My First Race Ever--Help!!!!
 

I read Bud Bent's post on the Senior Games, and much to my surprise found myself signing up for the 20 kilometer road race. Now that I've gone and done that part, it occurs to me that I should probably do something to prepare for the race itself.

My goals at this point are to:
*Finish
*Avoid Crashing
*End Up With a Good Story to Tell

My previous racing experience is limited to trying to catch my older brother on a Huffy one-speed more than 40-years ago. Having failed at that, I hung up my sneakers at the age of nine and never raced again.

Therefore, I beg any and all who have racing experience to offer their wisdom. I've been doing a couple of tough spin classes most weeks through the winter, so I'm not completely out of shape.

My suggestion is to contact the heavies around where you live and get them to break your leg the day before the race.

Failing that- a 20 kilometer race is quite short so get yourself nice and warm before the start- get the heart rate up to 75% of your max about 10 minutes before the off and then just keep warm.
You will have to push right from the start so if you are up to speed at the start- without being worn out- then you will be able to push from the off. Rather than only starting to get into the groove 5 miles in. You may struggle for the last 19 Kms. but at least you started right

I go along with what stap says......just pray that it turns out to be the worst experience of your life. :D

Treat it as a training run and be very prepared to come last.

The things you need to know can only really be learned by doing it.

As stap says, the warm up is very important otherwise you may start and finish in last position...watch the other riders warm up and take your cue from them.

:beer:

Check for posts in the road race sub-forum.
20klics is very very short. I don't know anything about the senior games nor the competition level, so I'm completely relating from USCF-CYClingUSA sanctioned events.

Depending on how much prep time/days you have before:

Try to get into some local racer-type rides, especially ones with crafty olde-fartes.
Don't stop ridin on the days before the events, taper down to spinning small ring easy gears for the 2 days before and keep the mileage light, but do at least 1 hr rides.
Stay away from heavy foods the night before
20 Klics is about 11-12 miles, very short - don;t load up on food before the event. A Banana or similar easy digestive good energy stuff is purrfect.
WARM UP A LOT! For somehting that short I would warmup at least 20 miles, low gear spin and at least 6 Big Ring out of the saddle very short, but hard sprints.
Try not to let the adrenalin before the start totally waste you.
Try to hit the start line just before the actual start time, in a full-on sweat! Like minutes before the start, not 5 or 10 - 2 or 3 min if possible.
Then expect to sprint from the start - full-on sprint. The charge will likely be a herd of elephants.
Try to tenaciously hold any wheel in front of you. If its too easy, somehtings wrong.
If it does ever lighten up, take the opportunity to move your position up in the pack. You'll be happy you did when it starts cookin again.
If you're anywhere near the front group at the finish, resist trying to go off on your own. SUCK A WHEEL. Don't bolt! When you can see the white's of the judges eyes (50-60 yds from line), then you go Boy, GO!
Sprint you ass off! Cool down then go collect your schwag/winnings :)
... or just be happy you survived :)
its a total stoke!
old pharte racin is the worst kind - scrawny old roosters who just luv to suffer and make others do the same. watch out for the guy on the 30 yr old Peugeot rustbucket PX10, hez da ringga!

Hey JT, what do you think the odds of this happening are?

Well, if I can borrow your magic helmet, I just I'd have shot at a kiss from the podium girls.

Jet......stay positive, go sign up for a second race, which will then make you assume you're going to survive the first race. Your peanut gallery here will be waiting for a blow by blow after you've recovered. Plus lots of advice on what we would have done-- excepting we didn't do it. Talk about ride reports!

**And if you should win the sprint, remember, throw your hands in the air, but don't crash the bike when you do so.

As this video so graphically shows: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQbtYlI4qYw

If you can persuade your older brother to sign up with his Huffy one speed, the deja vu could pull you through.:)

The warm up advice is spot on. Also go out and practice going all out for that distance. That is a short race but it will surpise you how hard it is to go hard for that long. Good luck!

I've looked at this a little bit, and I think it's a great idea. I've been toying with the idea of trying some racing, and this seems a good way to break in. From what I can tell, the competitiveness can vary dramatically. For example, in Florida, I think there are lots of older guys, many of whom have decades of racing experience. Here in Massachusetts, I looked at the times and they definitely looked doable for someone in my category (well under 20 MPH as I recall). Of course, that might have been straight up a mountain for all I know, but I know I was encouraged.

