need help with races

svtjones said:

Hello,

I am new to racing , actually I don't even have a bike yet. I was curious if there are local or regional events that you can win money at? I have competed in Martial Arts and won nationals twice, I am not new to competition. I was just wanting to pick up some extra money. How do I get started? Thanks

First its a pretty big assumption that a newbie could win anything at all, but not knowing where you are at it would be hard to say. Around here if you win anything besides bragging rights it generally is merchandise or very small amounts money that definitely won't cover your entry fee / travel. Do it because its fun and you like to. Even the semi pros / lower level pros often have day jobs.

svtjones said:

Hello,

I am new to racing , actually I don't even have a bike yet. I was curious if there are local or regional events that you can win money at? I have competed in Martial Arts and won nationals twice, I am not new to competition. I was just
wanting to pick up some extra money. How do I get started? Thanks

[font=Arial]I’m not trying to discourage you, but you would be better off taking the money you would spend on a bike and investing it. Most local and regional events have very little in the way of prize money, and the competition is very steep especially if you are just starting out. Even many pros are struggling to make it. People race for the passion, not the money. [/font]

I know I am new but I have always done well in competition. Like I said I was a two time national tae kwon do champion and on the 2000 olympic sport karate team (did not go in officially until 04', they ended up holding off). I use to run a a 4:23 mile and I ran a 3 mile in under 15 min.

What bike should I get asd a beginner? I was looking at Fuji bikes recently.

svtjones said:

I know I am new but I have always done well in competition. Like I said I was a two time national tae kwon do champion and on the 2000 olympic sport karate team (did not go in officially until 04', they ended up holding off). I use to run a a 4:23 mile and I ran a 3 mile in under 15 min.

What bike should I get asd a beginner? I was looking at Fuji bikes recently.

[font=Arial]Again, I wasn’t trying to discourage you from racing but rather from putting too much hope in making money off it. Racing results depend on very roughly 5% the bike, 20% strategy, and 75% raw fitness and talent (which it sounds like you have). As far as what type of bike, it really depends on your budget. A decent road bike with 105 level components and a steel or aluminum frame (Fuji is fine) can be had new for around $1000, and used for a lot less. As long as everything is in working order, the bike won’t make too much difference for the first few years as you gain experience racing and work your way up. It may not even make much of a difference if you move all the way up to Cat 1 assuming you are a strong enough rider. Try to focus your time, energy, and money on training and racing. Start slow, set goals for yourself, put in lots of time on the bike, and work your way up. There is more specific info about equipment, training, and racing if you do a search in these forums or through google, etc. Or better yet, try to track down a local bike club or local racers. Good luck. [/font]

Do it because you like it, not because you want a living from it. If you really wanted to make money from endurance sports, you'd be much wiser to do triathlon. Or, why not running? That would be the least investment in equipment, and it sounds like you're already race-fit.

Or, you could go into accounting...

If you are a newbie you'll be put in as a Cat5. Most Cat5 races do not award money, instead you get medals, trophies and prizes. Even as you move up it's hard to win enough cash to cover your entry fee and gas expenses.

svtjones said:

I know I am new but I have always done well in competition. Like I said I was a two time national tae kwon do champion and on the 2000 olympic sport karate team (did not go in officially until 04', they ended up holding off). I use to run a a 4:23 mile and I ran a 3 mile in under 15 min.

What bike should I get asd a beginner? I was looking at Fuji bikes recently.

Let's try a different approach: stick "USA Cycling" in your browser, the site has a listing of clubs by location. Contact a cycling club in your area, you will get better face-to-face advice than you will on an internet forum. In cat4/5 even if you win you'll be "winning" roughly your entry fee. In cat3 you can get slightly ahead. Real money (in relative terms) is in the Pro/1/2 races. If you're willing to gamble the initial investment, you will find out pretty quickly whether you have the genes to be a good cyclist (hard work will carry you up to cat3, but beyond that it helps to have chosen your parents wisely).

svtjones said:

Like I said I was a two time national tae kwon do champion and on the 2000 olympic sport karate team (did not go in officially until 04', they ended up holding off).

Sounds like point fighting... try UFC...

From another beginner, just get a roadbike that fits and within your price range and ride ride ride... You may find 1. you don't like riding or 2. you don't like the lonliness or riding solo for periods of time...

If you then decide you like riding, join a club and ride with others and get a suitable bike for your chosen competition...

Wouldn't like to see you part with big cash for a nice bike for the nice bike to gather dust in the back of a shed...

[quote="fauxpas"]Sounds like point fighting... try UFC...

Don't act like you are all tough because you think I do point fighting. I actually compete in Olympic Style Tae Kwon Do, which is semi-full contact. Go over to youtube.com and type in olympic taekwondo and you will see what it is all about. In the last olympics people left on stretchers. I do comepte in some point fighting tournaments because they are local but that is the extent of it. I have almost done some amateur kickboxing matches as well as grappling tournaments. I wrestled throughout highschool as well. Point fighting is for sissies of which I am not. My choice to not do things like UFC has nothing to do with not being able to hang, rather it has to do with me having three kids and a wife to support. I have set a goal for 2008 olympics for tae kwon do and that leaves no room for much of anything else.



