I just won my first cycle race!!!

chrisaonabike

Just had to share - it was only about half a mile but it felt damn good...

I've just got back from a quick ride round Richmond Park, and I was on my second time up the hill from Robin Hood Gate to the top of Broomfield Hill. I was gradually catching up a lad on a road bike (looked to be about 17), and as I got to about two bike lengths behind, he looked round, saw me coming, and sprinted off up the hill out of the saddle.

The first time up had nearly killed me so I was hardly going to sprint after him - I just carried on steadily, and then noticed that he'd stopped sprinting, and I was catching him again.

A smile crept across my face as he turned round to see where I was, sprinted again, but this time very weakly. I kept my nerve, stayed in the saddle, and drew level....

... and then pushed as hard as I could for the last fifty yards or so, getting to the top several seconds ahead. I could barely see, let alone breathe, for a few seconds after that but he didn't catch me

A minor little victory for an old fart just turned 50, but it was definitely one of my "perfect moments in cycling".

Wrath Rob

Nice one. Sounds like experience triumphing over youth That hill is pretty sharp, trying to sprint up it is a great way to blow up massively.

amaferanga

Great. What if that was the first time the kid had ridden a bike since he was 6 though?

danowat

Race? really?...........

alihisgreat

You should enter a sportive.. you'd love it.

saprkzz

He was probably only on Zone 2 training and his PT doesnt allow him to max out due to his Winter aerobic base training

zx6man

Maybe you scared him, and he was trying to get away? A win is a win though :-)

elderone

amaferanga wrote:

Great. What if that was the first time the kid had ridden a bike since he was 6 though?

What difference does that make?The OP states the other rider tried to burn him off and got his a*se handed on a plate.
Nice one OP,a victory for us oldies.Made me smile reading it any way.

zx6man

glad I am only 42, you 50+ guys are just too competitive :-)

chrisaonabike

danowat wrote:

Race? really?...........

Damn right it was

He was totally racing from the moment he sprinted away, and as soon as I saw that I was catching him again, so was I. Somehow I found I could push harder, and when I saw his second sprint fade away, I thought "ha, gotcha", in a way that I haven't done for several decades. I used to be insanely competitive about everything when I was younger, and that feeling came right back.

Hardly the TdF, but there it is, so ner!

Ride hard

That's the funniest story I've heard in a long time. Respect big man!

I know those blooming hills in Richmond park all too well and they're a challenge the second/third time around even for (relative) spring chickens like me.

charlie_potatoes

Nice one ChrisAOnABike.
Made me smile

jibberjim

And the good thing about Strava is, just as you're getting a big head you can find out a woman towing a baby in a trailer is lapping faster than you...

chrisaonabike

jibberjim wrote:

And the good thing about Strava is, just as you're getting a big head you can find out a woman towing a baby in a trailer is lapping faster than you...

I've seen her name crop up a few times, she could kick my arse any day of the week I imagine. I might even meet her some time - I'd been thinking about maybe joining her club once I get a bit faster. Not that I'd see anything of her except her rear end - given that she can do 60 miles at an average 18mph.

Chapeau, I think you're supposed to say!

Actually, nearly all the girls that ride in the park are a lot faster than me. The only ones I've overtaken had wicker baskets on the front, as I recall. :oops: :oops:

Stuuu

Excellent story and result!

Time to get a wicker basket on the front and see if it helps.

MartAstur

Great post! put a smile on my face Well Done!

jgsi

If you do have the bug then check out the LVRC
http://www.lvrc.org.uk/
for 2013.
A licence for £20 and a tenner per entry for next year if they dont up the entry fee.
I 'm a Cat D rider actually keen to get older for a CAt E entry I might actually get a chance on a win...

chrisaonabike

JGSI wrote:

If you do have the bug then check out the LVRC
http://www.lvrc.org.uk/

That does appeal, actually - thanks for that. I've been wondering if there was anything competitive for people like me (ie, older, slower, less experienced) and that might be just the thing.

