I’ve been racing for four seasons now (this one being my forth) on the road bike. I know that along the way I’ve learned a lot about training, riding, traveling and a lot about suffering. But somewhere along the line it seems like I’ve forgotten how to do something that inherently when I started four years ago was so simple. How to race.
My first season I raced a lot, and in the course of one year jumped from a 5 to a 3. Looking back some of my best memories were of that first year. I didn’t win, I’m still working on that one but I raced, raced a lot, and had fun doing it. Over the course of the following years things became more cloudy and complicated. Training got more structured; scientific. Racing became a game of calculation, don’t go too early the chances are too low, don’t go too late, you’ll get caught, who is willing to go, who is going to chase, how strong the chase will be…. In every race it was a matter of calculations. When I got a coach it seemed that it became more about number’s, sustained watts, max watts, time pedaling, etc. In the mix of this I lost what I had in my first year, racing.
This year has been rough! I’ve worked so hard and it feels like all I’m doing in some of these races is racing to hang on. Enough! For the Month of June I’ve decided to just race and have fun. I’m not doing any structured training (I’ll still be riding), and I’m not going to use a damn power meter!
With this in mind Saturday before the State Road Race Championships I went to the shop and took off the ERGOMO. It had been giving me some problems anyway and I needed to send it back to get checked out so I figured that this is a good time to get all of this done. Additionally, Marc at Bicycle World wanted me to try out some new chain lube. It’s called No. 5 and is supposed to last for 1,000 miles without needing to be re-oiled. So after cleaning my bike, removing the Ergomo, and doing all the other crap at the bike shop I was finally ready to go get some rest for Sunday.
I picked up Shave Dave at 4:00 AM so that we could drive up to Natchez which is about 3 hours away. Our race started at 9:00 (a 15 lap circuit race). Kate was kind enough to come drive so that we could sleep and she was also going to hand us bottles in the feed zone. It was going to be a hot day so we loaded up on water and I have to tell you the race started off really boring. Dan Bennett took off a little quick from the gun but didn’t make it 10 feet without someone being on his wheel. On the first lap I was told that a predominant team would work with me if I got off the front with anyone except this one rider who had beaten a teammate of theirs in the master’s race Saturday. So toward the end o the first lap I see a teammate of the guy I’m not supposed to get off with come to the front. I was guessing he was up there to cover attacks, etc. There was also a good mix of other riders at the front. So I attacked and thought that I might draw some people with me off of the front with me. Before I knew it the motor Ref came up and informed me I had 30 seconds. I was thinking “Well, I’ll hang out here for a bit and hope that someone bridges up.” The motor ref then tells me I have a minute then 2 minutes. My lead ballooned up to a maximum of 3 min. 30 sec. I ended up getting caught with 6 laps to go. I rode another two laps the first one trying to hang on and the second trying to catch back on. Then I pulled of and sat down. I usually don’t quit races but I couldn’t bear thinking of riding another 4 laps by myself.
I didn’t win the State Championship’s, I didn’t even finish, but I learned to race again and had a great time!
My first season I raced a lot, and in the course of one year jumped from a 5 to a 3. Looking back some of my best memories were of that first year. I didn’t win, I’m still working on that one but I raced, raced a lot, and had fun doing it. Over the course of the following years things became more cloudy and complicated. Training got more structured; scientific. Racing became a game of calculation, don’t go too early the chances are too low, don’t go too late, you’ll get caught, who is willing to go, who is going to chase, how strong the chase will be…. In every race it was a matter of calculations. When I got a coach it seemed that it became more about number’s, sustained watts, max watts, time pedaling, etc. In the mix of this I lost what I had in my first year, racing.
This year has been rough! I’ve worked so hard and it feels like all I’m doing in some of these races is racing to hang on. Enough! For the Month of June I’ve decided to just race and have fun. I’m not doing any structured training (I’ll still be riding), and I’m not going to use a damn power meter!
With this in mind Saturday before the State Road Race Championships I went to the shop and took off the ERGOMO. It had been giving me some problems anyway and I needed to send it back to get checked out so I figured that this is a good time to get all of this done. Additionally, Marc at Bicycle World wanted me to try out some new chain lube. It’s called No. 5 and is supposed to last for 1,000 miles without needing to be re-oiled. So after cleaning my bike, removing the Ergomo, and doing all the other crap at the bike shop I was finally ready to go get some rest for Sunday.
I picked up Shave Dave at 4:00 AM so that we could drive up to Natchez which is about 3 hours away. Our race started at 9:00 (a 15 lap circuit race). Kate was kind enough to come drive so that we could sleep and she was also going to hand us bottles in the feed zone. It was going to be a hot day so we loaded up on water and I have to tell you the race started off really boring. Dan Bennett took off a little quick from the gun but didn’t make it 10 feet without someone being on his wheel. On the first lap I was told that a predominant team would work with me if I got off the front with anyone except this one rider who had beaten a teammate of theirs in the master’s race Saturday. So toward the end o the first lap I see a teammate of the guy I’m not supposed to get off with come to the front. I was guessing he was up there to cover attacks, etc. There was also a good mix of other riders at the front. So I attacked and thought that I might draw some people with me off of the front with me. Before I knew it the motor Ref came up and informed me I had 30 seconds. I was thinking “Well, I’ll hang out here for a bit and hope that someone bridges up.” The motor ref then tells me I have a minute then 2 minutes. My lead ballooned up to a maximum of 3 min. 30 sec. I ended up getting caught with 6 laps to go. I rode another two laps the first one trying to hang on and the second trying to catch back on. Then I pulled of and sat down. I usually don’t quit races but I couldn’t bear thinking of riding another 4 laps by myself.
I didn’t win the State Championship’s, I didn’t even finish, but I learned to race again and had a great time!
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