Are you a racer? I've just renewed my Racing Licence
chezmoss
Posts: 79 Member
I’ve just renewed my cycling racing license and was just curious if anyone else on MFP competes?
I'd be happy to add friends who struggle to get to their racing weight.
I'd be happy to add friends who struggle to get to their racing weight.
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Haven't been licensed since college, but I'm racing locally.0
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EnduroT- Cool. hey a race is a race!
I’m a roadie sprinter type, I sprint for town signs!! That’s a race, isn’t it?
In the UK a local race is know as a Fish and Chipper or Chipper for short(very appropriate for mfp)
You know the type, local lads with
“All the gear, no idea” hunting for local easy points! Think their racing in Le Tour or the Giro.
I’m racing a local Chipper on Saturday, the opener for the season.
Keep me posted on your races.0 -
We are stuck with only one car, daughter is almost 3 and son is 6 weeks, so this year is light for me. 2 confirmed races, both are Mountain, one a "short" Category 3 race ~10 miles, and then a June 50 mile race. I'm working my way up to a 100 mile race next year in the Shenandoah Mountains.
My hardest part over the past year is getting on a training schedule and reminding/reinforcing that it's the rider and not the bike. Saw lots of people roll up to local races last year with top end multi-thousand dollar full suspension bikes, but they all finished way behind some of the guys on "retro" 90's bikes that keep them in good shape!
Good luck with your races and keep those boys in the dust..0 -
You’ll find more time as the kids grow up, im sure. It’s a great activity to do together, as a family.
The events you do have scheduled sound a hoot.
Am I correct in assuming, from what you've said, you’re talking Mountain bikes?
Yer beating the lads is worth double points, right? Beating the young blades riding on the top gear has got to be worth at least treble!??
I'll be happy to hang on in there..... it's early, its gonna be a shock to the body, all that jumping out of the corners!0 -
Hey!
I'm not a licensed racer... yet!
It is defo something I am interested in, I train quite a lot but not really for anything, I just like riding my bike! I have a 100k audax this Sunday, which is my first event of the season. I am down for another 3 sportives throughout the year with the possibility of more to come. This is the busiest year I've ever had and I am feeling really motivated! :-)
My brother is nagging me to compete in our local 10 mile TT with him, which I may get around to doing but the thought of it does scare me a bit! ;-/
On the subject of getting down to race weight, well I've lost 20ish pounds since I started this journey but as always it seems to be the last few that I want to lose are the hardest to budge!
Nice to hear from fellow enthusiasts! :-)
chezmoss - Good luck in your first race!0 -
christophenes Just do it!
Racing's fun, its why I bother to train. It sounds like you have been getting the miles in which will be great for strength and stamina.
A 10 mile TT is a good place to start. It will give you a line in the sand!
However bunch races are the business, and where the action is.
Ilton is local to you. Get yourself a provisional licence and have a go, later in the year.
Your also not far from the Velodrome at Newport ,Wales. Now track is really where its at! You should try a taster session!
I normally race well over my best racing weight. I'm looking forward to putting on my skin suit and looking a lot trimmer and hopefully going better!
Good luck with the Audax, the weather forecast is poking promising fro Sunday!0 -
Haven't had a racing licence since I was 22, did a couple of years as a junior, managed to progress through to 2nd cat, but pretty much reached my limits at that point - and just had to spend a little time in getting my career going instead. I wasn't much cop to be honest, more of a "thick tester" than a roadman, and even managed to get a score in for the BBAR one year...0
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I just joined the racing team of the bike shop my husband works at. I'm nervous but excited to try it. The stipulations are that we have to do a minimum of 6 races this season and I already have one under my belt. Most are local, some just silly, but races all the same. We have two this summer that are 100+ mile, one road, one mostly limestone trails. Any advice for this here newbie? Working on doing my daily commute everyday (14 mile round trip), it's just rough with carrying all my gym clothes, and lunch/dinner.