I'm thinking it would be wise to join a club first, though, to build up some group riding skills?

inkz

Slow and steady wins the race lol

TakeTurns

ChrisAOnABike wrote:

JGSI wrote:

If you do have the bug then check out the LVRC
http://www.lvrc.org.uk/

That does appeal, actually - thanks for that. I've been wondering if there was anything competitive for people like me (ie, older, slower, less experienced) and that might be just the thing.

I'm thinking it would be wise to join a club first, though, to build up some group riding skills?

Great job Chris!

Joining a club would be a good idea. Kingston Wheelers is a great choice for yourself. Their guideline is that you should be able to complete 3 RP laps within 80mins. So a little less than 27mins per lap.

Keep kickin' ass.

Monty Dog

LVRC? - they might be older, but they ain't slower! I suggest you spend a winter doing regular club rides and maybe a few sportives to test your endurance, develop your pack-riding skills and to get a gauge on your fitness and speed before entering any races.

maryka

ChrisAOnABike wrote:

jibberjim wrote:

And the good thing about Strava is, just as you're getting a big head you can find out a woman towing a baby in a trailer is lapping faster than you...

I've seen her name crop up a few times, she could kick my ars* any day of the week I imagine. I might even meet her some time - I'd been thinking about maybe joining her club once I get a bit faster. Not that I'd see anything of her except her rear end - given that she can do 60 miles at an average 18mph.

Chapeau, I think you're supposed to say!

Actually, nearly all the girls that ride in the park are a lot faster than me. The only ones I've overtaken had wicker baskets on the front, as I recall. :oops: :oops:

Funny story and reminds me of something that happened to me today in RP -- though I was doing ACW laps. Riding up Dark Hill I was catching this guy slowly and steadily but he heard me coming and pedalled harder. As I pulled nearly level with him at the steepest bit near the top, he saw me out of the corner of his eye and gave it one final push for just a moment or two, holding me at bay... til he blew a gasket and I sailed past as the road started to flatten out. Imagine his surprise when not only a bike but a baby trailer followed. Have to thank the guy though, I honestly didn't set out to overtake him, just wanted to keep my momentum up the hill. But being motivated like that I ended up with a PB for Dark Hill towing the trailer and 1 and 2 min power PBs for that too.

Lovely day in RP today, sandwiched between two awful weather days! Nearly no wind and traffic wasn't bad either.

Btw Jibberjim's and my club are the Kingston Wheelers, if you can do 3 laps of the park in 80 min or so you should be fine to join our slowest ride. Joining a club is often the first big step to real progress in your riding and fitness so don't be shy!

chrisaonabike

maryka wrote:

...Imagine his surprise when not only a bike but a baby trailer followed...

Ah, so you're here! I've looked at several of your Strava times - as I say, respect! I'll keep a look out for you, and if I see the trailer I shall salute as you go past. Obviously I'll try and stay ahead as long as I can - for training purposes only of course

I console myself with the fact that I've only just started. 557 miles since Oct 6, and I've loved every one of them*. I reckon by the spring, maybe, barring accidents, I'll be inside 80 minutes for 3 x RP. In between getting to the park, and getting back, the central clockwise lap was about 25:12, although that was helped by a wonderful traffic- and deer-free run down Sawyers Hill at my highest speed to date (34.9 mph according to Strava).

___
* apart from a few before I got the overshoes. The pain in my toes was baaaaad :oops:

chrisaonabike

Monty Dog wrote:

LVRC? - they might be older, but they ain't slower! I suggest you spend a winter doing regular club rides and maybe a few sportives to test your endurance, develop your pack-riding skills and to get a gauge on your fitness and speed before entering any races.

For sure! I'm under no illusions, honest. Fast I am not.

My initial goal is Ride London 100 next August, if I make it through the ballot. I was glued to the Olympic road race back in the summer, and the idea of being a) fit enough to ride 100 miles, and b) able to do it on closed roads over that route, is just amazing. If I don't get a ballot place, I'll see about a charity place.

jgsi

ChrisAOnABike wrote:

Monty Dog wrote:

LVRC? - they might be older, but they ain't slower! I suggest you spend a winter doing regular club rides and maybe a few sportives to test your endurance, develop your pack-riding skills and to get a gauge on your fitness and speed before entering any races.