Anyways, on a side note. Is cycling much different than running marathons? I have only run pone marathon but while in wrestling we ran 13 miles every Friday and three miles the rest. I still currently run 6 a day.

Hi, i think that to do well in road races you may well have to lose some of your Martial arts conditioning. For instance i fight in cage rage which is the Uk version of UFC, i train almost one hundred percent cross training , you name it i do it Greco, judo, thai, ju jitsu. Now i also ride a road bike but ONLY for the aerobic conditioning that it gives me. I believe i do enought impact sports on the matt so to run which is another impact sport takes alot more out of your skeletal system than cycling. If you are sincere about your tai kwon do i would recomend that you do it for the same thing. It would mean as much dedication as your martial arts if not more to be even slightly competitive in cycling. These guys are warriors on bikes. And as for your past wins in the martial arts which is great it does'nt really mean anything when crossing over into cycling. I was a judo national champ, registerd BCA instructor (only a handfull in the uk) but i know for sure i would get my ass kicked at a local crit. It just is not the same. You have loads of confidence , i can tell by your posts but remember that we all should remaine humble, thats the essence of what we do in the martial arts. Well if you do decide to compete i wish you all the luck and hope you get what you need. cheers

[quote="svtjonesAnyways, on a side note. Is cycling much different than running marathons? I have only run pone marathon but while in wrestling we ran 13 miles every Friday and three miles the rest. I still currently run 6 a day.[/QUOTE"]Typically some similarities and some major differences. They are both aerobic sports, so maxVO2 (ability to utilize oxygen) is one predictor of success. World class marathoners, cyclists, and x-country skiers tend to have very high VO2 numbers. The difference is that running is largely about stride efficiency, while cycling is about power. The best general predictor of cycling success is FTP (Functional Threshold Power), the power (measured in watts) that you can sustain for about one hour. So while a good distance runner may turn out to have a lot of cycling potential, you can also have excellent distance runners who simply can't put out the power levels needed for cycling success.

svtjones is a troll, ignore his BS. On another thread he claims he can bench press 300 lbs, squat 785, used to date Jessica Simpson and once taught Jesse James how to weld custom choppers......

capwater said:

svtjones is a troll, ignore his BS. On another thread he claims he can bench press 300 lbs, squat 785, used to date Jessica Simpson and once taught Jesse James how to weld custom choppers......

More like a "schizo" to be nice on him. Ehy it's not his fault it's a deasese, be nice on him and go on his game.

As we say in England - He sounds like a total tosspot!😄

svtjones said:

I know I am new but I have always done well in competition. Like I said I was a two time national tae kwon do champion and on the 2000 olympic sport karate team (did not go in officially until 04', they ended up holding off). I use to run a a 4:23 mile and I ran a 3 mile in under 15 min.
.

blah blah blah...

i thought i was in shape (ran 1/2 marathon in 1:03) until i got back into cycling after a 10+year hiatus.

first there was getting fit in a cycling sort of way- the second was race tactics.

if you are new to cycling and dont even have a bike (let alone a team)... it may take a year or so- just to figure out how to handle yourself in a race situation. when to sprint, what break aways to let go, how to work the peloton, how to spot the fast guys and the sleepers, how to and with what and when to fuel yourself, etc etc etc...

i honestly offer you the best of luck-

but on this, you may want to take it one step at time and do it because it you enjoy it firstly.

my 10 sec. on the soap box.

"pride goeth before a fall,
a haughty spirit before destruction"

svtjones said:

Don't act like you are all tough because you think I do point fighting. I actually compete in Olympic Style Tae Kwon Do, which is semi-full contact. Go over to youtube.com and type in olympic taekwondo and you will see what it is all about. In the last olympics people left on stretchers. I do comepte in some point fighting tournaments because they are local but that is the extent of it. I have almost done some amateur kickboxing matches as well as grappling tournaments. I wrestled throughout highschool as well. Point fighting is for sissies of which I am not. My choice to not do things like UFC has nothing to do with not being able to hang, rather it has to do with me having three kids and a wife to support. I have set a goal for 2008 olympics for tae kwon do and that leaves no room for much of anything else.

Hmmmm... sounds like ya got a red and blue cape under that tae kwon do gi... 😄

Trying to support a a wife a three kids, hmmm maybe get a job! You're better off gambling than trying to make a living off cycling.

Jono L said:

Trying to support a a wife a three kids, hmmm maybe get a job! You're better off gambling than trying to make a living off cycling.

Yeah, I bet the returns on making money is better in Vegas than bike-racing... especially if you play the poker tournaments...

[quote="svtjones"]

fauxpas said:

I have set a goal for 2008 olympics for tae kwon do and that leaves no room for much of anything else.

Anyways, on a side note. Is cycling much different than running marathons? I have only run pone marathon but while in wrestling we ran 13 miles every Friday and three miles the rest. I still currently run 6 a day.