Oh yeah. Someone had asked if we had to be licensed to race on the team, but I think it's pretty small potatoes. What does licensing involve?0 -
Just started racing last year. I race for About Time Cycling out of Pittsburgh
It's my first year on a legit sponsored team :-D yaaaayyyy!!! 0 -
TRHuston, Congratulations on joining a racing team, how exciting.
With a regular 14 mile commute carrying a rucksack each day, you will certainly be building some great base miles. Good for you.
6 events in the year sounds perfect for a newbie. Not too much pressure and something to focus on.
Good luck with these and be sure to keep us posted!
I’m not a mountain biker and I’m based in the UK, so am not the best person to answer your question re licenses in US.
I'm in the UK, we have to have a license to race in a bunch on the road/track. There is then a category system were you gain points, on your results. The theory being that you race against people of a similar ability. As you achieve better results you move up the categories. I expect to ride more local events this year, so it means racing with the lads.0 -
TheBigYin
With all those commuting miles and clear passion for riding your bike, I’m not surprised you got a score in the BBAR one year!
Yep racing as a junior, I remember those halcyon days…………0 -
Chelso0o Great good for you, sounds fun.
It's alway nice to have sponsorship!
What sort of racing do you do?0 -
I just sent in the renewal for my coach's license. I'm planning to race my brains out this year, but I'm not doing anything that requires a racing license - a couple of local cyclocross series, a kickass local road/crit series on a racetrack, and a few mountain bike races. The biggies are Iceman in November and (gulp) Lumberjack in June...
did0 -
I started out doing crits, but I'm adding road races and mayyyyyybe cyclocross this fall!!! The Pittsburgh women's cycling scene is SO great. I was very nervous to start racing because I'm still overweight, but I was welcomed with open arms and have made a lot of friends in the cycling community.0
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I just joined the racing team of the bike shop my husband works at. I'm nervous but excited to try it. The stipulations are that we have to do a minimum of 6 races this season and I already have one under my belt. Most are local, some just silly, but races all the same. We have two this summer that are 100+ mile, one road, one mostly limestone trails. Any advice for this here newbie? Working on doing my daily commute everyday (14 mile round trip), it's just rough with carrying all my gym clothes, and lunch/dinner.
Oh yeah. Someone had asked if we had to be licensed to race on the team, but I think it's pretty small potatoes. What does licensing involve?
If you end up scoring points during a race, you will want a license (it's $60 www.usacycling.com) that is how you "CAT up" i.e, progress to the next highest level in cycling. If you'll be doing USAC sanctioned events I'd HIGHLY recommend getting a license and fill in your team as your "wrench".
Another thing... if you're required to do 6 races per year, you have to pay $10 each race for a day license so it pretty much pays for itself by the end of the season if you already have it plus it saves you time standing in line/registering 0 -
I just sent in the renewal for my coach's license. I'm planning to race my brains out this year, but I'm not doing anything that requires a racing license - a couple of local cyclocross series, a kickass local road/crit series on a racetrack, and a few mountain bike races. The biggies are Iceman in November and (gulp) Lumberjack in June...
did
Good luck with the lumberjack. I'm aiming for the SM100 next year, Stoopid 50 this year (and probably next year too...)0 -
I started out doing crits, but I'm adding road races and mayyyyyybe cyclocross this fall!!! The Pittsburgh women's cycling scene is SO great. I was very nervous to start racing because I'm still overweight, but I was welcomed with open arms and have made a lot of friends in the cycling community.
I love crits too. we tend to ride on motor race circuits, so they tend to be technical flat and wide. Bunches of 40-100. That suits me, get tucked in, hide and hang on till the sprint!! I have a crit this weekend.
I've alway raced overweight and been one of the fattest in the bunch, it's never stopped me having fun but has always hindered my results. I'm however strong and powerful, so people(especially the lads!) tend to underestimate me. They get caught out at times- which I of course think is very funny!
