sijray21

hi all,

i had my first 'true' crit last Saturday in Warrenton, VA. i entered the one the previous Sunday, but i got a rear flat 3 laps into it and i don't really consider that my first crit. i definitely made a few mistakes before the start of the race though: i didn't really eat a breakfast (only a package clif bloks) and i didn't get much sleep (5 hours). i was anxious to get started though. i took about 20 minutes to get warmed up before the race and took the line at the start.

With about a field of 37 i found myself in the front 4 going into the first turn and for the first lap. i quickly dropped back since i don't feel i have the capability to pull just yet. A few laps go by and i already don't like how people are slowing down a lot for one of the faster turns leading onto the start/finish straight, so i make my way to the front area. i do this a couple times and at the end i realize that this was a mistake. i definitely went too hard in the first 4/5 laps and quickly found myself drifting off the back after the 5th lap. slowly i got dropped and i couldn't climb back in. i refused to just give up and tried to regulate my breathing and coast as much as i can in places that i wouldn't really gain much time. i catch up to another racer who also got dropped and we start working together. a couple laps go by and i'm spent again and i tell him to take off if he can make it. another lap goes by and i catch up to him again and we start working together for a few laps. by this time it's approaching the end and we get lapped by the group. i look for my buddy who was in the peloton and he just yells, "SUCK WHEEL" and i try to get up to speed with the back of the pack. i try to no avail since it was the last lap and the pace picked up quite a bit. i still pedal my arse off and finish as strong as i can. my calves start cramping up in the final 2 laps, but i just keep going - i just wanted to finish the race at this point. i end up placing 32/37 but was happy i just finished. this is hard stuff, but i'm more motivated to get better aftering entering that race. unfortunately there aren't any close races coming up for the rest of the season that i can attend, but i'm looking forward to training in the off-season and going full-force into next season.

i'll add pictures later, but i got stats from the Garmin. the Garmin stats revealed the difference between the first 5 laps and the rest of the session where the average MPH went from about 23.5 to just near or under 20mph. the only thing i was surprised at was my average BPM (184bpm). is it usually this high, or is it a sign of my lack of fitness? i'm 25 and weigh-in about 183lbs and am usually pretty active, but relatively new to cycling. i started riding in mid June to train for motorcycle trackdays (which have now taken a backseat to cycling).

so far i've learned to eat a breakfast early (at least 3 hours before the race), get enough sleep, and to use those recovery periods in the race to my benefit. i'm going to focus on specific training and nutrition in the off-season. the goal for my next race is to not get lapped and finish with the main group.

anyways, just wanted to say hi and share this - happy Monday

robncircus

Hi. Nice report. My first was this weekend as well. Sounds like we had similar races. Harder than it looked on TV huh

Everyone says it gets easier so habng in there.

Rob

mattm

Congrats on gaining more racing experience. Even if you get blasted (hey, you weren't DFL at least!) just chalk it up to experience.

As for the HR level, for races mine seems to come in at about 181-183 avg too (195 max).

I think what you should do is training that puts your heart rate at or near that level (e.g. intervals) - that will get you ready for race paces.

Good luck!

MDcatV

1 - good job on entering your 1st race and competing
2 - if you're in 4th or 5th wheel, stay there, it's easier than the accelerating/decelerating further back
3 - do not suck wheel if you're lapped and the pack comes by. the pack is still racing, you're not at that point but rather are a slow obstacle on the course potentially presenting a hazard. get the eff out of the way and when passed continue on your race until you finished or are pulled by the officials.

keep at it, it's a difficult sport both physically and mentally, but worth it ... I think.

JohnKScott

Good job on getting in your first race. I'm in the same boat. Raced once this year and it doesn't look good to get another one in this year. But I also got dropped bad but did not finish DFL. So, I have work to do for next year.

Nice job!

MONGO!

Clif notes, "I raced, got dropped/lapped but finished."

fyi, getting lapped and joining back in with the pack to get a draft is a big no-no, especially when it's on the last lap.

SpongeDad

MD - Does one get out of the way to the right or to the left?

mollusk

From the thread title it sounds like this was a training crit. Usually they let folks get back on in these.

