Race Team Meeting and Training Ride

[Mike S]

Race Team Meeting and Training Ride

When: Sunday March 1st at 12:00 PM

Where: Mike Sirott's house

Description: 30-60 minutes of discussion on basic team tactics and group riding skills. This will be followed by a 15-20 mile structured ride emphasizing racing and group riding skills. The ride will be best with about 15 riders. All abilities are welcome; no one gets dropped. We'll split into two groups if needed.

If there is enough interest these rides can become more frequent. After the time change in March, Thursday evening will probably be more convenient for most of us.

Email with any questions

Mike Sirott

[Pat S]

Mike,

Not sure if you already have an agenda set, but one thing I'd be really interested in working on is lead-outs. Since so many Twilight races end in bunch sprints, it seems like a great team skill to develop. Just an idea.

[Mike S]

Yeah good idea Pat...I've got a few things on the agenda including lead outs.

[Mike S]

Thanks to the 10-13 people who came over today. Hopefully that was a good intro to racing in 2009.

We'll meet again in about a month to talk more about strategy and talk about some specific local courses.

Can anyone suggest some days that work best? Wednesday or Thursday nights could work well during DST.

Mike

[Tom M]

Wednesday or Thursday nights would work OK for me. I can start my workday early and get out early, if necessary.

[Wrench Goode]

Wednesday's are good for me. Other days I'll be working until 6:30, so I could make a 6:45 start once daylight swings around.

[Mike S]

We have three votes for Wednesday night.

[Pat S]

Good job on putting today's meeting/ride together, Mike. Great to bring everybody together and get on the same page. Time well spent.

I'm good with either Wed or Thurs nights.

I'd love to see a practice where we work on just finishes. We could go someplace low traffic and set up 1K and 200 m markers and mark a finish line and practice lead-outs and sprinting.

[Mike S]

Dale did some research to follow up on our conversation on blocking. Yeah you guys were right; it's illegal:

Rule book, page 123, 4H10 Illegal Contact Between Riders and Obstruction, (C) Obstruction of a rider or team car.

[Eric A]

Another great meeting to get us going in the same direction! I also like the Wednesday or Thursday meeting times.

Keep up the momentum Mike! I'm looking forward to more.

Apparently the weather this week points to base miles and intervals indoors . I am eager to get out and familiarize with the Flatlands course. If the weather breaks, that's where I'll be.

I was pleased to meet the team members present (welcome aboard Tim!)

-Eric

[Wrench Goode]

Pat that's a great idea, being able to see the 1k and a 200m marks would be very helpful for all of us.

[Mike S]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. We'll definitely work more on the race situations like lead outs, attacks, and chase downs. Yes, we can make some 1K and 200M signs.

Let's shoot for Wednesday nights on the "RiverLoop". It's a great place for team training because it's flat enough for everyone to stay together and traffic is negligable. We can start from my place, or I was also thinking that Browns Edition/The Elk would be a good, central starting location.

Tentatively let's set April 1st at 5:00PM as our next meeting. edit: actually the time change is this Sunday, March 8th. Any interest in meeting Wednesday the 11th for a team ride?

[Tim_L]

Thanks to Mike for putting it on - was great to meet everyone and get some first time experience in a group. I appreicated everyone's patience; the instruction beforehand and the audible help and instruction during the ride were very helpful.

I have to say I knew I would be off the pace, especially given the time of year, but I definitely underestimated how much so. Was a great learning experience, gives me much more concrete goals to aim for in '09. Dont think i'm ready for more of the race training level of intensity yet, but hope to be so by the time daylight hours start getting decently long.

Now I just have to remember everyone's names... arrgh. Except Mike's cat's, as I never asked thier names. They're just 'hey cat', at least for now.

- Tim

[Mike S]

Mar 2, 2009 16:26:29 GMT -8 Tim_L said:

Thanks to Mike for putting it on - was great to meet everyone and get some first time experience in a group. I appreicated everyone's patience; the instruction beforehand and the audible help and instruction during the ride were very helpful.

I have to say I knew I would be off the pace, especially given the time of year, but I definitely underestimated how much so. Was a great learning experience, gives me much more concrete goals to aim for in '09. Dont think i'm ready for more of the race training level of intensity yet, but hope to be so by the time daylight hours start getting decently long.

Now I just have to remember everyone's names... arrgh. Except Mike's cat's, as I never asked thier names. They're just 'hey cat', at least for now.

- Tim

Tim

My cats names are Basil (long hair) and Pepper. I consider myself lucky to remember a new name longer than two seconds after I'm introduced. I can remember what bikes people ride and helmet color, usually.

I wouldn't worry too much about your speed vs. other peoples speed. One thing that you'll learn very quickly in the humbling sport of cycling is that no matter how fast you thought you were, there's always people that will be faster and always people that are slower than you. The other rule is that you'll get faster and faster the more you ride with a competitive group.

Talk to you later.

Mike

[Eric A]

I'd prefer the Browns Ed/Elk rally point, else will pack and drive to Mike's house otherwise.

I'm up for the Wednesday ride, pending response on the Flatlands Course message post earlier today.

-Eric