mental attitude more important than junk miles?

[Metro Commuter]

A topic for discussion.

I have been racing with greater success in the past 2 or so months. During that period I have done very little training - nearly all of those weeks all I have done is race and ride to/from racing, and for two of those weeks I might have done another 35 km.

Yet I do well, for me, in races. I am not struggling due to ack of fitness and probably am doing more work, and attacking, more than normal. So I am not wheelsucking to finish.

There is no massive bank of prior training I am drawing down on either. As most know I do not have massive (or any) raw talent to draw on.

I can only think it is a more positive mental attitude, which has come from leaving an adverse working environment.

This (relative) success on zero training is, to me,quite amazing.

Any thoughts/comments? Interested to hear theories.

[Bill Cox]

Metro, obviously not going out in the rain has left you with too much time to think!  The best results will come from quality training time rather than long rides with little effort.  There is a need to build some base, but I am always amused by those who feel a need to continue long rides through summer when only racing 25 - 40km.  Like you I am racing Friday nights, most Sundays and the track on Wednesday.  One other 30-40km ride on top of this.  I think I'm goiing OK.  Attitude has a lot to do with it.  For we older folk, rest and recovery is an important part of training

[hilljockey]

This has been my training/racing regime for a few years now.  Works OK for me.  Never going to be too good but have a lot of fun.

Track racing is a quality interval session that should be a must, particularly for any practitioners of the Metro Minimalist Method (MMM).

If you read this Spokey, the stuff about track is all lies...

[Metro Commuter]

MMM - the sounds heard while tasting the roast lamb I am cooking for my family. Ever eat that little bottom bit of the leg half way thru cooking?  Sorry, was distracted for uno momento.

I would love to get to track, but many Wednesdays I have to attend a meeting, and Tuesdays are a bit tough as well. Hassle of new job etc.

[Daddy Walrus]

Maybe Central Coast cyclists are still trying to get used to sprinting after riding up and down the hills at Calga for 6 months.

[spokey]

If you read this Spokey, the stuff about track is all lies...

Starting to wonder if I ought to be checking out these track liars!!

emm Tuesday

[Daddy Walrus]

Spokey,

Get rid of the triathlons and get a sprint finish.

[hilljockey]

Lots of metal attitude being displayed pre C grade tonight.  Didn't translate into a win for the confident one.  Perhaps it was bluff.

Please don't let Seldo train at the track.  We'd never get near him then.

Awang needs to harden up.  Never at the front till the last moment and then puffs and blows like he's done a lot of work.  Can't be for real if 46 year old bunters can sprint nearly the same, and be on the front a couple of times previously (admittedly very briefly each time), and not be in similar respiratory distress.

Best of all though, the trophy is mine!!!! (you know what this means Welbie)

Hurry up Robbo and get that extra point so you can race bunters you know and sledge.

[Commuter]

Mental attitude is half the battle.............. why line up thinking that your already beat

[Metro Commuter]

HJ - nice positioning for the sprint.

For my part, I am getting the absolute   **** at bunters who can't sprint trying to do so, chopping wheels unintentionally, looking around in the sprint, and generally being unsafe. Some are newbie in c grade but some should know better. I do not have the same concerns when racing b grade.

Last night two guys who I do like moved dangerously and I had to take evasive action where I was entitled to hold my position. I do not anyone to crash even if it is because they are dumb or inexperienced, but what do you do?

While on my soapbox, one guy (who I like as person) gets all excited and tries to sprint, but he is as good at sprinting as I am a hill climber or at exercising restraint at Sizzlers. Why? When he runs out of puff he becomes a wobbling speed hump, looking around! FFS

[hilljockey]

Thanks Metro.

My usual method for bunch sprint finishes, and I hope it's correct, is to size up the opposition and line up early with what I consider to be the fastest group.

Friday night's finish for me started toward the end of main straight where I moved up the bunch a bit.  Moved forward a little more over the bridge to be not too far back at the roundabout.  None of that mattered when it all stopped so used that time to reassess who was where and safely get amongst the likely contenders.  From there it was just a matter of keeping that position and anticipating any accelerations.

The very end was interesting as I realised there was more in the legs yet (still not maximum effort) which meant the positioning was indeed good.  Was watching Commuter as he was a bit in the way but not concerned as I thought he was just waiting till really late to jump hard and win.  Uh-oh, but he was starting to die.  That was when I really started to sprint, but as I came round him and past Sam it was apparent the line was getting very close.  Almost a place and plenty of finishing speed.  It felt good.

Just like golf, you need a good experience every so often to keep you coming back.

I can assure you Metro, that C-grade is much better than D.  I know this as a current vets D-grader.

[Gai M]

........

Just like golf, you need a good experience every so often to keep you coming back.

......

I
So true, HJ.


Especially if one is frequently last wheel and despite persistent effort seem destined to remain in lowest grades till the day I retire to  dabble in crocquet.

Doesn't help either when one is aware that there are some (thankfully a minority) who would be mighty pleased to see me fade away.


(Sorry to those who think I should restrict myself to ladies' auxiliary activities - that is not my style).


Not Yet Fast Gai -
Next weekend's slowest womans masters NSW track rider.

[Metro Commuter]

Thanks Metro...Friday night's finish for me started toward the end of main straight  I moved up the bunch a bit.  Moved forward a little more over the bridge to be not too far back

I can assure you Metro, that C-grade is much better than D.  I know this as a current vets D-grader.

HJ - I like the 2 lap races but for too many bunters fresh at the end. I too felt fresh but used the bridge to recover from the effort to chase Turtle down - can not have such an unappealing kit win.

You should be in b or c grade with vets. Seems very odd, but handicapping is a tough gig. It is funny how you beat the majority of B grade in the last crit you raced but they stick you in d grade. Nuts in my view

Well done in securing the trophy from Samuel.

[simply red]

my better half (who does no training and still finishes and many times winning the sprint )is sure many of the people we race with leave it on the road.Going to racing fresh is a good thing ..BUT... he also suffers from cramps  within the race ..what about you .No one can compete with the massive miles some of the guys we race with do, but if you race at least 2 races a weekend if not 3, you will not have to do the miles these guys are doing .They might  feel better at the end BUT if they can t sprint there probably not going to win anyway.Which one works for you, up early get the miles in before work ,work all day come home tired ,irritable at the end of a long day, WAS IT WORTH IT your just riding c grade.How much work do you have to do to enjoy your racing ,even those and you race with many ,who are out training there butt off ,are they the guys  who are winning or are they the ones working on the front feeling like there hurting the guys behind them ,when really there probably huffing and puffing more than the rest. A wise cyclist once said to me (suzie hadley)this is just like an armchair back here I don t know why these guys are working so hard  WHICH ONE DO YOU WANT TO BE METRO... do you want to enjoy what your doing (enjoy the racing, the family cause your not on your bike 24/7) or training..get real unless you want to ride the next grade or go race masters races or some of the long races around ..YOU DON T HAVE TO TRAIN THAT HARD ...LET RACING BE YOUR TRAINING ....MY THOUGHTS SIMPLY RED

[2ndwheel]

Metro

Your master class for today.

If you are having to pass riders in the sprint that are doing ther best impersonation of a asmatic land crab or a slow moving speed bomp, you are in the wrong position and will never win or run a place and end up using all of the milfs post race excuse. in closing todays class position position position and start thinking about the finish well before you get there.

regards
the teacher of lesser sprinters.