crit advise?

[alison_in_oh]

You totally should go for it! But make sure that if you do race that day, you put down nutrition no more than 2 1/2 hours beforehand. I had a teammate choke down a Cliff bar minutes before the crit and she didn't feel so good.

Do you not have many women racing in Ohio? We nearly set a record on Sunday with 39 women in the race. The average speed was 22mph. Female participation in the PNW has grown significantly, despite 50% chance of showers. And typically they will separate the Cat 4's from the rest of the group. The 1/2/3s always race together. But I look forward to the races with the combined fields. I strongly believe that you're only as good as your riding partners.... advancing up a field can certainly boost skills.

I'm not really sure yet. This particular race is just the weekly local crit, 2 mile lap through a business park. There's an A and a B group, split approximately 1/2/3 and 4/5. I'm told there are about 5 women who ride regularly enough to be "known", one of whom rides with the As.

There are women's races out there, but I think the turnout is low and they usually combine all categories. I understand it can be kind of demoralizing to be brand new and riding with the Cat 1 women!

I think I'll skip out for this week, it'd be too tight to get home at 5:15, get some food in me, prep my bike, drive the congested freeway for as much as 45 minutes to an hour, register and start at 6:30. But if I like what I see as a spectator I'll think about ways to streamline the prep for next week.

The only reason I want to race is as a benchmark. I read somewhere that some people train to race and others race to train (ie to keep motivation up for regular riding). I think I fall in the latter group. So you're right that the challenge of riding with those better than I is just what I need!

[alison_in_oh]

Mostly copied from my post to bikeforums:

I went last night's crit sans bike. The B group did 11 laps. About a third of the pack, including all four or five women, were dropped in the first lap. Everybody just kept gamely struggling along (and getting in the way of both main packs, and screwing up the race coordinator's ability to keep track of placements!) From conversations among the B group riders and from eyeballing it, the main pack wasn't doing more than 24 on the straightaways. I was chilling at 24 in my small ring this morning on my commute, and have ridden on group rides with Cat 2 and 3 racers where I sat in and spun at 26-27 or more. So as far as basic speed/fitness: I think I can do this. I think I'm going to bring my bike next week.

Yes, I'm sure that I'll get gapped and lack power to keep up with any bursts of speed, and yes there's a 120 degree hairpin that scares the crap out of me, but I think if I stay in the middle at the start the laggards will drop off behind me and if I keep an inside line as y'all suggest I'll stay up in the turn. I think I can manage not to completely embarrass myself.

[spazzdog]

Alison... you go grrl!

And check in the "Downhill" thread... I posted some diagrams last night that show the lines to take on a variety of turns.

spazz

[Pink Kona]

Scoping out the course is key to completing it. You know where the turns are, or in this case THE turn is - and where people get out of their saddles. Hopefully enough of it will have sunk in so that when you're racing it - it will come back to you. The surges are inevitable - but placing yourself in the front 2/3 will conserve 5-10% more energy then if you're hanging on in the back for dear life. If you're on the back - try for dear life to move forward.

I am so excited for you Alison! I can't wait to hear how it goes. Training wise - sounds like you're getting some awesome base miles commuting. I would throw in a sprint effort too - if you don't already. In the end it comes down to the sprint. And if you master it - you will be faster than 95% of the women out there. (Let me know if you'd like some sprint workout suggestions.) Good Luck!

[alison_in_oh]

I am so excited for you Alison! I can't wait to hear how it goes. Training wise - sounds like you're getting some awesome base miles commuting. I would throw in a sprint effort too - if you don't already. In the end it comes down to the sprint. And if you master it - you will be faster than 95% of the women out there. (Let me know if you'd like some sprint workout suggestions.) Good Luck!

Thanks, I'm excited too! I don't have a structured training program yet, but I'm trying to study up on the best way to improve in all-around ability. I think that sprints and long steady aerobic effort are things I need to work in. My usual rides have been a couple of hours of fartlek-style intervals, riding at a high-aerobic heartrate (averaging 85% of max), hitting the hills hard, and occasional bursts of effort to catch back on with the guys I'm riding with, or to make a light before it changes.

Man, I hope my new saddle comes soon! And spazz -- thanks for the images!