Road racing - need tips from a woman's perspective

[kaian]

I ride by myself more than I ride with groups. A group that I rode with a little last year was not fun. They rode in areas where there were too many cars, too many traffic lights, bad roads (potholes) and some of the people in the group didn't know how to keep a line or pay attention when people stopped suddenly in front of them. Eventually I stopped riding with them because I would be in so much pain from the 35 mile rides due to the jerky, sudden stopping and really bumpy, messed up roads.

So...I think I'm pretty good at riding solo (thus used to pulling my own weight and not drafting off of others), but I think next season I'll ride with another group to get my speed up and learn the ropes. On flat terrain with little wind I think I can maintain about 19-20 MPH by myself consistently. Of course I'll have short bouts of 22 or 23 MPH, but as far as holidng a speed, it's closer to 19 or 20. It's not great, but it's a start. I'm small (5 ft tall. 110 lbs) and sometimes I feel like my short legs limit me. Plus I have 650c wheels. Are any of these things going to put me at a disadvantage riding with taller or bigger riders? Hill climbing seems to be something I am good at because I am pretty light and have somewhat muscular legs. Even when I am tired, it's almost like I have a "booster" switch in my quads that kicks in and allows me to charge up a hill. I'm sure most experienced riders could still pass me with no problem, but at least I have something to work with.

Right now since it's Winter in Michigan, I'm spending my time on the trainer. Does anyone have any favorite trainer drills? I'm using Spinervals here and there.

[bluerider]

Your top end sprint should be at least 34 mph.

Crikey that is FAST. I'm an aspiring racer and that just put a dent in my aspirations pretty quickly. Do you mean is when you are racing with a pack or on your own?

Nonetheless, this post was fantastic and extraordinarily helpful.

Thanks

[BikeMomma]

Do you mean is when you are racing with a pack or on your own? Nonetheless, this post was fantastic and extraordinarily helpful.

Bluerider - she means your fastest standing-up-in-the-pedals finish line type speed....34mph is quick, yes, but the guys go over 40!!

I agree, pkq's post was great. Lots of good info there. Thanks from me, as well, pkq.

Speed Rules...
-BikeMomma

[BikeMomma]

... but I think next season I'll ride with another group to get my speed up and learn the ropes.

Does anyone have any favorite trainer drills? I'm using Spinervals here and there.

Yes, definitely start riding with groups. Not only do you learn drafting, but you'll feel much more comfortable in them. Remember, racing involves bunch sprints, chases mid-race and much much much drafting. It's also riding at very close quarters, and often you'll touch shoulders, handlebars, etc. You absolutely HAVE to know how to and feel comfortable riding in situations like that, or you'll be a danger to everyone there. After a while of riding with others, you'll develop a "feel" for your space. A quick glance behind with only your peripheral vision will give you a mental "map" of where everyone is. These two things, knowing how much room you need and where everyone is, will help you in swinging out to attack, sprinting against targeted competitors, maneuvering within the peloton, etc. It's an absolute essential to have that "pack" sense.

As for the trainer, I found, oddly enough, that riding at the start of the news hour or my favorite show and riding to the very end of it makes time fly by. Hammer during the commercials, cruise during the show. Easy as eating Thanksgiving pie! I've even prolonged a trainer session by saying "ok, just one more American Idol singer"....then another, and another.

[runnergirl]

Great post on why group riding is important bikemomma!

I was just refelcting on that during the team ride this morning, there was a new guy who had very little clue, and it was amazing how different the "group feel" was as everyone adjusted to give him berth. I aspire to be like the really smooth riders on the team, I'm not sure really how to describe it, other than that they are so at one with the bike that nothing fazes them. They are easy to ride behind because they are so predictable. While I'm no longer a danger to others, I'm no where near as predicatble or rock steady as they are yet.

Kaian, if you haven't rode with groups much I would try riding with a touring/recreational club first. As much as it pains me to say, racers can be very territorial (though they're usually kinder to women), it would be best to have paceline basics down before looking for a team.

That said, being on a team makes a big difference. Most teams have deals where they reimburse race entry fees and some travel, plus sponsorship deals like a free helmet a year, cheap gel/e-caps, etc. If there are other women on the team you can work together during races--the top women around here are on top because the team has 5 women who work to get 1 a win. Team rides make a huge difference, even when you're tired and it's 30 degrees outside you have to show up and ride hard. Plus it's nice at a race to have people to hang with while your waiting/warming up/cheer you on etc!

