Beginner to road biking/want to start racing!

[abarensfeld7]

OK good news.
I made my debut with the local cycling club last night. They hold a weekly TT on a 9.8 miles course, fairly flat with bits of rolling hills. I posted approx. 26:05, which was def. better than the 30 min. I was hoping to squeak by under. And that...on a lunch of pizza and Ben & Jerry's. Last time I try THAT! These guys are pretty nutso. Almost everyone has full aero gear...I guess tonight I'll transfer my clipless pedals from my mtn bike to my road bike and get a little more serious.
The club prez seems to feel that with that time I might be able to hang with the "C" group on the informal Tuesday night races they hold. They alternate hilly and flat courses, so I could start out on a flat course and just see how it goes. If I get dropped, I get dropped...
I think it sounds like a pretty good way to get experience.
Also, the club's more mellow contingent gets together on Sunday mornings for tours, and I'll be joining them this weekend.
Yay!

[SadieKate]

Sounds like a great plan. Doing a TT on a mtbike first time out? You go, girl!!

[abarensfeld7]

Haha, luckily, no.
I just have toe clips on my road bike though -- my clipless pedals reside on my mtn. bike. This will change ASAP!

[BikeMomma]

I made my debut with the local cycling club last night. They hold a weekly TT on a 9.8 miles course, fairly flat with bits of rolling hills. I posted approx. 26:05, which was def. better than the 30 min. I was hoping to squeak by under. And that...on a lunch of pizza and Ben & Jerry's. Last time I try THAT! These guys are pretty nutso. Almost everyone has full aero gear...I guess tonight I'll transfer my clipless pedals from my mtn bike to my road bike and get a little more serious.
The club prez seems to feel that with that time I might be able to hang with the "C" group on the informal Tuesday night races they hold. They alternate hilly and flat courses, so I could start out on a flat course and just see how it goes. If I get dropped, I get dropped...
I think it sounds like a pretty good way to get experience.
Also, the club's more mellow contingent gets together on Sunday mornings for tours, and I'll be joining them this weekend.
Yay!

Keep it up, Ab! That's the way to get there...just to join 'em!

But...please...no more pizza and B & J's when ya gotta ride the same day, and I think you found out why!! What I do, and I have an 8-5 office job, is to make up a batch of pasta, add whatever to it, and then dump it into a container to nibble on all afternoon at my desk. My evening group rides are usually at 6pm, so it works out good for me.

How are you on hills? If you think you can tackle them, go for it. The hills will make you better faster.

Good luck & have fun!
Coach BikeMomma

[abarensfeld7]

hey bikemomma,
i'm pretty good at hills. i don't really know speed-wise compared to other riders, but i've always felt strong in the hills. it seems like the name of the game is just to get a cadence going and push push push, they might take awhile, but the hills always get gobbled away.
this morning i was planning on joining the club for a ride but i noticed the ride posted online is 65 miles. since i haven't been out with them yet, i was worried about that distance since i don't know how fast they go. i'd be game for trying 65 miles but it would probably take me awhile. instead i'm going to do my own 35-40 miler with some decent hills, including one huge one on the out and back. i wonder if i'm making a bad decision and should just try out the club ride? it's been tough, been thinking about it for a while...
the other issue is that it's been nearly 100 degrees out and factoring that in makes me more cautious.
besides working hard on the hills today i'm going to try to work in some intervals on the flats. we'll see how that goes.
think i should have joined the club this morning?
oh yeah and nutrition---been reading up on the nutrition threads a bunch and i decided to modify my eating. i had my usual yogurt-fruit-cereal bowl this morning but i added half a banana for some more carbs and on the bike instead of just water i'm taking one large bottle of water and one large bottle of gatorade. figure with the heat the electrolytes will probably be good. and a clif bar in my pack.
ok off i go!

[abarensfeld7]

Well you all are probably sick of me by now...sorry...
Went out for the club's Tuesday night race last night and had a blast. Rode with the C group (A,B,C flights totalling about 50 riders, which apparently is a low turnout) for about an 8.5 mile, flat-rollingish loop. People were very helpful teaching me how to ride in the peloton and once a few of us were dropped from the pack I traveled most of the race with an experienced rider, John, who was only in the C flight by way of a chest cold. We traded drafts most of the way, and finally reeled in an escapee who had been just in our sight for a few miles. He tried to escape again but I managed to bridge the gap he was opening, although I lost John in the process. I sprinted ahead at the finish to nab fourth from last (haha, probably 7th out of 11th?) but maybe that was a faux-pas in a relaxed club race? Most everyone goes for another lap but I was happy with one and took an easy ride back to the meeting point (about 5 miles from the race loop). Next week is a hilly course, only one lap, but at least I have a better idea of what to expect. I was worried that I'd be dropped immediately and be time trialling on my own but as it turned out I had a great time and finished well enough for me, and thanks to the nice help of others I learned a lot about etiquette and technique.
I am so happy with cycling right now! Tomorrow will be a slow ride and then the TT again on Thursday. Exciting...

[BikeMomma]

Hey Ab!
Keep posting....I want to keep hearing of your progress and successes!
Dig deep and go for it!

Keep it up! You'll get there!
BikeMomma

[abarensfeld7]

Haha, I thought everyone would be bored to tears by now.

Things are going super well...I just got back from my second Tuesday night race with the club. With the C group again (of course)...finished in the first of two packs. I even tried to launch a solo attack towards the end but I misjudged the distance left and was caught. Oops, rookie mistake! Need to get the course layout down pat first...Anyways I was very happy with how it went, and the speed was high. Don't know how fast we were moving exactly, never bothered to look at my computer.

