I kinda knew I was too heavy...

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

Quoted message said:

I finally made my way into a CatV race, the Sugarhouse Park Crit. 45 minutes with three finishing
laps. The course was freshly paved, about
1.3 mile laps. The park has a pond in a basin, so each lap has two 50-foot climbs. I've been
working out hard and gained 5 pounds to 185 in the last six months.

You didn't say how tall you are but if you are 6 foot or over you need to lose another 15 pounds to
20 pounds.

If less than 6 feet than you will need to lose a lot more weight.

Dashii (6' 1" 166 pounds)

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

Quoted message said:

I finally made my way into a CatV race, the Sugarhouse Park Crit. 45 minutes with three finishing
laps. The course was freshly paved, about
1.3 mile laps. The park has a pond in a basin, so each lap has two 50-foot climbs. I've been
working out hard and gained 5 pounds to 185 in the last six months.

Since I can do 23-24mph solo on a good day, I thought I might be okay. Then, "Oh yeah, I remember
this..." from 15 years ago, the last time I raced. All these speed freaks take turns burning
themselves up, resulting in a very hot pace from start to finish.

I did fine dangling off the back for about six laps, casually letting the draft pull me along the
downhills and flats, and rather easily sprinting up the climbs to catch up. There was one time
where the course tightens up and a couple guys in the middle got squirly, but no crashes.

Then the announcer runs two prime laps close together and suddenly the peloton is 30 yards ahead
and I realize I'm done. I dangled for one more lap before I was pulled.

Looks like I need more speed work. I'm trying to decide whether to do structured interval training
on my own, or participate in more weekly training races to get that high-pace recovery capacity
going. Or should I join a local team and ride with 'em?

--
--
Lynn Wallace xmission.com~lawallOpen ↗ "I'm not proud. We really haven't done everything we
could to protect our customers. Our products just aren't engineered for security." --Microsoft VP
in charge of Windows OS Development, Brian Valentine.

"Dashi Toshii" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

1.3 mile laps. The park has a pond in a basin, so each lap has two 50-foot climbs. I've been
working out hard and gained 5 pounds to 185 in the last six months.

You didn't say how tall you are but if you are 6 foot or over you need to lose another 15 pounds
to 20 pounds.

If less than 6 feet than you will need to lose a lot more weight.

For a 50 foot climb?

Intervals would be more practical.

"Dashi Toshii" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:KxqEa.102556$M01.53351@sccrnsc02...

Quoted message said:

"Raptor" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I finally made my way into a CatV race, the Sugarhouse Park Crit. 45 minutes with three
finishing laps. The course was freshly paved, about
1.3 mile laps. The park has a pond in a basin, so each lap has two 50-foot climbs. I've been
working out hard and gained 5 pounds to 185 in the last six months.

You didn't say how tall you are but if you are 6 foot or over you need to lose another 15 pounds
to 20 pounds.

If less than 6 feet than you will need to lose a lot more weight.

Not really. 185 lbs for someone 6', in a Cat V race is fine. If Wallace can do 23+ mph ave. flat
solo then he's more than fit enough and hopefully fast enough, and race-savvy enough to do very well
and upgrade after 5-10 Cat V starts.

Quoted message said:

Dashii (6' 1" 166 pounds)

(that's pretty darned skinny)

Quoted message said:

I did fine dangling off the back for about six laps,

There's your problem.

You don't see Lance back there for long !

Get brave and sit in the pack more. Watch for people with lousy skill and stay ahead of them.

jw milwaukee

"Carl Sundquist" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Dashi Toshii" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

1.3 mile laps. The park has a pond in a basin, so each lap has two 50-foot climbs. I've been
working out hard and gained 5 pounds to 185 in the last six months.

You didn't say how tall you are but if you are 6 foot or over you need

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

lose another 15 pounds to 20 pounds.

If less than 6 feet than you will need to lose a lot more weight.

For a 50 foot climb?

Intervals would be more practical.

Not just for a 50 foot climb but for overall performance.

Dashii

"Ken Papai" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:o7rEa.898437$Zo.205182@sccrnsc03...

Quoted message said:

"Dashi Toshii" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:KxqEa.102556$M01.53351@sccrnsc02...

Quoted message said:

"Raptor" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I finally made my way into a CatV race, the Sugarhouse Park Crit. 45 minutes with three
finishing laps. The course was freshly paved,

about

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

1.3 mile laps. The park has a pond in a basin, so each lap has two 50-foot climbs. I've been
working out hard and gained 5 pounds to 185 in the last six months.

You didn't say how tall you are but if you are 6 foot or over you need

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

lose another 15 pounds to 20 pounds.

If less than 6 feet than you will need to lose a lot more weight.

