shrinkboy

an update-- raced the Tuesday Night Criterium in Plano last night, and easily stayed in the bunch. felt as if i had all the fitness necessary to be there, and even launched a couple attacks, just to see if i could; the sprint launched when i wasn't expecting it, so got caught at the back. but i didn't care, because by then, my reasonable goal of staying in the bunch had been reached. tactics are still not there, and cornering needs work, but hey, it was one hell of a lot better than last week. i've got crits tomorrow night at Fair Park, and Saturday at the Matrix Challenge.

thing that gets me is this: i'm doing the 'C' races in these weeknight things, and the field never looks to me like 'C' racers-- they look like 20, 30, and 40 something hardasses. just sayin'...

anyway, thanks for all the support up above, and i'll keep reporting in.

shovelhd

You should start a thread in the Road Racing forum section (33). Race stuff belongs over there. Or ask a mod to move this thread.

Snapperhead

I am 47 and thinking about getting into racing for the first time. I would be elated to just finish on two wheels, and not be dead last. Well over half the 47 year olds I know can't even ride 10 miles at a slow pace.

Homebrew01

Makes it more satisfying to place ahead of kids 20-30 years younger

chackern2

Man, you guys me hope. After a 20 year lay-off (due to a knee injury that was mis-diagnosed), I started riding again 2 years ago. I am now 43 and the itch to race again has started growing. Riding with my 11 year old son helps alot. It helps to keep me balanced. Keep it up Shrinkboy

Homebrew01

Go for it. I was 44 when I re-started racing (15 years off or so). 1st race was a 35+ masters crit. Managed to avoid DFL and finished 100 yeards behind the winner.
I can hang in and contest some sprints in the 45+ and cat 3 now. Though I think I'll get smoked when I try a hilly road race like Bear Mountain .

GirlAnachronism

I regularly get my legs ripped off by women who are 30+ years older than me. I just hope it doesn't take me 30 years to catch up to them!

shrinkboy

the attitude i've tried to maintain since first race in january of this year, my tenth being tonight at Fair Park, is to have no expectations whatever except to finish without getting pulled-- i got pulled about a month ago for being lapped in 40+ crit that was fast as BLAZES. so far, that's it. shovelhd points out above to set reasonable expectations. my reasonable expectations are to get a good start and finish the race, first, and to try and finish within the bunch if possible. this is not always possible, and that's ok. anything beyond finishing in the bunch is pure icing...there is a lot of good advice above, but racing is a learn by doing, not learn by conceptualizing kinda thing. one must simply commit to racing as often as possible, understand ahead of time that you will get hammered, less and less often as you progress, but be willing to call it a win if you finish. bike racing is so damn hard that a mere finish is a victory, in my book.

one must be willing to be a beginner, to accept whatever comes, and not give up.

caloso

I don't know about other districts, but in NorCal the M35+ races are wicked hard.

bostongarden

Nice thread shrinkinator; sweet post shovel.

shrinkboy

tried a breakaway last night by impulsively joining a guy who went off the front near the end of the first lap; we enjoyed a few laps of freedom, before being closed down HARD and i popped after the attacks started and couldn't hang with 'em. somebody up above mentioned trying different things, and last night was my night to try aggression; kinda wish i hadn't, because i felt really good and could easily have stayed in the front 5, but i just had to give it a go. the rest of the ride was a tough session with some other guys who were off the back -- that's racing, huh?

next up, Matrix Challenge, tomorrow night.

shovelhd

Well, not really. Knowing what you have in the tank and for how long is critical information. Your interval work and group rides should give you an idea.

shrinkboy

thanks for following the thread, shovel, your replies have been really helpful-- don't quite get your 'well, not really...'-

shovelhd

In terms of "that's racing". Racing is what you make of it. There is very little luck. Sometimes there are situations you cannot avoid, like some dumbass taking a left turn in front of you in the field. There's no avoiding that, and unless you could have seen it coming, no way to know. That's bad luck. Mechanicals can be bad luck if they're caused by things out of your control. But in general, you make your own luck on the race course. Trying new things is a good thing, but you should know what you're capable of first. That's all I was saying. Keep up the good work.

Banzai

Have you thought about finding a therapist with whom you can discuss this issue?

mmmdonuts

I agree with shovelhd. You should be racing to be there at the end. Your experience as a former Cat 3 should help you get there. If you don't have the form to try things then you are wasting time and money doing so. By getting popped early in the race you are losing out on race speed work you should be getting in now.

shrinkboy

couldn't agree more, donuts. it was a spur of the moment thing- a 'what the hell' thing- i won't do that again, for sure. but i had to do it to find out what i could do. on group rides, i am usually pushing the pace, and have a history of being a strong time trialist. there wasn't a lot of thought in it, and i just took a shot---to me, its all a part of the (re-)learning curve. former experience seems so far in the past, with 20 odd years of competition in an environment so NOT cycling (swimming), that it all still feels very, very new to me, in a familiar kind of way.

last night was only my 7th criterium of the year, and the 7th since returning to the sport after 25 years. so far, pulled once for being lapped, 3 bunch finishes, one being 8th place. i'm ok with it.

but i promise all posters, no more 1rst lap breakaway attempts!

and no, i've never thought about trying to discuss this with a therapist- it's just too crazy to try and talk about, banzai

GirlAnachronism

I disagree. How do you know you don't have the form if you don't ever try anything new? And if you suspect that you can't win from a field sprint why wait around saving your energy to get beat on the last lap? Race to win, don't race not to lose.

mmmdonuts

Someone who raced enough to become a Cat 3 should know. He should also know that burning your matches in the first few laps of a race when trying to get back into shape is a bad move. My interpretation of what shrinkboy has posted so far is that he's racing to survive and get back into racing shape.

shovelhd

It's not necessarily a bad move. As a "strong time trialist" it's probably the best way for him to win. Again, it comes down to knowing what you have in the tank and for how long, and choosing the right time to go.

There's nothing wrong with trying things in a race to discover where you stand. I prefer to do it where the stakes aren't so high, like in training, on group rides, and in training races. If the OP chooses to do it in a race, that's OK too. His choice.

caloso

I can't fault the OP for being aggressive and trying something in a race. It's a good way of determining the number and size of matches in your book.

shrinkboy

that was my thought, caloso.

gregf83 

Group rides and interval work don't always provide enough information to determine whether you and one other rider could stay away in a two-man break. It depends on:
- the strength of the other rider
- how big and quickly a gap can be established
- how hard the field wants to work
- effectiveness of team mates left in the field.

Seems like a good gamble.

mmmdonuts

I wish I was in a position to do what you have and get back in the game. You're doing alright.

shrinkboy

just a follow up bump on this thread-- a few weeks ago, i acquired a CAAD9/Dura Ace and immediately fell for it. that bike handles like nothing i've ever been on, and my confidence went up notches. i've raced on it 3 or 4 times already, and the getting dropped thing is in the past. i've had 1 top 10 finish since then, and 2 or 3 more bunch finishes. still working on that last lap thing, being in the right place - but staying in the lead group is now not a problem at all and i can dive bomb corners with the best, sprint out and be comfortable staying in the lead group, even attacking some ...its been fun

i know forum members were losing sleep on this so...just thought i'd update ;~))