Breaking Away - racing a bike

[WheelsVT]

What follows is an account of my adventures in training and racing. So here it goes. Feel free to chime in with comments, tactics, your own experiences. Anything that will make this less one-sided.

I'll take a few posts to catch up to last year when I really started to focus on racing, and then drop into what I envision to be a weekly update post and race reports as they happen. I bought a power meter last fall so once I get there I'll get into more statistics of races and testing (such as "after 10m at 340w I was toast.").

ROAD RACING CATEGORIES:
Road racing in the US has 5 categories. 5 is the lowest, 1 the highest, followed by Pro. To move up you have to score points/experience in races.
Most races today are 4/5, 3, and Pro/1/2 meaning the 4's and 5's race together and the Pros, 1's, and 2's race together. Organizers just don't have the resources or community interest to run all separate races.

[WheelsVT]

I started riding road bikes (Lance Armstrong style) back in 94 or 95 when I was a sophomore in HS. My uncle had this fast looking bike with skinny wheels and a computer on it that told you your speed. I spend a hour sprinting up and down his street seeing how fast I could go.

I bought an ancient $200 steel trek and rode the heck out of it that summer. I started going to group rides with some guys from the local bike shop. In cross country and track I was an average distance runner, but on a bike I felt like I could hang with anyone. The final miles of group rides always turned into races, and you could bet I'd be breaking away at some point and hanging it out there flying to the unofficial finish line.

The tactics in cycling always intrigued me. There are so many different strategies in play at once, and so many different types of riders. A Sprinter's team try to keep the group together until the finish so their guy can out-sprint them all. Climbers ramp up the pace to weed out people so their star climber can escape up the final climb. Time trialists and escape specialists defying all odds by riding solo and holding on to win my the narrowest margins. A race is dynamic, and unpredictable. I have to race.

[WheelsVT]

Unfortunately, the road racing scene in Virginia was very small. Mostly in the Norfolk area which was 4-5 hours from me. I managed to get to one race there as a junior. It was a small criterium (short laps of less than a mile). Thinking back on it I realize that I was never hurting, and should have attacked. Instead I was nervous and sat second-wheel the entire race. On the final lap the guy in front of me swung wide and I touched his wheel. I over-reacted and hit the curb flipping into the air. Race over. Fork bent. Shins bruised.

There was another race closer to home that I tried, but hit a pothole 5 miles in and got a flat. The steel bike I was riding at the time was so old that all the spare wheels they had wouldn't fit the frame. Race over. Bent rim. Hitched a ride to the finish line. The next day was a mountain time-trial which I borrowed someone's bike to ride and came in last.

Graduated HS in 97, and headed off to Virginia Tech. Hello mountains.

[WheelsVT]

While at VT I joined the cycling club team. I went for a couple demoralizing rides with the top guys on the team who grew up in the Blacksburg mountains. I'd hang on for most of the ride, and get dropped climbing back up the mountain to get home. For the most part I rode and half-trained on my own.

I entered an internship program that had me working during the spring and summer semesters most of my time at VT, and never really got to race with the team. I never really felt part of the group. However, now that I think about it I was never as dedicated to training/racing as I am now. I just enjoyed riding to get away.

Races entered: 0

Edit: Earned the nickname "Wheels" while playing football since I'm kinda fast and have a few moves.

[WheelsVT]

I used my first few paychecks to buy a new carbon fiber Trek 5200 with the US Postal paint scheme. It's light and smaller than my old Cannondale. I feel like the carbon is quicker, handles and climbs better. The joy of riding the bike returns.

I meet up with a former Cat1 at my new job, and we ride together often. His stories of races and experiences as a sprinter sparked my competitive spirit again. I started riding more, and found some training crits in Richmond to compete in.

In 2005 I entered the training crits several times as a Cat 5. I finished top 10 twice, and managed to get into a breakaway with a guy who was clearly stronger than everyone. We failed to stay away, but he still sprinted home for 2nd and was promptly upgraded.

I made a few trips back to the old training stomping grounds, but found I was no longer top-dog... I needed to train. I had succeeded back in HS days by riding on my track and cross country fitness which was long gone. I was in decent shape in general, but not compared to competitive racers.

[WheelsVT]

I started to follow some sort of training plan based on Joe Friel's Training Bible. I planned on winning a few of those Richmond races and traveling to a few others. However, having a newborn and deciding to move to Atlanta, Georgia that summer took up most of my time and effort. Big changes, and not much racing.

[WheelsVT]

Wouldn't you know that Georgia's cycling scene is top notch! The Georgia Cup is an organized series of race weekends throughout GA for us amateur racers, and there are plenty of other events as well. I could race almost every weekend if I wanted to. Not to mention there's a great club team right around the corner from my house.
Once I saw this I was back on the training bandwagon big time. Picked up the Friel training bible again and planned out the season. It's early February so I'm behind in terms of a good base of fitness, but I'd already started running again back in November as a way to use my lunch breaks for something better than eating out.

I picked 300 hours as a conservative starting point. I'd rather feel like I'm doing too little than to burn-out. There will be more seasons to come.

