Can I just rock up and race? Goodwood 23rd Aug

tomb8555

Fancy trying my first ever race. Not expecting anything impressive - pretty much expecting to get blown out the back / end up on the deck, but hoping not! This one's not too far from me and I like the idea of no traffic for my first race.

If I buy BC Silver membership tomorrow, will it arrive in time? I gather I can get a free day ticket with this membership to race with. Can I enter the race on the day, or is it advisible to enter in advance?

Can I race without a club, as I've not been out with any yet (hoping to on Sunday)? Can I add a 'first-claim' club to my membership at a later date?

I presume I start as 4th cat?

Sorry for all the questions, managed to find using search about day tickets w/ silver etc but unsure about just rocking up and racing, and what to expect!!!

Thanks

TB

jibberjim

When you buy BC silver (and the race licence if you want to accumulate points) on the phone, ask them for your membership number, and then you'll probably be okay anyway it's likely to arrive.

You can enter on the day, there's almost no chance of the race closing in advance - there's only 4 entrants at the moment listed, but you can enter ahead of time if you like, it's pretty easy with Surrey League events.

Never done Goodwood so I can't give any advice on the circuit - lthough I was thinking of going down on the 23rd too.

I definately recommend joining a club, it's always good to have teammates in a race, even if you only met them on the start line but they're still a friendly face out there.

As I said on the RP 3-lap challenge thread, you've got a good chance of staying with the group, but at the same time your inexperience could easily have you dropped quickly. I got dropped on the first lap of my first race earlier in the year, but my second I managed to hang on for all of it.

tomb8555

Thanks for the info :-) Maybe see you there

I'm all for jumping in at the deep-end and getting stuck-in. I figure the sooner I start building race experience the sooner I'll get better and eventually be competitive!

I'll see what this club run's like on Sunday. Presumable I can get the BC membership now and add that I'm a member of a club at a later date?

Last question....... If I race for a club I need their colours right? If I race private do I need a plain jersey?

brownbosh

You can race in anything that isnt another team kit.

jibberjim

brownbosh wrote:

You can race in anything that isnt another team kit.

As a 4th cat, he can race in anything that is "suitable".

However I'd say avoid world/national champion jerseys at least...

Plain kit is definately best, but if you only have the full Columbia replica kit, then you could wear it...

tomb8555

jibberjim wrote:

brownbosh wrote:

You can race in anything that isnt another team kit.

As a 4th cat, he can race in anything that is "suitable".

However I'd say avoid world/national champion jerseys at least...

Plain kit is definately best, but if you only have the full Columbia replica kit, then you could wear it...

Haha it's not quite that bad!

sods_law

Had my first race at Dunsfold last weekend, and i got spat out the back on the first corner/sprint :oops: Just waited for the group to catch me again, and rejoined the group, still had a good time

It was £13 to enter the race, I assume this is the same everywhere?

Am tempted to go to Goodwood too (if i can shake off an injury), as this racing seems quite addictive!

owenlars

Can I ask a dumb question? What time do you need to achieve for the RP 3 lap challenge to make it worthwhile turning up at one of these races?

jibberjim

owenlars wrote:

Can I ask a dumb question? What time do you need to achieve for the RP 3 lap challenge to make it worthwhile turning up at one of these races?

I was over the hour when I started racing and still at around the hour whenI first succeeded in not getting dropped. The racing and training soon had me under it.

But it's a pretty different situation. RP rewards consistent effort, and is hilly. These races are almost completely flat so help the guy with some spare weight to carry and the extra power. And more importantly you need to save lots of energy by riding well in the group, if you can do that, you'll stay with the group even if you're 3-lap time is quite a lot worse than another guys.

Also as Sods_Law says, it's very easy to get caught out in your early races and get dropped - if that happens, when the group come around to lap you, get back into the group and try to stare there again. Don't do stuff at the front of the race, and don't contest the sprint at the end, but try and stay in!

owenlars

Thanks for that. I have a very foolish hankering to try a race but I do 3xRP in 65 minutes and am 55 years old so it's probably a non starter

brownbosh

Its not a non starter because of age. Dip your toe in the water for the last 3 or 4 local ones this year so you know what you need to do to get in the right kind of shape for next year. Remember if its cat 4 only most of the fitter/quicker ones will have been promoted already leaving the less experienced/fit to contend with. It is however, towards the end of the season so they will all be race fit by now. Dont use age as an excuse, we have all had our arses kicked at one time or another by guys in their 60's!

jibberjim

owenlars wrote:

Thanks for that. I have a very foolish hankering to try a race but I do 3xRP in 65 minutes and am 55 years old so it's probably a non starter

Yeah, if you have a hankering, try it! Aswell as the 4th cat races, there are other beginners races, there's the LVRC where you can be up against people your own age (although I hear they tend to have lots of old pros in it...)

At Hillingdon on thursday nights there's some free chain gang/race practice sessions you can go along to and get a good idea of what a race would be like without even risking the entry fee!

There's plenty of older guys in the races who do fine! Try it, it's a great way of getting your 3-lap time lower anyway!

owenlars

Thanks for that I may well sign up!! (Must be the next mid/late life crisis coming up!)

sods_law

Do it Even if you don't do well, its still fun just cycling in a group of 60-70 people

surista

owenlars wrote:

Thanks for that I may well sign up!! (Must be the next mid/late life crisis coming up!)