For sure! I'm under no illusions, honest. Fast I am not.

My initial goal is Ride London 100 next August, if I make it through the ballot. I was glued to the Olympic road race back in the summer, and the idea of being a) fit enough to ride 100 miles, and b) able to do it on closed roads over that route, is just amazing. If I don't get a ballot place, I'll see about a charity place.

ooops and I'll probnbly get a rollicking for not suggesting getting some bunch experience first... it has been hottish topic in LVRC circles about the disintegration of bike handling skills resulting in a few too many unnecessary racing incidents aka 'accidents' resulting in damage to body and bike.

secretsam

JGSI wrote:

ChrisAOnABike wrote:

Monty Dog wrote:

LVRC? - they might be older, but they ain't slower! I suggest you spend a winter doing regular club rides and maybe a few sportives to test your endurance, develop your pack-riding skills and to get a gauge on your fitness and speed before entering any races.

For sure! I'm under no illusions, honest. Fast I am not.

My initial goal is Ride London 100 next August, if I make it through the ballot. I was glued to the Olympic road race back in the summer, and the idea of being a) fit enough to ride 100 miles, and b) able to do it on closed roads over that route, is just amazing. If I don't get a ballot place, I'll see about a charity place.

ooops and I'll probnbly get a rollicking for not suggesting getting some bunch experience first... it has been hottish topic in LVRC circles about the disintegration of bike handling skills resulting in a few too many unnecessary racing incidents aka 'accidents' resulting in damage to body and bike.

I don't get it, how do you get bunch experience without riding in a bunch? Surely club runs aren't the same thing at all

Note: I've never raced and don't belong to a club...

jgsi

If you want to race, get a licence and give it a go.
It is a rare race that doesnt have a bit of bitching going on afterwards

TakeTurns

SecretSam wrote:

JGSI wrote:

ChrisAOnABike wrote:

Monty Dog wrote:

LVRC? - they might be older, but they ain't slower! I suggest you spend a winter doing regular club rides and maybe a few sportives to test your endurance, develop your pack-riding skills and to get a gauge on your fitness and speed before entering any races.

For sure! I'm under no illusions, honest. Fast I am not.

My initial goal is Ride London 100 next August, if I make it through the ballot. I was glued to the Olympic road race back in the summer, and the idea of being a) fit enough to ride 100 miles, and b) able to do it on closed roads over that route, is just amazing. If I don't get a ballot place, I'll see about a charity place.

ooops and I'll probnbly get a rollicking for not suggesting getting some bunch experience first... it has been hottish topic in LVRC circles about the disintegration of bike handling skills resulting in a few too many unnecessary racing incidents aka 'accidents' resulting in damage to body and bike.

I don't get it, how do you get bunch experience without riding in a bunch? Surely club runs aren't the same thing at all

Note: I've never raced and don't belong to a club...

During a club ride, you practice riding close to other people and it's safer because it's not a competition and you're going a lot slower. Albeit, it doesn't guarantee it'll make you ready for race situations.

I once touched arms with a guy during a race and he went nuts. Figuratively speaking, he was spitting blood.

jibberjim

TakeTurns wrote:

I once touched arms with a guy during a race and he went nuts. Figuratively speaking, he was spitting blood.

My first over road race I got my handlebars completely hooked with another rider, but fortunately the late corporal jone's advice came to both of us and we both stayed up right and seperated without falling. I'm sure had I not had some experience riding fast and close on the club run I may well have caused us both to come down at high speed.

nochekmate

Some weekend club rides shape up into a bit of a 'race' at times!!!

west green

Once you got "the look" it was game on. Sometime I'm in the mood when commuting and it adds interest to the ride, but the first rule of bike club is - don't show you're racing them - make it look like you're not trying