My First Crit Results

Lonnie Utah said:

Well that was an interesting experience. Where to begin. A couple of weeks ago, I hooked up with a cat 4/5 rider for one of the local teams. We rode about 30 miles together and he strongly urged me to come out to the local crit series near my house. A couple of Wed's ago I cruised down on my bike to check out the scene. It didn't look that bad. So today I decided to ride back and give it a whirl. I actucally saw the guy I had met a few weeks earlier and he give me a few pointers. Right before the start he got moved up to another flight.

Anyway we took our neutral lap, and things got under way. My plan was to head towards the back to try and avoid any carnage (Nice plan, right) Anyway about 4 laps in, I'm starting to pick a few guys off here and there. I had no expecation of hanging on the front. I was at 87-90% MHR. Just when I'm starting to feel comfortable, I come around one of the sharper corners and get way too wide. I take a little spill in the grass that's there. Instantly, I'm off the back. I get back on my bike and make another lap and I'm starting to catch another guy that's off the back. About that time the "C" flight catches me (they had a 2 min head start) so I ease up and let them go by (I was way to slow to hang with that group). A few corners later, there was a tight R/L chicane. I make it around the chicane and I'm just about headed straight when WHAM!!!! I'm on the deck. I jump up as quick as I can, and scoot out of the way. My arm and hip are throbbing. The course offical comes over and asks if I'm ok and urges me to have the paramedic check me out. Nice case of road rash. A minute or two later and some alcohol swabs to clean out the dirt and grime and I'm good, but out of the race. The owner of the shop where I work came over and we were talking and he gave me some words of encouragement. We shared a laugh. I'm not really sure what happened, but he guessed I caught a pedal. About that time WHAM!, another rider hits the deck in almost the exact same spot as me. (that made me feel slightly better about my bike handling skills..) I think 3 folks wrecked there tonight. Two in the C/D flight and one in the A/B flight.

About that time my buddy I had ridden with comes coasting in. I asked him what was up and he had flatted. After I asked him what he was running and when he said 10 speed I said take my wheel. He was racing for something, and I wasn't He popped it on and took off, I don't know how he finished, but he was really grateful. We were talking afterwards and he and his buddies invited me to join their racing club. That was a plus, and made me feel better. He really like my wheel too. It's an american classic CR420 and he said he could really feel the difference with it. I was just glad to be able to help him. I rode home after the race (about 10 miles generally up hill and into a stiff wind, to add insult to injury.)

To make this post fit in the training session. I made it just under 10 mins (it was a 30 min crit) before I wrecked out. Avg speed over that time was 21.35. I didn't look at my max speed, but would guess it was near 30. I felt I was able to handle the speed and surges OK. I didn't thin I was going to the front, but I didn't feel like I was going to get droped either (well, until I wrecked 😉 ). There was a stiff wind up the middle part of the course that I pulled myself on every lap I was closing the gap to the guys in front of me, but never got close enough to really get the benefit. My biggest problem, fitness wise, was I felt dehydrated right off the get go. I had quite the cottonmouth. I might have been nerves. I didn't feel comfortable at those speeds and proximity to the other riders to take a drink either.

I'm guessing I should take the bike in for a tune up? The shop guy glanced it over and said it wasn't hurt too bad. The shifters and grip tape and the read skewer got a bit scuffed, but other than that it seems the bike came out better than me.

So I guess you folks want to see the damage I did to myself, huh. Well if you're not grossed out by blood, click the following

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Well, that was my baptism by fire. I was surprised how nice everyone was to me as a noobie racer. Before I went out I called a buddy of mine back east who has done lots of racing and he said, "Remeber, keep the rubber side down." I should have done a better job listening to him 😉 All in all, I had fun and that what it is all about. I hope you enjoyed the story.

Sorry to hear about your mishaps LU, but you will get no sympathy from me for those little scratches. 11 days after my crash during the century, my abrasions are still worse than those. And I finished the course!:p

Actually, I think you lucked out because you didn't have a whole bunch of guys on your wheel. That's when things can go south in a hurry, when you have bike parts flying at your head and body at 25+mph.

A good training ride to prepare yourself for the neuromuscular demands of a crit is to ride an hour with 15 second intervals. Pick a power target that you can ride for an hour (e.g., P=90%FT). Then, ride for 15s @ P+100W, then 15s @ P-100W, then keep repeating for an hour. Physiologically, the ride is nothing more than a 1 hr low L4 ride, but I doubt that you will be able to complete the ride the first time you try it. I wasn't able to. That's because the neuromuscular demands are quite different from those of a steady power ride. It's a bit difficult to do with only a HRM due to the HR lag. 15s isn't long enough for HR to reach the new equilibrium.

Sillyoldtwit said:

Sorry to hear about your mishaps LU, but you will get no sympathy from me for those little scratches. 11 days after my crash during the century, my abrasions are still worse than those. And I finished the course!:p

Ok. That's fair. There was a slight mechanical issue with my bike I forgot to mention, about 6 inches of the bead popped off the rim. I deflated popped it back on and pumped it back up and it was fine. FWIW, the road rash does look worse in person. I just pulled my jersey off and found a few more. I bet I don't get alot of sleep tonight....

