It's a good thing my first crit race was free. Otherwise I would not have gotten my money's worth. I found out today that I am as slow as I thought I was. Everyone in the D flite must have started real slow because I felt pretty darn good for about 2 laps and then I just fizzled right off the back going around the first turn on the third lap into the headwind.
Everyone in my flite just kind of slowly glided past me until - poof - there I was spit out the back and the elastic just snapped. Doink. Without the protection of the group I simply could not hang on and they slowly motored away. It's much harder pushing all the wind yourself so I learned for next time that
I MUST hang with the group
NO MATTER WHAT.
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| original art work by @936ADL |
After a bit here comes the C flite and they cruise right by me too. Talk about feeling like a weak sissy. Near the end of the race my flite comes back around to catch and pass me as well. Just like crushing a bug. So that was my first taste of racing. I thought: "well that didn't taste very good." OK no problem. Now I know what I need to work on. Today I figured out my weakness: I am slow. I have to work harder on getting faster. I must keep calm and apply the five and dime. More. Much more. And much more often.
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| I was off the front for about 2 minutes. photo courtesy of Alex Headman |
"I don't do crits." http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GMCkuqL9IcM
ReplyDeleteThats a funny video. Hopefully I dont remind you of that. Thanks Alan.
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/GMCkuqL9IcM
No I remind me of me!
ReplyDeleteI got 27th out of 31 in my TT. Sigh. Expected better. At least I didn't come in last.
I also learned this lesson last weekend, the other thing that I learned is that until I get some better legs that I need to stay off the front. It seems that you also need to watch out for that if you were off the front for 2 minutes.
ReplyDelete