, damn, I must have been belly breathing because that photo makes me look fat (at 5' 11" and 166 lbs, most folks say I'm not ).

Thanks again, and hope to see you at another event sometime.

Hermes

I noticed that and I am glad you cleared it up. For a moment, I thought the worst.

stonecrd

Looking good SSP, time to spring for the skin suite

cgallagh

About 2.5 years ago, a friend of Red Rider asked her to coach her for a 50 mile Live Strong ride in Austin. We had a hybrid bike and put road slicks on it for her. She did that ride and moved on to centuries and you know where she is with her cycling. A few months ago, Hermes and Velodiva talked us into a tandem TT. Last week she road a TT on a single and Velodiva wants her to ride more TT's with her. Wednesday night we did the Mad Cow practice TT ride and in about 1.5 weeks will ride another tandem TT. She like TT's now and wants more. Now after four additional bikes and a lot of gear, last night the same friend that started her on the bicycle riding asked her to help her train for a triathlon next year. Wonder where that will go. I bet I know.

She's not getting older, she is getting stronger.

stonecrd

This years Ironman had a 80 year old man and a 76 year old women finish. With the right training and motivation you can do a lot more than you think.

SSP

Thanks!

As for the skin suit, after the race one of the guys on my cycling team hooked me up with a slightly used skin suit that didn't fit him well. It fits me like a glove! So, I'll be even more aero for my next TT, and I'm also ordering booties.

I actually commuted to work this morning on the TT bike, but didn't have the guts to wear the cone-head helmet or the skin suit .