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Masters Misc Race Report Thread

Old 06-08-14, 10:21 PM
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Sonic Boom Crit 45/4’s
CO State Championships
18th/~40

The Race
We did 22 laps @ 90” per lap. Our crash came at 11 laps; they halted our race for 20 minutes while the half dozen injured were tended to and ambulanced away; we did 11 laps after.

The race felt harder to me than my power numbers indicated, surely because I’ve been sick. I was never a contender; I mostly tail gunned. It was a disappointing end to my season.

I got yelled at for dive-bombing a corner at the top. It was a slow speed corner at the top of the hill; the guy in front of me left a space to the curb at the apex, and this was after he brake checked. I dunno, it was mildly aggressive, but I’d probably do it again. It is exactly the kind of thing that is considered a perfect pass in CX.

I saw LAJ before the race, but, weirdly, never during the race. I did see that he DNF’ed. I fear that he was in a crash but I hope not. LAJ you out there and OK?

The Course
This course is bad. It’s a short course, L-shaped, the first half of which is a slight uphill and the second half a slight downhill. The final turn is at the end of a long downhill straightaway, has very rough pavement, and a very narrow exit. The narrow exit is bounded by poles and steel fencing that demarcates sidewalk restaurant dining. If you don’t late apex this turn, or if you slide out, you will eat **** and very likely not walk away.

To make matters worse, this turn is only 50 meters or so from the finish - not enough distance to pass after the turn. Therefore the first into the turn is the first to the line.

The result is a downhill sprint into a technical and unforgiving turn, and much carnage, especially in the lower cats.

Years ago I raced cars for a bit and I was always impressed how safe most race tracks are. For a lot of the difficult turns, there are big run outs with pea gravel, or at a minimum an open field with no trees, so that if you make a mistake, you don’t pay with your life. This crit course has nothing in common with those well thought-out designs.

The first time I raced this course it was scary. Today, the second time, I was terrified, and my main concern during the race was not getting through the turn quickly but just getting through the turn. I won’t race this course again; not only did I not have fun but the risk was way out of whack for the fun received.

The Crashes
More of today’s races than not had crashes in the final turn.

I think there were a total of 5 or 6 ambulance rides during the day. My understanding is that some of the victims were very bad off.

By the end of the race after mine, there was not one but 2 ambulances on station, and it looked to me like the fire station chief came out to see just what was causing all of these ambulance trips.

There were so many crashes during the day that late in the afternoon when it started to rain the head official made the call to cancel the last 2 races, which were the pro women and men.


The Negligence
We as racers sign releases. We can’t blame anybody but ourselves if we find ourselves on a dangerous course. I do know a few who showed up and decided to not race - wow what wisdom/discipline. To bad I was such a sheeple - I question my judgement.

The race directors and/or officials need to use some judgement in course design. I know and respect both the head official and race director for today’s race, and they both have forgotten more about bike racing than I’ll ever know, but today I think that today both performed sub-par at certain aspects of their job around the area of race and racer safety.

Races today are held at available/affordable/permit-able venues, of which there are not many, rather than good/safe/challenging/interesting racing venues. It’s a sad state of affairs.
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Old 06-08-14, 10:26 PM
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Originally Posted by shovelhd
White Plains Criterium, M55+/M60+, hot, sunny, 5th place. I was up with the sun to head down to Westchester for one of my favorite races, a tight half mile downtown criterium with nice crowds. Warmups didn't go well but the power seemed to be there. There were a couple of guys that I knew would be aggressive, and they did not disappoint. I couldn't let either of them get away without me with them. We did get gaps several times but one of the M60+ riders kept dragging the field back up to us. We really needed a third rider. So it came down to the sprint and I just screwed up. I wasn't in the right position with 2 to go and I didn't fight hard enough to get there. I could make a ton of excuses but I won't. I just screwed up.

P/1/2/3, finished in the field. I was in no mood to crush myself so I rode around in the field with a few people I trusted. Got a good workout and enjoyed myself.
Wait, you mean you're mortal?

Also: I recall you being 60ish(?). I am in awe of your ability to race with the P/1/2/3's - in your second race.

Good job!
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Old 06-08-14, 10:39 PM
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Good analysis tom. Did you see my report end of last page?

I just found out my team mate who was in the crash broke her collarbone too. My friend in the MM55 race broke a thousand bucks of equipment and got a concussion. And this was when it was dry.
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Old 06-09-14, 01:59 AM
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Originally Posted by rapwithtom
Wait, you mean you're mortal?