Last week's TT was pretty darn interesting...and funny. A few minutes before the start I was tightening up my seat post collar when the bolt snapped in two (later discovered that it had seized up...the bike shop who built my bike didn't lube it at all). Not something people tend to have extras of. Uh oh! Well, lucky me, the resident guru/local bike shop owner/winner of the New York State TTs had his regular road bike in the car and we happen to be similar sizes. So I got to ride his carbon fiber Felt which just screams FAST. Problem is, I was on his Speedplay pedals with his shoes and as we all know one should practice with new pedals a bit before shoving off. Well I gave it a go in the parking lot and couldn't get my left foot out quickly enough and poof! Fell over in slo-mo. Couldn't get my left foot out while on the ground either so two people helped me up while still clipped in! Ayyyyyy. Good thing I have no problem laughing at myself...it was a pretty hilarious situation. Even without getting a chance to warm up, the TT went soooooo well. His bike didn't have a computer but I think I cut my time over the last outing by more than a minute. I don't know how much that was because his bike is screaming fast & light or because my legs are getting in shape!

Besides these racescapades...
Went on my longest ride yet the other weekend, 57 miles...by mistake. Missed a turn (don't trust Google Maps!) and ended up adding 17 miles or so but I was sort of familiar with the area so I wasn't worried. It was a beautiful day so it turned out well. Good thing I had money with me for snacks...

So I'm getting faster and adding miles and things are looking good! Wooooooo.

[CorsairMac]

way to go abarens! I loved the visual of you laying on the ground still clipped in - like a knight in ?shining? armour waiting for someone to come along and pick you up. Too precious! and wooohoo on the 57 mile ride! Don't ya just love those wrong turns that take you into places you never thought you would go!?!

[Crash]

Hey Ab...reading your delight in the Felt and your great job with racing and riding is there the dream of a new road bike to compound your new found ability?

[abarensfeld7]

Haha, yeah Crash, a new Felt would be nice! But won't be replacing my Trek for some time...

Good news update. My TT times have been drop, drop, dropping. Wooo. For the 9.8 mile course,
Week 1 - 26:05
Week 2 - missed
Week 3 - 25:35
Week 4 - 25:40
Week 5 - 25:05
Week 6 - 24:29

I thought my watch was lying to me today at 24:29. Last week I thought I had an awesome ride and felt really strong, and today I was worried because I had forgotten to have a mid-afternoon snack. I had a lunch at 11:30, then a large Gatorade around 3, but no food before my 5:15pm warmup and 6pm TT. I realized my mistake about 10 minutes into my warmup when my tummy started rumbling! Was worried about bonking especially when I started the TT and my legs started off already feeling tired. But...guess not! Maybe I am more of an empty-stomach type? Didn't think so. And I'd definitely rather have some glycogen ready to go...

Been riding on the weekends with the CU (Cornell) team on relaxed rides and that's going really well. They seem to think I'm a strong rider so outlook is good for racing season next spring. Last Saturday I invited a buddy who rides on the team for a 57-miler. I set pace the whole time and at the end he fessed up that I was going pretty fast and his legs were tired! Haha, surprised me.

I'm going to make my real racing debut on Aug. 27 at the Chris Thater Memorial Crit in Binghamton. There's a public race in the morning, just 12 miles, and a women's Cat III-IV race in the afternoon, 20 miles. A woman who rides for CU and went to nationals last year has encouraged me to give it a shot. She thinks riding the public race in the morning would be a good warmup, but I'm wondering if maybe it would be best for me to use that as a chance to check out how things go down in a crit? And then give it a shot in the afternoon. What do you all think?

One problem: cycling costs too much money! I always choose the pricey sports - skiing, hockey, cycling. So many parts on a bike and clothes and equipment that just beg to be bought/upgraded! I'm finding lots of things on my bike need to be upgraded/adjusted...swapped my stem out for a better fit, need a new, better fitting saddle, plunked down the cash for pedals and shoes...need some new shorts, too. Can't get by on 2 pair very well at all! They're the old school, thin chamois Pearls, and I'm interested in trying out some of the new chamois styles. I wonder how much that will help my soreness down there. I especially am uncomfortable when leaning forwards at speed, particularly during TTs, when I place my lower arms across the bar and hang my hands off the front, aero-style except without the aero bars. Ha! I find it much more efficient and I enjoy to stretch out.

Speaking of which, anyone have any experience with a Selle San Marco Aero for women? It looks cushy in all the right places, at least online. And it has a wider cutout, something that appeals to me. Pretty pricey, though.

Wow, I think I just wrote a book! Sorry...

[RoadRaven]

So you are averaging 37.8km over a 15.77km TT course?

I'm well impressed... ah... if I could achieve that... if I could do that...

And I assume you have changed the pedals so you clip in for your TT races now?

Is this Chris Tater Memorial a national? Medals at stake?
I haven't done the racing to give advice about what to enter, but I'm sure you'll do well...

[abarensfeld7]

Hi Raven...hmm...the pro categories at the Thater are part of the USA Cycling American Criterium Championships...does that make it a national? Don't know much about these races. There do seem to be medals. I think for my cat. there will be some merch. but that's it! I'll be happy if I'll be on the same lap as the winners, so not much to worry about in terms of prizes...

Yah, I'm using Shimano clipless. Been working great, can't complain!

[lkrider]

Thanks Bike Momma and all....My daughter just convinced me to sign up for a time trial this weekend--45-49 Masters Women. (She is 16 and on a local team with great junior coaching and support.) She assures me that all I have to do is just ride my bike. I am kinda embarrassed to race. I usually just do my best and have never competed sports in my whole life. It's a generational thing, but this is weird. we shall see.

[abarensfeld7]

That's the best thing about time trialing -- you don't have to worry about how everyone else is doing! You just get to focus on yourself. Then if you want to look at the times later...that's another story