Originally Posted by
AzTallRider
Okay, well, I now have one race under my bibs. Quite the learning experience. I was expecting a sprint from the start, so I took off, looked back, and was all alone. Oops. So then I was stuck in front with nobody wanting to pass. Spent 4 minutes above what I previously thought was my max HR, wanting a drink from the bottle I left on my car thinking I wouldn't need it in a 15 minute race. People finally started passing me, and I wasn't able to grab a tire right away, so I worked my way back a bit before I found a spot I could hold. That mini-group was too slow, but there was no way I was going to bridge to the folks ahead, so I stayed there to the end. No crash, and I wasn't lapped. I'll have a different strategy next week.
Originally Posted by
AzTallRider
The smart guys were getting their positions as the main group finished its last warmup lap. I wondered why everyone was lining up in a double row, instead of spreading out across the start line. I figured they knew each other and were grabbing wheels. The wheels I had scoped out (a team I figured would work together a bit and be fast) were buried, so I went to the front, forming another row. Next week, I'll make sure I'm with the group during the final warmup and pick a place that makes sense. Then I'll try to hang on to whomever starts making a move. Make sense?
Hi AzTallRider,
Glad to hear that you got to race for the first time. Every race, no matter how many you've done, is a learning experience.
What kind of race was this? A weekday training series? Was the course wide and flat?
I'm asking these questions because how you handle the start and the early part of the race depends on a number of things. From what I am reading, I wouldn't depend on many races starting as you described. I can't think of any race I've ever started where people lined up like that. I've been in some rolling start races where people get lined up that way but the wind and/or rolling start speed typically cause a two-by-two line-up.
As Hermes and AJ have noted, charging to the front can be a problem, especially is the course is fast and wide. If it is narrow and twisty, being at the front can be an advantage. The key is to not "cook" yourself because then you won't be able to grab a wheel when the pack comes by.
Enough for now. Heading out your way soon. See you on Sunday. I'll be with a couple of other guys in a big red/maroon van with a big Kings decal on it.