Ravin' on... Racin' Goals

[RoadRaven]

Thanks Shefly... I like your maths... power + headspace = attaining goals



OK... this forum... Well... this is supposed to be race reports, right?

Here's my first experience of a team time trial...

The idea in a team TT is that you start with the whole team, but only some of the team have to make it to the finish line. The team starts together - the idea is you get an effective paceline going and time trial the whole course but together.

Ramblers ran its second "5-up TT" a few weeks back and it was the first time I participated in one (the first 5-upTT cooincided with my 'worst' period day... cramps no good when you have others relying on your absolute effort). In a 5 person team, you can lose one person along the way - your final time is the time of the fourth person over the line. You might lose a person because they can't keep up, or they blow their legs or they have a mechanical failure - like a flat tyre.

This effectively means you MUST work as a team in order to get the best time. If you have a disparity in ability within your team, then it should become the responsibility of the strongest 1-2 people to stay with the others and do the bulk of the work on the front, in this way the best time for the team will be achieved.

Unfortunately not everyone in my team understood this... hence my delay in posting a race report... I was very disappointed in the event, although very pleased for the experience.

The course we had had two good hills in it (not ideal for a TT) and I warned the team they would likely lose me on the first hill, but I would work hard all the way out to it and help them get the best time to the first hill that I could.

So, the first hill arrives but we have already lost one person as she is not as strong on the flats as us, so now I really feel the pressure - I will be the fourth person across the line and my time will be the team's time - right? Well, maybe, if we had worked as a TEAM!

Only one of the team stayed with me as I struggled up the hill, and he pullled and pulled me trying to get me back to the front two members who gradually pulled away from us and seemed to be riding their own race.

I had completely blown my legs on the first hill playing "ketchup", and had only really recovered when it was time for the second hill. Bugger!

The girl we dropped before the first hill had managed to catch us as she is much more capable on the hills and I yelled at her to stay with Peter and I would see her at the finish line. I gratefully dropped my pace a fraction and spun some lactic acid out of my legs, before lifting my pace again and riding the remainder as an ITT.

At the end, I apologised to the guy who stayed with me and told him I would be working on my hill climbing. I also acknowledged the huge ammount of work he had done and credited him with the time we managed to get. If the other two had come back/waited for us and helped him to pull the fourth rider to the finish line, our time would have been loads better. I couldn't find the girl who ended up being fourth across the line, I haven't seen her at subsequent races.

I did not talk to the other two members of the team - I was toooooo angry with them. I know it is probably just a matter of people not understanding how a TTT works, but on the day I was just mad and the best thing was to just walk away.

[RoadRaven]

Well… my first “event” that is in my goal list is done and crossed off.
Tour de Beautiful…

The biggest lesson for me?
Never set a time-goal for yourself on an unknown course. This only sets you up for disappointment.

From the way people had described the course, I thought it was similar to another 50km course I have raced over. I had based a time for myself according to a flatter course with favourable winds.

So, my goals
– to complete the 50km race – achieved…
- to do it in a time of 1:45… nope. My time was 2:04:58.

It was a good little race – my sons entered also. My eldest won prize money in the 100km classic with 5th place. The son won who rode in the 50km came 4th. My two youngest rode in the 10km and got 2nd and 18th placings.

It was a hilly 50kms, no real flats anywhere, and although I could go down some of the hills at 60-65kph, coming back up was a mission at 10-12kph into a head wind.

Yup, the wind rose as the time went by. On the way out, some tail wind and lots of cross gusts. But at the turn-around the occasional tail winds transmogrified into nasty, strong head and side gusts.

The race itself? I got dropped after 6kms, so effectively rode the remaining 44kms on my own, hitching a lift with a few groups of riders for maybe a total of 1km before another hill meant I was dropped again.

So… a curious mix of satisfaction and dissatisfaction. I was pleased to race it – and when I look at my normal hill times, I rode it strongly for me. Disappointing not to get my goal time, but good learning in-as-far as knowing your course before setting goals.

Disappointing that although I could stay with the leading bunches on the flats I could not stay with them on the climbs. Disappointing that when I found people I could climb with, I would drop them on the flats. Disappointing I had no-one to help me on the 80 minutes beat back into the wind (it took me only 50mins to get to the turn-around).

Good learning again though. Most of my training/riding is based on consistent speeds, and on raising my consistent speeds. I need to increase my hill repetitions and practicing “surging” on hills as well as on flats. I need to increase the amount of interval training I do.

