ericcox

Botto version:

I raced this evening.
I did not get dropped.
That is all.

Slightly longer version:

A really nice training crit on an ~1.65 mile course with no sharp turns -- the one 180 is a really nice gradual turn. C race is scheduled for a max of 30 minutes; they gave us 6 laps. 34 starters in a mixed men's 4/5, women's 4, juniors 4 race. But wait, the woman who recently won both the state 45+ RR and Crit is in the race. She has a reputation locally for dropping the men (at least that's one guy tells me).

1st lap -- I am on the front row in the lineup by pure accident. I miss my clip, but don't take anyone down. Get the f' out of the way and let some of the faster guys set the pace. Hmmm. The faster guys don't seem that fast.

Later in 1st lap -- people let gaps open. I start covering them. Continue to do this on the 2nd lap -- close the gaps! Mind the wheels!

End of 2nd lap. Fast guys seem faster now.

3rd lap. Crap. This is fast. Still closing gaps, but some of them are from me, not from others.

4th lap. Is that bell lap? No a prime? Legs start asking me what the hell we're doing.

5th lap. Prime -- must maintain contact through start/finish! I hold on get some recovery as folks let up a bit.

6th lap. Hold it until the sprint starts. I chose not to contest it -- I met my initial goal of not being dropped. I finish ~15 at the back of the main pack.

Interesting race -- flying, breaking the legs into the wind as we roll around the back side and approaching the start finish in a nice little cross wind, but if you could hold on or close back on at the start/finish, you could usually recover enough to survive.

My 3 year old asks me if I won socks (we watched the race last week, and one of the primes was socks). I laugh and say no. He says, "Because you were too slow?" I say yes. He suggests I ride faster next time. Good advice.

recursive

What's a crit with no turns on a 3k course?
Sounds like more of a circuit race.

It sounds like you always had a little energy in reserve to cover accelerations. That's a good sign.

schnabler1

Purdy smart for a 3 year old. Nice job man congrats.

ericcox

It is definitely more like a mini-circuit race in layout. The pace and numerous accelerations certainly felt like a crit (pain from my past all came rushing back to me), but that is more due to the short time frame. It was weird -- no one could get off the front for more than about 1/4 of a lap. My understanding going in to this race is that a breakaway often wins. One guy said the average speed was a little lower than some of the past week's races, but the accelerations and attempts to shut down breaks were a bit different. The field was also larger than normal according to some of the regulars.

waterrockets 

Welcome back

3-year-old advice is the greatest

specq

Future DS.

ericcox

^^^This is the first summer that he has been willing to ride in the bicycle trailer -- I think it is because his little brother likes to as well now. However, he is a great trailerseat driver. "Daddy, go faster!" The worst was, "Daddy, you broke the bicycle" when I dropped a chain. His most common piece of advice, though, is, "go up the hill like Gordon."*

*For non-parents, Gordon is the express engine in the Thomas series that has a hill named after him.

Doggus

Doesn't end at 3. My 13 yo daughter is yelling at me how to race the track at the Superdrome.

Homebrew01

Welcome back ... I was in your shoes last year. My bike was in the back of the shed for 12 years or so. I started riding last April, and did a race in June. Hung in with the "young" 35+ masters in a crit (I was 44). I've done a few more since then and it's nice to be able to ride towards the front now.