The Racing Thread..
Discussion
yonex said:
It's absolutely true that you're only fast when you're happy 
One of the contributors to me not being bothered was driving 3hr round trips for 50mins of riding midweek. Fun for a while, but....
I think the straw that broke the camels back for me this year was having driven a 2nd time nearly 2 hours to Kent to race on a course that suited me really well and hitting a pothole in the dark and blowing out my tub. That after I drove there the first time for the Divisional Champs and my di2 just died due to a battery outage 2 laps in. Furious. That after puncturing from the break of another Nat B where I could have done something etc, it all got a bit annoying and I stopped road racing basically and just did crits. One of the contributors to me not being bothered was driving 3hr round trips for 50mins of riding midweek. Fun for a while, but....I'll still race the national b races that I like as I know I can perform in them, but I won't feel obliged to drive ffor 4 hours just because its the only thing on that weekend for E/1 riders.
Welcome back to #2ndCatProblems Rob !! I feel you woes 100% , i can count on 1 hand how many BC open races ive done this year ... The enjoyment factor is slowly filtering away , if it wasnt for the Lee Valley Velodrome i couldn't see myself racing in the future . However i might contradict myself by doing some winter racing at Cyclo/Hog etc , i cant put my finger on why im tempted , but i think its the no frills and no pressure that tempts me ... racing old mind f
k this racing !!!
k this racing !!!Not quite in everyone else's league but scored my best finish yet in a CX race - 63rd out of 117 finishers. No idea how many starters.
I would have been higher as I was in the leading bunch on the first lap until I tried to overtake a few guys under braking and ran out of talent, ending up crashing by going over the handlebars by braking too hard!
Looking forwards to the next race in 2 weeks! I'm enjoying this muddy sport much more than crit racing.
Steve
I would have been higher as I was in the leading bunch on the first lap until I tried to overtake a few guys under braking and ran out of talent, ending up crashing by going over the handlebars by braking too hard!
Looking forwards to the next race in 2 weeks! I'm enjoying this muddy sport much more than crit racing.
Steve
Steve vRS said:
Not quite in everyone else's league but scored my best finish yet in a CX race - 63rd out of 117 finishers. No idea how many starters.
I would have been higher as I was in the leading bunch on the first lap until I tried to overtake a few guys under braking and ran out of talent, ending up crashing by going over the handlebars by braking too hard!
Looking forwards to the next race in 2 weeks! I'm enjoying this muddy sport much more than crit racing.
Steve
Nice one Steve, well done. Falling off is how you find the limits, either of grip, the bike, or your talent. BadgerBenji would approve, I've seen him find the limits many a time.I would have been higher as I was in the leading bunch on the first lap until I tried to overtake a few guys under braking and ran out of talent, ending up crashing by going over the handlebars by braking too hard!
Looking forwards to the next race in 2 weeks! I'm enjoying this muddy sport much more than crit racing.
Steve
whatleytom said:
Raced in the rain on Saturday, enough of a sprint to take 2nd, and enough points to get my 2nd Cat
Raced today in an E123, and got dropped after 90 mins! Tough racing with elites, not helped by drinks last night and not having any gels on the bike!
Hillingdon per chance Tom? Great result! I raced the 4th looking for my last two points. It was utter carnage. I can see why it has a bad rep.I saw a broken collar bone, possibley a wrist and a guy face down sparko. Raced today in an E123, and got dropped after 90 mins! Tough racing with elites, not helped by drinks last night and not having any gels on the bike!
210 watts for 42 kph suggests the circuit isn't hard enough. Cyclopark would probably be about 30-40 watts up and a few kph slower too.
https://www.strava.com/activities/419407217
Thanks! This was a 2/3 SERRL race at cyclopark, probably my favourite of the tracks round here.
I heard about that Hillingdon race, I wouldn't take that as a normal representation of it if I were you. Its usually a lot better. I'm guessing there are plenty of 4ths in a similar position to you, all pretty set on getting the final points they need to be promoted which results in all the crashes.
