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Date: 05 Aug 2006 10:01:42
From: Steve
Subject: Saturday Race Report (long)
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At 6:45 this morning, I was spanked in the biggest way possible. I was
spanked the way a pissed-off mom who just finished her Zoloft
prescription spanks a screaming kid in the middle of Toys 'R Us. I
got spanked the same way Muhammad Ali spanked George Foreman during the
"Thrilla in Manila." I got spanked . . . well, you get the point.
This morning, I promptly arrived at the Wollman Rink parking lot in
Prospect Park at five AM. Glancing around the dark, empty parking lot,
I thought, "Am I in the right place?" Turned out I was definitely
in the right place. I had simply arrived way, way too early as most of
the other riders didn't begin appearing until six or so.
First, I went through what I decided would be my pre-race routine:
unloaded my bike from the back of the truck, strapped on my shoes, and
sat on the tailgate watching everyone else inflate tires and dress in
all of the sportiest gear--colorful jerseys, wonderful bibs, and
fast-looking carbon fiber bicycles--while I looked fantastic in my red
Champion athletic shirt.
(I'm one of those guys who refuses to invest in an authentic cycling
jersey until I know I'm fast enough to run the pace of the Category 5
group. If I did well this morning, I'd hop online immediately
thereafter and order something nice. If not, I'd stick with the
athletic shirts.)
At some point, I realized I needed to ride a few feet up the road to
register and collect my number. Since I had arrived so early, I walked
up to the Pre-Reg desk and gave them my name. In return, the nice
gentleman handed me something to sign (I may very well have signed my
immortal soul over to the devil, but at six in the morning on a
Saturday feeling anxious because it was my first race, those were the
chances I was willing to take) and a number: 407. Grabbing a few
safety pins, I headed back to the truck to go about securing my
fabulous number to the back of my shirt.
Eventually, I figured it was time to get to the line. According to the
web site where I had registered for the race, Categories 1-3 would
launch at 6:30 exactly. Category 4 a few minutes after that, and
Category 5 at 6:36.
Somehow, I found myself on the front line of the Category 5 group and
that was far from the best idea I've ever had. Why would someone
with no bicycle racing experience--meaning me--want to start at the
front of the group that controls the pace? Unfortunately, that's
simply the position in which I found myself. To complicate matters, I
noticed my seat had somehow come loose a bit. Of all the frigging days
for this to happen, I thought, wiggling my seat up and down, hoping it
would stay relatively stable for the next seventeen miles.
To make matters even worse, I had the hardest time getting my left
cleat in the pedal once the whistle blew. Earlier I had noticed that I
was the only rider without the larger cleat/pedal style (forgive my
ignorance with the terminology), a mistake I'll be sure to correct
before the next race, but for this morning, I coasted along trying
desperately to get my damn shoe attached to the pedal so I could not
just keep up, but start to catch the group of thirty or so riders who
were starting to put some distance on me.
Eventually, the cleat slipped into the pedal and I began moving forward
in earnest to catch the rest of the riders. It took a minute or so
heading uphill, but I got there, and I'm going to do my best to give
you, the reader, my first impressions of riding competitively in a
group.
The sound of roughly sixty feet spinning in unison is rather
entertaining, as is the sound of the same number of tires rapidly
spinning over blacktop. That, combined with the rush of wind, creates
something of an initially exhilarating experience (I know I'm using a
disgusting amount of adverbs here, but bear with me for as long as you
can--thanks). Left and right, riders slip ahead and slowly fall
behind. Halfway through the first lap, I was feeling good. Part of me
knew I would have a very hard time managing that pace for five laps,
but another part of me didn't really want to hear it. That part
simply wanted to pedal and race and burn away the anxieties I had prior
to the conductor blowing the whistle and starting the race, so I
increased my tempo and inched toward the front of the group which sat a
second or so behind the pace motorcycle (the organizer had instructed
we were, under no circumstances, to pass the pace motorcycle). In
making that effort to move toward the front, I was forced left outside
the peloton (I'm not going to keep writing "group of riders" or
"group of racers," so I'm just going to go ahead and use
"peloton") and quickly found myself surprised by how much harder I
had to pedal with the wind directly in my face as opposed to drafting
behind another rider. I then found out something else about racing.
