sarals 

Aww, thanks, folks!!

This was a training race, and my, ummm, parts were so sore (more like ripped up) that I really couldn't go hard and sustain it any longer. If this had been the real deal, no way I'd have shut it down for anyone. But, well. It was fun.

sarals 

I suspect it's only the first time I'll be yelled at, Shovel! Good stuff!

valygrl

Ugh bad saddle, no bueno.

sarals 

I had suspicions/reservations about it, too, Valygrl. I have an extra Oura, and I SHOULD have swapped it out right away. The Romin didn't really bother me on the training rides I've done on the Venge, but race pace....O M G.... Live and learn.

Cleave

If you find a saddle that works for you, use it on all of your bikes. I am very finicky (anal) about my contact points -- saddle, pedals, handlebars, and brake levers -- and they are identical between my race bike and training bike. One thing about race situations versus training situations is that you are or should be much lower (aero) when you're racing. That definitely changes how you sit on the saddle. Find what works in a race situation and use it on your training bike.

Sounds like a good start to your season. The main thing is to live to fight when it counts. My key objective for the first race of the year is stay upright. Actually that's always one of my objectives but it's pretty much my only objective for my first race of the year.

sarals 

Cleave, right on with all of your points, and also a big thank you!

I am much lower on the Venge than my other road bikes. The TT bike is lower, of course (it also has the best saddle, thank heavens). I have, or had, an Oura on my Look, Bianchi, and CAAD 10. I saved the Oura from the CAAD when I sold that bike, and put it on the CX bike. I felt that the saddle the Venge came with, a Romin, was close in style and comfort to the Oura, so I left it on there. Wrooooooong. I won't make that mistake again.

IBOHUNT

I've purchased 2 "spares" of the road bike saddle that I've found that suits me.

Dalai

277 days had passed since my last race, so I was quite nervous loading the car and during the 10 minute drive to my clubs velodrome.

Unfortunately there haven't been many riders showing up to our weekly club racing this summer, but for the purpose of my reintroduction it was perfect! Only 4 others were racing in A and B combined and were all riders I know and trust to ride safely.

First race was a 15 lap scratch (307m outdoor concrete) where the pace was a reasonable tempo till 2 laps to go. Was able to go with the accelerations but just not quite get around the final rider...

Second race was the Bessie Poole Handicap - obviously I didn't pay the handicapper enough nor did he get swayed with my lack of racing so was given scratch. Took three of the six laps to catch the main group and after a brief respite I kicked past 1 1/2 laps to go; only passed the front marker around 200m to go and kept my nose in front over the line.

Third race was meant to be a Points race. But given the small turnout, we were on the track again soon after the handicap so we all gladly took the offer of a Keirin instead. With me still coughing up a lung I was thankful of this and and ended up missing first by a tyre.

Final race of the day was a mystery distance scratch. We were rolling a reasonable tempo; first attack was made 8 laps in, when the two riders in front of me swung up I counter attacked immediately and was fortunate to get the bell one lap later and held it to the line. Though if line was a few metres further I would have been rolled as I was pedaling squares the last 200m!

Found sprinting with the narrow bars (have gone from Deda Pistas to 37cm Scatto's) an interesting sensation. The BT was rock solid! Given my lack of formal training since being back on the bike, very happy with how I rode.

revchuck 

Congrats on a successful return after the layoff! Sounds like you put that lovely BT to good use.

chasm54

That's a hell of a performance after such a long layoff, Dalai. Many congratulations.

AzTallRider

Awesome!!

Dalai

Thanks guys.

The key for me yesterday was to get back out on the track and race again... As I'd spent a lot of time questioning whether I wanted to race again with the higher risk of crashing again and not being able to be active. I have been competitive in some sport my whole life, so really struggled when I couldn't exercise last year!

I was the only A grader in the small field so should expect to still finish okay even with the time away. Will keep racing Track saturday afternoons till the end of Summer and will now start the structured training again. Focus is to build for the winter road TT's and CX season.

Racer Ex 

Good job, welcome back!

IBOHUNT

Great job

Hermes

Dalai

LAJ

Very nice, Sara! Sounded like you had a blast.

Awesome, Dalai! Impressive indeed.

sarals 

Dalai, awesome!!!

sarals 

Early Bird Crit #3 today. Hard race, some bike problems that caused me to drop out twice to fix it, but I finished with the pack and fairly strong.

