When to do first race

[Ered_Lithui]

I think you should do it as soon as possible! Cross season is short and you might as well dive in. Plus, racing will be great experience and great training. Have fun! As far as skills, shouldering is my current bête noire. People who do it well can save a lot of time. But I find it painful in any position. Working on that....

[redrhodie]

Are you really comfortable riding in fast groups? Are you a confident bike handler? Do you have great health insurance? Just some things to consider.

[Eden]

Are you really comfortable riding in fast groups? Are you a confident bike handler? Do you have great health insurance? Just some things to consider.

She's talking cross not road.... group riding skills not much of an issue (there's a mass start, but it's more like a mt bike race, there's some passing, but everyone sorts out more or less into a line rather than riding near one another because the courses are not particularly wide and can even have single track) and while you can get hurt falling in cross, it is relatively unusual to get anything more than some bumps and bruises because you are falling in the grass/dirt and aren't usually going super fast unless it is a steep descent (and it not particularly unusual to see people get off and run down technical/very steep descents.... it can be faster than crashing and having to get back up)

If you want to question anything - do you have a hose available and a good washing machine - then go for it. Many races have a beginner category for first timers.

[redrhodie]

Eden, you make it sound less scary than the crit race I did. Maybe I should try it.

I swore never again.

[pll]

Speaking as a spectator, the crashes in crits are scarier than those in cyclocross, with exceptions. See the video clip featured here: http://bikehugger.com/post/view/joey...he-new-hotness

[SheFly]

DO. IT. NOW! Seriously - you've taken a clinic, so there is no time like the present. Jump in with both feet, and you will soon discover just how much fun racing 'cross can be! I tried it without having done any practice, and ended my first season with 14 races under my belt.

As for shouldering the bike - I RARELY do this. It's often not faster. The exception is if you have a very long run through sand... If I am running uphill, I will push the bike, using it as an outrigger. Helps me with traction and momentum, and I don't drop my chain putting my bike down at the top.

Go for it, and have fun!

SheFly

[Ered_Lithui]

DO. IT. NOW!

!!! JOIN US.

As for shouldering the bike - I RARELY do this. It's often not faster. The exception is if you have a very long run through sand... If I am running uphill, I will push the bike, using it as an outrigger. Helps me with traction and momentum, and I don't drop my chain putting my bike down at the top.

I agree that it's rarely necessary (I avoid it whenever possible), but I think she should practice it if she wants to work on skills. Yesterday we had the Battle at Barlow. Here are pictures from a few years ago showing the run-up: http://www.pdxcross.com/galleries/battle-at-barlow/ (Look at the second picture, as well as the one five below it....) There's no way around those stairs. My shouldering practice saved me. I saw a few people (mostly juniors) in earlier races attempting to suitcase it, and going miserably slowly. And people who tried to shoulder without proper technique were whacking their wheels against the railroad ties.

As far as crashing, there's the occasional spectacular wipeout (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5xqP...ature=youtu.be), but more often it's people sliding into the mud. Average speeds don't get too high in the beginner categories.

[bluebug32]

Eden, you make it sound less scary than the crit race I did. Maybe I should try it.

I swore never again.

Yeah, Totally different ballgame!

[SheFly]

Eden, you make it sound less scary than the crit race I did. Maybe I should try it.

I swore never again.

YES. YOU. SHOULD!

Has anyone noticed how enthusiastically I'm trying to get you all into this sport???

Red - lots of good races coming up - many down in your neck of the woods...

SheFly

[bluebug32]

I drank the Koolaid...I'm doing my first cross face on Sunday!

[wavedancer]

I drank the Koolaid...I'm doing my first cross face on Sunday!

Woo-hoo! You will love it!
As far as getting hurt in crashes, I fell a few times this weekend (worst one in the parking lot ), but ended up with a few bruises. Worst injury occurred while looking at results online at my desk: pushed myself into my chair, stepping on a footsie roller and rolling right over my big toe. It's sprained and purple...
Much prefer the grassy falls in 'cross!