My main overall cycling goal is to time trial well, however, the reality is that most of the racing I do is road racing over semi-hilly or hilly courses. I need to be able to surge with the pack, to chase down breaks and attacks and to not get dropped on hills. So, there you have my aim for my training in the next couple of months. Its gonna be tough, but I need lots of practice

[btchance]

Just got a chance to read about your TTT. Too bad the other 2 people didn't stay with the rest of the team. Hopefully next time it'll be better.

Good job on doing the road race. I'm still way too nervous to even think about that. Oh, and I understand completely about having a hard time staying with a group of people. There's such a variation in speed. Glad you found things to work on, next time you'll do even better. Oh, and congrats for your sons. They did awesome also!

[RoadRaven]

Thanks for respondig BT
Yup, lots of lessons for me in these last two races...
(mutter mutter team time trial mutter mutter)

Most of the club racing I do was about 20km long, and since I have moved up a grade they are now 30-35km long, so the Road Race on Sunday was only my second 50km race. And although it is marketed as a "fun ride" alot (LOL, like me) are there to compete.

Just step in and have go, BT - do you have someone you can race with?
Our local club is awesome with a beginning grade (G) for all levels and abilities to have a go and see how they feel.

We have now instigated having a more experienced rider ride down a few grades with G-graders and the race is controlled to the half way point and the beginners practice pace-lining, changing gears for hills etc and race from the half-way point.

[RoadRaven]

Yup
Race today
38km race - 3 laps of a relatively flat course
I thought, tough grade, I have just moved up, first time I raced with them they dropped me on the first hill, second time I wanted to stay with them through the corners and be with them on the first straight til the grade hit a hill again... both times, no luck.

This time, with loads of specific training behind me and trying to be smart and and cater to what this grade does I think - I'll just hang on til the first lap is done and if I last the next two, it'll be a bonus.

Nope... I suck... 5kms into the 12.5km lap I am gone.
My darling partner keeps reassuring me that I am good at it, that I am improving, and if I want to get better I just need to keep working at it.

But we got home and I cracked a Zero and went and cried quietly on the deck outside. I felt such despair. I really thought I was better than I did today - I averaged nearly 31kph for the lap I did, but I just can't stay with the pack.

I really want to come to this thread and write about a thrilling race I am pleased with, not sulk to the world. but its so hard when I hear hubby and older son disecting their race of 43km average and my 16 year describing his which had a 40km average - and they all did FOUR laps!

*tucks head down near her wings and wanders away to another thread...*

[BikeMomma]

One thing's for sure....you do NOT suck!

I think you're more than awesome for just being out there doing it, ya know? I say be proud of what you CAN do, not down and dejected for what you can't. Your dh and son no doubt are proud of you for being who you are and going out there and trying your durnest. Be proud of that, too.

My attitude is, ultimately, racing is for fun, and it should always be so. If you're not doing well, forget the competition with others and all the comparisons that come with it. Turn it around into something positive -- compete against yourself. When I fall off the back in a crit and know I won't be able to bridge back up, I say "change of game plan" and just change the game to not getting lapped, or something stupid like that. Or I think about that lady on the far corner cheering away every time I go by, and I speed up to make her cheers worth it.

Definitely Raven, you're awesome. Call it another day completed and another experience to keep in the memory banks.

Chin up, girl. You'll have lots of other chances to show 'em your stuff.
Hugs,
~BikeMomma

[RoadRaven]

Thanks BM
My partner read my post last night. Hadn't realised how gutted I was.
And he has always said the same thing to me you have just written - racing should be fun.
Yestersday morning, I actually thought about coming and editing the self-pity out of my post, because it isn't really helpful.

I think I was just in some kind've shock after the Saturday race at how I felt. I have been disappointed at my results before, but never felt despair. And over a bike race? Crazy! But we had so many in the house I really couldn't talk it through comfortably with anyone. I just wasn't expecting the intensity of the emotion - and over a club race... and I didn't understand myself.

Next week, my game plan is changing. I will stay with them as long as I can and do no work at all (one mistake on Saturday was I tried to shut down a break! Stupid! Not when this is only my third club race with this grade! Sometimes you make silly calls and that was one).
So next week I sit in, hang on and if I don't enjoy it, I will ride back down a grade for the rest of the summer series. My partner suggested riding down a grade for a while - and it is such a good idea, because I have had very few races since October... I need to get race practice in again.

So thankyou for your words, BM, they are perfect... and my perspective is a bit more rational now... and I'm biking to and from work today...

Major lesson reminder for me... after a hard ride, you MUST go for a spin the following day. I just wasn't interested in hoping on the bike yesterday, but this morning my legs hurt sooooo much.

So I'm off to spin gently to work, a nice hours ride as the sun rises... thats what its about. I love riding on empty roads.