First race - first crash

w00dster

congrats on the points, always a good read.
Good luck with the next race, look forward to the next instalment.

DeVlaeminck

Good stuff

daniel_b

@SM - do you have any blogs about how you got into racing, and what level and intensity of training you carry out?

supermurph09

Appreciate the comments, thanks.

@DB, you'll see on my signature a link for another blog relating to time trialling which I did the previous 2 years. I grew pretty tired of the training for TT mainly because of comfort issues and time pressures that I just couldn't resolve. I did enjoy the racing though.

This year I joined a new club and just planned to ride my bike but the road racing / crit itch got stronger so I decided to have a go. I figured at 42 that it was now or never. I'm riding my bike more now that I ever did when being coached because I have more freedom in what I'm doing.

I am not consciously doing training towards the racing. Most weeks consist of Monday, solo ride either hilly or flat but I ride pretty hard, Wednesday when not racing is usually a club ride (a hilly tear up!), Friday we do a chain gang style ride and then at the weekend I just do what I can, long club rides are out as I don't have the time.

My Strava profile is here: https://www.strava.com/athletes/958177

DeVlaeminck

Saw loads of photos of this race on Facebook Murph, did you catch them?

supermurph09

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Saw loads of photos of this race on Facebook Murph, did you catch them?

Yes, added a few to the blog, Mick Bown always takes some good ones.

diamonddog

Chapeau, great result.

cruff

Great blog - well done on getting second place. If they're your first points, with only 4 to go until third cat, there must be a local chopfest you can get them in before the end of the year - are there any circuits round there other than Darley Moor or Mallory Park? Alternatively, maybe travel further afield?

Like you, this is my first year 'properly' racing (did a couple of crits last year and got my arse handed to me) and I've dipped in and out (been doing TTs as well and daft stuff like Flanders and the Fred Whitton) and we're similar in age (43 vs 42) - good to see I'm not the only old fart getting beasted by 18 year old whippets . Raced and got my 3rd cat this weekend, so won't have to suffer the sketchiness of a cat 4 only race any more (although, truth be told, it's not as bad as people make out)

There seem to be more races in general in the NorthWest - there are five closed circuits within forty miles of me - but less road races so most are oversubscribed (I've only managed to get an entry in three this year). Not sure how much of a pain it is to get to, but Tameside (Ashton, East of Manchester) run regular races - though it's probably a bit too far to come just for the points!

supermurph09

For this race it's 15 for the win then 12 for 2nd so I'm thinking I maybe moving upto 3 already?

Typically having pretty healthy all year I'm coming down with man flu so will have to see how I go.

cruff

Supermurph09 wrote:

For this race it's 15 for the win then 12 for 2nd so I'm thinking I maybe moving upto 3 already?

Typically having pretty healthy all year I'm coming down with man flu so will have to see how I go.

Ah - regional road, not circuit, so points band 4 - then yes, you're already 3rd cat - nice one!

How did you find the transition from TTs to racing? Having not done either up until last year, then doing a few each of them towards the end of last season, I thought I'd be much better suited to TTs, but I've found my FTP (315) hasn't translated to the sort of times I should be expecting (21:45 for a ten), and despite cornering like a shopping trolley with a wonky wheel I don't have any real problems cruising round a crit circuit and haven't felt in danger of getting dropped all year. At 72Kg and 175cm I've still got too much timber on me, so sitting in as a fat chopper suits me - guess as a 3rd cat there will be less opportunities to do that so might put a lot of work in on 3-5 minute intervals over the winter so I can look at getting into more breaks. The races I've done that have been 2/3/4 have been much more like 'real' races (eg breaks go, get brought back, sometimes stick) because there isn't a bunch of nervous blokes chasing everything down after it gets more than 10 metres so should be a lot more fun next year (though harder!)

supermurph09

Recap of the season:

https://harderfasterlonger.wordpress.co ... on-review/

supermurph09

Not racing but added a new post today: https://harderfasterlonger.wordpress.co ... r-cyclist/

ktuludays

Great little write up. i raced in this race too. i say raced, it was more a solo TT for 1hr 10 mins after being dropped by lap 3. every time the bunch came past i tried to get on but they were carrying at least 5 mph over me and whizzed passed. i was the Matlock CC rider, only one that day.

it was my 1st crack at a cat 3/4 race and a real eye opener. i haven't done another since but have ridden TT's and prefer them. riding in a bunch is pretty unsettling at race pace for me.

supermurph09

ktuludays wrote:

Great little write up. i raced in this race too. i say raced, it was more a solo TT for 1hr 10 mins after being dropped by lap 3. every time the bunch came past i tried to get on but they were carrying at least 5 mph over me and whizzed passed. i was the Matlock CC rider, only one that day.

it was my 1st crack at a cat 3/4 race and a real eye opener. i haven't done another since but have ridden TT's and prefer them. riding in a bunch is pretty unsettling at race pace for me.

I think it's probably unsettling if the pace is too high for where you are at? I guess if you are on the ragged edge then trying to stay relaxed and concentrated will make you unsettled. I'd done TT's for the previous 2 years but grew disillusioned by it, whatever you do, enjoy!