Finding "timed rides" and/or beginner road races in my area???

**Jiffer** · 10-06-2008, 09:46 AM

I have done several "organized rides", but nothing that is officially timed, or called a race. I can't even figure out how to find one if I wanted to do one. I have searched Active and Google. I find lots of organized rides and tt, crits and cx races, but nothing obvious is popping up that is a basic timed road race. When I look on Active, what do I look for so I don't have to click on every single ride, which often doesn't have any description at all?

Or are there other good search sites? I am in So Cal.

Thanks!

**Bluetree** · 10-06-2008, 09:48 AM

Not a lot of road races in SoCal... Baker-Death Valley, Sisquoc, Devil's Punchbowl and Boulevard come to mind. SoCalCycling has a schedule.

For timed, climbing events, look up Planet Ultra for the KOM series: Breathless Agony, Mulholland Challenge and Heartbreak Hundred. Each one is 100+ miles with 10,000+ feet of climbing. They also have ultra-distance events that are "races"

**smilingcat** · 10-06-2008, 10:26 AM

besides the one mentioned by Bluetree here in SoCal. ride around the bear held by OC wheelmen is time "unofficially". It's not a race just timed. The ride is sometime in June.

try ride calendar

and if you want to be added to their mailing list, it only comes out 4 times a year or so

register the list covers mostly california and some in Ut, Az, Nv, Wa, Or.

smilingcat

**Bluetree** · 10-06-2008, 10:32 AM

BTW, before biting your teeth off at the organized RRs, try out one of the (FREE) training rides that best simulate them. There are quite a few that go all-year around: Montrose Ride (SG Valley), Donut Ride (South Bay), Simi Ride (very tough, seasonal)...

A buddy of mine wrote a book that has most of the ride/route descriptions:
Bicycling Los Angeles County. A lot of it is fluff, recreational stuff, but there is some great info for even the tougher training ride circuit.

P.S. The Donut Ride route in the book is outdated (it's changed since the publication and has gotten considerably hillier). He gets a lot of ribbing on that one!

**Jiffer** · 10-06-2008, 10:57 AM

Thanks guys. My dh has done the KOM series and he came in 4th at Ride Around the Bear (you go Honey!

) ... but I'm not a glutton for punishment like he is, nor a good climber. I don't seek out ride names that that include words like "agony" or "heartbreak".

I just want to inspire myself to do a moderately challenging ride that is timed.

I get the Western States Ride Calendar, but few of those are obviously races, and if it is obvious, it's way beyond my level. I guess I just have to click on each one and read about them to figure it out. Even going to the Ride Around the Bear site, it's not obvious that it's a timed event, though.

There just may not be anything like what I'm trying to find for a person at my level to do around here. But I'll keep poking around. Thanks for the input.