The Crit Chronicles...continued
 

OK, I know it's not as dramatic as the Knave Chronicles from a couple of years back, but I've gotten some feedback from other members who, like me, will attempt their first crit this summer.

Another good training effort today to report. I was going to simply mail Cromulent and recursive, since I watched them both race the course I trained on today, but I thought I'd post here so that others could chime in as well.

I wasn't even going to go out today....kinda crappy, cloudy, wet weather. But boy am I glad I did.
Not sure what I wanted to get done, I just took off. I rode about 12 miles to a place called Whitnall Park, where earlier this spring there was a crit. Both Crom and recursive raced, I believe in the Cat 4/5 event.

I have some questions for you guys.
I also have some feedback from riding the course.

Not sure why I thought of it, but I turned in there and figured out the race course you were on.

Here's my feedback and questions:
There was only one sharp right-hander. Remember it? Sort of a triangle....you come out of some woods from slight downhill to flat and there is a parking lot on your left and that little bathroom hut on your right. It's a sharp right turn and then right into an uphill.

OK...that's the turn I really practiced on. Boy, I'm rough. I forgot to gear down several times going in, leaving me trapped with no MO up that hill....I sort of drifted over to the right after the turn...I assume that's bad and not holding my line well enough?

I missed the apex a couple times and had to slow down too much. Most times I was coming into it on that straight at about 25-ish....slowed to 21-ish in the turn. I was also guilty of not looking ahead enough....too worried about the road in front of me I think. Nervous.

Now what I noticed is that by the top of that hill I was going 13-ish. I assume this is where I would get dropped in an event? What speeds are you guys doing? How many laps/or time was that race? I want to go back and replicate it myself to see how I do.

The rest of the turns were sweeping enough and I felt fine on that course.

I ended up doing seven laps....I kept going, not willing to quit until I did that corner right. Finally I had a pretty good one. Gassed, I rode the 12 miles back home.

Oh...by the way....in greenfield Park as I was swooping through a LEFT hander, there was the KNAVE turning right there. Our paths crossed again. I thought back to two years ago when I was embroiled in simply dropping him. How far I have come.

I remember that turn. The whole group slowed down (I have no idea what we slowed down to, but I would venture to say it was something like 18mph - maybe slower depending on where you were in the group) and then got out of the saddle and cranked it up the hill. Maybe it was faster, I don't know. It felt slow. The turn was pretty controlled, but the chaos ensued as everyone had to jump to catch the leaders.

I think that's a really good turn to practice on because it's sharper (I think) than the corners you'll see in the Grafton crit. Plus you can really work on hammering out of the saddle once you're most of the way through the turn.

It was a 45 or 50 minute +1 crit, IIRC. And I didn't pay much attention to my spedometer (it shut itself off before the race and I didn't notice until halfway through) so I don't really have any speeds for you, Hip.

Sounds like you're on the right track! :)

I think you're doing fine. I would stop worrying about corners now.

Don't fret not picking the ideal line. If you really are going to be off the front, it won't make a huge difference -- you'll still be going through it faster than the pack. If you're in the pack, you don't get to choose your line anyway.

OK...thanks Crom.
So you guys really had to work up that hill.
I figured that was a make-or-break place in the course. The other areas were simply fast pretty much...nothing too technical it seemed.

I guess I'll need to go back there and just ride it for a set amount of time and count the laps I do.

Don't take this the wrong way Hip, but you really over think things. Relax, you will be fine and do great.

I know, I know....especially since this isn't even a "REAL" crit either.

But the fact is that this little training session and the coaching and feedback and discussions here has really been great for me. It's just what the doctor ordered in terms of freshening up my training, and giving me a chance to focus on something different....broaden my riding skills.

I'm just really into it...that's all.

Nothing wrong with that. Analyze as much as you want.

--Steve

I've gotta call out zimbo now....

So I'm reading his blog taking in all the great racing action and success he has had as of late, thinking, wow, that's awesome...good for him....UNTIL...I see this earlier post where he wrote the following:

I raced with the old, slow guys today (Masters 35+ Category 4/5) at the annual Dragons Challenge Road Race held on the Fort Bragg military base in Fayetteville, NC.

....the old, slow guys.

Ouch.

Excuse me now, I have to go make oatmeal and find where I left my cane before I go sit down on my rocking chair and hook up my respirator.

ROFL nice quote, man the masters in my area are as fast or faster than the 3s in every race. Wish I could be that old and slow too ;)

...same here....
you and me both.

Old guys = 35+ aka Masters
Slow guys = Cat 4s and Cat5s
Old, slow guys = "Masters 4/5" aka "Masters B"

And you gotta be an old, slow guy to race with the old, slow guys.

For the record, the winner of the Pro/1/2 criterium is over 55 years old.

--Steve

You can still chew oatmeal? I thought you were over forty years old!

That turn is probably worse than anything you'll see in Grafton. The pavement was pretty suspect too. In the actual race on that course, I was never in a position where my mad cornering skillz really mattered on that corner. Without fail, every lap, the field would slow down dramatically before that turn. Seemed <18mph to me, but maybe not.

As for that hill, it didn't seem that anyone was particularly pushing on it most of the time. Relaxed? No, but no breakaway attempts either. I didn't catch the speed. Maybe a little more than 13.

At this point, you've probably already analyzed the race more than all other competitors combined will have by race day.

If you can get your bike around a corner, I think you'll be ok.

The pavement was pretty suspect too.

....BINGO....forget to mention that. Spoken like a true racer who actually DID that course! Yup, big patch job at the apex. That turn DID feel tighter/more scary to me than the regular city block one I was practicing on earlier in the week.

It was fun though.

I'm going back to ride that course again...next week.
Crom said he thought your race was 45 minutes long?

I'll see how long I can go on it.

Yeah, it was about 45 minutes. I was basically coasting down the hill every lap. The actual work occurred between that turn and just after the crest of the hill after the finish line.