I can't wait to turn up this year trimmer, lean and keen! Let alone look better in my kit!0 -
You confused me with your profile pic change!!!!! Right now I am concentrating on thinning up because it is definitely hindering my race results. I really figured this out during a spin bike race where I was able to hold my own against girls 60-100 pounds lighter than me.0
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It's definitely down to "power to weight" ratio... secret is to loose weight, but keep (or even better increase) your FTP (functional threshold power) It's all well and good being able to bang out 300 watts for 4 hours on end, but if you weigh 100kg, you'll still get hammered by a 65kg rider that can turn out 220watts - especially on the uphills.0
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Last fall, I did my first cross race. I fell for it hook, line and sinker. So I went ahead and got a licence for this year and plan to do several races. I have never hurt so bad but also having the time of my life in doing so. Gotta love those heckles. :bigsmile:0
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Nope but I might try a 10 mile TT this year. My power-to-weight has improved a lot very recently and have noticed my rolling avg has increased quite a bit (logged my first ever 18mph+ ride Yesterday). The only thing close to competative riding I am doing atm, is Strava. Fortunately for me, there are a lot of other Strava users who ride segments close to me, every day.0
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..get off *kitten*, get on bike...0
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Nope but I might try a 10 mile TT this year. My power-to-weight has improved a lot very recently and have noticed my rolling avg has increased quite a bit (logged my first ever 18mph+ ride Yesterday). The only thing close to competative riding I am doing atm, is Strava. Fortunately for me, there are a lot of other Strava users who ride segments close to me, every day.
If I ever get to a sensible weight again, I think I could be tempted to try the occasional TT - though I was always a bit pants at the 10's - preferred the 25's and 50's to be honest. Though, frankly, unless my local club put on a "sportsmans" TT at some point in the calendar, I can't see it happening - there's no way I'd be happy squeezing myself into a skinsuit and wearing a tadpole helmet - and I doubt my back would allow me to get a decent position on the modern TT Irons... A flat 25mile TT , on a proper non-aero bike, with a minimum of 28 spokes front and rear and no tri-bars or skinsuits, and I'd be there like a tramp on chips!0 -
Well tonight's the night! I am down for my first local 10 mile TT, I am bricking it, but I'm going to do it. I am going to draw that line in the sand! :-)0
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Well tonight's the night! I am down for my first local 10 mile TT, I am bricking it, but I'm going to do it. I am going to draw that line in the sand! :-)
Good luck! Any idea what your target time is going to be?0 -
Anything under "evens" (30 minutes) is good enough for a first 10 I reckon - depending on how hilly the course is obviously
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It's a bit lumpy! I am going to go for under 30, see how I fair... I'll be back with the garmin link! :-)0
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I narrowly missed evens on my first 10. 30:08 - I was fuming. I was however, also, 15 and riding on "junior gearing" :laugh:0
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Oh no! I narrowly missed out too! :-( I officially did 30:44! Although I am disappointed I missed out, I know now where I have room for improvement. Also I got cramp in my right calf about 3/4 of the way round so I am pretty certain that's where I lost the time.
I have my line in the sand now, I fully believe I can better that, without too much difficulty! Watch this space! :-)
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/1887011670 -
not a bad effort to be honest mate - had a look at the course - I thought it was a bit naughty that they put the "turnaround" roundabout at the bottom of the biggest hill on the course. Did the cramp hit just at the "cadence spike" round about 7.9 miles ?, as it looks like you were building nicely at that point. Proper hydration in preparation for the ride - a bottle of something like SiS Go in the hour before the ride, whilst warming up and "pre riding" some of the course (always assuming you're not on a turbo-trainer in the start-layby like the serious guys!) 10 minutes to the start-time, finish the drink, have a pee, and take another (at least half bottle) with you - grab a mouthful on the downhills or just before the "turn in the road". Oh, and get off the bike and neck another pre-prepared bottle of something like the SiS ReGo - other protein containing recovery drinks are available...
and most importantly - WELL DONE !!! Now get out there next week and beat that time :laugh:0
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