I was thinking the same thing...but I'm only 41!

tomb8555

Cool that there'll be some other new racers there! Come say Hi, I'll be in the horribly garish red/yellow Hammer Nutrition jersey....

hopper1

tomb8555 wrote:

Fancy trying my first ever race. Not expecting anything impressive - pretty much expecting to get blown out the back / end up on the deck, but hoping not! This one's not too far from me and I like the idea of no traffic for my first race.

I'm 47, but busting a gut to have a go at racing! :shock: I've missed all my local events so far, through work. I just had a look at the Surrey Leagues website and it doesn't specify 'traffic free'!
Race 3 is a one lap time trial. 3b is 1 lap, then out on to the roads to make up the majority of the 81.3 miles.
Have I read this right, or can someone shed some light on this, please...

Paul

jibberjim

hopper1 wrote:

I'm 47, but busting a gut to have a go at racing! :shock: I've missed all my local events so far, through work. I just had a look at the Surrey Leagues website and it doesn't specify 'traffic free'!
Race 3 is a one lap time trial. 3b is 1 lap, then out on to the roads to make up the majority of the 81.3 miles.
Have I read this right, or can someone shed some light on this, please...

You're looking at the Goodwood stage of the Revolutions 5 day event which is most definately not a beginners race (you can't enter as a 4th cat anyway, but even most 3rd cats would likely have a _lot_ of trouble, I'd've loved to have entered, but there's just no point - riding 80 miles a day by myself would just be foolish!) And yes only the TT is on the course, the 81 mile race is on the open road.

The surrey league runs no 4th cat races on the open road, they're all circuit races and traffic free - although there is the handicap series which can be entered as a 4th cat and are on the open road with traffic.

You need to look at the Goodwood races underneath the Revolutions, ie the 4th cat race at 9:30 on the 23rd.

hopper1

Thanks for that info, jibberjim... There's a huuuuuuge difference between those races, thankfully.
Think I'll give it a shot.
Long way from home, though...

jibberjim

hopper1 wrote:

Thanks for that info, jibberjim... There's a huuuuuuge difference between those races, thankfully.
Think I'll give it a shot.
Long way from home, though...

You've got nearer 4th cat and beginner races! You could do one of those instead

hopper1

jibberjim wrote:

You've got nearer 4th cat and beginner races! You could do one of those instead

True.... :roll:

tomb8555

That was awesome!!!!! No idea where I finished, but will do a race report a bit later when the adrenaline's worn off a bit (still pumped a couple of hours after race!)

Thanks for all the advice guys.

Does anyone happen to know where I can find some photos of the event? There were a couple of photographers with expensive looking cameras around the course.

jibberjim

Tom, Sorry I didn't get to say hello - I only saw you when you were going around in the race, you looked comfortable in the bunch the couple of times I spotted you - hanging near the front which was wise.

I took lots of photos, but have not looked at the results yet, but if they turned out, I'll get them online later.

Personally I had a rubbish race in the 3rd's, not really the appropriate circuit for me, and I thought a lot of the bike handling was poor, one guy managed to cut right across me twice in the sprint! - and if you're slow enough to have me ease off and then still get back to you, you were not going to win that sprint!

Glad you had a good race!

jibberjim

Pictures are here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/jim.ley/Sur ... ths34W3rdS

If anyone wants higher quality versions, drop me a PM with an email address.

There's pictures of the 4ths, 3/4 Women and 3rd's race (and one of the the Revolutions stage)

tomb8555

There's a couple of decent ones of me in there, cheers!

When's the next race that would be suitable for me? All I could really find was Crystal Palace on tuesday night (not really feasible) and Chertsey on Saturday (although Surrey League website says it's cancelled?)

Tom

p.s. I see they put the chicane back in for the later races? Am quite glad they took it out for us!

jibberjim

tomb8555 wrote:

When's the next race that would be suitable for me? All I could really find was Crystal Palace on tuesday night (not really feasible) and Chertsey on Saturday (although Surrey League website says it's cancelled?)

There's Hillingdon on saturdays, Chertsey is indeed cancelled I'm afraid, the circuit is out of action due to insurance reasons.

tomb8555 wrote:

p.s. I see they put the chicane back in for the later races? Am quite glad they took it out for us!

It was odd, not really enough to make the race interesting, more just annoying...

gbs

owenlars wrote:

Thanks for that. I have a very foolish hankering to try a race but I do 3xRP in 65 minutes and am 55 years old so it's probably a non starter

If you find something within easy reach of SW London I might be tempted to join you and then you will have someone who will be slightly slower (and older).

felgen

Good album Jim - that course might suit me (i.e. no hills) whens the next race there?

I am still a little bummed that Chertsey is out of action as I am moving 5 minutes down the road from the Chertsey track....

Muzzlehatch

Like Condormoment and Tomb, I also did my first 4th cat race yesterday at Goodwood. I just turned up on the day and got a day licence for £5.

It was immense fun, and I was double pleased to exceed all my expectations by not getting dropped and actually be near the front most the time. In fact, I was joined by another chap when we did a cheeky breakaway on lap 11. We knew it wouldn't stick as the headwind was relentless, but there's no point just sitting there in the peloton doing nothing, when you can mix it up and make it interesting for everyone.

The crash at the end was unfortunate, and I hope the chap from Dulwich Paragon is OK. I understand his forehead and shoulder were badly done in, plus he had a rather messy arm. I believe that the tyres were acting as a pinch-point, contributing to the accident, which kinda negated the removal of the chicane in the first place.

Still, a good learning experience, and now it's time to get more sprinting power into my chicken legs.