sarals 

Here it comes!

I've seen your Shiv. Even in pieces it looks foreboding!

sarals 

Shovel, I knuckled under to stresses that weren't even about me. It all came to a head yesterday (for some reason), and I was seriously thinking I should drop this whole "racing" idea. Today, I'm much better, but I've learned some things about myself. Epiphanies are funny, they almost always blindside. I have to work on the mental game. Even though the physical is still a ways off, the metal is in far worse shape. Oh, I know, I have some "genetic programming" that I have to over come, but I think the tendencies - groundwork - is there. It just needs strengthening. Good old HTFU!

sarals 

I've been inspired to take the Felt B2 down from it's hanger in the garage and fiddle with it. Maybe it was seeing Ex's Shiv that caused that, or maybe it was that ITT. Anyway, I want to see if it 1) fits 2) can be made more comfortable (ten minutes, max, is all that saddle that is on it will allow my poor, umm - yeah), and 3) it's ride-able. It's not as high-tech-aero-cool as the newer TT bikes, but it's still pretty cool. It would look dramatically better with 50 - 80mm carbon wheels on it, but that's money that needs to go elsewhere, and it's not so bad the way it is now. Time to fool around with it!

sarals 

I'm not finding an ITT on the Sea Otter schedule for this year. I guess I need to call someone to find out why.

I just finished a very entertaining two hours on the 33. There are some very clever fellas over there. Some of them are here, too...

Hermes

There are other ways to compete and race besides mass start racing. Here is another alternative as part of the Low Key Hill Climb series. https://megamonster.lowkeyhillclimbs.com/2013/

One can do a 100k or 100 mile ITT or TTT.

sarals 

Hmmm ! Thank you, Hermes. That looks like, well, fun is the wrong word, but challenging!

sarals 

Conflict - the Cherry Pie crit is the 10th. I'm doing two races, so riding 100K or 100M would be a bit long for an opener!

revchuck 

Quick - someone get a bucket of water!

sarals 

I'll get you, my pretty....and your effing little bike, too!

Hermes

She has been reading too many trilogies.

sarals 

sarals 

I'm caught in the throes of pre-race jitters.

I've been over on the 33 a lot trying to grab all the morsels I can from the rabid guys over there. I'm worried I'll miss a nugget of information that could be critical to any kind of success this Sunday (as in finishing). Actually, the information is terrific. The race cam videos are particularly good. CDR has some great ones, and he offers some very clear instruction through out them, too (I saw Shovel in the last one, looking smooth and strong - he has great form!). Then there were the Elites at the Driveway. Holy moly.

This is almost like studying for a test. What have I missed, what will be asked, am I ready? The golden rule - don't change your answers!

The down side is my excitement tends to ramp up when I'm immersing like that, I want to save those matches. I just might find myself attached to the field for a good part of the races on Sunday, and I want to stay that way. And, my matchbooks are small.

Cleave

Hi sarals, this is easy for me to say since I've done a million races -- find that quiet place in your head a relax. Even if you get dropped and pulled, that's OK. You'll have another race-worth of experience and more power data for your coach to analyze.

Not sure if you've seen this story but I'll add to it. This very nice and friendly guy started showing up at bike races several years ago. He'd be at a lot of weekend races and our Tuesday evening world championships. He raced Masters 50+ and would get dropped very early in the race; sometimes on the first lap! One thing he figured out was that there were certain courses and promoters that would let him stay out on the course until the race was nearly over. He didn't care how many times he got lapped. He kept coming back and hanging with us. He was genuinely nice and genuinely determined to get better.

His improvements year-to-year were so small that it was sometimes hard to tell if he was getting much better. I'd see him hanging a bit longer each year until last year when he started to stay in for the entire Tuesday evening race. Then I noticed that he was staying in pretty much to the end of some of the weekend criteriums. It was really great to see his dogged determination paying off. He doesn't have a coach. I don't even know what kind of training he does. I'd see him on the road periodically. Now he's in our club and though he had a rough off season with illness, he's back to the races. I hope that riding and working with our Masters will help him improve more, but at the same time, having him in our club will help all of us with our race determination.

Similar but different was my return to racing after my kids started getting older. I had completely missed one year and had been riding and racing minimal amounts for a couple or three years in addition. As I worked myself back into shape it was pretty depressing getting dropped on club rides, let alone races. Remember, I am not genetically gifted and my main strong point is that I love cycling and racing. So I kept at it with the age-old mantra of the best training is racing. My race day mantra was, "Don't get dropped."

It took a couple or three years to get back to where I could comfortably stay in a criterium. As my confidence came back I was able to try to animate some weekend races and win or place on occasion on Tuesday evenings.

Just to reiterate, I race for the thrills and fun (yes, fun) and to push myself to be as fit as possible. I want to live to be 100 and I don't want my fitness to be a barrier to reaching that age. Do I get stressed before some races? Yes, I'd be lying if I said no. But do poor performances deter me from the sport? At this point you can probably answer that.

