Originally Posted by bbeasley

I'm 2 hours post race and waiting for the TT this evening.

WOW! what a blast and I should have started this last year!

I'm a bike racer

40 min warm up, man did I need this.

52 in my group, narrow two lane road with centerline rule in effect. At 0.8 miles in we were hitting 27 MPH, nowhere to go. Couldn't speed up, slow down or move. Big boom announced the wreck as a carbon frame snapped. Bike and riders flew everywhere, I stood on my front brake as the guy in front of me locked up his rear and skidded into the pile. Man did I ever have beginner luck, later a race official on a motor cycle told me I was the first one through in an upright position.

I cleared the wreck and found myself alone with the remainder of the pack fading into the distance. Not much I could do but grind it out. 6 miles in I heard "on your left" and got passed by a bleeding guy with a shredded kit. I got on his wheel and we worked together for several miles. I pulled a bit but truth is he did most of the work. We picked off a couple of blown up folks and he eventually dropped me. I worked this strategy 4 more times with wreck survivors and huffed and puffed to the finish.

Did I mention I'm a bike racer? I'm so happy to type this.

What I learned:

I've got the right dream, I love this stuff.

I'm still too fat, biggest guy BMI wise in the parking lot, and too slow. But, I now know what I've got to do to fix this and that it's doable. I completely see myself being able to hang with these guys in the future. Age is no excuse, train smart, continue the weight loss, enter every race possible, have fun.

As you folks report over and over, just go try it. Stop over thinking this and go enter a race, duh.

While my bike and gear is as out of place as a Prius at a Formula One race, it just doesn't matter. It's all about the engine.

Nobody cared what I or my stuff look liked. Nobody cared I'm a bit off the pace, they were glad to pull me along as it worked out.

Met a bunch of nice folks and made some new friends.

Now I've got to go true up my rear wheel, it took a hit in the wreck and get ready for the TT. My goal is to blister the 5K course at every bit of 21 MPH

Did I mention I'm a bike racer?

Originally Posted by caloso

This is the difference between the "Hot or Not Thread" and the those who actually race. If you're riding to the coffee shop to admire your bike leaning against the post while you eat your scone, your white bar tape must be pristine and your stem slammed. If you're pinning on a number, your bike needs air in the tires, gears that shift, and brakes that stop it. And that's about it.

Originally Posted by LAJ

Well said, caloso.

Well done bbeasley.

Originally Posted by climberguy

Nice going, beasley, in your first race. Congrats. How did the TT go?

Originally Posted by bbeasley

Racing was everything I wanted it to be and more. It's been very motivating.

Since the race I've lost 11 lbs and am now sub clyde. 6 more and I'll be overweight instead of obese. This weight is for the first time in ~2.5 decades. I've picked up a Garmin 800, they're giving them away right now, so I can start loading workouts and using average heart rate.

My first goal is to be able to hang with the pack for most of the race. To do that, I realize I've got to ditch the excess weight and keep training. I'm not going to race again until I'm sub 180 (on my way to 155). This will be sooner rather than later.... totally focused.

Did I mention I'm a bike racer? Yeah, I said that

Originally Posted by bbeasley

Racing was everything I wanted it to be and more. It's been very motivating.

Since the race I've lost 11 lbs and am now sub clyde. 6 more and I'll be overweight instead of obese. This weight is for the first time in ~2.5 decades. I've picked up a Garmin 800, they're giving them away right now, so I can start loading workouts and using average heart rate.

My first goal is to be able to hang with the pack for most of the race. To do that, I realize I've got to ditch the excess weight and keep training. I'm not going to race again until I'm sub 180 (on my way to 155). This will be sooner rather than later.... totally focused.

Did I mention I'm a bike racer? Yeah, I said that

Originally Posted by bbeasley

Racing was everything I wanted it to be and more. It's been very motivating.

Since the race I've lost 11 lbs and am now sub clyde. 6 more and I'll be overweight instead of obese. This weight is for the first time in ~2.5 decades. I've picked up a Garmin 800, they're giving them away right now, so I can start loading workouts and using average heart rate.

My first goal is to be able to hang with the pack for most of the race. To do that, I realize I've got to ditch the excess weight and keep training. I'm not going to race again until I'm sub 180 (on my way to 155). This will be sooner rather than later.... totally focused.

Did I mention I'm a bike racer? Yeah, I said that

Originally Posted by Allegheny Jet

Congrats!, racer. Now HTFU and get in more races.

Originally Posted by caloso

Bbeasley, don't let a goal weight determine whether you race or not. Racing IS training, and believe me if we waited to race at our "race weight" , some of us might never race.