MDcatV

depends upon the situation. if you're gapped and riding solo or with only a rider or 2, you've got to keep tabs on what's going on behind you. move to where you're out of the way, off the course preferred really.

i'm not sure why the promoter dubbed these a "developmental" series other than there are only fields for jrs. and cat 4s and 5s. they are officiated and raced like an official race, not like a training series where one can get back into the field.

sijray21 - I'm not trying to be a tool or demean your effort, just passing on info intended to help you and those around you keep all your skin

sijray21

oh, i agree with the comments of not joining back-up. it's all a learning experience for me, so that's good to know. i watched the Reston GP before and they pulled the stragglers and lapped riders - i was expecting to get pulled. luckily during the lapping, the leaders made their presence known. i and the guy i was working with, both moved to the inside, let off and kept an eye-out for the rest of the peloton. i was basically trying to stay as straight and predictable as possible after i got dropped (usually staying to the inside of the course on the straights) and i watched my 6 before setting up for the turns. i'm just happy that i held off the lapping until the second to last lap and that the passers stayed to the left (none of them split us).

dmb2786

I raced the 4s. It made me puke on myself.

mollusk

(Said in my Emily Litella voice) Nevermind.

dmb2786

i liked the course a lot. maybe they'll make it a bigger event next year with higher cats.

EDIT: higher cats. lolz

mkadam68

This sounds about normal. The higher category riders don't do this, however. They can usually handle the obstacle and lapped riders at this level will stay straight.

This sounds like you did the right thing. Except I would've said move to the outside--especially turns: the pack will be diving to the inside during those.

Regardless...staying straight and not getting spooked is the most important. On one race I was doing last year (30+/1-3), me and another rider tried a 2-lap to go attack. We stayed away until half-lap to go when they caught us. We were both going through corner #3 and weren't aware we were being caught. The pack just swarmed around us as we held our lines. No problems.

tombailey

Not to hijack the thread, but...anyone have pics from the Cat 5 race 08/01?

dmb2786

https://www.gamjams.net/2009/08/monda...edia-8309.html

There were two people who were taking pictures at the first turn, but I don't see their pics online. I really want to find them too.

sijray21

oh i'd like to see the pictures too. i'll see if my friend's g/f took some pictures. they've got to be somewhere.

aicabsolut

The officials for this series have been giving the instruction that lapped riders may rejoin the peloton, but they are not to contest any primes, etc. because they are, of course, a lap down.

acorn_user

I did the Cat 4 race. It's a nice course. I did notice that the pace was slowing for the corners, so I was trying to accelerate through them to put me into a better position for the following sprint out of the corner. My friend Rudy nearly won the race, but got chopped off during the sprint and had his front wheel destroyed (he did not crash though). My race didn't go a whole lot better. About 6 laps from the end, my rear tyre blew out in the fast right hander and I crashed out. Oof. Still, I was pleased that I felt ok during the race because I've not been able to ride or race much this year.

dmb2786

I think you were pretty close behind me. that sounded bad.

Spiduhman

Great report, thanks for sharing!

It's addicting, eh?

"...unfortunately there aren't any close races coming up for the rest of the season that i can attend..."

Wow, makes me realize how lucky we are here, practice crits once or twice a week (every Tuesday, sometimes Friday or on the weekend) just four miles easy MUP ride from my house; the Bs average between 22-25 mph, the As are much faster. There's also local practice TT, RR every week and hill climb TTs early season, monthly omniums, etc.

My first try, dropped like a rock and lapped repeatedly; since then, have kept my nose in for the duration several times, and placed as well, but just don't have the speed to grab a prime... and when I try for them, sometimes I end up in offthebackIztan, again.

One of these days I'll take the plunge and travel to a sanctioned event, but meanwhile there's the weekly training, learning, and measuring.

Bob Dopolina 

Congrats on your first race.

It'll get easier for a while as you learn what to do and how to do it. Then it'll get a lot harder as you start to become competitive and fight for placings.

Good Luck!

RudeSiggy

^^ do tell... how'd it go?

lemurhouse

I raced in the Cat 5's 35+. Got a 3rd, a 3rd, and a 1st on successive weekends, and won the points/omnium. Got some sweet gamjam socks in a prime. Not bad for an old geezer race age 53 and certainly exceeded my own expectations. I'm still new to racing and these were my first crits other than a few races at Greenbelt. Had a whole lot of fun, met some great guys, and I'm learning something (or several somethings) each time. The 540 cycling guys did a great job putting on this new series and they should be supported next season.

availpunk9

Anyone find any more photos, besides what's been posted on gamjams?