All any of us can do is the best that we can on any given day. Of course, all of us second guess our performances in the aftermath but while you're out there do your best and then get out there again and do your best again. You're eons ahead of where you would have been without a coach. Take some deep breaths before the start and focus on the fun because if it ain't fun, it ain't worth doing. Bon chance et allez!

Allegheny Jet

Remember this just a race and part of the process of learning to race. Every race will have good and bad things. Keep your mind open and expectations reasonable. Five years ago, when I started racing, I was OTB the first 3 Cat 5 circuit races I entered. At my 4th race I held on to the field and even finished 6th. Looking back I believe my expectations were too high and I put too much thought into all the little things. Those races were a 4 week 1.2 mile circuit race series. I would have been better served to focus on just riding in the middle of the pack and conserve efforts that would enable me to stay in each race longer.

Just my 2 cents.

shovelhd

I get the jitters before every single race. Every one. It is how my body handles it that changes. Here's my theory. I am a planner, somewhat of an over-thinker like yourself. I spend a lot of energy before a race trying to visualize everything from the course, to my competitors, to strategy, to the weather, to the drive, everything. How long I am in that phase depends on the time of the season, how important the race is, etc. The higher up the stack, the longer the jitters, from hours to days. When I'm in that phase, I'm not getting the benefits of the body chemistry adaptations that come from exercise, i.e. adrenaline, endorphins, whatever it is that calms me down once I start an effort. So I get jittery. At the race, once I clip in and ride for a bit, the chemistry kicks in and I calm down. When I make a hard effort, the same thing happens. I get this rush of calm. It helps focus my mind and dull the pain. But none of that comes when we're just sitting around planning, getting all jittery. I always have a beer the night before a race. It helps get the body chemistry factory jump started.

No matter how much you prepare, as long as you ride your race, you will have enjoyed success. Nobody can take that away from you.

Thanks for the kind words about the video. I had just come back into the field from multiple bridge attempts at the front, some I had initiated, some I followed. We were closing ground, but were well covered by other teams. I needed another lap off before I was ready to comprehend what CDR was offering. I kicked myself when I saw him and SOC go. One more lap and I would have gone with them and we would have made the break. I'm sure of it. I know SOC. We would have worked well together.

sarals 

Shovel, CDR lamented that you didn't hear him and therefore didn't come with him on that bridge attempt with SOC, either. That would have been quite a finish if you and SOC had been in that lead group!

Guys, I can't thank you enough.

I have to relate this. It's funny when I step back and look at what I'm doing right now in my mental "preparation". What it is is sort of a vicarious thing, I'm putting myself IN your shoes IN a race. That is something I've been doing for a while, really. What got me started on the idea of actually racing a bicycle was watching the Tour de France several years ago, and wondering what it would be like to be that strong and go that fast in such a large group of cyclists. What were the sensations, how would the bike feel, and how much FUN would it be? I think like a boy when it comes to that sort of thing, this visceral need to experience, and not just read or talk about something. I've talked to girlfriends and other women about it in the past, and I would usually get a "yeah, okay" or a blank stare. Most either didn't get it, or weren't the least bit interested. The gals I've gotten to know since who actually do race, do get it. However, there are many more men who understand that frame of mind and the "need for speed" then there are women, and because of that I've been on here and now I'm also nudging the 33 a little bit. And I'm glad I have. You fellas have always been so good to me, so forthcoming, so tolerant, and so helpful - I can't thank you all enough. From Ex actually coaching me, to AzT, Shovel, Cleave, AJ and Hermes all taking me under their wings and TEACHING me, it has been just so wonderful.

I know it's early in the season and early for me period, and I really don't completely understand what I have or how to use it, and then there is the age disparity (which is just so unfair in the women's races - but it is what it is). That all said, I'm going to go out, give it my best, hopefully in the right frame of mind, remember what you've all told and taught me, and have fun. Oh, and maybe make you all a little bit proud of me? I'm doing this almost as much for you as for me. Paying it back!

I'll see you at the races, fellas!

Hermes

You have to let this age thing go. I want you to look in the mirror and see yourself as the woman in this video. When you line up to race, she is who you are. Visualize yourself as 20 something, strong, fast and deserving to line up with other women. You may do much better than you think. And when you race with the older women, they may think they are old and you will have a 40 year advantage over them.

sarals 

You're right, of course, Hermes.

That was a nice video! Thank you!! (why isn't there a "hug" icon on the smilies drop down box???) !

Cleave

sarals 

Oh, I see! It's a jumbo size! I'm down with that!




Okay, off I go. I'll try to do a report from the iPhone on Sunday.

Good luck to everyone racing this weekend, and let's be safe.

See you in Napa, Ex!

AzTallRider

Oh man... I want me one of those helmets for my next crit!

I'll be thinking of you Sara... give it all you got.

shovelhd

The coolest job in the world.

revchuck 

Best of luck, Sara!

Hermes

What is your second race on Sunday?

Racer Ex 

You'll do fine tomorrow. It's just a bike race.