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Conference noted::bicycle

Title: Bicycling
Notice:Bicycling for Fun
Moderator:JAMIN::WASSER
Created:Mon Apr 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3214
Total number of notes:31946

799.0. "Shamrock Games Worcester" by MCIS2::DELORIEA () Thu Jul 28 1988 12:39

    O'Neils Bike Shop is holding a bike race July 31,1988
    
    		The Shamrock Games
    		Elm Park in Worcester MA
    		
    Races start at 12:30 Citizens B (junior men, all women & vets) 
    			 5 miles (6 laps)
    		   1:00  Citizens A (men 18-35) 10 miles
        	      
    		   1:30  USCF CAT IV 10 miles
    
    		   2:00  USCF CAT III 15 miles
    
    		   2:30  USCF CAT I & II 25 miles
    			 (Vin Kelly, brother of Sean Kelly is going
    			  to be there)		
    	                              
    _____________________________________________________________________
    
    I'll be competing in the Cit B race. If anyone would like to reply
    and give a couple of pointers on how to get through this alive,
    feel free. Anyone else doing this race? Say hi to the guy in the
    System U shirt on a green Centurion (me).
    
    Tom DeLoriea (brother of Bill DeLoriea):-)
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
799.1CorrectionMCIS2::DELORIEAThu Jul 28 1988 12:421
    I'll be in Cit A race not Cit B.
799.2 tips USMRM5::MREIDThu Jul 28 1988 21:0519
    Regarding how to 'get thru the race alive' ...
    
    I was in the Cit A race last year, so I'll give these pointers that
    would have prevented some people from crashing last year:
    
    - Don't try to pedal thru the last corner (just before the start/finish).
      I saw riders go down a few times there attempting to pedal thru
      it. I love pedaling thru corners & had 34 degree clearance, but
      even I hit a pedal on that corner (but didn't crash).
    
    - Don't EVER overlap the rear wheel of the guy right in front of you.
      The pack was somewhat jittery last year ...
    
    - Get a good start; last year a pack of 9 riders broke away right
      after the start. By the time everyone in the 2nd pack realized
      it, it was too late. Nobody could bridge the gap... all the riders
      in the "2nd pack" had to ride for 10th place .
    
    Mark
799.3Citizen's SummaryIAMOK::WESTERMon Aug 01 1988 22:1726
    I was in the Citizen's A Sunday and got dropped off the main pack
    with about 2 1/2 laps to go.  First time that's happened to me all
    year.  I found this to be the hardest (fastest) race I've been in.
    I was dying all race just trying to catch the leaders.  
    
    As the previous note pointed out, getting a good start position was
    crucial.  I started in the last row and was a 1/4 lap behind after
    one lap.  It took me about 8 laps to work all the way up to the
    main pack, and then I died.  I'd used all my strength trying to
    catch up, and when I finally did I had nothing left!  Even if I
    had started up front, I doubt I would have hung on.  We were riding
    at 30 mph or more several times.
    
    The fourth corner was the sharpest but there weren't many crashes
    that I noticed.  It had rained earlier and the roads were wet when 
    we started but dried by the end of the race.  
    
    It looked like about 200 people started the race, but at the finish
    the lead pack only had about 20 people in it another 20 stragglers (of
    which I was part) came rolling in after. 
    
    How'd the rest of you guy's make out?
    Dave
        
     
    
799.4DNFMCIS2::DELORIEATue Aug 02 1988 17:1616
    I was in the Cit's B race. I did get a real good start and was even
    around 4'th or 5'th place at the end of the first lap, but that
    didn't last for long. On the second lap two pace lines passed my
    line one on each side. Boxed in, I ended up in the middle of
    the pack. On the fifth lap I developed a stomach cramp ( I knew
    I shouldn't have had that peanut-butter sandwich before the race)
    and had to drop out. I learned a couple of leasons.
    
    1) Diet 
    2) strategy (more to this than going fast)
    
    I did have fun going into a corner real fast with bikes on either
    side. If I am going to do this again, and I think I will it fun,
    I'm going to join a club and get more experience and training.
                                                                  
      Tom
799.5I got a bad start...UMBIKE::KLASMANTue Aug 02 1988 20:578
I was in the Cit 'B' race, and got a bad start.  I was in the second line and 
the kid in front of me fell over at the start.  I should have realized he 
would since he was having a hard time standing there (he was over a storm 
grate).  By the time I got around him I was probably 40th thru the 1st corner. 
Finished around 20th or so.  Does anyone know if its possible to find out how 
one finished (if not in the top 15)?

Kevin