Question on the 34mph, I do 200m sprints and can't get over 30 at that distance. Over a slightly longer distance I can get into the mid-thirties. What is the best acceleration distance to work on since it changes from race to race?

[pkq]

Bluerider, BikeMomma had it. That needs to be your top end speed whether solo or pack riding except yours will need to be higher. Don't let that dent your aspirations though. You can do it. It just takes a lot of work. Since you already have the dedication to work at it, you will get there. Back in the day, the guys top end sprint was 38 mph. People only get better.

You'll know you're doing a good effort on sprints when the quad muscle just inside the knee, the Vastus Medialis, begins to get highly defined. You'll feel it burn during repeated all out efforts. Vastus Medialis

Another reason to ride with pacelines is to learn to push big gears at high rpm's. It's the only way I got there and drafting with high speed pacelines is what helps your leg muscles get the "feel" for it. So when you ride solo, your legs have that feel and you can begin to build that base on your solo rides.

BikeMomma is right about the close quarters and getting a feel for your space. In a race about 15 years ago, a young woman made erratic changes to gain an increasingly better position. Everyone, guys and gals, told her to stop it because she was going to cause a wreck. She didn't and was rude in her response. She caused a massive pile up by moving over erratically once again thereby overlapping a rearward rider's front wheel. She single-handedly knocked about 10 people out of the race because she wasn't aware of her space. Talk about some PO'd bikers and justifiably so. She was knocked out of it, too, which was the only saving grace on her part for that day.

I don't have a feel for how much distance I need to hit 34. It doesn't seem like it takes long. I have been told my quickness to gain speed is surprising more than once. If you mean from a dead stop, I am completely clueless.

The next opportunity to ask one of the lead riders about slowing down to 8 mph, ask. I'd like to know why they do it, too.

The ability to suffer for long periods is a good "skill" to have. You get that through childbirth and age.

Thanks BikeMomma. I have learned a lot from reading your posts and the posts of so many others. TE has a great bunch of gals.

[ladyjai]

How do the training techniques vary when you start dealing with races of 70 miles, 100miles, and 250 miles... ?

In a once day spurt Those are the things I want to do. Completion itself is a huge bonus. But, how does one attempt it competatively? i'm looking at the results from one local 252 mile race, and no one is even accomplishing platinum, and they are spread out far, so pacelining isn't as big a thing (not enough starters?) when you start dealing with over 200 perhaps? Or maybe that race isn't as big a deal. I know that at El Tour, they're still pacelining heavily, and accomplishing some amazing speeds considering the distance.

[Yasmin]

( I'm small (5 ft tall. 110 lbs) and sometimes I feel like my short legs limit me. Plus I have 650c wheels. Are any of these things going to put me at a disadvantage riding with taller or bigger riders? Hill climbing seems to be something I am good at because I am pretty light and have somewhat muscular legs.[/QUOTE])


I can relate: I'm 5' 2'' & 112lbs. I ride alone most times but have joined a group of 42 men & 2 women. If you had 700c wheels, for each cadence you would travel further for no perceivable extra effort. Riding in a group does teach you skills & the assisted effort is pleasant, as long as you know who to steer clear of. The social (& security) thing is nice too.
Hill work is also where I excel, but the long, flat stretches are where I'm weakest. This is where the big chaps in our group do so well. Nothing much we can do about the way we're engineered. I'm working on increasing my quads in an attempt to improve my weakness. Hope some of this helps. Cheers, Yasmin.

[Yasmin]

You'll know you're doing a good effort on sprints when the quad muscle just inside the knee, the Vastus Medialis, begins to get highly defined. You'll feel it burn during repeated all out efforts. Vastus Medialis

Fantastic site, pkq. You girls & your knowledge never cease to amaze me!!!

[BikeMomma]

The ability to suffer for long periods is a good "skill" to have. You get that through childbirth and age.

Oh, goodie! Two plusses in my favor!

Thanks BikeMomma. I have learned a lot from reading your posts and the posts of so many others. TE has a great bunch of gals.

...and you're one of them! Glad I can help someone out there, and I learn from yours, too. Keep posting!

[bluerider]

Thanks BikeMomma and pkg !!! It just blows my mind that you can hit those kind of speeds!!! I plan on joining a club next year to get pack riding experience and so far am riding solo so reaching those speeds by my own seems impossible in my mind. But I have a goal! I won't lose hope but know I have a lot of work cut out for me before I think I'm ready to race. I will take notice of the Vastus Medialis you mentioned.

