Am I physically ready to attempt my first cat 5 crit?
#26
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To be fair to myself, my 20 minute peak power is probably a low estimate since it is derived from group rides and tooling around outside. I've not done a full-on 20 minute power test. But still it's not going to be a lot higher than what I posted. And I've lost 5 pounds or so in the past month, so I think I'm headed in the right direction.
Like I said before, I'll try the track first most likely. More suited to me I think.
Like I said before, I'll try the track first most likely. More suited to me I think.
#27
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To be fair to myself, my 20 minute peak power is probably a low estimate since it is derived from group rides and tooling around outside. I've not done a full-on 20 minute power test. But still it's not going to be a lot higher than what I posted. And I've lost 5 pounds or so in the past month, so I think I'm headed in the right direction.
Like I said before, I'll try the track first most likely. More suited to me I think.
Like I said before, I'll try the track first most likely. More suited to me I think.
#28
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The OP's question brings to mind a line from the movie Animal House: Do it, do it, ... , do it ... Or was it toga, toga....? Whatever, go race, come back to post about it and commiserate, and then go race some more. You could even say something like yolo.
#29
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If I do it this season, I'll definitely post about it here. I can already envision it.
"Was in the back third, trying not to get in the wind. Got behind the wrong wheel, and gap opened up. Decided not to bridge. Gap got big and I realized these were the guys off the back permanently. Made huge effort to bridge. Gassed. Next acceleration came and I was off the back. Soft-pedaled and watched the race unfold."
"Was in the back third, trying not to get in the wind. Got behind the wrong wheel, and gap opened up. Decided not to bridge. Gap got big and I realized these were the guys off the back permanently. Made huge effort to bridge. Gassed. Next acceleration came and I was off the back. Soft-pedaled and watched the race unfold."
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If I do it this season, I'll definitely post about it here. I can already envision it.
"Was in the back third, trying not to get in the wind. Got behind the wrong wheel, and gap opened up. Decided not to bridge. Gap got big and I realized these were the guys off the back permanently. Made huge effort to bridge. Gassed. Next acceleration came and I was off the back. Soft-pedaled and watched the race unfold."
"Was in the back third, trying not to get in the wind. Got behind the wrong wheel, and gap opened up. Decided not to bridge. Gap got big and I realized these were the guys off the back permanently. Made huge effort to bridge. Gassed. Next acceleration came and I was off the back. Soft-pedaled and watched the race unfold."
#34
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I've done training on the track. But you are right, I have never tried a crit or real track racing. So no real basis for comparison.
#35
Senior Member
If I do it this season, I'll definitely post about it here. I can already envision it.
"Was in the back third, trying not to get in the wind. Got behind the wrong wheel, and gap opened up. Decided not to bridge. Gap got big and I realized these were the guys off the back permanently. Made huge effort to bridge. Gassed. Next acceleration came and I was off the back. Soft-pedaled and watched the race unfold."
"Was in the back third, trying not to get in the wind. Got behind the wrong wheel, and gap opened up. Decided not to bridge. Gap got big and I realized these were the guys off the back permanently. Made huge effort to bridge. Gassed. Next acceleration came and I was off the back. Soft-pedaled and watched the race unfold."
#37
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To be fair to myself, my 20 minute peak power is probably a low estimate since it is derived from group rides and tooling around outside. I've not done a full-on 20 minute power test. But still it's not going to be a lot higher than what I posted. And I've lost 5 pounds or so in the past month, so I think I'm headed in the right direction.
Like I said before, I'll try the track first most likely. More suited to me I think.
Like I said before, I'll try the track first most likely. More suited to me I think.
#39
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I thought I sucked at climbing until I podiumed at Mount San Bruno HC this year. Compared to pure climbers, I am dead on arrival so it depends on who shows up.
#41
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I thought I was a time trialer until I started racing.
#42
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I put off crit racing for 5 years, mainly because it was scary and people hyped it up more than it was. If you ask a lot of casual riders they'll compare Crit Racing to the Hunger Games, and that you'll probably die before you upgrade to a 4. Things happen, but I would say the risk factor is marginally worse than a group ride.
Don't put it off for 5 years like I did and just try it out.
Don't put it off for 5 years like I did and just try it out.
#43
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I put off crit racing for 5 years, mainly because it was scary and people hyped it up more than it was. If you ask a lot of casual riders they'll compare Crit Racing to the Hunger Games, and that you'll probably die before you upgrade to a 4. Things happen, but I would say the risk factor is marginally worse than a group ride.
Don't put it off for 5 years like I did and just try it out.
Don't put it off for 5 years like I did and just try it out.
#44
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I was always worried if i was "ready" for my first race. I would ride with the faster groups and try to compare my self to the racers. My experience is you just have to do it. The group rides I rode in behaved nothing like the road races I have done. In the group rides everyone rode one behind the other easy to predict what each other was going to do including when the attacks were going to come. In the races, it was more of a giant blob going down the road at a high speed with riders on either side of you. if even the smallest gap came between me and the wheel in front of me somone would jump in it and then i was another spot back. Also attacks wont come when your expecting because people will try to do it where they feel they are best. this may be at a hill, at the beginning of a turn, or in the middle of a straight. i got dropped my first two races. What I learned most was not that i was necessarily weaker but i had to get more comfortable being very close with people all around me and not just right in front and back. Also you learn to conserve energy. when closing a gap if you give a hard few pedals and then have to tap the brakes to keep from going into the guy in front of you, well then you spent a little to much energy. Also if you aren't taking the turns as fast as the others, that is also more energy you have to spend to get back up to speed. So my experience is you wont necessarily lose because of lack of power, but a misuse of the power.
Like everyone else said though, just go. I had the same amount of fun in the races i got dropped in, as i did in the races i was battling at the front.
Like everyone else said though, just go. I had the same amount of fun in the races i got dropped in, as i did in the races i was battling at the front.
#45
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Just remember that the set of riders who lose every race is starters -1.
Win/Lose/Draw, you better enjoy the actual moments of racing because amateur cycling really doesn't come with anything beyond that.
Win/Lose/Draw, you better enjoy the actual moments of racing because amateur cycling really doesn't come with anything beyond that.
#48
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#49
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I know lots of fit and fast guys that thought that racing was going to be easy. And it wasn't. An early Elvis Costello lyric sums it up:
Why don't you tell me about the mystery dance
I want to know about the mystery dance
Why don't you show me
'Cause I've tried and I've tried, and I'm still mystified
I can't do it anymore and I'm not satisfied
Why don't you tell me about the mystery dance
I want to know about the mystery dance
Why don't you show me
'Cause I've tried and I've tried, and I'm still mystified
I can't do it anymore and I'm not satisfied
#50
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I know lots of fit and fast guys that thought that racing was going to be easy. And it wasn't. An early Elvis Costello lyric sums it up:
Why don't you tell me about the mystery dance
I want to know about the mystery dance
Why don't you show me
'Cause I've tried and I've tried, and I'm still mystified
I can't do it anymore and I'm not satisfied
Why don't you tell me about the mystery dance
I want to know about the mystery dance
Why don't you show me
'Cause I've tried and I've tried, and I'm still mystified
I can't do it anymore and I'm not satisfied
__________________
Formerly fastest rider in the grupetto, currently slowest guy in the peloton
Formerly fastest rider in the grupetto, currently slowest guy in the peloton