Once you're outside a certain line, it's not so easy to just hop
back in there.
I have so much to learn.
Regardless, I eventually found myself behind another rider and feeling
a lot better. With one lap down, we crossed the Start/Finish line and
began approaching the one big hill in the park (granted big is a
relative term) when I heard someone close to the front say,
"Break!" to which I immediately wanted to reply, "What the hell
for?"
When all the butts began rising out of the seats, so did mine. I
thought, If they're going to sprint up this hill, so will I. My legs
and my lungs, on the other hand, they had different ideas, and that was
when the peloton (there's that word again) slowly but surely left me
far behind.
As my friend said after the race, "It's a humbling experience,
isn't it?"
Humbling and embarrassing, that's easy to admit; yet at the same time
it's also motivational. Now I know where I need to be so I can ride
competitively. The riding I had been doing during the week might have
been enough in terms of miles, but by way of intensity, I've got a
long way to go.
I take some pride in the fact that I finished the race, the full five
laps (17 miles). Flipping through the screen on my new cycling
computer, I realized I had finished in just over fifty-one minutes.
When I asked the organizer the Category 5 winner's time, he checked
his clipboard and said, "Forty-five minutes." I finished six
minutes off the pace, which is incredibly pathetic, but again, I now
know where I need to be.
That was my morning. How was your Saturday morning?
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Date: 14 Aug 2006 12:10:05
From: Steve
Subject: Re: Saturday Race Report (long)
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> Congratulations on finishing your first race! I, too, just raced my
> first race this spring, though it was a road race rather than a
> criterium. I suspect yours was a criterium, due to the number of laps
> and distance. I too was dropped out the back, and got seriously
> spanked, even though I had done a lot of intensity training prior.
> However, there are many things to learn about racing that don't involve
> fitness to be a better racer.
>
> After my first dismal experience, I decided to join a development team
> in my area. It is similar to a racing club, but we have a coach to help
> us. I am learning about race tactics, team tactics and how to handle
> the bike in the pack. This is going to make my next race much more
> pleasant. Our team will do the first race together this month.
>
> One thing I wanted to point out is that you were perfectly positioned
> at the beginning of the race. The front line is the prized position.
> You want to be in the front 1/3 of the peleton, but not 'on the front'.
> This way, you get the advantage of the draft, but are in the safest
> place to avoid crashes. You are also in a better position to respond to
> attacks in the front 1/3 of the group. Also, if you are up front, and
> someone attacks on a hill (when they yelled 'break') and you are a
> little slower, you can fall slightly toward the back of the group but
> stay in the draft and work yourself up to the front again on the flats.
>
>
> Also, to race criterium, you should practice doing a fast clip-in on
> the pedal. It doesn't matter which type of pedal you have as long as
> you can reliably clip in quickly! Also, work on riding in a group,
> cornering, holding a wheel, and taking contact without falling over -
> things you will have to find friends to help you with. All these things
> will dramatically improve racing. Mix in some intensity a couple days a
> week to get your fitness to the next level. I highly recommend the
> Cyclist Training Bible by Joe Friel for fitness stuff. There are also a
> few good books on basic racing tactics.
>
> I have learned so much working with the team over the summer, and still
> have so much more to learn - much of it will come from actually racing
> some more. Good luck with your training and future races!
>
> Sarah
Thanks for the note. Contact on the bike is something I'm not much
worried about coming from motocross racing and I got my hands on a copy
of Chris Carmichael's "Ultimate Ride" training book, although I'm yet
to begin reading it.
You know, there are a few racing clubs in the area--CRCA and Kissena,
to name a few I know of--but I think I'm going to keep training solo
and push myself based on the numbers on my cycling computer just to
improve my level of fitness before I jump right back into racing.
