To Do or Not To Do
The racing season started in Texas last week with the Copperas Cove road race. It seems like just weeks ago that the racing season ended. My coaching plan doesn't have me ready to race until April. The first criterium of the year is coming up on February 2. With being sick for a few weeks and having started my base training late due to the new baby, I have no doubt that I am not race ready. In fact, I am almost sure I will get my ass stomped. However, some of my friends and teammates are doing the race. So the question is should I put the ego aside and go and have fun, or follow the coaching plan and hold off for a few more months? Decisions decisions.
posted by Chris at 6:31 PM
17 Comments:
go race.
copperas cove. geez, that brings back some memories. the drunkest i ever got in my life was in copperas cove. it was bad. really bad.
Doing the race might be a good opportunity to see firsthand what your competition looks like right now without any specific performance pressure on yourself.
Is this a popular race that requires you to register in advance or can you register the day of?
I'd hold off. If you haven't been training nearly as much, a crit is a bad place to be. Plus, you're a 4 now, right? Don't show up to your first 4s crit without your good legs.
I say this knowing how fit I was for my first 4s crit, and how little difference that made.
Stick with the plan. But, you may want to throw in some sort of 'training race' in March just to get used to the pack feeling again. Talk with your coach about it (says one who raced WAY too early last year under peer pressure and then totally burned out in June).
GO RACE! If you are on a bike, you are having more fun than me.
What the hell; you might even do better than you think!
Feb 12 - I will check with the powers that be and see if Austin works too. If so, I will send you the itinerary by e-mail later.
Hey, can we rent a tandem for that ride; that way you can't get away from my slacker ass! :^)
Again- GET ON THE BIKE and GO RACE.
You can scope the field... see how you feel... get a good idea of where you stand at this point with your fitness. You may surprise yourself. But... at the same time don't over do it. HAVE FUN.
I would take a pass. Go and watch. That way, you can be there and see your friends, and not have to go through the indignity of getting dropped. And watching other people race is also a good motivating force to keep training.
Thanks for all of your opinions and comments. At this point I am leaning far toward not racing. I will decide for sure in a few days.
I follow periodization of training.
With a month base (I'm thinking), racing might not be a good idea. Why don't you marshall/cheer/get back with some old friends.
I'll tell you what you can do other than racing for optimal fitness.
1) Test yourself, solo. That'll be nice every 4-6 weeks to test legs.
2) Read my blog ;)
In last weeks of base and build periods onwards, you can incorporate some "C" and "B" races to your training plan.
Do you race because it's fun for you? And why is it fun for you?
Is this crit a fun crit, even if you're dropped, or blow your base schedule?
The answer lies within you, what will really be fun, and will this crit meet that definition?
Have fun 'till then!
Hey - that last comment was from me...too many accounts in my world...
I'd say skip it. You can have fun as a spectator, right? I think you can do the "training ride" in RR races, but not in a crit.
I was going to say "race for the fun of it" but then I had a flashback to the one road race that I did last year....which wasn't much fun :-)
On second thought...I would pass!!!
I vote race. It'll remind you of why you follow your training plan AND you'll get a little more experience in the pack. Just cuz you're racing doesn't mean you have to go full out. Get in there and just use it to ride with the pack.
I'm going to guess you won't be the only 4 who's not in top form.
Hey, what do I know. But I have not been training, was sick for three weeks, and have done my first race of the year, will do one next Sunday, then again on Feb 23rd. The way I look at it, these are rides. If someone wants to push like hell, then I will be OTB and doing a nice training ride, either by myself or with someone else in the same position.
Thanks for all the comments and advice. The dramatic conclusion is that I am taking a pass on the New Braunfels race and plan to do a race the week after. That is only two weeks away!
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