One of my goals for this season is to try a race or two, and this looks a little less intimidating than jumping into a cat5 brawl.

Let us know how you make out!

Hey, does anyone remember seeing this post recently?

"Nice work, Dawg. I congratulate you on a fine job in honorably completing one more race than I'll ever enter."
:roflmao: :beer: :roflmao:

That's exactly what I was thinking. I'd hardly done anything but what you'd call base miles in my two years of riding, and wanted to add some accomplishment rides this year. Three recumbent geek friends and I were thinking of doing a four man recumbent team in the Tejas 500, which is a 500 mile race at the Texas Time Trials in September. I kind of wanted to start with something a bit less challenging, and these short Senior Games races and time trials look like a good possibility. Maybe we'll need to start a running Senior Games thread for bf50+'ers to give their race reports. I'd love hearing about how everyone does, and of course we need photos.

Why didn't I listen to myself....:eek:

If you fail to meet your first two goals, you will no doubt have easily met your third. :D

I'll add two goals:

*Avoid causing anyone else to crash
*Make sure my wife brings her camera


Go Jet!

I agree "Go Jet!". We'll be waiting to hear how it goes.

Age and slueth will always beat out the smart-alec blue haired Lancewantabe.

Fill your second water bottle with motor oil,(like James Bond),thumb tacks in your jersey pockets.This will at least get rid of 50% of the peleton behind you.Sew all kinds of sponsers names on your jersey to intimadate the competition.You do want a kiss from the svelt young podium babe in the winners circle?

All I've ever heard is to stay in the front 1/3 of the pack......unless you enjoy crashing!!! It should be a blast. We want stories and pics afterwards!!

You have no idea as to how true this is. I can't tell you how many times I've seen people gathering for the Sunday ride and thought to myself "damn, another old scrawny guy I'll be able to stay ahead of" just to have him and his pals ride off and leave my small group in the dust.:D

50+'ers can be very competitive at many activities. Try playing basketball with a group of them ... it can be vicious! The competitive fires stay lit for many. And why not? Most of us are competitive in one form or other. Certainly in the business world, 50 is when many break through to upper management.

Now when it comes to cycling, I don't have a competitive bone in my body. If an 85 yr old grandmother blows past me, I couldn't care less. I'm just out trying to enjoy the countryside and get some exercise. But I can understand why others do care

I don't have any advice.... I just bought a new bike and started riding again for the first time in a bazillion years.... I just want to wish you all the best in your first race. I think your goals are very reasonable, and the only goal I suggest adding is "Have a lot of fun".

Tell us all about it!

Jen

Find an experienced racer to guide you through your first race. At least for the start. Make sure you know which side your number goes on and is oriented in the appropriate direction (so it's not backwards/upsidedown). Use 6 safety pins on your number. One at each corner, plus one in the middle front and middle back.. Nothing shouts "noob" like a poorly placed number. I was lucky to have a seasoned, Cat 2 veteran show me the basics when I rode my first race at the tender age of 54. I didn't catch the winning break, but I wasn't DFL, either.

Yeah jazzy, if the whole idea has been pickin at you for a while, give it a go. One thing to be said about senior racing is that most riders will defer on the side of 'safety'. The level of testosterone is stil quite high, except it usually aimed at the road more than other riders. You do get a broad mix of racing 'skill', but that usually sorts out nicely and 'offs' are much rarer than in the younger classes.
The racing experience is great and it does allow better 'focus' for those high energy training rides many of us still do. Hammerfests also find new meaning and purpose. Its no longer just hangin on, but using them for real objectives becomes a major aim. It may no longer just be 'hangin' in on that hill everyone jumps on, but becomes "how hard can I go before I blow up?", "how do I best recover after a hard effort". We find out if it might be better to just hang in the pack up that hill, rather than blast up on the front and then throw out a grappling hook as the group sails by. There's a lot to learn about ourselves with these 'tests'.

Senior Games cycling
 

Do the time trials too. If fact, that might be a better way to get started. The thrill of competition without the agony of being spit out the back.

Leland Yee
At the back and having fun