Season goals:
1) Upgrade to Cat4 (race in 5-6 races)
2) Top 5 finish
3) stick with training plan (never been able to do it successfully)
- be flexible and adjust as time is needed

[WheelsVT]

Getting used to lifting and riding nearly every day except for the 2 days I was sick (ugh). It feels good to have a reason to workout. Over the past month I went on a few group rides that hurt but was expected, and although I wimped out of the A group on a long 55mi ride and barely hung on to the B group I reasoned that it was the cold weather that was holding me back.
I also noted that my right hip would hurt when pedaling. After a couple weeks of that I realized it was that my saddle was too far back, and felt much more powerful after centering it and raising it a few mm. Hip pain gone.

Six weeks of training should be enough to be able to race competitively as a 5 right? Bought a pair of clip-on aerobars for the 6.4mi time trial and readied myself for a criterium in Gainesville, the second race weekend of the GA Cup series.

[WheelsVT]

TT Goal: mid-pack finish
Rested and ready. Warmed up for 45min before 9am TT (6.44mi). Hit 28 on 1mi stretch to startline. Went out holding back and made first 2.4mi split at 22.5mph with uphill mile 2, but never improved and died on hill at 4mi (guess I wasn't holding back. Stupid adrenaline); finished w/21.2mph and 18:10 for 63/77place. Winning time 15min, avg 16:30s. Dissappointed, but not bad for first all-out effort/race of season and considering how early in the plan this effort was. I know I'm capable of the 23mph avg everyone else was turning.

Crit Goal: Top 20
Crit that night was fast and dangerous. 2 long straights (one up one down) w short sides. Found I have good cornering skills, and worked up to the top 30 after 6 tough laps in two-by-two surging line following back-of-pack start. Then I hooked a guy's handlebars while cornering too sharply (or he misjudged and swung wide) on the outside of T1 and we went down. Face plant, cracked helmet, two raw arms, hip, knee. Got back in for 1.5 lap when they called a prime and hit 29mph before I reached the front group vs the accordian scatteredness and I couldn't keep contact. Found out about 25 dropped out due to craziness, and wreck w/2 laps to go sent someone to the hospital, and teammate into barriers. Still, I should have kept going and finished the race.
Much later I talked to a guy who was behind my wreck and said the guy that got me just didn't hold his line on the turn. The helmet is toast, and judging by the imprint on my forehead the next day I'd say it saved me major medical trauma.

[MIJB#19]

I'll be reading. Did you become part of a team or an organized group of riders? As in, when you're going to races (as you write you're planning to do), will it be team tactics heavy or every man for himself? Or is it too early to ask that?

Edit: Okay, I think your last entry answered my question. :o

[WheelsVT]

Originally Posted by MIJB#19

I'll be reading. Did you become part of a team or an organized group of riders? As in, when you're going to races (as you write you're planning to do), will it be team tactics heavy or every man for himself? Or is it too early to ask that?

Edit: Okay, I think your last entry answered my question. :o

Yes, I joined the nearby club team. However, I find that I train mostly solo apart from the group rides I go to when training calls for it. Mainly b/c I haven't found anyone to commute to work with or ride at lunch with, and I know nobody wants to join me for a trainer session at 8-9pm on a weeknight.

In the low levels you'll find there pretty much is no such thing as team tactics. Everyone is out for themselves and trying to move up. As I've gotten to know my teammates we've started working together more.

I'm really looking forward to becoming a Cat3 where all the cool tactical games come into play. Right now every move is chased, and only a couple guys are working together.

[WheelsVT]

Group rides are in full swing now, and I use them to add intensity even though I'm supposed to be in "base" phase. I first tried to ride with the A group which consists of several Cat2's and 3's and some 4's that hold on. I was dropped after 10 miles... of course it was only 3 days after the race/wreck. The next week when I rode with the B group I stayed in the front and pulled hard. At this point I feel I'm somewhere between the A and B groups.

To finish off the base phase I went out to Dahlonega and did the 3-gap ride that climbs several of the same mountains that the Tour de Georgia goes over. It was fun, and I really enjoyed the decents. This month in the Tour de Georgia a group of 13 "unknowns" won a stage by 29min due to team tactics where nobody chased. I can't wait to use some tactics in my races!!

[WheelsVT]

The real work begins as we head into prime race season.

To quote Luke who writes Decisive Moments :

"Boy, what a hassle. So many strange bumps and corners. I'm compelled to salute and thank any woman who has ever shaved her legs on my behalf.

There is schism in the cycling community about whether a rider should shave his legs. The principal argument is that smooth legs make life easier after a crash. (The counterargument is, If you're crashing that much, perhaps racing isn't your destiny.) Most riders, however, would probably concede that shaving is mostly about showing that you're in the club. It's about showing your hairy rivals that you're more serious than they are and that they needn't bother chasing after your attack. One cyclist put it to me in Kesey-ian terms: "You're either on the bus or off the bus. Shaved legs says you're on."

Plus, we work really, really hard to achieve OED-quality definition on our leg muscles. Why hide them behind foliage? It's like hiding a nose job behind a burqa."

