Racing tonight ...

Caroline_ie

And I am not prepared ... been studying instead of training ... any tips?

kenmc

handful of thumbtacks?

Hungrycol

I'm racing tonight too.

Tip: Keep Pedaling

Caroline_ie

... I'll have remember to try and pedal ... I can be lazy though ... it's going to be fun ... I am only going to race for the tea and bikkies at the end ... I hope they have nice bikkies this season.

Quigs Snr

Try to stay in the first third of the bunch, its smoother, safer and easier than being at the back. Expect to fight to stay there, riders will be coming around all the time and when they do, you have to move up again. You need to fight for your place, plus if you are feeling frisky you will be better placed to go with any moves.

clickerquicklic

Hey caroline , i'm not really qualified to give you tips as i don't race properly myself only commuting having a bit of craic, last year when i was doing alot of cycling i went mountain biking in ticknock and i was in a group that were racing and i was been totally outpaced i managed to just hang on to them and then near the end of the race gave it socks and came second.

Just get something to motivate you that for me is the key , i do alot of running and when i'm racing i try stay in a group and if someone breaks away i imagine im realing them in and then run up alongside them when im running or cycling i think of things like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4B-r8KJhlE and that is my absolute biggest motivation , we are only scratching the surface of how far you can push the human body, you can win that race tonight if you really had to , just believe in yourself and it doesn't matter how much training you've done just push yourself to the maximum.

Good luck

kenmc

Wow, that is some powerful clip you've just posted. Really makes you realize just how easy and lucky we have things sometimes.
humbled.

trek climber

Wow !!
There I was thinking how tough and painful the Wicklow 200 will be in a few weeks - its all relative

penexpers

Bikesnobnyc has a good article about amateur road races

http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2008/04/sitting-in-and-bowing-out-art-of.html

Caroline_ie

...' Amateur' ....?? 'AMATEUR'?? Who are you calling an Amateur!

hehehe thanks for the link

Chips Lovell

Hi Caroline, let us know tomorrow on how you get on. I'll be making my debut next month. Recently joined Orwell Wheelers and just got my race license. Just have to get my hands on some club kit now and I'm set to go.

I've got the jitters about it too but I'm hoping that its more fear of the unknown and that I'll settle down once I have a few under my belt.

smithslist

el tonto wrote: »

Hi Caroline, let us know tomorrow on how you get on. I'll be making my debut next month. Recently joined Orwell Wheelers and just got my race license. Just have to get my hands on some club kit now and I'm set to go.

I've got the jitters about it too but I'm hoping that its more fear of the unknown and that I'll settle down once I have a few under my belt.

el tonto, you should do the club league races on thurs evening....that will help you for the national races

Chips Lovell

smithslist wrote: »

el tonto, you should do the club league races on thurs evening....that will help you for the national races

That's my plan alright. It'll be mostly club league races and maybe a few of the open ones later on. Mind you, it's going to be tough getting out of work on time on Thursdays.

smithslist

el tonto wrote: »

That's my plan alright. It'll be mostly club league races and maybe a few of the open ones later on. Mind you, it's going to be tough getting out of work on time on Thursdays.

same here, i usually cycle out as traffic is a nightmare...and its good for the fitness also

wat group u startin in? recommend startin in the semi-limit, but really depends on how fit you are.

if ur doin this thurs race, the startin position has changed to batterstown and not black bull

Chips Lovell

Cycling out is the only option for me since I don't drive.

They've put me in the limit group, at least according to the website. I take it they bump you up a category if you're going well?

Won't be out this Thursday anyway since I've yet to acquire the kit and I believe they don't want you racing incognito.

smithslist

el tonto wrote: »

They've put me in the limit group, at least according to the website. I take it they bump you up a category if you're going well?

yeah they can bump u up if ur goin well.....but u can move urself up also

when the semi-scratch and\or scratch catch u the speed will increase, so u gotta hang on for as long as u can

el tonto wrote: »

Won't be out this Thursday anyway since I've yet to acquire the kit and I believe they don't want you racing incognito.

yeah no kit....no race

Hungrycol

Some ugly looking clouds out there. Let start to pray the rain hold off for us tonight huh.

Caroline_ie

el tonto wrote: »

Recently joined Orwell Wheelers and just got my race license. Just have to get my hands on some club kit now and I'm set to go.

An Orwellian friend!!! I will be wearing the kit tonight too Go Orwell Go!

I appologise in Advance for my bad results ...

Planet X

Caroline, if it's a shortish club race, they'll go from the gun, and that's handicapped races (CP)...to the finish. Our midweek club races range from 15 / 23 miles and they take no prisoners.
Don't let me put you off, it's a fantastic workout and as mentioned last week on the board, you'll not be able to sleep afterwards. We won't go into the details of that thread!!:D:D.
Depends really how many in the race and what the handicap gaps are. If you're put in the right bunch, it's not a problem. You'll fly along.
If you get dropped, like I did two weeks ago, you'll have to solo home and don't hope it gets too dark before you reach base! :eek::eek:

Enjoy it. It's addictive. I race twice a week at the moment and three times most of May if my body can hold it, prob not. Some may be only be short races of under 30 / 40 minutes though.

niceonetom

Caroline_ie wrote: »

An Orwellian friend!!!

two wheels good. four wheels bad.



sorry...

bunnygreen

El Tonto,don't worry about it,really,do your best,enjoy yourself,that limit group can go like the clappers but the others the semi scratch and the scratch......the fact your taking part is just great,come on the wheelers,i won't be there this week either but will be in Brittas the following week,i think its an easier course,fairly flat couple of small climbs,nothing major,i'll holler El TONTO as we get going.

Caroline_ie

A cycle race = 5 red bull ... yeah I am in great form, even if I got dropped I wasn't the last one ... I will blame it on the stupid fly that decided to get into my eye and make me lose the group ...( remember my shade got run over by a few cars las week and died ) .. it's ok though because I wasn't last

It was short enough race now, but I did it once last year but I only did a couple of laps and quit ... as i was just too lazy to try and keep up. And the other times, i was just there to Marshall ... and have a cup of tea after the race... you know .. we all need to recover ...

This year, I am really happy with my improvements and really makes me want to train more ... once the exams are over next week, I will be out most days again ... now with the exams, i really have no time and after I get back from work, I get into my jimjams and open the books ...

That's it anyway! I am sure next race I will be better!

Hungrycol

Last night I thought the finish line was nearer then it was when I led the charge around the last corner and blew :eek:! Doh!

ba

snap. the finish line always seems closer that it really is.