Does anyone stalk their competition?
Do any racers stalk their competion? By this I mean, do you look up who is registered in your class and then look up their past race times? My thought is this: If person X signs up to race and you don't know them, but you know you usually beat person Y, and you can see that Person Y usually beats person X, then there's a good probability that you will beat person X.
I do this because I'd like to set me racing goals realistically. I know that I'll arrive on race day and do my best, but it's something that I find fun to do as the race day approaches. I think about the competitors while I train and it helps me stay focused.
Does anyone take it farther and look up their competitors on Facebook? Depending on how privacy settings are set, you may see their wall or pictures. This can give an indication if biking is a huge part of their lives, if they post about their training plans, if they think they'll win their next race.... Not saying I do this, I'm just saying......
My team mates were appalled when I let it slip that I've looked up my competitors. Now they just laugh. But I have a funny feeling that many other racers out there do the same things I do!