tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36139180.post6038148141946168920..comments2024-03-19T05:40:22.017-04:00Comments on Sprinter della Casa: Bethel Spring Series - 2011 ThoughtsAkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00430651087205849350noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36139180.post-11273824285032510712011-02-25T09:05:18.540-05:002011-02-25T09:05:18.540-05:00Thanks for all the tips. I got wind of the Early B...Thanks for all the tips. I got wind of the Early Bird stuff from folks who have done it. They really like the whole setup, feel they got a huge benefit from it. I don't have the mentor numbers/quantity so I'm thinking of a less-person-intensive way of doing it; I'm also going to be dealing with a much smaller group, at least that's what I expect initially.Akihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00430651087205849350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36139180.post-69668654345867288722011-02-25T02:23:29.672-05:002011-02-25T02:23:29.672-05:00Yo - been reading & geeking over your volumino...Yo - been reading & geeking over your voluminous blog. Wonder if you've ever visited us here in NorCal for January/Feb Early Bird Criterium series; 5 Sundays, skills clinics for cat 5s (4s if they want) and practice races with low fees, 5th Sunday is for real. This is a BIG DEAL, 500+ racers on a nice Sunday with 65 mentors this year; another handful of coach/leaders. The upper cats who mentor can easily get 100 miles of riding in circles moderate/tempo riding with a harder burst for the 1/2/3 race which is ~60 minutes. Contact Larry Nolan for Qs, or if we chat I could e-mail you my copies of the curriculum. Best learn to race program around, maybe only? Real key is the field sizes & mentors make the first race experience both realistic and supportive. If the get dropped, we roll them back the S/F for a rest and jump back in with the pack (good practice for inevitable free lap of the future)<br /><br />You mentioned teaching tactics, I say stick with skills.<br /><br />We always keep 5s separate, and even in season we less and less 4/5 fields. Our master's age cuts here are 35+/45+/sometimes 55+; but even in SoCal they tend to go 30+/40+. We have a huge district in NCNCA, 3000+? And most are 35+.Dr. Xenohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11952777404264888003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36139180.post-34284460367718036062011-01-23T10:15:33.641-05:002011-01-23T10:15:33.641-05:00JL - Thanks for writing with your ideas/thoughts. ...JL - Thanks for writing with your ideas/thoughts. I've decided to go straight Cat 5 (but just one race). I want the Cat 5s to race against other Cat 5s.<br /><br />As far as upgrading, the top Cat 5s from last year are either Cat 3s or even a Cat 2. One rider won a slew of Cat 3 races at the end of the 2010 season. If you thought the races were hard, they were - even I can't beat that particular Cat 3 (or 2).<br /><br />I'm also (and doing this as we speak) holding a clinic on bike racing during the Series. It'll replace the first Cat 5 race time-wise (i.e. 8-8:45 AM) and go over some of the basics of safe and sane bike racing.<br /><br />I'm firm on the 45+. The Masters field was getting a bit unwieldy and I wanted to keep some of the younger, faster Masters in their categorized races (Cat 3-4 or P123). This, by the way, includes myself. Since there isn't enough time or numbers to do a proper M55+ (or some combination of 40+ and 50+ etc), right now we need to limit the field to 45+.<br /><br />For those keeping track, the P123 race will be increased to at least 41 laps. I remember racers (lined up at the start) voting to keep the races under 44 laps long but I want to have at least 40 laps for those M40+ Cat 2s and 3s :) So 41 laps is the advertised length of the P123 race.Akihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00430651087205849350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36139180.post-17122017780522908702011-01-23T10:00:47.205-05:002011-01-23T10:00:47.205-05:002010 was my first year racing cat 5. The Bethel Se...2010 was my first year racing cat 5. The Bethel Series was a great learning experience. Just racing there taught me a lot about what to do to be safe. I also learned (first hand) a lot about race tactics. Although I didn't do well, (one race I think I was last place) I had a GREAT time racing. <br /><br />My goal for this year was to "try" to do better. If you could keep the race exactly the same that would be great. However, if you put me with cat 4's, I will have a very tough time at every race. I'm not going to learn anything except to experience a frustrating race as I struggle to try and keep up with the faster pace. Any lessons will be missed as most cat 5's will be grouped together anyway. <br /><br />Last year, Target Training had a classroom on the "Bethel Series" race seminar. Here is where I learned about the race and what to expect. Also, I learned how to ride in a group, by actually riding in a group. This combination worked. <br /><br />Race day is about seeing who has the best fitness and race game plan....period. Please don't eliminate this. If my ability puts me at last place, then so be it. Having a separate seminar (at another time) is a great idea and I would attend.