Rolling around in the back of the pack isn't much fun. If my legs had
held on in that first race, I wouldn't have been dropped as quickly as
I was, so gotta work on that fitness, first.
You in the NYC area?
Steve
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Date: 11 Aug 2006 14:41:50
From:
Subject: Re: Saturday Race Report (long)
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> As my friend said after the race, "It's a humbling experience,
> isn't it?"
Hi Steve,
Congratulations on finishing your first race! I, too, just raced my
first race this spring, though it was a road race rather than a
criterium. I suspect yours was a criterium, due to the number of laps
and distance. I too was dropped out the back, and got seriously
spanked, even though I had done a lot of intensity training prior.
However, there are many things to learn about racing that don't involve
fitness to be a better racer.
After my first dismal experience, I decided to join a development team
in my area. It is similar to a racing club, but we have a coach to help
us. I am learning about race tactics, team tactics and how to handle
the bike in the pack. This is going to make my next race much more
pleasant. Our team will do the first race together this month.
One thing I wanted to point out is that you were perfectly positioned
at the beginning of the race. The front line is the prized position.
You want to be in the front 1/3 of the peleton, but not 'on the front'.
This way, you get the advantage of the draft, but are in the safest
place to avoid crashes. You are also in a better position to respond to
attacks in the front 1/3 of the group. Also, if you are up front, and
someone attacks on a hill (when they yelled 'break') and you are a
little slower, you can fall slightly toward the back of the group but
stay in the draft and work yourself up to the front again on the flats.
Also, to race criterium, you should practice doing a fast clip-in on
the pedal. It doesn't matter which type of pedal you have as long as
you can reliably clip in quickly! Also, work on riding in a group,
cornering, holding a wheel, and taking contact without falling over -
things you will have to find friends to help you with. All these things
will dramatically improve racing. Mix in some intensity a couple days a
week to get your fitness to the next level. I highly recommend the
Cyclist Training Bible by Joe Friel for fitness stuff. There are also a
few good books on basic racing tactics.
I have learned so much working with the team over the summer, and still
have so much more to learn - much of it will come from actually racing
some more. Good luck with your training and future races!
Sarah
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Date: 07 Aug 2006 06:07:45
From: Steve
Subject: Re: Saturday Race Report (long)
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> Every race I've ever been in the number gets pinned to side of the jersey so
> it can be seen by the officials as the riders cross the finish. Do they do
> things differently in Prospect Park?
On the left side of the back, so the #'s are readable from the left
side of the finish line.
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Date: 06 Aug 2006 19:54:53
From: Bob
Subject: Re: Saturday Race Report (long)
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chuck wrote:
> On 2006-08-06, Steve <okaywonderful@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > All in all, not a bad post but just FYI- the "Thrilla in Manila" was
> >> Ali vs Frazier and neither fighter got spanked.
> >
> >
> > I stand corrected, although if memory serves (which, as per the above,
> > it doesn't serve very well), Ali did spank Foreman, correct?
> >
> If you'd call playing on the ropes for 6 rounds before really fighting
> a spanking; i guess so. Ali outsted Foreman. Spanked? I don't think
> so. If Ali would have traded punches, he would have gotten killed.
That fight could have been called by the referee before the end of the
6th for non-combativeness but in point of fact, Ali took everything
Foreman threw and remained standing. As for trading punches, my old
boxing coach always said the first rule of boxing is to avoid getting
hit. The second is to hit the other guy. Trading punches is for those
who can't box.
Regards,
Bob Hunt
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Date: 06 Aug 2006 19:40:33
From: Bob
Subject: Re: Saturday Race Report (long)
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Steve wrote:
> All in all, not a bad post but just FYI- the "Thrilla in Manila" was
> > Ali vs Frazier and neither fighter got spanked.
>
>
> I stand corrected, although if memory serves (which, as per the above,
> it doesn't serve very well), Ali did spank Foreman, correct?
Not exactly, no. You're likely thinking of the "Rumble in the Jungle"
in Zaire when Ali TKOed Foreman in the 8th round to regain the title.
