Weekly Crit Report...I almost finished with the pack for the first time!
07-11-07, 08:59 PM
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Weekly Crit Report...I almost finished with the pack for the first time!
Well i've been doing the weekly training crits here in Nashville and am starting to show improvement. Tonight i sat in...hung with the pack through many a sketchy rider. Before this week I have yet to hang with the pack for more than 12 minutes of the 20 minute crit..tonight I hung on until 19:18 
It was great but sucked at the same time.
The race was uneventful...besides a few guys who were very squirrely. Coming out of the first turn of the 8 turn course in the last lap 2 guys crossed lines in front of me and almost ate it...but they recovered to ooohs and aaaahs...2nd turn I came in too tight and was pedaling through the turn which i can usually do...left pedal clipped the ground but I recovered but the pack rocketed at this point and I just couldn't hold the wheel in front of me. Next week my goal is to finish in the pack.
I did most everything right tonight...i know who has been winning the series week in and week out...I sat on his wheel for about 15 minutes of the race but in the end he was too strong for me...One thing I really need to work on is when to move up within the pack. I struggle because i'm afraid i'll get too far in front and won't be able to hold pace. So i end up slipping back as we lose speed into corners. I'm getting better though!
Stats:
7.48 miles
20:16
Avg. speed 22.1 mph
Max. speed 28 mph (i wasn't in the sprint at the end)
Avg. HR: 169
Max. HR: 187
It was great but sucked at the same time. The race was uneventful...besides a few guys who were very squirrely. Coming out of the first turn of the 8 turn course in the last lap 2 guys crossed lines in front of me and almost ate it...but they recovered to ooohs and aaaahs...2nd turn I came in too tight and was pedaling through the turn which i can usually do...left pedal clipped the ground but I recovered but the pack rocketed at this point and I just couldn't hold the wheel in front of me. Next week my goal is to finish in the pack.
I did most everything right tonight...i know who has been winning the series week in and week out...I sat on his wheel for about 15 minutes of the race but in the end he was too strong for me...One thing I really need to work on is when to move up within the pack. I struggle because i'm afraid i'll get too far in front and won't be able to hold pace. So i end up slipping back as we lose speed into corners. I'm getting better though!
Stats:
7.48 miles
20:16
Avg. speed 22.1 mph
Max. speed 28 mph (i wasn't in the sprint at the end)
Avg. HR: 169
Max. HR: 187
Last edited by chrisvu05; 07-12-07 at 09:49 AM.
07-11-07, 10:06 PM
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That's great that you are getting out there - just jumping in and getting the experience and working on incremental improvements each week. Sounds like you are making some fitness gains and getting some good race experience!!
07-13-07, 02:04 PM
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man was I a happy guy when I finished my first crit with the pack. A crit forces you to forget about pace/fatigue and just learn to go. It was really hard for me to learn that go and dont get dropped no matter how bad it hurts.
Makes me smile to think about finishing, I went from off the back to my next crit I said "i am not getting dropped" over and over, and of 40 guys I actually got 6th. I was super happy, haha yeah it was a cat5 but I know your feeling.
I actually did a training crit in nashville at the beginning of the spring out in the stadium parking lot. Was only about 10 of us, but that was fun as well. No training crits here.
Good luck.
Makes me smile to think about finishing, I went from off the back to my next crit I said "i am not getting dropped" over and over, and of 40 guys I actually got 6th. I was super happy, haha yeah it was a cat5 but I know your feeling.
I actually did a training crit in nashville at the beginning of the spring out in the stadium parking lot. Was only about 10 of us, but that was fun as well. No training crits here.
Good luck.