The top women in my area hit high 40km/hr on rolling terrain with some climbs. I don't have aspirations to take a podium finish (yet ) but want to maintain a speed fast enough so that I don't get lapped and pulled out of race. The problem with racing here is that pro women and beginner women get lumped into one cat and forced to race together.

[RoadRaven]

Hey there Blue (been meaning to say, excellent avatar!)

36/38km/hour is what the top women in my age cat average (39-45yrs) in a Time Trial

In a road race, of course, you might get a higher average because of the benefits of the pelaton.

Rolling terrain, specifically downhills can increase your speed of course... my fave downhill for speed is steep and straight - only about 200 metres but with some 500 metres stretching in front so you can slow down before the next corner... I have got over 60km/hour going down there... but mostly my downhills are windy and I keep myself to 35/40...

I can ride on the flat at about 40km, but not for very long. I have excellent power output but not much endurance... endurance is what I am working on.

Like you, Blue, I don't want to embarrass myself... or more importantly, don't want to embarrass my partner and our boys at the club... so have yet to do my my first club race... I think I'm almost ready... this summer I hope...

[bluerider]

Hey there Blue (been meaning to say, excellent avatar!)

36/38km/hour is what the top women in my age cat average (39-45yrs) in a Time Trial

In a road race, of course, you might get a higher average because of the benefits of the pelaton.

Rolling terrain, specifically downhills can increase your speed of course... my fave downhill for speed is steep and straight - only about 200 metres but with some 500 metres stretching in front so you can slow down before the next corner... I have got over 60km/hour going down there... but mostly my downhills are windy and I keep myself to 35/40...

I can ride on the flat at about 40km, but not for very long. I have excellent power output but not much endurance... endurance is what I am working on.

Like you, Blue, I don't want to embarrass myself... or more importantly, don't want to embarrass my partner and our boys at the club... so have yet to do my my first club race... I think I'm almost ready... this summer I hope...

Thanks RoadRaven. The avatar was borrowed from a design from the Project One site at Trek. It's a design you can pick to customize your bike's paint job. If only I had the dinero for such finery...*sigh*

The times you post for flats is amazing. I can do that if I have a nice tailwind on my back...and it's downhill...LOL!

With your times, why don't you give it a go? I will if you will! My goal is to do one race this coming summer.

I agree, I think shame has deterred me from entering into races so far as well. The ladies who race locally here are amazing and to be in the same field as them would be a seriously humbling experience. But the thing is, I know that I'll probably finish last but just want the opportunity to finish!

[pkq]

You girls don't let shame or embarrassment prevent you from racing. If you do, that is shameful. I entered my first race in over a decade last year just to see what I had left. I had no idea I'd come in 3rd and soooo close to 1st. I was just interested in giving it a good effort and finishing without crashing.

kaian, don't worry about size. Two women I've ridden with in Pittsburgh are about your height and very good riders. One beats me up hills consistently. She is built for climbing. She rides a lot year round. I take time off. The other one would be better than me, if she changed her training up some. She lacks my endurance and speed. She can hang as long as she's drafting. Over long distances, she loses a lot of energy and falls off. On a couple of days of hard riding, I took her. I studied her the first day and part of the second day to know when to make my move. Again, some may think it's evil, but that is part of being competitive. Know your competition.

ladyjai, I don't know how to train for long distance racing. I've never done it or been interested in doing it. I did my first double century this year and had a good time. The guys I rode with were dying so I rode their pace. I suspect you'll have to ride an awful lot just to get the conditioning necessary. How many miles have you ridden this year?

What I have shared are things I picked up along the way. I am sure others can provide a lot more, and probably better, information. Two heads are better than one.

Pittsburgh usually hosts a pre-season cycling clinic, which is very good. If any of you have an interest, I would recommend it. Last year they had two Olympic cyclists, DeDe Berry and Christine Thorburn. They were fantastic! Very humble and the one thing they stressed, to have a racing career like their's, is a support network. You can't do it alone. I gotta' tell ya', holding DeDe's olympic medal was a real thrill!

[ladyjai]

I'm at 4905 miles right now. I'm averaging between 150 and 200 per week. I figured I'd have to increase it, but am curious about other aspects of training. it would seem that sprinting speeds are not as vital when you start getting into the triple digits.