Also: I recall you being 60ish(?). I am in awe of your ability to race with the P/1/2/3's - in your second race.

Good job!
Indeed. Well done, shovelhd.
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Old 06-09-14, 02:16 AM
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Nicely done valygrl, rwt. Well written, and what a **** show. Congrats for surviving, and good, smart racing.

55+, 16/40 ish. Happy, fast strung out. Likely would have had a top 10, but the 4-5 neutral laps allowed fresher legs to catch on.


45+4, working my way up and in the top 20 and picking them off one by one. Feeling good and ready to do well. I was third bike in, almost had it missed, then plowed into, I think. High sided, bike was 20 feet away. Tried to stand, couldn't and felt like a pulled muscle. Helped off the course, fried got my bike, and I slowly loaded it up. Drove home, got some crutches, and went to Lutheran. Transported to Good Samaritan, and now have 3 bad ass screws in my femurol neck bone at the hip. They got right down to business.

Pretty pissed off.
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Old 06-09-14, 05:12 AM
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Oh man, LAJ. Sounds a lot like what happened to Teton. Best wishes to you and valygrl's teammate. What a **** show. Make sure the powers that be get your feedback.

I wouldn't say I raced the pro race, I rode around at the back. My racing age is 57.
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Old 06-09-14, 05:27 AM
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LAJ - Damn! Heal quickly and well.
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Old 06-09-14, 07:08 AM
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Originally Posted by sarals
Here are the results for the 5/21 PCSD TT I did. Better time than I thought, but still near the bottom. I have a way to go, and I know that. I'm fine with that, and I'm fine with improving. Interesting are the "notes". "Steep" position (doh!) and "non-aero" front wheel (doh!). Like an aero front wheel was going to help.
What is "steep'?
What were your expectations going in?

Originally Posted by valygrl
Sonic Boom MW45+ 3rd/11 - but that doesn't tell the real story. I was dropped.

We raced with the MW 35+, 23 of us total. This was CO masters crit champs. L shaped course, with the final corner downhill to uphill, medium to narrow with 2 brick cross walks and some marked broken pavement. Uphill finish, uphill 2nd leg, then slightnly down, chicane, and a down hill into the nasty last corner.

The two races before mine had ambulance-requiring crashes in the last corner and I went into it scared and lacking confidence. I left too much space in that corner every time and had to chase back on every time. Made the initial split, but got spit out after the 2nd prime ramped the pace up and I couldn't keep doing the repeated accelarations. I was joined OTB with an ex team mate, we worked together the remainder of the race, gained some ground at one point (the pack must have sat up) and then re-lost it. She tried to shake me on the last uphill but I managed to stick to her, I had a sprint plan in place, but as we rounded the second to last corner we saw the marshals waving us to slow down - big crash on the exit of the last corner (where all the other ones had been). So my exTeamie and I ended up 2nd/3rd, 1st was in the crash but managed to get up and get to the finish line before us. I didn't even sprint, I was looking for downed-teamies.

Yuck.
Sorry to hear about the team mate and all the others.

Originally Posted by rapwithtom
Sonic Boom Crit 45/4’s
I hope the promoter learns something from the many ambulance trips and changes the venue.
I agree that all that signed the waiver and each person is ultimately responsible for their own safety and welfare however no need to put folks in danger.

Originally Posted by LAJ
Feeling good and ready to do well. I was third bike in, almost had it missed, then plowed into, I think. High sided, bike was 20 feet away. Tried to stand, couldn't and felt like a pulled muscle. Helped off the course, fried got my bike, and I slowly loaded it up. Drove home, got some crutches, and went to Lutheran. Transported to Good Samaritan, and now have 3 bad ass screws in my femurol neck bone at the hip. They got right down to business.

Pretty pissed off.
Dag! Heal well and quickly.
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Old 06-09-14, 07:51 AM
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Valygrl, I'm sorry you had such a tough experience. Heck of a way to podium. But, you did! I'm really sorry about the crashes. I agree with IBO, the RD needs to look hard at that course.
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Last edited by sarals; 06-09-14 at 07:57 AM.
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Old 06-09-14, 07:53 AM
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LAJ, oh no!!!! I am so sorry.... Heal fast....
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Old 06-09-14, 08:00 AM
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Cleave, the RD only had the two positions listed. The race is put on by Davis Wheelworks, and they use it to sell "fit sessions". Makes sense, right?

