Actually it was a training crit put on by my club. It was a whole lot of fun, for about 25-30 minutes. At that point I realised that I was not in shape for this sort of thing. I did learn a bit about what I need to train though (recovery and general endurance), that was good. Near the end there it was like when I challenged a Viper to a race in my Taurus, I got killed, but I enjoyed every second of it.
Well, did my first crit (sort of)
1 - 6 of 6 Posts
Joined
·
7,851 Posts
Try it again soon.tubafreak said:
Odds are that your comfort in the group around tight corners will improve dramatically, and you will waste less energy braking, sitting out in the wind, and being tense. It may help you stick with the group.
It could also be the case that you got dropped like a lead weight and need dramatic fitness improvement. If that wasn't the case, get out there and try next week.
Silas
I assume that you stayed in for about 25-30 min? If so I think you did well. Crits are known for dropping sometimes half of the field even in higher categories (cat 1,2,3). They can be very hard to hang in if you are at the back of the pack. Anyway stick with it as your fitness and racing skills will increase quickly.
Joined
·
133 Posts
Dropping Your first time is no big deal
It is very common for many racer's to drop on their first race, for a number of reasons, nervousness, inexperience like silas mentioned and fitness. Generally though fitness is not the biggest issue, although with crits it may well have been depending on how fast the surges were, and where your position in the pack, or line was, and whether it was a cluster or a neat line. Look at it this way, you can't do any worse, so keep coming back trying to stay with the pack but expecting to drop (of course still trying your heart out) and you'll get it.
Matt
It is very common for many racer's to drop on their first race, for a number of reasons, nervousness, inexperience like silas mentioned and fitness. Generally though fitness is not the biggest issue, although with crits it may well have been depending on how fast the surges were, and where your position in the pack, or line was, and whether it was a cluster or a neat line. Look at it this way, you can't do any worse, so keep coming back trying to stay with the pack but expecting to drop (of course still trying your heart out) and you'll get it.
Matt
I'm thinking it was a combination of discomfort in the pack (I was in the wind most of the time) and a lack of race fitness (I've been off the bike for various reasons for ~ 2 weeks). I do plan on doing the next one of these races (only $6 for the afternoon and a fun time all around) and will (hopefully) keep up a little better the next time.
As for the pace, think mid 20's with surges into the 30's.
It shouldn't really matter, but I was the only one there with a steel bike and touring tires (stock tires). At least I was comfortable...I guess.
As for the pace, think mid 20's with surges into the 30's.
It shouldn't really matter, but I was the only one there with a steel bike and touring tires (stock tires). At least I was comfortable...I guess.
1 - 6 of 6 Posts