I heard about that Hillingdon race, I wouldn't take that as a normal representation of it if I were you. Its usually a lot better. I'm guessing there are plenty of 4ths in a similar position to you, all pretty set on getting the final points they need to be promoted which results in all the crashes.
whatleytom said:
Thanks! This was a 2/3 SERRL race at cyclopark, probably my favourite of the tracks round here.
I heard about that Hillingdon race, I wouldn't take that as a normal representation of it if I were you. Its usually a lot better. I'm guessing there are plenty of 4ths in a similar position to you, all pretty set on getting the final points they need to be promoted which results in all the crashes.
Well done on your 2nd Cat.I heard about that Hillingdon race, I wouldn't take that as a normal representation of it if I were you. Its usually a lot better. I'm guessing there are plenty of 4ths in a similar position to you, all pretty set on getting the final points they need to be promoted which results in all the crashes.
Spillingdon has a reputation for a reason. Too many riders on track , no concern from BC or event management for rider safety , flat circuit with pinch points and riders who aren't good enough to hold their lines. I think the comment there last time when a guy got a broken collarbone was 'oh well, there's another one'
The only time I felt comfortable was in the Masters or E1/2/3
whatleytom said:
Thanks! This was a 2/3 SERRL race at cyclopark, probably my favourite of the tracks round here.
I heard about that Hillingdon race, I wouldn't take that as a normal representation of it if I were you. Its usually a lot better. I'm guessing there are plenty of 4ths in a similar position to you, all pretty set on getting the final points they need to be promoted which results in all the crashes.
I should have gone to Cyclopark instead. I got 3rd in the last SERRL 4th cat race there. :-(I heard about that Hillingdon race, I wouldn't take that as a normal representation of it if I were you. Its usually a lot better. I'm guessing there are plenty of 4ths in a similar position to you, all pretty set on getting the final points they need to be promoted which results in all the crashes.
If it's any consolation the chap you lost to (presumably in a sprint) is on the youth track Olympic development squad
His Dad finished 9th which I thought was pretty cool. Ah, that's some consolation then! Explains the leg speed he had in the sprint on Junior gears too! There's a video of the finish on my blog at www.twhatley.com
gazza285 said:
Steve vRS said:
Not quite in everyone else's league but scored my best finish yet in a CX race - 63rd out of 117 finishers. No idea how many starters.
I would have been higher as I was in the leading bunch on the first lap until I tried to overtake a few guys under braking and ran out of talent, ending up crashing by going over the handlebars by braking too hard!
Looking forwards to the next race in 2 weeks! I'm enjoying this muddy sport much more than crit racing.
Steve
Nice one Steve, well done. Falling off is how you find the limits, either of grip, the bike, or your talent. BadgerBenji would approve, I've seen him find the limits many a time.I would have been higher as I was in the leading bunch on the first lap until I tried to overtake a few guys under braking and ran out of talent, ending up crashing by going over the handlebars by braking too hard!
Looking forwards to the next race in 2 weeks! I'm enjoying this muddy sport much more than crit racing.
Steve
I enjoyed your latest blog post Rob. As you say it's all about the enjoyment. I've got an absolute kicking at some races this year as a fresh 4th cat (divs most notably!) but if you're there suffering with your mates it's a lot more fun. I could have stuck to 4th only crits but I had good fun riding 3/4 and 2/3/4 road races despite knowing that points would be unlikely.
I've realised from my experience this year that If i can reach a decent 3rd car level I'll be happy. I'll need to drastically alter my lifestyle to get any further than that and sacrifice a lot of time with friends and family as a result. Seeing the strength of the young 3rds and juniors coming through and given the time they have to train as you say I'll have to work really hard to go beyond 3rd.
I've realised from my experience this year that If i can reach a decent 3rd car level I'll be happy. I'll need to drastically alter my lifestyle to get any further than that and sacrifice a lot of time with friends and family as a result. Seeing the strength of the young 3rds and juniors coming through and given the time they have to train as you say I'll have to work really hard to go beyond 3rd.