Chuck, middle of the pack, yes. There's a pretty wide disparity in times among the women, though. The TT up in Winters yesterday, on the same course, had a large 55+ women's field, ten (I know almost all of them), and among them I would have been back 1/3. I've work to do.

IBO, expectations were to do the course in 25 to 26 minutes. I did it in 29 minutes. Three minutes is a lot to make up.
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Old 06-09-14, 08:02 AM
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Originally Posted by LAJ
Nicely done valygrl, rwt. Well written, and what a **** show. Congrats for surviving, and good, smart racing.

55+, 16/40 ish. Happy, fast strung out. Likely would have had a top 10, but the 4-5 neutral laps allowed fresher legs to catch on.


45+4, working my way up and in the top 20 and picking them off one by one. Feeling good and ready to do well. I was third bike in, almost had it missed, then plowed into, I think. High sided, bike was 20 feet away. Tried to stand, couldn't and felt like a pulled muscle. Helped off the course, fried got my bike, and I slowly loaded it up. Drove home, got some crutches, and went to Lutheran. Transported to Good Samaritan, and now have 3 bad ass screws in my femurol neck bone at the hip. They got right down to business.

Pretty pissed off.
I am so sorry, LAJ. I wish you a speedy and complete recovery. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.
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Old 06-09-14, 08:33 AM
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Heal up fast LAJ. V'grl, happy to hear that you finished okay.
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Old 06-09-14, 08:36 AM
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RPT, Good racing.
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Old 06-09-14, 08:48 AM
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Tough emotions for me these last few days:

Perspective A:
- I love riding my bike. I always have, ever since I was a kid.
- I love competition. I always have. I played competitive sports when I was younger, and raced cars in mid-life. My professional life exhibits a similar spirit.

Perspective B:
- I'm 200 lbs and overwhelmingly fast twitch. As far as bike racing goes, I'm pretty squarely built for crits. (Or maybe for our about-to-open local velodrome?)

Perspective C:
- Crits are dangerous. I have in real life seen many serious injuries, and there is also a preponderance of them amongst the denizens of this forum.
- I've had plenty of surgery-inducing sports injuries, including work on both knees and both shoulders. I don't want any more. I'm ***-shy.

Perspective D:
- I'm OCD (like most bike racers); after each ass-whipping, I am compelled to work even harder and come back for more.
- I love love love the physical training and improvement that is bike racing.

Perspective E:
- More than actually enjoying the 40 minutes of a crit, it's more of something I put myself through as a goal and/or to get stronger. Getting stronger/leaner/faster certainly feels rewarding to me.
- The culture around crit racing, in my experience, suffers from a lack of collegiality. A day at the crit races is nowhere near as fun as a day at some of the other sports I've done.

Perspective F:
- After 10 years of riding (a lot), 2 years of crit racing, lots of training, and very expert coaching, I am a mid-pack cat 4. I am not a natural. While I never dreamt of bike racing fame, damn, a little sign of some improvement would have been nice.


I have always planned to end my season on yesterday's race. I've now got some summer travel, and then I will focus on a fall CX season. I am not sure I will return to crit racing...time will tell, but I am wondering if this will be a transitioning period for me, perhaps to focus exclusively on CX, or perhaps something else. Or, maybe I'll be back next year, full of determination and hope...


Does any of this resonate with anybody else?
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Old 06-09-14, 09:08 AM
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Originally Posted by sarals
Chuck, middle of the pack, yes. There's a pretty wide disparity in times among the women, though. The TT up in Winters yesterday, on the same course, had a large 55+ women's field, ten (I know almost all of them), and among them I would have been back 1/3. I've work to do.
Was this lady in there?


As for the work...you and me both!
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Old 06-09-14, 09:43 AM
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Rwt, if you are not having fun racing crits then you should reconsider doing them. As far as danger is concerned road racing descents are much more risky than any crit I've done. The thing about crits is that course hazards are repeated hazards and unless you are in the break you are racing shoulder to shoulder for the duration. So riders that are not strong bike handlers raise the risk level. Road races are much more forgiving in this respect. As for attitudes, that's across the sport and varies with the aggressiveness of the event. You will also find that the higher up the ladder you go, the more mature and forgiving riders are. Nothing against you rwt but it's pretty easy to point out the Cat4's in my field. We've got a few real doozies out here.