I was unfortunately involved in a crash towards the end of the crit. I stayed up, but the rider I had contact with went down. I was told it was one of the mentors, I know it was a Early Bird Team lady. I wanted to talk to her about it, to find out if she was okay, but that team sort of circled the wagons and told me it wasn't a good idea. I talked to the lead mentor about it, and he said no harm, no foul, it was racing. I do know I was holding my line and I was contacted, not all that hard, on my left arm and shoulder. I continued, as far as I know, to go straight ahead (I was just to the left of a line of yellow botts dots, they were a great reference), and the rider who contacted me somehow went down. I feel horrible! The very last thing I want is for someone to be hurt on my account, my fault or not. Secondarily, I don't want to gain a reputation as a squirrelly or unsafe rider.
Other than that awful incident, it was a great, fast race. Race report to follow.

sarals 

Early Bird Criterium #3, Fremont, CA, Women's Cat 3

Because this was a training race, I decided I wanted to try some things that I had been reluctant to do in a race until now. I wanted to attack, and I wanted to make a move off the front. I talked it over with my team mates, Heidi and Norma, and we put together a plan.

As was done last week, the 39 Cat 4's and 4 Cat 3's were divided based on experience, group 1 and group 2. My field was less than twenty, which I anticipated would make it a hard, fast race. I lined up on the front row, all way to the right, and we rolled off at the whistle. It was an almost leisurely launch! One of the gals decided things weren't getting off fast enough, so she launched off the front and built a good gap. There was no reaction from the field, we all knew that wouldn't last, and sure enough, she was caught before the first lap was complete.

On or about the fourth lap, I decided it was time for me to make a move. The peloton was in the short chute between turns 1 and 2, and I set up on the inside. There was rider off the front, about 200 yards up the road. This was a situation I was comfortable with! I used my momentum to carry me to the front (I do that a lot), and as we rounded turn 2, I noticed that no one was attacking, so I told Heidi (she was to my left) "I'm going", and I made a strong move off the front. Heidi grabbed my wheel, and we bridged up to the rider who was up the road. When we got there, I discovered that rider was thoroughly gassed, and I need some recovery myself after that big effort, so I let Heidi come around me on my left and I grabbed her wheel. Then, the nose of my saddle dropped! Awwww, crap.... I moved left, and dropped out.

I told the RD I was going to my car to fix the problem and I'd be back. "Go for it", he told me.

I got back in after missing only one or two laps, but it didn't last long, because the saddle dropped it's nose again. This time, I stopped at the start/finish line, and two of the folks there collaborated to fix the problem for me. I missed one lap, and then jumped back in (that's not easy to do!!).

A lap or two later I was involved in that crash. I kept on going, kept the power on, stayed in the field, even though I was not feeling real good about things right then. I'm strong enough now to where I don't get dropped, even in a fast race, and I see more of the dynamics in the pack. I strongly feel that I didn't cause the crash, but still, it's not a good feeling to know I was involved in one.

For the last few laps, I did some work for Norma and Heidi, and we stayed in and stayed pretty much together for those last laps. At the finish, the three of us (team mates) were together, and just at the back of the pack - no, we weren't going to sprint for anything! We definitely have a strong group of master's ladies on our PV team. I'm thinking I made a good move going over there from Cushman & Wakefield.

Now, I have sort my head out around that crash.

SteveM

First race(s) of the season. Masters 50+ and SM 40+4/5. Rode the race I wanted to in both, in the end, just did not have the legs. Finished 12/13 basically with pack in 50+. In the 4/5 finished 14/33. Not a bad start to season for me considering I have been fighting back issues since last sping and a knee problem for the last month. I am looking forward more masters racing(have only done one before since I just started last year) and hopefully a steady improvement in fitness. We do race the same venue next month, so will be interested to see if I can do better.

mkadam68

IBOHUNT

Serious saddle issues.
As for the crash - Hope that at some point you can get with the other person and all figure out what happened but don't dwell on it

IBOHUNT

Cleave

@Dalai, terrific result after a long layoff.

@sarals, all we can do is to keep trying and learning. What I tend to do in races that allow you to jump back into the pack after losing a lap, is to hang at the back. If the group isn't too big, you can observe pretty well from there and the accelerations that you need to when tail gunning are a good workout. Regardless, glad that you're able to do these early season races.

@SteveM, welcome to Masters road (criterium) racing. Have fun out there. Learn from experience, learn from others who are more experience, and learn from this group. Maybe we'll see you in February at the Valley of the Sun Stage Race.

LAJ

Very well said, @Cleave.

Nice @SteveM!