After Big George had worn himself out trying to penetrate Ali's
"rope-a-dope" tactic Ali finally started to fight. Not to take anything
away from Ali- he was a great fighter, took a lot of punishment in that
fight, and did eventually win- but if it had been anyone other than Ali
the fight would have been ended by the referee after 5 or 6 rounds
because one fighter was refusing to fight.
Regards,
Bob Hunt
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Date: 06 Aug 2006 16:05:10
From: Steve
Subject: Re: Saturday Race Report (long)
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> If you'd call playing on the ropes for 6 rounds before really fighting
> a spanking; i guess so. Ali outsted Foreman. Spanked? I don't think
> so. If Ali would have traded punches, he would have gotten killed.
True, but Parkinson's aside, Ali did what he had to do and won the
fight and took his belt back.
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Date: 06 Aug 2006 11:21:04
From: Chris Neary
Subject: Re: Saturday Race Report (long)
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>Saturday feeling anxious because it was my first race, those were the
>chances I was willing to take) and a number: 407. Grabbing a few
>safety pins, I headed back to the truck to go about securing my
>fabulous number to the back of my shirt.
Every race I've ever been in the number gets pinned to side of the jersey so
it can be seen by the officials as the riders cross the finish. Do they do
things differently in Prospect Park?
>Regardless, I eventually found myself behind another rider and feeling
>a lot better. With one lap down, we crossed the Start/Finish line and
>began approaching the one big hill in the park (granted big is a
>relative term) when I heard someone close to the front say,
>"Break!" to which I immediately wanted to reply, "What the hell
>for?"
>
>When all the butts began rising out of the seats, so did mine. I
>thought, If they're going to sprint up this hill, so will I. My legs
>and my lungs, on the other hand, they had different ideas, and that was
>when the peloton (there's that word again) slowly but surely left me
>far behind.
I expect "Break" meant a break had gone up the road off the front of the
group and the group was being roused to chase. That's why the speed picked
up.
>That was my morning. How was your Saturday morning?
First day back on the bike after three weeks (1 week travel, caught a bug on
the plane, and finally halfway recovered). Rode with a group of friends for
55 miles - probably longer than I should have. Speed wasn't stellar, but I
didn't hack up a lung and finished in reasonable shape. Probably take a
month to get back to where I was.
Thanks for the report, glad you had a safe and enjoyable race.
Chris Neary
diabloridr@tcsn.net
"Science, freedom, beauty, adventure: what more could
you ask of life? Bicycling combined all the elements I
loved" - Adapted from a quotation by Charles Lindbergh
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Date: 05 Aug 2006 20:42:02
From:
Subject: Re: Saturday Race Report (long)
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Steve wrote:
> > Part of my route takes me onto a MUP that runs along a local creek. I
> > got to see lots of butterflies and ducks.
>
>
> What's a "MUP?"
Sorry. Multi-use path. I don't use them a lot, but this particular
one, or a portion of it, shortens my trip to Canadian Tire and helps me
avoid some of the busier roads that I would otherwise have to use. The
fact that it's esthetically pleasing doesn't hurt either.
Jeff
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Date: 05 Aug 2006 20:07:53
From: Tom Keats
Subject: Re: Saturday Race Report (long)
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In article <1154831227.054757.106500@i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com >,
"Steve" <okaywonderful@gmail.com > writes:
>
> All in all, not a bad post but just FYI- the "Thrilla in Manila" was
>> Ali vs Frazier and neither fighter got spanked.
>
>
> I stand corrected, although if memory serves (which, as per the above,
> it doesn't serve very well), Ali did spank Foreman, correct?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Wasn't that in South Africa? I might be wrong or mis-remembering
about that, and I'm open to correction.
cheers,
Tom
--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca
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Date: 05 Aug 2006 19:29:11
From: Steve
Subject: Re: Saturday Race Report (long)
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> Part of my route takes me onto a MUP that runs along a local creek. I
> got to see lots of butterflies and ducks.
What's a "MUP?"