The track is dangerous in its own right, especially in the sprint events that interest you. You want to talk about aggressive. When I race against trackies in crits I give them a little extra room and get by them ASAP. They will chop your wheel without a second thought.
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Old 06-09-14, 10:15 AM
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Originally Posted by shovelhd
White Plains Criterium, M55+/M60+, hot, sunny, 5th place. I was up with the sun to head down to Westchester for one of my favorite races, a tight half mile downtown criterium with nice crowds. Warmups didn't go well but the power seemed to be there. There were a couple of guys that I knew would be aggressive, and they did not disappoint. I couldn't let either of them get away without me with them. We did get gaps several times but one of the M60+ riders kept dragging the field back up to us. We really needed a third rider. So it came down to the sprint and I just screwed up. I wasn't in the right position with 2 to go and I didn't fight hard enough to get there. I could make a ton of excuses but I won't. I just screwed up.

P/1/2/3, finished in the field. I was in no mood to crush myself so I rode around in the field with a few people I trusted. Got a good workout and enjoyed myself.
well done!
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Old 06-09-14, 10:19 AM
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RWT - I am kind of in the same boat. It's easier to upgrade as a woman, b/c our fields are just so much smaller, but i'm also genetically mediocre, want to be a road racer but am built more for crits, and scared of the crashes.

Have to make your own call, obviously, whether the risk is worth it. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Denying the risk exists is not a very good long term strategy, but it does seem to work until something like this weekend's race slaps you upside the head with it.

My first season ended with an injury crash in a crit. It was August, so there was only one race left after that anyway, so I had all winter to wonder if I would want to line up again the following year. It turned out I did want to continue, but I still have moments of asking myself what the hell I'm doing - and this weekend was one of those. I considered not racing during my warmup. Maybe with more experience we will learn when that little voice should be listened to. I don't know.

I can't really add much to your decision making, just know you are not alone.

Couple things, though -

Results: make sure you are working with your coach on non-fitness related race elements. Tactics, handling skills, having a race plan.

Collegiality: get on a team. Having team mates makes a difference before, during and after a race. Also, it takes a while to get to know people, just in the middle of last year (season 2) did I start feeling like there was cameraderie among the racers, as we all got to know each other better.
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Old 06-09-14, 10:23 AM
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Originally Posted by shovelhd
Rwt, if you are not having fun racing crits then you should reconsider doing them. As far as danger is concerned road racing descents are much more risky than any crit I've done. The thing about crits is that course hazards are repeated hazards and unless you are in the break you are racing shoulder to shoulder for the duration. So riders that are not strong bike handlers raise the risk level. Road races are much more forgiving in this respect. As for attitudes, that's across the sport and varies with the aggressiveness of the event. You will also find that the higher up the ladder you go, the more mature and forgiving riders are. Nothing against you rwt but it's pretty easy to point out the Cat4's in my field. We've got a few real doozies out here.

The track is dangerous in its own right, especially in the sprint events that interest you. You want to talk about aggressive. When I race against trackies in crits I give them a little extra room and get by them ASAP. They will chop your wheel without a second thought.
Thanks Shovel.

I think you're right; it's as simple as if it's not enjoyable, then don't do it. However I struggle as to whether I enjoy it or not; sometimes I do and look forward to it for days in advance, and sometimes they just stress me out! Also, some of the things I have done "just for training" have turned out to be really fun, eg some of the hilly RR's where I knew I wouldn't be competitive. Also, success (in a race, in increasing fitness) is enjoyable in its own right, and that's not an insignificant driver.
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Old 06-09-14, 10:34 AM
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Originally Posted by valygrl
RWT - I am kind of in the same boat. It's easier to upgrade as a woman, b/c our fields are just so much smaller, but i'm also genetically mediocre, want to be a road racer but am built more for crits, and scared of the crashes.

Have to make your own call, obviously, whether the risk is worth it. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Denying the risk exists is not a very good long term strategy, but it does seem to work until something like this weekend's race slaps you upside the head with it.

My first season ended with an injury crash in a crit. It was August, so there was only one race left after that anyway, so I had all winter to wonder if I would want to line up again the following year. It turned out I did want to continue, but I still have moments of asking myself what the hell I'm doing - and this weekend was one of those. I considered not racing during my warmup. Maybe with more experience we will learn when that little voice should be listened to. I don't know.

I can't really add much to your decision making, just know you are not alone.

Couple things, though -

Results: make sure you are working with your coach on non-fitness related race elements. Tactics, handling skills, having a race plan.

Collegiality: get on a team. Having team mates makes a difference before, during and after a race. Also, it takes a while to get to know people, just in the middle of last year (season 2) did I start feeling like there was cameraderie among the racers, as we all got to know each other better.
Thanks for sharing VG. Good points.

