Bethel 4/6: Second race easier?
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Bethel 4/6: Second race easier?
Night before race: Had dinner with friends, drank a few beers and went to bed at 12am.
Race day: woke up 6:30am, felt tired and weak
First race: Raced 4's, cool temps but not freezing. 21mph average, stop & go and jittery group. Felt weak and not full on. Back of pack during final sprint.
Second race: Master's 40+, after an hour break after the first race. Had some PB&J and hot tea during break. Mild warm up before going to line. 23mph average, good steady group. Objective was to stay with the group and finish.
Outcome: I felt much better and stronger during the second race. I had expected to be suffering to stay with the group but ended up finishing with front 1/3 of group during the sprint.
Question: Was my first race more of a warm up, thus my second race being the better race? Three weeks prior, I had done the same two races and the second race was much harder. Perhaps improved fitness?
Or did I sweat out the beers during the first race, making the second race easier?
Race day: woke up 6:30am, felt tired and weak
First race: Raced 4's, cool temps but not freezing. 21mph average, stop & go and jittery group. Felt weak and not full on. Back of pack during final sprint.
Second race: Master's 40+, after an hour break after the first race. Had some PB&J and hot tea during break. Mild warm up before going to line. 23mph average, good steady group. Objective was to stay with the group and finish.
Outcome: I felt much better and stronger during the second race. I had expected to be suffering to stay with the group but ended up finishing with front 1/3 of group during the sprint.
Question: Was my first race more of a warm up, thus my second race being the better race? Three weeks prior, I had done the same two races and the second race was much harder. Perhaps improved fitness?
Or did I sweat out the beers during the first race, making the second race easier?
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Night before race: Had dinner with friends, drank a few beers and went to bed at 12am.
Race day: woke up 6:30am, felt tired and weak
First race: Raced 4's, cool temps but not freezing. 21mph average, stop & go and jittery group. Felt weak and not full on. Back of pack during final sprint.
Second race: Master's 40+, after an hour break after the first race. Had some PB&J and hot tea during break. Mild warm up before going to line. 23mph average, good steady group. Objective was to stay with the group and finish.
Outcome: I felt much better and stronger during the second race. I had expected to be suffering to stay with the group but ended up finishing with front 1/3 of group during the sprint.
Question: Was my first race more of a warm up, thus my second race being the better race? Three weeks prior, I had done the same two races and the second race was much harder. Perhaps improved fitness?
Or did I sweat out the beers during the first race, making the second race easier?
Race day: woke up 6:30am, felt tired and weak
First race: Raced 4's, cool temps but not freezing. 21mph average, stop & go and jittery group. Felt weak and not full on. Back of pack during final sprint.
Second race: Master's 40+, after an hour break after the first race. Had some PB&J and hot tea during break. Mild warm up before going to line. 23mph average, good steady group. Objective was to stay with the group and finish.
Outcome: I felt much better and stronger during the second race. I had expected to be suffering to stay with the group but ended up finishing with front 1/3 of group during the sprint.
Question: Was my first race more of a warm up, thus my second race being the better race? Three weeks prior, I had done the same two races and the second race was much harder. Perhaps improved fitness?
Or did I sweat out the beers during the first race, making the second race easier?
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I was in that race. It wasn't super quick but then I suppose that the little climb x22 brings down the average speed a bit. I didn't think the 4s were that sketchy though there was a bit of lawn surfing on the bell lap.
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Maybe 100yds before the course turns right for the climb? I can't remember who it was. He handled it nicely. He was near the front, went onto the grass, and came back on the course without really losing much position. A few of use had to brake but it wasn't dramatic. I was further back than I would have liked for the sprint but the right side opened up pretty wide and I got a few people on the hill.
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I guess compared to M40's the 4's had a lot of stop and go. One rider bounces on his seat when he pedals and swings side to side. I couldn't get away from him.
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One of the Danny's Cycle guys was trying to give a leadout but got choked at the curb as the group was bending to the right, just before the glass building, and was forced to hop onto the grass. Nice recovery
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The dark-skinned guy in the dark blue patterned outfit in the 4's ?? I told him 2 weeks ago he should ride rollers to smooth him out .... made me nervous
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cdr
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With the 4s, everyone's a 4. You roll into the hill at 24 mph, slow to maybe 14-16 mph as the front bogs down, then accelerate back up to 24 mph to get to Turn One with the field.
In the M40+, there are a bunch of Cat 2s, some 1s, and lots of semi-sandbagging 3s. So you get the same guys who could probably win a P123 race driving the pace at the bottom of the hill. Sitting in, you coast into the hill at 28-30 mph, roll up it while slowing to 24, then cruise through Turn One at 26 mph. Much easier.
I find that the P123 race is easier on the hill than the 3-4 race due to the more consistent pace. But my legs start going away after 2 hours of racing so I sit up (last week we had 7 to go).
cdr
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the 2nd cat 5 race averaged i think 23 mph. it was pretty fast paced
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Really???
SWEET! I was near the front for most of that race, and at/off the front for a good bit. That average makes me happy.
I'm not sure I want to put a computer on my bike. I think seeing speed/cadence numbers will be distracting. I guess I could just choose not to look...
SWEET! I was near the front for most of that race, and at/off the front for a good bit. That average makes me happy.
I'm not sure I want to put a computer on my bike. I think seeing speed/cadence numbers will be distracting. I guess I could just choose not to look...
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Second, did the wind pick up after the 5's race? I felt everyone was going up the hill ridiculously slow and it tired me out to slow down and stay with them, so I just sped up it anyway. Everyone would slow down towards the hill and I'd get faster. I found myself in the front a few times after that hill and I was really hoping that it wouldn't have happened that way. Maybe I'll actually try to stay at the front next time...
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The dark-skinned guy in the dark blue patterned outfit in the 4's ?? I told him 2 weeks ago he should ride rollers to smooth him out .... made me nervous
I did those same two races as well, the 4s and then the Masters/Juniors and the second one did seem easier. I felt way better, however the wind really picked up between the first and second which made it much harder to move up. I finished with the field as I couldn't get around, but still got 2nd in the juniors (out of 2, oh well) and walked away with $15. The other junior was first in the field sprint behind the break.
I also felt way better at the end of the 2nd race, as in the 1st one I felt like I was going to almost throw up.
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Congrats on the win Graf!
Come say hi this weekend if you're going to be around! I'll be at plainville and bethel. I'm going to be racing a purple Trek 760 with red/yellow splash bar tape with Neuvation wheels. I haven't taken the Neuvation decals off yet so you'll know that it's me. I'll also be wearing a Wesleyan University Kit. See ya around hopefully!
Come say hi this weekend if you're going to be around! I'll be at plainville and bethel. I'm going to be racing a purple Trek 760 with red/yellow splash bar tape with Neuvation wheels. I haven't taken the Neuvation decals off yet so you'll know that it's me. I'll also be wearing a Wesleyan University Kit. See ya around hopefully!
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Second, did the wind pick up after the 5's race? I felt everyone was going up the hill ridiculously slow and it tired me out to slow down and stay with them, so I just sped up it anyway. Everyone would slow down towards the hill and I'd get faster. I found myself in the front a few times after that hill and I was really hoping that it wouldn't have happened that way. Maybe I'll actually try to stay at the front next time...
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i would definitely be there on sunday, but i'm going away for spring break, and i leave saturday morning so i can't make it. i'm sure we'll meet some time, i plan on doing a couple more crits and road races throughout the year in ny and ct.