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Date: 05 Aug 2006 19:51:09
From: greggery peccary
Subject: Re: Saturday Race Report (long)
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"Steve" <okaywonderful@gmail.com > wrote in message
news:1154831351.323508.116260@i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>
> > Part of my route takes me onto a MUP that runs along a local creek. I
> > got to see lots of butterflies and ducks.
>
>
> What's a "MUP?"
>
probably multi use path. just about my least favorite places to ride.
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Date: 05 Aug 2006 19:27:07
From: Steve
Subject: Re: Saturday Race Report (long)
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All in all, not a bad post but just FYI- the "Thrilla in Manila" was
> Ali vs Frazier and neither fighter got spanked.
I stand corrected, although if memory serves (which, as per the above,
it doesn't serve very well), Ali did spank Foreman, correct?
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Date: 06 Aug 2006 12:05:18
From: chuck
Subject: Re: Saturday Race Report (long)
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On 2006-08-06, Steve <okaywonderful@gmail.com > wrote:
>
> All in all, not a bad post but just FYI- the "Thrilla in Manila" was
>> Ali vs Frazier and neither fighter got spanked.
>
>
> I stand corrected, although if memory serves (which, as per the above,
> it doesn't serve very well), Ali did spank Foreman, correct?
>
If you'd call playing on the ropes for 6 rounds before really fighting
a spanking; i guess so. Ali outsted Foreman. Spanked? I don't think
so. If Ali would have traded punches, he would have gotten killed.
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Date: 05 Aug 2006 19:12:10
From: Bob
Subject: Re: Saturday Race Report (long)
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Steve wrote:
> At 6:45 this morning, I was spanked in the biggest way possible. I was
> spanked the way a pissed-off mom who just finished her Zoloft
> prescription spanks a screaming kid in the middle of Toys 'R Us. I
> got spanked the same way Muhammad Ali spanked George Foreman during the
> "Thrilla in Manila." I got spanked . . . well, you get the point.
All in all, not a bad post but just FYI- the "Thrilla in Manila" was
Ali vs Frazier and neither fighter got spanked. When it was over
Frazier's face looked like he'd been beaten with a ball bat and Ali
collapsed and had to be helped from the ring. It really was the fight
of the century.
Regards,
Bob Hunt
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Date: 05 Aug 2006 10:58:41
From:
Subject: Re: Saturday Race Report (long)
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Steve wrote:
...snip...
> That was my morning. How was your Saturday morning?
Not nearly as impressive as yours.
<aside >
Good job. Don't stop.
</aside >
I took a very short ride (3 miles each way) to the local Canadian Tire
(I'm not sure what the American equivalent of Canadian Tire would be -
if there is one - perhaps Pep Boys on serious steroids?) for a few odds
and ends. I've been battling a nasty sinus headache for a week and
really didn't want to crank up the heart rate, so it was a slow, easy
ride, partly into a 30KMH headwind.
It actually rained yesterday (and today after I got home) and there was
still some of that lovely fresh smell/taste to the air. As I rode, it
occured to me that I ought to thank the store manager for providing a
bike rack (CT does sell bikes and accessories - nothing to write home
about, but that store, at least, also provides a bike rack), which
makes it a lot easier to bike there when it's appropriate.
I can go the entire way on relatively benign roads - maximum speed
limit is 50KMH (30MPH). Most of the roads have very little traffic.
Since the store opens at 8am, even on Saturday, I was able to go before
the weekend traffic picked up.
I narrowly avoided becoming a hood ornament. Coming round a corner -
right hand turn - on a winding residential street, a young driver going
the opposite direction decided to cut the corner, coming completely
into my lane, missing me by maybe half a meter (20 inches). Never
trust anyone under 40 8^)
Part of my route takes me onto a MUP that runs along a local creek. I
got to see lots of butterflies and ducks.
I saw a surprisingly large number of people out for what appeared to be
purposeful bike rides (as opposed to pleasure rides). I was not the
only person using the bike rack at CT this morning.
Jeff
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