Everyone finds their level I suppose. I'm lucky in that I can just about compete with people doing twice as much training as me in many cases - why go full time if you're ste? That is a question I'd love to ask a few of them, but the relentless want to improve for me can be got in the TT side of things where its not all just about hours, more being smart with it. But yeh, enjoyment is paramount, I don't want to feel like I have to drive to a race, I want to want to!
I've set some pretty agressive goals for next season on the TT bike and will just take the road stuff as it comes.
te? That is a question I'd love to ask a few of them, but the relentless want to improve for me can be got in the TT side of things where its not all just about hours, more being smart with it. But yeh, enjoyment is paramount, I don't want to feel like I have to drive to a race, I want to want to!I've set some pretty agressive goals for next season on the TT bike and will just take the road stuff as it comes.
Good fun at the cyclocross today. Started on one bike, punctured tyre on the second or third lap, rode it back to the pits, knackering the rim. Jumps on the spare bike, managed two laps before ripping off the rear mech, completely destroying it to the extent that even the jockey wheels are beyond saving. Runs back to the pits, removed the wheel out of the now broken spare bike and puts it in the bike I started with. Completes the race. Get home and notice the huge egg in the front tyre. Ace.
My race (Otterspool Park) was a little less eventful from a destruction of equipment point of view but for the first time, I finished in the top half of the field! 66th out of 132 finishers!
Sadly, the bike is now in bits with the frame to be sent back to Giant to be assessed for the corroding down tube so I doubt I'll be entering another race in 2015
Maybe I need a spare bike
Steve
Sadly, the bike is now in bits with the frame to be sent back to Giant to be assessed for the corroding down tube so I doubt I'll be entering another race in 2015
Maybe I need a spare bike
Steve
That sounds like you had a good time gazza, hopefully you have had all your mishaps for the season in one go!
It looks like it was a nice muddy one this weekend for most, I couldn't justify a long trek up to Fakenham yesterday so had to sit it out and wait for next week.
Good job too because I decided to give the bike a decent clean instead and found that my jockey wheels were in a sorry state and would barely move! I've cleared out the mud, scraped off the mud and rust, covered them in grease and ordered a new pair. Hopefully the new ones will be here in time but at least the ones that are there should hold out for one race if I have delivery issues.
It looks like it was a nice muddy one this weekend for most, I couldn't justify a long trek up to Fakenham yesterday so had to sit it out and wait for next week.
Good job too because I decided to give the bike a decent clean instead and found that my jockey wheels were in a sorry state and would barely move! I've cleared out the mud, scraped off the mud and rust, covered them in grease and ordered a new pair. Hopefully the new ones will be here in time but at least the ones that are there should hold out for one race if I have delivery issues.
Expensive weekend that Gazza.
Well it was a weekend of two weathers for me. Saturday raced the NDCXL, which on course inspection was hard and dry, with an hour to go, the heavens opened and turned it into a slippy slop fest, with the solid ground underneath and an inch of slippy sloppy mud on top, great fun, finished 31st. Back to van washer out, get the bike clean and myself, one benefit of washing there is it gets the van warmed up for the drive home and I'm not washing a bike off in the dark.
Sunday was a bright day but with a stiff wind, for the lincs cyclocross league event, got a reasonable start avoided the first corner pile up, and just turned out a solid race which was a surprise as I didn't think I had a lot left over whilst warming up, but it's odd what you can find when the whistle blows.
Well it was a weekend of two weathers for me. Saturday raced the NDCXL, which on course inspection was hard and dry, with an hour to go, the heavens opened and turned it into a slippy slop fest, with the solid ground underneath and an inch of slippy sloppy mud on top, great fun, finished 31st. Back to van washer out, get the bike clean and myself, one benefit of washing there is it gets the van warmed up for the drive home and I'm not washing a bike off in the dark.
Sunday was a bright day but with a stiff wind, for the lincs cyclocross league event, got a reasonable start avoided the first corner pile up, and just turned out a solid race which was a surprise as I didn't think I had a lot left over whilst warming up, but it's odd what you can find when the whistle blows.
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