crit advise?

[spazzdog]

Thanks BikeMomma!

I haven't purchased the Carmicheal book (yet). I have and am using "Bike Racing 101" by Kendra & Rene Wenzel. I like it because they address (in terms of pronouns) women almost throughout the book.

I'm in the building phase... hopefully I'll be able to try a race toward the end of the season. Waiting to pick up my license until I'm well into training and feel that I'll be able to enter a race without killing myself (or someone else). It may turn out that it would be better to get more training under my belt and wait until beginning of 2006 season to race. The games aren't until July so there would be 3 months of opportunity for local races here in New England... unless I come out to CA early next year for a little race then the Cindy

Pink Kona, keep posting your progress here in this thread. I'm living vicariously... you go grrl!

spazz

[Pink Kona]

I had my lungs handed to me today on a silver platter. They were battered, bruised, asthmatic, purple and had a tight fist clenched around them. It hurt. It actually hurt more once I stopped and my heart rate caught up.

The notorious Boat Street crit was this morning. They lumped all the cats together and some big names showed up. Which meant the pace was relentless. I hung tough until lap 9 when my lungs weren't getting enough oxygen to my legs fast enough and I was spit off the back. I was one of the last Cat 4s to last though - and it came down to the pro riders sprinting to the finish. Had I hung on 1/2 more of a lap the pace slowed and I may have completed the course. It was an expensive 12 minute training race!

Crits are intriguing. They can spank you - but if you maintain and can get through the first 15 minutes, then you'll be a contender for the finish. Next weekend is another road race -my favorite. It's a 65 mile climbing race. Then the following day is another crit. I'll let you know how it goes... thanks Bike Momma for your encouragement! Bike racing is not easy.

[BikeMomma]

I had my lungs handed to me today on a silver platter. They were battered, bruised, asthmatic, purple and had a tight fist clenched around them. It hurt. It actually hurt more once I stopped and my heart rate caught up.

Owwie! Owwie! I feel your pain - oh man, been there done that!! And somehow insane enough to seriously consider doing it again!

I hung tough until lap 9 when my lungs weren't getting enough oxygen to my legs fast enough and I was spit off the back. I was one of the last Cat 4s to last though - and it came down to the pro riders sprinting to the finish. Had I hung on 1/2 more of a lap the pace slowed and I may have completed the course. It was an expensive 12 minute training race!

Good job!!! You're almost there!!

Crits are intriguing. They can spank you - but if you maintain and can get through the first 15 minutes, then you'll be a contender for the finish. Next weekend is another road race -my favorite. It's a 65 mile climbing race. Then the following day is another crit. I'll let you know how it goes... thanks Bike Momma for your encouragement! Bike racing is not easy.

Not easy, but ohhhh so fun!! Good luck with the road race...they're my favorite too. Eeeewww, climbs.....

[BikeMomma]

The games aren't until July so there would be 3 months of opportunity for local races here in New England

Spazz!! Any news about the Gay Games? Did you ride in it this year?