I've left my last team; it turned into a club of non-racing bike enthusiasts, and I was the last remaining male racer (though the women's team is still very strong). I certainly will be on a more race-oriented team in the future.

Tactics/skills/race plan: I've got some of that - I get some pre- and post-race analysis; more would be better. I think what would be super-cool would be to have somebody who knows their stuff follow you around in a race or two and critique decisions. Imagine some of the experts on this board, riding behind you, with tips like: "get on that guy's wheel", "get out of the wind", "why did you do that?", "don't go hard there, go hard here"...that's where tremendous learning could occur. I've never had anything close to that.
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Old 06-09-14, 04:34 PM
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Originally Posted by Cleave
(State TTT)

Turn 1 to 2 was an exercise in keeping us all together. When we hit the back straight I finally figured out the wind direction and recovered to a degree. We started making up some time. Just after turn 3 the third place team that started 4 minutes after us passed us. I was surprised to see only three of them together.
Me too. And I was on the team.

We swapped out guys just before the event, equal strength but TT teams need to be well oiled machines, and the lack of practice hurt us. We had gone in with hopes of winning.

Just out of turn one those hopes diminished when we lost one of our two big motors to a loose arm rest, and the guy who I had practiced with the most. Things pretty much came apart after that as our rotation plan when out the window and I had to do 700w+ just to get back on when our other strong guy decided to ramp it up after I came off the front.

TTT rule #1 . Pull longer if your the strongest, not faster.

I was actually going strong until after the final corner, when my lack of training showed up and I put on my "weakest link" T shirt. Came off three times before the finish, one time out of frustration. Really struggled. We missed 2nd by 10s and first by a bit over a minute.

Next year I guess.
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Old 06-09-14, 05:27 PM
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RPT, I stopped doing mass start road and track races in 2010. I became a specialist and do track time trials and track team events. I may do a road time trial or hill climb if it compliments my training.

As far as camaraderie with other racers, I think the track offers more than road. Part of it is the small venue that facilitates racers getting to know each other. Having said that, some tracks are more congenial and friendly than others.
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Old 06-09-14, 06:00 PM
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Originally Posted by rapwithtom
Tough emotions for me these last few days:

Perspective A:
- I love riding my bike. I always have, ever since I was a kid.
- I love competition. I always have. I played competitive sports when I was younger, and raced cars in mid-life. My professional life exhibits a similar spirit.

Perspective B:
- I'm 200 lbs and overwhelmingly fast twitch. As far as bike racing goes, I'm pretty squarely built for crits. (Or maybe for our about-to-open local velodrome?)

Perspective C:
- Crits are dangerous. I have in real life seen many serious injuries, and there is also a preponderance of them amongst the denizens of this forum.
- I've had plenty of surgery-inducing sports injuries, including work on both knees and both shoulders. I don't want any more. I'm ***-shy.

Perspective D:
- I'm OCD (like most bike racers); after each ass-whipping, I am compelled to work even harder and come back for more.
- I love love love the physical training and improvement that is bike racing.

Perspective E:
- More than actually enjoying the 40 minutes of a crit, it's more of something I put myself through as a goal and/or to get stronger. Getting stronger/leaner/faster certainly feels rewarding to me.
- The culture around crit racing, in my experience, suffers from a lack of collegiality. A day at the crit races is nowhere near as fun as a day at some of the other sports I've done.

Perspective F:
- After 10 years of riding (a lot), 2 years of crit racing, lots of training, and very expert coaching, I am a mid-pack cat 4. I am not a natural. While I never dreamt of bike racing fame, damn, a little sign of some improvement would have been nice.


I have always planned to end my season on yesterday's race. I've now got some summer travel, and then I will focus on a fall CX season. I am not sure I will return to crit racing...time will tell, but I am wondering if this will be a transitioning period for me, perhaps to focus exclusively on CX, or perhaps something else. Or, maybe I'll be back next year, full of determination and hope...


Does any of this resonate with anybody else?
Yes. Absolutely.

The parts about improvement and wanting to see more than just mid pack. Very well said.

I like racing crits, though, although it doesn't bother me one bit to look at the conditions at a race and say "meh, another time".
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Last edited by sarals; 06-09-14 at 06:15 PM.
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Old 06-09-14, 06:13 PM
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It took me well into this second season to start to get to know people, but now that I do, it's quite enjoyable to line up with the ladies. Among most of the women, at least out here, there is camaraderie. That does make a world of difference.

Valygrl, you absolutely nailed it.
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