<br /><br />My biggest concern is the sandbaggers. It's like racing with men and boys. They are so much faster, but I'm not sure how you change things. It's quite clear some of them belong in a higher category. I'm not sure why they would want to race with riders who have a much lower ability. Ego I guess! <br /><br />Suggestion-have last years top 3 overall winners of cat 5, race in the next higher category in the proceeding years race. <br /><br />I know it's impossible to please everyone, so thanks for listening to one riders point of view.jeffrey lesserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02875434649603964172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36139180.post-30846951292889924842011-01-04T15:47:38.372-05:002011-01-04T15:47:38.372-05:00I think you should condsider reverting back to 40+...I think you should condsider reverting back to 40+ masters, so that more folks can race the masters race and then the 3/4 right afterwards. What's the point of having a +45 race anyway?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36139180.post-33298948277683283252010-12-31T08:44:26.575-05:002010-12-31T08:44:26.575-05:00My biggest concern with having a 4-5 race is that ...My biggest concern with having a 4-5 race is that we historically get 60-80 Cat 5s each day (hence we scheduled two Cat 5 races in the past). If even 10 or 15 Cat 4s enter a 4-5 race, there won't be enough spots for some of the Cat 5s to enter. This could be very discouraging for a new racer. And although it's important to "toughen up" incoming racers, turning them off of racing isn't the way to do it.<br /><br />I'm decided on no overall for the Cat 5s (nor 4-5s if we have it). I'm pretty sure we'll increase the P123s. The clinic I'd like to do but am still thinking on how to do it.Akihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00430651087205849350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36139180.post-56164355269431778312010-12-30T22:47:17.013-05:002010-12-30T22:47:17.013-05:00As an off the back Cat 5 who hopes to be more comp...As an off the back Cat 5 who hopes to be more competitive this season, both the Cat 5 clinic and Cat 4-5 race is appealing. I'd love to have more time inside the pack watching and practicing different tactics. But since I am also only a few races away from being upgrade eligible, the idea of a more challenging 4-5 race would be great, to get an idea of what I'd be in for once I upgrade.<br />And I agree, I for one am far less inspired by a series overall as a Cat 5, nice bragging rights, but not really something I'd be shooting for. I just want to get out and race and learn and improve.Krishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12875736395147480230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36139180.post-64706071439400846542010-12-06T15:42:57.297-05:002010-12-06T15:42:57.297-05:00Sandbagging 4's??? if you don't have a se...Sandbagging 4's??? if you don't have a series. there really shouldn't be a problem. hey, those 5's will benefit in the long run as they learn to big the sandbaggers. perhaps you make the prizes not so good in that race so that the only 4's that are in it are ones whose fitness isn't where they want it or one's that still haven't "gotten it" yet. you'll get one or two who need the ego boost, but they won't show up EVERY week (especially if it isn't a series). if they do and they win all the time, a simple question at registration like "what your still in the kid's race?" might deflate the ego and make them not want to race it. ;)bigCranknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36139180.post-69641575390279924482010-12-06T07:15:28.790-05:002010-12-06T07:15:28.790-05:00I wonder if I can make the proposed Cat 4-5 race l...I wonder if I can make the proposed Cat 4-5 race long enough to qualify for the 5s but not for the 4s. I have to look into the upgrade requirements.<br /><br />This could only happen if I could figure out a way to make the "first Cat 5 race" a clinic.<br /><br />I really want to bump up the P123 race lengths but have to consider other things.Akihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00430651087205849350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36139180.post-34772650339441311052010-12-05T18:42:38.415-05:002010-12-05T18:42:38.415-05:00RE: Cat 4-5 race.
From a career Cat 4...
The Cat...RE: Cat 4-5 race.<br /><br />From a career Cat 4...<br /><br />The Cat 4-5 race is intriguing. Essentially you'd be eliminating the Cat 5 race, and making the 4-5 race longer with more racers. I never really liked two Cat 5 races.<br /><br />Eliminating the overall competition for 4-5 may encourage 5's to upgrade to 4's, but you'll never discourage 4's from entering the 4-5 race. Sandbaggers won't care about the overall. If anything, you may encourage more sandbagging, as some 4's will look to enter the 4-5 race for upgrade points. <br /><br />I like the 4-5 idea. Just know you can't win against sandbagging.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02100749062560511382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36139180.post-58354380632336453752010-12-05T14:03:58.330-05:002010-12-05T14:03:58.330-05:00scrapping a cat 5 overall is a good idea.
same fo...scrapping a cat 5 overall is a good idea.<br /><br />same for longer 1/2/3 races.Shaverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05935387152465904425noreply@blogger.com