RapDaddyo said:

Actually, I think you lucked out because you didn't have a whole bunch of guys on your wheel. That's when things can go south in a hurry, when you have bike parts flying at your head and body at 25+mph.

I'll second that.

Lonnie Utah said:

Ok. That's fair. There was a slight mechanical issue with my bike I forgot to mention, about 6 inches of the bead popped off the rim. I deflated popped it back on and pumped it back up and it was fine. FWIW, the road rash does look worse in person. I just pulled my jersey off and found a few more. I bet I don't get alot of sleep tonight....

I'll second that.

OK LU, you have my sympathy, but only for the flying bits you understand.😄

Lonnie Utah said:

Well that was an interesting experience. Where to begin. A couple of weeks ago, I hooked up with a cat 4/5 rider for one of the local teams.

Excellent story. Now you have to get out there and race every week - let us know how it goes. Also, as well as RD's training suggestion try some brisk group rides so that you can get used to being in close proximity to others -- and you should practice some skill drills, such as going through and off, cornering at speed, and drinking while in a group (not that you'll likely drink much in a 30-min crit!).

So, was the crit RMR or DMV?

Ric

Congrats on your first crit. Racing tight like that takes a bit of practice, group rides will help. The toughest part of rookie crits is people can't hold their lines especially around corners and get all sketchy in the turns. Keep at it. You'll also realize that the fastest rider doesn't necessarily win the race. It's all about energy preservation and strategy. Take a crit and break it into thirds. 1st third hang mid pack (hopefully in front of the real squirrely riders) conserve energy get the feel of the race. 2nd third get in the top third. 3rd third be in the top 5 to 8 riders positioning yourself for the finish. Good word of advice is to do less work than the guy doing the least amount of work. We look forward to your report next week on your 2nd crit.

capwater said:

1st third hang mid pack (hopefully in front of the real squirrely riders)

Like me? 🙂

ric_stern/RST said:

So, was the crit RMR or DMV?

Thanksgiving point Cirt Series. tourofutah.comwed.htmlOpen ↗

ric_stern/RST said:

not that you'll likely drink much in a 30-min crit!

That's why I think there was something else going only rather than "real" hydration issues. I mean I was 9-10 mins in for christ sakes. Unless I had totally neglicted my hydration over the course of the day, which I haden't, and it was super hot, which it wasn't, there was no way I could loose enough fluid in that amount of time to be in that condition.

You got your first race crash out of the way so you're set now!

One of the best parts about living in Utah, especially as a beginging racer, is that you have a lot of chances to get race experience. The Tuesday night races out at RMR are good, Thanksgiving point is great, and the Thursday night TT series at Salt Air is a great way to get in shape quick (automatic 20min intervals with the added benefit of knowing you won't slow down 'cause you're racing). The Wed. night races at DMV are a lot of fun too but there are some tight corners so hold off until you're getting comforatable and then use them to have some fun.

If you have any questions feel free to drop me a line, I'd love to help.

Justin

Great job! It took me about 10 crits before I hit the deck, so maybe you're ahead of the curve. 😄 So, are you hooked yet? 😉

frenchyge said:

Great job! It took me about 10 crits before I hit the deck, so maybe you're ahead of the curve. 😄 So, are you hooked yet? 😉

You sound excited about the whole event and that's what matters. When I started crit racing the other rides told me it was corner, sprint, corner, sprint, corner and that's exactly how it felt until I'd done a couple to get use to them and the first 1/2 is usually the fastest and then everybody start to play tactics and think about the finish.

As for tactics that depends on you I like to attack often after the 1/2 way mark and try to break away but I've won both in bunch sprints and back aways. Our crit in summer are 50min +2laps and winter 90min +2 laps (we just got a purpose built track so we now race crits in winter every 2 week so that we are guaranteed the use of it in summer)

DJA said:

... Our crit in summer are 50min +2laps and winter 90min +2 laps (we just got a purpose built track so we now race crits in winter every 2 week so that we are guaranteed the use of it in summer)

You must be talking about Casey Fields.
What's your opinion of it? Which club do you race with?

Yes its Casey fields. Race with southern vets. I like the coarse and the fact we don't have to worry about cars. It's still early days and the place will just get better and better as the little bugs are fixed. ie wash the bike down after wet race should be not an issue once the grass grows and stops the mud washing on to the track. The carpark is a great improvment.

Good times, well done getting through alive with a positive outlook.

I expect my first crit will be about the same as my last: terror, off the back, pedal like mad, get back on, turn, off the back, pedal like mad, get back on, turn, off the back, etc. Then occasionally I find myself at the front, and it's so easy. But the memory must not last, because my general fear of crits seems to force me to the back every time.

Ah well, bring on the hill climbs and RR I say.

Catabolic_Jones said:

Ah well, bring on the hill climbs and RR I say.

I'm with you dude!