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First race in 15 years!

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01 / Original postFirst race in 15 years!Joseph Santaniello · 12 Aug 2004 02 / This pagePosts 1–8Page 1 of 1 · chronological order 03 / Latest replyPost #8Joseph Santaniello · 14 Aug 2004

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Original section
Road Cycling
Published
12 August 2004
Last activity
14 August 2004
Original author
Joseph Santaniello
Posts
8
Discussion status
Public discussion
Total views
385
Views / 30 days
0
Topics
Heart rate trainingRace licensingCadencePedal choiceTime trials

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  1. Original post
    Joseph Santaniello
    Archived post
    #1

    Hi Everyone,

    I thought I'd share this for fun.

    I'm 34 years old and I used to be reasonably active Cat 3 rider (in the
    USA) when I was younger, but I haven't ridden seriously for many years.
    There were periods where I went more than a year without riding at all!

    My weight has gone up considerably and fitness way down. It was getting
    a bit depressing and I decided that I needed to prioritize my life to be
    able to do the things I love. You only live once, as far as I know. So I
    have been riding 3 times per week for the last month and I'm getting my
    groove back!

    So I decided to have a go at a local race to see how I rate, and just to
    have fun and get back into it. I settled on an easy 10 km time-trial to
    start with. No mass-start races yet. For one I wouldn't be able to hang
    on, and two, until I'm confident of my pack-riding skills and those of
    the other riders around here, I'll stick to ITT's. (I used to be a bike
    messenger in NYC using a track-bike, so I just need to get my nerve back...)

    So I showed up for the race, got signed up and went to scout out the
    course. It was rolling hills with 2 pretty big ascents each about 1.5 km
    long. Not good for me! I'm still in poor shape and I weigh 105 kg (230
    lb.). But I have been training on similar terrain near my house and was
    pretty confident that if I kept my heart-rate between 160 and 170 I
    would be able to be pretty consistent with my power-output and since
    none of the ascents were particularly steep, my 42x21 seemed like it
    would suffice. So I set my goal of not being last!

    Milling around the start area people were very interested in my
    "vintage" bike and some of the older guys made good natured jokes about
    the "good old days" etc. I have a Tommasini with Columbus SPX and full
    Campy Nuovo Record with tubulars. And of course 6 speed with friction
    shifters on the down-tube. Very 80's. No TT bars, but I do have clipless-
    pedals, and I knew enough not to wear one of my wool jerseys...

    It was hot 32 C (90 F) and I had a good warm-up and felt very calm as I
    shifted to my 53x15 as I rolled up to the start. The starter grabbed my
    seat-post and I could tell he was straining to keep my upright during
    the count down. At 193 cm (6' 3"😉 and 105 kg (230 lb.) I was the largest
    person he was to hold up that day. When the start came, I slowly built
    speed to ease my heart-rate up and settled in to my 53x13 as the start
    of the course was slightly down-hill. Throughout the race I concentrated
    on keeping my heart-rate in the target zone and keeping a high-ish
    cadence. I used to be a gear masher with my 180 cranks back in the days
    when I was muscular, but now I figure spinning is the way to go. It was
    looking good for the first leg, and after the turn-around the course (
    while still rolling) began to go more up hill. At times I had to drop to
    the 42x21 but for the most part I was able to push higher gears. And
    that is when people started passing me. Mostly on the steeper sections.
    They were passing my like I was standing still. Flying by in 53x17 and
    stuff like that while I was struggling with a 42x17. Oh well. I kept in
    my target zone and managed to finish in 20:41. The top 3 places were all
    under 14 minutes, and otherwise pretty evenly spread from 14 to 18
    minutes. And one person behind me.

    So I accomplished my goal. Not being last. Same goal for next week.

    j

    Report
  2. Brendon M. Troy
    Archived post
    #2

    "Joseph Santaniello" <[email hidden]> wrote

    Quoted message said:

    So I accomplished my goal. Not being last. Same goal for next week.

    Awesome. Good luck next week!

    -Brendon

    Report
  3. Fabrizio Mazzoleni
    Archived post
    #3

    "Joseph Santaniello" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    The starter grabbed my seat-post and I could tell he
    was straining to keep my upright during the count down.

    One thing here, it's not up to the holder to keep you
    upright at the line, you must keep your bike up
    straight. The holder only keeps you in place. If that
    was me I would not strain to keep you up, you would
    have to do your job.

    What happens is, if your not keeping your bike in
    balance at the line, as soon as your count down
    hits zero the holder lets you go, you will be in a
    big gear, if the holder was keeping you balanced
    then you will be laying out on the ground before
    you can get up to speed.

    All TT guys keep their bike balanced at the line,
    NOT the holder person.

