No More Paying to Ride in Circles

[SheFly]

I have been racing my bike for well over a decade. While I started out racing on the dirt, I soon discovered time trials and road racing, and then the vortex that is cyclocross. And I loved it all. The more races the better - I was having a blast!

This year, however, my enthusiasm to race is less. I still LOVE to ride my bike, but the racing is not as exciting to me. In fact, after my experiences racing on the road this season, I believe I am done with that discipline. Paying money to go and ride around in circles with other women at 15-16 mph, just to see who can outsprint whom at the finish, is not racing to me. I'll have no more part of it.

You see, I lack patience. In my first race of the season, I attacked, attacked again, and attacked some more. Each time, every one of the women in the field came with me, and then, when I pulled off the front, settled in to a 16 mph pace. In that race, myself and a teammate did the bulk of the time on the front of the field, trying to animate the race. I finally gave up and did what everyone else was doing - sat in and waited to race in the final half mile. I ended up on the podium, but didn't feel good about it.

This past weekend, it was more of the same negative racing. Really, if all you intend to do in a race is sit in the field for 20 or 30 miles, comment on how we must be having a coffee break now or what a great group ride this is, and then sprint at the end - what have you accomplished? Why not just have a 5 minute sprint race? Why waste all the rest of the time?

So, with my lack of patience rearing its ugly head again on the weekend, as we rode along at 15.5 mph, I muttered, "Seriously?", and then laid down an attack - ramping the speeds up into the 20+ mph range. Of course, the entire field marked the attack, and proceeded to sit on my wheel. When I finally gave up, the counter attack went and all of those "sitter-inners" went with it. Me? I got dropped, but I never felt bad; I knew that I had animated an otherwise boring ride around in circles.

I managed to catch back onto the group (thanks in part to the field being neutralized, but also in part to their speed vs. mine) and heard "Well, we won't catch them." I also heard the coffee break comment - from someone who never once put their wheel in the wind, never once tried to make it a race. If you are going to sit in and suck wheel, you have NO RIGHT to complain about the pace of the race - it's within your control to change. Don't wait for/expect someone else to do it! There were only 2 women in the main field who legitimately shouldn't have been working - they had teammates in a break up the road. The rest of the field, however, shouldn't have let one of those two set the pace at 15 mph...

My lack of patience got the best of me again at the finish - I jumped too early and dragged at least 3 of the "sitter-inners" with me, getting bested by them at the line. Yes, I know that part of racing is tactics - I've been racing long enough to know that and to understand how to make them work. But how did all of these women end up with the mentality that they would just sit in and sprint at the finish????

I think I'll switch my focus away from the road for now. The frustration level for me is just too high. Instead, I'll do what I do best - TT and MTB through the summer seasons, and cross in the fall. Those disciplines let me race - REALLY race. There is no hiding or sitting in, and I can truly feel good about my results. The effort is hard for the ENTIRE race, not just the final 200 meters.

SheFly

[DebW]

Good for you for getting what you want out of racing, and leaving what you don't need behind. Life is too short for infinite patience.

[bellissima]

SheFly, More power to you! I like MTB races, they are hard but also very rewarding.

[Crankin]

Don't do what is frustrating and makes you lose patience! You are good enough in more than one discipline to choose what you really like and leave the rest to those who are playing the games you describe.
I will have to come out and watch the TT one of these Wednesdays.

[gnat23]

Aw, that's a bummer. And that's probably the strategy for most crits and road races, to sit in, conserve energy, etc. Unless you'd rather start training like Jens Voigt and go for as many breakaway wins as you can muster.

I started having this same feeling when I realized I was the only one in my category at cross races. Sure, I still *sort of* raced against the other categories that I was out in the field with, but at the end of the day, it's less impressive when you're the only one on the podium. Like, great, I just payed $35 to go in circles and all I had to do was *not die*. I could have gone on a nice relaxing road ride out in the countryside, but nooo I had to get up early, etc.

Do what makes you happy; sounds like the "races of truth" let you show off more of what you're made of!

-- gnat!

[Kerry1976]

SheFly - it is awesome that you made this decision so you can enjoy your time on the bike and make the most of being competitive. Can't wait to hear about races to come in which you get to rock the course and work your butt off doing it against others trying to do the same thing.

[Biciclista]

thanks for sharing! I had no idea it was like that. I like how you shake it up.

[Catrin]

thanks for sharing! I had no idea it was like that. I like how you shake it up.

I had no idea it was like this at all, thanks! Mountain bike racing sounds like a lot more fun Not that I will ever do that, I am sure, I will be happy just to learn how to ride single track and have fun in the woods. I am certainly looking forward to hearing about your rocking the mtn bike racing scene

[limewave]

SheFly, that is frustrating! And I totally understand how you feel. I haven't done road racing, but I hear about it from a lot of friends.

I was looking into doing road races because there are very few mntn bike races in our area. But after considering, I decided not to bother for the same reasons you mentioned.

I love mountain bike racing. I love the chase. I also love that you have to be "on" all the time: paying attention to the technical aspects of navigating the trail while putting some power on the pedals!

[hirakukibou]

Hey SheFly,
What an interesting post. As you know, I am ALL ABOUT loving riding and not doing what is no longer fun. Good for you! I think it is courageous to follow your heart and all. I am impressed.
Cheers,
Hirakukibou (aka Pata)

[ehirsch83]

Shefly,

Do what makes you happy! I love racing on the road and have been super frustrated that I haven't been able to race really this year( lyme this summer and then sick on and off- which has turned out to be Epstein Barr Virus).

But anyways, I was getting frustrated with the women's races and I am not a sprinter- so I always ended up finishing towards the back when it came down to the last portion.

I learned that I have more fun doing a mens race- either cat 4 or 3 or masters. So for me,this year, racing before I got sick again, I did 50% women's races and 50% men's. It definitely helped me want to keep racing.

so morale of the story- do what you have fun with!!!

[Gowest]

I have to agree with Emily - try the men's fields - masters if you can - you will not be lacking for attacks!!! I personally don't have that situation here as women's fields are very strong and with lots of hilly/mountainous courses the attacks fly furiously at times - also in the crits. Can you cat up??? That may help too. I have experienced the exact tactics you desribe - and it IS frustrating - but unless you have a larger team - there really is nothing you can do unless you want to pull a Cancellara. Another thought is to do some time trials or track racing if it is available where you are - there are some aggressive women riders on the track for sure!