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Why I race
Last Post 08/28/2014 08:56 AM by thinline .. 9 Replies.
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Dale
Posts:1767
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| 08/25/2014 05:52 PM |
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Somebody started a ‘why I ride’ thread. Here’s my ‘why I race’ contribution.
-Dale
I’m well past my prime, if in fact I ever had a prime. Pinning on a number and lining up reminds me of the story of the old farmer who, at the county fair every year, entered his old mule in the horse race. Year after year the mule came in dead last. One of the horse owners finally asked why he even bothered with the hassle and entry fee. “I just like to see him in such good company.”
It’s like that. I do OK in Masters 55+ … crap; I race 60+ this year! At best I’m Cat 3 pack-fill. Sometimes I’m dumb enough to double up and race both.
My doc gets mildly irritated with me racing cross due to being on blood thinners, but my girlfriend digs my low body fat and overall fitness, and when I do race 3’s I enjoy finishing ahead of guys considerably younger than me. When I get stomped I have a built in excuse “Kid, I was racing when your daddy was in 3rd grade.” I admit a fair amount of pride (OK, it’s arrogance) seeing my contemporaries 50 pounds overweight, on hypertension medication, leading sedentary lives of watching TV and an occasional round of golf-- on a cart, of course. I might die in a wreck but a heart attack likely won’t sneak up and catch me sitting on the couch watching Wheel of Fortune re-runs.
I love the mental game of racing—the chess match, punching it hard opening a gap to demoralize a competitor and seeing them concede. Not so enjoyable is having that done to me but I love digging as deep as I can to close a gap even when it’s a fool’s errand. The suffering, oh the suffering—when it’s hot and humid, or when it’s cold and nasty with people complaining I know I have them beat, at least mentally, and it might move me up a spot or two at the finish line.
Anyway, the exhilaration of racing on the same course (not in the same field, obviously) as Powers, Berden and other pros is pretty cool. I’ll never get the chance to line up on a Formula 1 race course, step into the batters box at Yankee Stadium or walk onto the field of an NFL game but the thought of a set of numbers on my jersey this January in Austin for the US Nationals makes me giddy. |
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79pmooney
Posts:3189
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| 08/25/2014 06:36 PM |
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Nice! Just the read I needed.
No, I won't race for reasons you all know and I am starting to have to back off at times even when I do have the strength to go harder (listening to my knees and feet, etc.) but i haven't completely given up. In 13 days I will be rolling out of camp to do 4000' and 60 miles, the start of 30-35,000 and 4-500 over the next 6 days. Fixed. Like two years ago, I will do on-the-road cog changes. I'll have everything from a 23 to a 12. But I will still be probably one of perhaps 3 riders out of 2000 to ride every inch without coasting once. (If I remember, I might stop, derail the chain and coast down one small hill! Just to say I did. LThat was my plan two years ago, but I was so beat by day 7 it never crossed my mind.)
The mental game of getting up big hills fixed is different from racing, but not completely. Big difference is the importance of listening to my body and backing off when needed. Yes, that is important racing, but the flip side (and great part) of road racing is that when you have to go, you have to go. Those who "listen to their bodies" are riding the grupetto, are missing the break.
Dale, passing those youngsters on their 16 pound wonders with my 20 pound fixie on long hills is fun! Now, the serious guys blow past me. But a "looking good!" from them is a boost.
Ben |
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Dale
Posts:1767
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| 08/25/2014 06:54 PM |
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| Ben, I did a century several years ago out in Utah on my fixed gear. I got in with a pretty decent group on a long flat ideally suited for my gearing. After several miles someone noticed the lack of derailluers and I went from being just one of the guys to a mythological beast. Did OK on the climbs, just had to muscle it up and over. It was a blast! |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 08/25/2014 09:22 PM |
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Why I race is simple - to tow the line and see where I stack up against others. To compete.
I don't get to bike race anymore, and I miss it terribly. There is nothing like feeling your guts getting torn out through your nostrils as you try and hang on....and kick it up yet another notch.
Tri's have been an acceptable substitute for the last 5 years.....but I also feel like part of that chapter may close after my IM in 2 weeks. I'm not doing any long course racing next year (way too much training time) and will only do 1 or 2 races. Next year will be about my golf game and trying to lower my handicap to a 15.
Beyond that....who knows. I think I can be a relatively decent long course competitor in triathlon (as long as I don't get hurt!). The longer a race is, the better I seem to do.....and endurance was always a strength for me on the bike. But I am always gonna compete in some manner.....it just may vary from year to year. |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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ChinookPass
Posts:809
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| 08/26/2014 11:22 AM |
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I definitely get the bug, my heart rate goes up just watching a race, but came to the conclusion awhile ago that the driving and expense was just not worth it. Also none of my kids wanted to get into it. I still wouldn't trade those years for anything though. The irony is I'm sure I have better endurance than I did then, and better bikes too.
Nothing teaches you how to be efficient on a bike as well as racing does. |
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79pmooney
Posts:3189
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| 08/26/2014 12:50 PM |
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Chinook, fix gears and rollers come close. Nothing teaches you how to be efficient on a bike as well as racing does. Two activities engaged in by only racers in my day (Sheldon Brown being the fix gear exception).
Ben |
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jookey
Posts:200
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| 08/27/2014 05:46 AM |
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| I enjoy the pain. |
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dkri
Posts:95
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| 08/27/2014 11:21 AM |
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| This hasn't been a big racing year for me but I still love it. You can always think whatever you want about your fitness or your game, but racing (despite Strava's tag line of 'prove it) is the proof. There's also just a thrill - the sounds and smells and nerves and ease of the first five on-road miles of the marathon mtb race I recently did will keep me coming back. It's a hell of a fun amusement park ride. Green Mountain Stage Race this weekend. In no shape to do well, but will have a ball no less. |
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| formerly dkri |
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Oldfart
Posts:511
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| 08/27/2014 03:45 PM |
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| I won't pin a number on anytime soon. I don't have the motivation to train hard to come in in mid to rear pack. But I do like mental challenge of riding steeps and the physical challenge to ride to the tops of these trails. Plus the skill to ride these things smoothly. I volunteered this year to guide XC rides with the Whistler Off Road Cycling Assoc and it has been fun and rewarding. Having ridden off road for 30 plus years, I did not realize that I had developed a lot of skill. Showing folks a few skills and seeing their progression and smiles when they figure something out is rewarding. |
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thinline
Posts:325
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| 08/28/2014 08:56 AM |
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dkri,
You're racing the GMSR? I was thinking about doing the Gran Fondo but balked when other plans came up. I live down a dirt road 2.9 miles up from the bottom of the App Gap. If you think of it in the midst of your suffering, look left and you'll see Lafayette Road at mile 2.9 of the climb. I'm down there a piece. I'm out of town Friday and Saturday, returning sometime Sunday. Probably will go to the crit Monday to cheer folks on.
What class are you in? If you reveal your name I can cheer for ya. |
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