I'm now on the bus. My goal at the next group ride? Smoke the B group. Result: Top 5 in +1.5mph avg over last time (20.5mph) - stronger group. I rolled off the front for 1-2 miles and relaxed b/c there were 10 to go. Later I pulled through strong in efforts to drop more of the group of 15+, but it didn't happen until the last hills. On the major hill I was 3rd wheel and let the leader fade at halfway before gunning it over the top which splintered the group. The top 5-7 of us flew on to the finish. One guy led out a friend to catch 2 others fading up the road who had gapped while I was recovering from the main hill. I was on the leadout but didn't have the matches left to burn at the moment. I can tell I'm MUCH stronger than last time when I faded halfway through the big hill and never recovered. If I recon the finish I could do better. Talking with the top guys after we call us the A-'s, and entertain riding w/ A's then falling off as a group.

Next up: Athens Twilight Criterium

[WheelsVT]

Nice large breakfast, apple 1hr prior not quite right (bannanna better?).

Goal: Start on/near front line, stay in top 15, be agressive.

Result: Goal met.

Lessons Learned: Attack when it hurts b/c others are hurting - be aggressive with purpose. Anyone can attack when it's easy.

Finishing hill defined the ~1mi course. Was one of first to line-up 7min early, and led entire first lap then pulled through at top of hill the second. (In hindsight that was a stupid move. I was wasting energy pulling the pack for no reason.)

I made a feeble "breakaway" surge on lap 4 then settled into pack as I began to feel it and was no longer aggressive. Two made a break w/ 15min to go and stayed away. I never noticed. Looking back I wish I could have gone with and suffered with them instead of in an unorganized group doing the same effort. Several times mid-race it felt easy, like I was on a fast group ride - a race first, and it felt good.

Unfortunately, by the time it was 3 to go I was really hurting, mentally checking out, and struggling to hold the front group over the hill. On the backstretch there was a lull and I recovered - achieving goal stay in top 15 all race. On the uphill finish I couldn't match the pre-sprint surge, but rejoined and picked off a few fading at the line for 19th (24.2avg). The breakaway was at +8sec, then my group. There were definitely some guys sandbagging in the 5 category in this race.

Form is coming around. Looking forward to later-season races. A great venue. Will certainly return next year.

[WheelsVT]

Ok, so obviously the detailed posts to catch up to real life are not high on my priority list. I'm going to skip all that and just type up a summary to date. It kinda works because I just closed a chapter in my racing career by applying for my category 3 upgrade and I'm awaiting the reply.

2007 in a nutshell - Improved as the year went on. Crowning moment was a breakaway with 3 guys on the final lap of a crit to take 4th.

I started this season (2008) with the big goal being to upgrade to Category 3, and to have podium finishes in a couple key races. The first half of the season did not go so well, but I was slowly improving. By mid-July I had 2 top 10s, 1 upgrade point, and had just replaced my bike due to a crash in the first race I felt I had a shot at getting on the podium. Not exactly nearing the 10 top 10s OR 20 points required to upgrade.

Then came the streak. I snagged a 5th (should have been 3rd) in a road race thanks to some help from teammates who led me out. I followed that up with a solid crit racing weekend of 3 races and took a 3rd and 2 4th places. In the first race I was 1st but faded to 3rd at the line. Talk about heart-breaking but rewarding for making the podium. Then a couple weeks later I got another 4th in a road race, and 5th in a crit that I should have won but was too timid to jump first (doh!). So all of a sudden I've got 6 top 5s in a row and I'm sitting with 14 upgrade points, and 8 top 10s. Almost making the cut on both criteria.

I decided to close-out the season with a big race in Greenville SC. Unfortunately, my teammate and I started at the back, I got caught up in the craziness of the first 2 turns, nearly wrecked, and spent the whole race chasing. I was rattled. I'd fight all lap to gain 5 places then lose them in turn 1. The officials let me pony up to redeem myself in the 3s race, but I barely made it to the line in time. I felt so much safer with those guys, but had already spent the paycheck. 20min and I was out. Lesson: Start at the front. If you're stuck on the back kill it to get to the front as fast as possible. You'll spend much more much energy if you try to do it slowly.

So now I'm sitting here disappointed with ending the season on a sour note, but knowing that I can handle the 3s. If this upgrade gets approved it will all be worth it, and I can move on to where the team-work and tactics really start to play a part. So keep your fingers crossed for me as I wait to hear about the upgrade. Everyone tells me it shouldn't be a problem, but this waiting sucks!

[damnMikeBrown]

I was a 2 back in the day...a bad one. Very solid 3. It was never worth it to do 4-5 races. Upgrade to 3 and ride safely. 4-5's have those guys that have fitness and no skills. You may be sitting in the field at 24-25, flying along, but are scared to death that some idiot is going to do exactly what they did to you..take you out, or accordian non-stop. 3's race you sit 24-25, but your HR is nowhere near thresh..you just get sucked along & enjoy the ride (unless it is a technical crit, but you've figured out the whole "get to the line" issue already).

Huge issue with my riding was my complete lack of aggressiveness. The only time I would dig is in the hills, and really, there just aren't that many races where that is the determining factor in the mid-west. You don't regret going & finishing 3rd..you regret not going and finishing in the field.