    Next time get to the line, if the holder is straining then
    do a U turn, come up to the line in balance and let
    the holder keep you in place, and YOU keep your
    own balance.

    Report
  4. Curtis L. Russell
    Archived post
    #4
    Fabrizio Mazzoleni said:

    All TT guys keep their bike balanced at the line,
    NOT the holder person.

    Funny. I've held probably near a thousand riders at the start line,
    including district TTs, and the riders did not balance themselves. If
    they did, all but a few would be a royal pain in the behind keeping
    them on the line.

    Most experienced time trialists would balance with one hand on my
    shoulder until the 10 second count down began. At that point they were
    clipped in and pretty much motionless with hands on the bars - which
    requires a light touch on the holder's part to keep them balanced and
    in place. But on a road TT, we did balance them, if lightly.

    What you didn't do is hold them in place if they decided to go. They
    start riding, it was on their head. And some didn't want to be held,
    but went from a foot down.

    Since the way I did it was vetted by at least four Cat I officials or
    better over the years, I guess I'm going to go with their opinion on
    the matter.

    Curtis L. Russell
    Odenton, MD (USA)
    Just someone on two wheels...

    Report
  5. Fabrizio Mazzoleni
    Archived post
    #5

    "Curtis L. Russell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    requires a light touch on the holder's part to keep them balanced and
    in place. But on a road TT, we did balance them, if lightly.

    The poster was talking about himself leaning over
    and the holder having to use forse to keep him
    upright.

    All good riders never get in that position at the line.

    Report
  6. Ryan Cousineau
    Archived post
    #6

    In article <B8PSc.86408$M95.30734@pd7tw1no>,

    Fabrizio Mazzoleni said:

    "Joseph Santaniello" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    The starter grabbed my seat-post and I could tell he
    was straining to keep my upright during the count down.

    One thing here, it's not up to the holder to keep you
    upright at the line, you must keep your bike up
    straight. The holder only keeps you in place. If that
    was me I would not strain to keep you up, you would
    have to do your job.

    What happens is, if your not keeping your bike in
    balance at the line, as soon as your count down
    hits zero the holder lets you go, you will be in a
    big gear, if the holder was keeping you balanced
    then you will be laying out on the ground before
    you can get up to speed.

    All TT guys keep their bike balanced at the line,
    NOT the holder person.

    Next time get to the line, if the holder is straining then
    do a U turn, come up to the line in balance and let
    the holder keep you in place, and YOU keep your
    own balance.

    Fabrizio, this advice is almost useful and helpful! What gives? You are
    losing your Euro-elitist panache.

    Think of your fans! Think of the children!

    Hoping to do a TTT Sept. 5 if I can assemble a team,
    --
    Ryan Cousineau, [email hidden] http://www.wiredcola.com
    Verus de parvis; verus de magnis.

    Report
  7. Zoot Katz
    Archived post
    #7

    Thu, 12 Aug 2004 21:10:36 -0700,
    <[email hidden]>, Ryan Cousineau

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    Next time get to the line, if the holder is straining then
    do a U turn, come up to the line in balance and let
    the holder keep you in place, and YOU keep your
    own balance.

    Fabrizio, this advice is almost useful and helpful! What gives? You are
    losing your Euro-elitist panache.


    Once you're over the hill, you start slipping.

    He's slipping.

    Quoted message said:

    Think of your fans! Think of the children!

    Hoping to do a TTT Sept. 5 if I can assemble a team,

    Don't ask Fab to hold for you.

    Of course, nobody else would ask him to ride it either.

    Forget you mentioned it and hope he doesn't pretend to be interested.
    --
    zk

    Report
  8. Joseph Santaniello
    Archived post
    #8
    In CvQSc.90975$gE.39322@pd7tw3no Fabrizio Mazzoleni said:


    "Curtis L. Russell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:
    [email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    requires a light touch on the holder's part to keep them balanced and
    in place. But on a road TT, we did balance them, if lightly.

    The poster was talking about himself leaning over
    and the holder having to use forse to keep him
    upright.

    All good riders never get in that position at the line.

    Actually I was only making a joke about my being overweight. I can do a
    track stand all day long and did actually keep my hand on the guy's
    shoulder until 10 seconds to go. The problem is that the start was
    actually on a steep downhill section (dumb place for a start if you ask
    me) and he only stained a bit I think when he was trying to keep me from
    rolling too far forward, as he wasn't going to count on my using my
    brakes. He wasn't really straining, but I did sense that he misjudged
    how much force he would need and where he would need to apply it to use
    to counter even a tiny lean by a rider over 105 kg with a saddle 113 cm
    from the ground.

    Since my TT performance was so pathetic, I could have just as well
    started with one foot on the ground, and saved everyone all this hassle ;-)

    Joseph

    Report

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