Not really. 185 lbs for someone 6', in a Cat V race is fine. If Wallace can do 23+ mph ave. flat
solo then he's more than fit enough and hopefully fast enough, and race-savvy enough to do very
well and upgrade after 5-10 Cat V starts.

Sure but to be competitive and be a possible winner he will need to lose the weight.

I don't mean by dieting but by working hard on the bike and eating healthy.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Dashii (6' 1" 166 pounds)

(that's pretty darned skinny)

Thanks but I don't think that I am too skinny, I am built more like a middle weight boxer than
a cyclist.

Dashii

"J999w" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I did fine dangling off the back for about six laps,

There's your problem.

You don't see Lance back there for long !

Get brave and sit in the pack more. Watch for people with lousy skill and

stay

Quoted message said:

ahead of them.

jw milwaukee

Even better, stay in the top 20 or so the whole race.

1. its easier: no sprinting out of the corners.
2. you can see when the front of the pack accelerates and be ready when the wave gets to you.
3. the riders in the front are usually better bike handlers and thus safer
4. did I mention that it was easier?
5. its easier to see if anyone's brave enough to attack a Cat 5 race and try a break. If you don't
like riding in the pack, go OTF instead of OTB! At least OTF you have a chance to win something
(like the race!)

The trick is to get to the point where you can ride at the front but not ON the front. Let some
other sucker pull!

Then again, you probably already know all this, you just aren't doing it...

Mike

"Ken Papai" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:o7rEa.898437$Zo.205182@sccrnsc03...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Dashii (6' 1" 166 pounds)

(that's pretty darned skinny)

I had a friend who was 6' 2" and weighed 130 lbs (59 kg) when he was racing (he was in his early
20's though). He used to go OK on hills, and he could sprint reasonably well. He stopped about six
years ago and I think he's now around the 190 lb mark.

Jeff

"Jeff Jones" <jeff@cyclingnews-punt-com> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Ken Papai" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:o7rEa.898437$Zo.205182@sccrnsc03...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Dashii (6' 1" 166 pounds)

(that's pretty darned skinny)

I had a friend who was 6' 2" and weighed 130 lbs (59 kg) when he was

racing

Quoted message said:

(he was in his early 20's though). He used to go OK on hills, and he

could

Quoted message said:

sprint reasonably well. He stopped about six years ago and I think

he's now

Quoted message said:

around the 190 lb mark.

So is this your "friend" in the mirror Jeff?

"Jeff Jones" <jeff@cyclingnews-punt-com> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Ken Papai" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:o7rEa.898437$Zo.205182@sccrnsc03...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Dashii (6' 1" 166 pounds)

(that's pretty darned skinny)

I had a friend who was 6' 2" and weighed 130 lbs (59 kg) when he was

racing

Quoted message said:

(he was in his early 20's though). He used to go OK on hills, and he could sprint reasonably well.
He stopped about six years ago and I think he's

now

Quoted message said:

around the 190 lb mark.

Jeff

I don't think that there are any pro riders over 2.3 lbs per inch.

The "Big Mig" Miguel Indurain was about 2.4 lbs per inch.

Dashii

"Raptor" <[email hidden]> wrote in message:

<snip>

"Oh yeah, I remember this..." from 15 years ago, the last time I

Quoted message said:

raced. All these speed freaks take turns burning themselves up, resulting in a very hot pace from
start to finish.

That sort of defines crit racing.

Quoted message said:

I did fine dangling off the back for about six laps, casually letting the draft pull me along the
downhills and flats, and rather easily sprinting up the climbs to catch up. There was one time
where the course tightens up and a couple guys in the middle got squirly, but no crashes.

Then the announcer runs two prime laps close together and suddenly the peloton is 30 yards ahead
and I realize I'm done. I dangled for one more lap before I was pulled.

Looks like I need more speed work. I'm trying to decide whether to do structured interval training
on my own, or participate in more weekly training races to get that high-pace recovery capacity
going. Or should I join a local team and ride with 'em?

Group rides and a few races where you have no goal but to improve each outing.

Quoted message said:

--
--
Lynn Wallace xmission.com~lawallOpen ↗ "I'm not proud. We really haven't done everything we
could to protect our customers. Our products just aren't engineered for security." --Microsoft VP
in charge of Windows OS Development, Brian Valentine.

Yeah, there are a few. Tour winners may be a different story.

"Dashi Toshii" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Jeff Jones" <jeff@cyclingnews-punt-com> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Ken Papai" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:o7rEa.898437$Zo.205182@sccrnsc03...

Quoted message said:

>
> Dashii (6' 1" 166 pounds)

(that's pretty darned skinny)

I had a friend who was 6' 2" and weighed 130 lbs (59 kg) when he was

racing

Quoted message said:

(he was in his early 20's though). He used to go OK on hills, and he

could

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

sprint reasonably well. He stopped about six years ago and I think he's

now

Quoted message said:

around the 190 lb mark.

Jeff

I don't think that there are any pro riders over 2.3 lbs per inch.

The "Big Mig" Miguel Indurain was about 2.4 lbs per inch.

Dashii

Dashi Toshii said:

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

Quoted message said:

I finally made my way into a CatV race, the Sugarhouse Park Crit. 45 minutes with three finishing
laps. The course was freshly paved, about
1.3 mile laps. The park has a pond in a basin, so each lap has two 50-foot climbs. I've been
working out hard and gained 5 pounds to 185 in the last six months.

You didn't say how tall you are but if you are 6 foot or over you need to lose another 15 pounds
to 20 pounds.

If less than 6 feet than you will need to lose a lot more weight.

Dashii (6' 1" 166 pounds)

I'm 5'10". My body composition is pretty good, I'm just very beefy for a bike racer, especially one
trying to go up hills. I can go up hills much faster than I have in the past, but it's real hard
hanging with the flyweights.

("Real hard" = "impossible" at least at this point. I'm willing to hear if it's true that it's
virtually impossible for someone with my build to keep up on hills, but losing weight isn't that
much of a priority for
me. My build is big but looks pretty good IMO. I'd rather suck at bike racing, I think.)

--
--
Lynn Wallace xmission.com~lawallOpen ↗ "I'm not proud. We really haven't done everything we
could to protect our customers. Our products just aren't engineered for security." --Microsoft VP in
charge of Windows OS Development, Brian Valentine.

Thanks everyone for the advice. It makes sense.

I just wasn't ready to mingle closely with the peloton. I'm smooth enough on my bike but I'm not
used to close quarters. Hanging off the back was as much a service to my fellow riders as it was for
my sense of safety.

I think I'll do practice races as my main training (as well as the usual long solo "pleasure"
rides). I'll get the interval/speed work and get better at riding in the peloton in due time.

I can't say I'm surprised at what happened, just a bit bummed. My strength (cruising speed) led me
to believe I could do better.

--
--
Lynn Wallace xmission.com~lawallOpen ↗ "I'm not proud. We really haven't done everything we
could to protect our customers. Our products just aren't engineered for security." --Microsoft VP in
charge of Windows OS Development, Brian Valentine.

"Tom Kunich" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

So is this your "friend" in the mirror Jeff?

Nope. He was 2" taller than me for a start and 20 lb lighter (at the time). The situation is
somewhat reversed now!

Jeff

In article <[email hidden]>, "Jeff Jones"

jeff@cyclingnews-punt-com said:

"Tom Kunich" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

So is this your "friend" in the mirror Jeff?

Nope. He was 2" taller than me for a start and 20 lb lighter (at the time). The situation is
somewhat reversed now!

Jeff

Ah, so you've grown four inches, Jeff?

--
tanx, Howard

Read. Think. Type. Send.

remove YOUR SHOES to reply, k?

For some people, quantity IS quality...

Raptor said:

I did fine dangling off the back for about six laps,...

snip

Quoted message said:

Then the announcer runs two prime laps close together and suddenly the peloton is 30 yards ahead
and I realize I'm done. I dangled for one more lap before I was pulled.

Looks like I need more speed work....

It looks like you need to not dangle off the back of the pack. That's not smart racing.

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

Quoted message said:

Dashi Toshii said:

"Raptor" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I finally made my way into a CatV race, the Sugarhouse Park Crit. 45 minutes with three
finishing laps. The course was freshly paved, about
1.3 mile laps. The park has a pond in a basin, so each lap has two 50-foot climbs. I've been
working out hard and gained 5 pounds to 185 in the last six months.

You didn't say how tall you are but if you are 6 foot or over you need

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

lose another 15 pounds to 20 pounds.

If less than 6 feet than you will need to lose a lot more weight.

Dashii (6' 1" 166 pounds)

I'm 5'10". My body composition is pretty good, I'm just very beefy for a bike racer, especially
one trying to go up hills. I can go up hills much faster than I have in the past, but it's real
hard hanging with the flyweights.

("Real hard" = "impossible" at least at this point. I'm willing to hear if it's true that it's
virtually impossible for someone with my build to keep up on hills, but losing weight isn't that
much of a priority for
me. My build is big but looks pretty good IMO. I'd rather suck at bike racing, I think.)

If you are not serious about winning races and enjoy the sport as you are then losing weight isn't
necessary.

Dashii

Quoted message said:

--
--
Lynn Wallace xmission.com~lawallOpen ↗ "I'm not proud. We really haven't done everything we
could to protect our customers. Our products just aren't engineered for security." --Microsoft VP
in charge of Windows OS Development, Brian Valentine.