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Try racing again?

Old 02-01-20, 01:57 PM
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BadGrandma
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Try racing again?

Around 12 years ago, I raced on the Mid Ohio Race Track. It has a boatload of room for cornering without becoming boring. After all this time I want to try it again with the goal of not being lapped for as long as possible. I plan to ride behind a bunch of butts until I loose them. My category would be Men's 5 (yeah, sketchy) mixed with Women's 4. So far the only competitors are a bunch of guys who have been on the course before. My training is nada, which is fine with me. I know the posters whose primary goal is to win will scoff at this idea. I don't care about them. What about everyone else's ideas?
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Old 02-01-20, 06:30 PM
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Originally Posted by BadGrandma
Around 12 years ago, I raced on the Mid Ohio Race Track. It has a boatload of room for cornering without becoming boring. After all this time I want to try it again with the goal of not being lapped for as long as possible. I plan to ride behind a bunch of butts until I loose them. My category would be Men's 5 (yeah, sketchy) mixed with Women's 4. So far the only competitors are a bunch of guys who have been on the course before. My training is nada, which is fine with me. I know the posters whose primary goal is to win will scoff at this idea. I don't care about them. What about everyone else's ideas?

Bad form to show up with a chip and assume what people think. In my long history of racing the nicest folks have usually been the fastest. They generally get no one is getting anywhere in this sport. Not a lot of people show up an excel on day 1. The learning curve typically starts with handling and positioning. So if you ride behind the butts, the problem might not be losing the one in front of you but the one in front of you losing the one in front of them. That might be where you end up based on how things are, but if you find you can position better go for it. If not look for the things you can do to get in a better position.
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Old 02-02-20, 12:46 AM
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jtwilson
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Originally Posted by BadGrandma
Around 12 years ago, I raced on the Mid Ohio Race Track. It has a boatload of room for cornering without becoming boring. After all this time I want to try it again with the goal of not being lapped for as long as possible. I plan to ride behind a bunch of butts until I loose them. My category would be Men's 5 (yeah, sketchy) mixed with Women's 4. So far the only competitors are a bunch of guys who have been on the course before. My training is nada, which is fine with me. I know the posters whose primary goal is to win will scoff at this idea. I don't care about them. What about everyone else's ideas?
I will be there. It's the first race of the season and a lot of people will be out of shape, so no worries on that. The lower categories always have a wide range of fitness/ability levels anyways. Mid Ohio is a challenging course due to the rollers that lead into a long uphill grind - races tend to split up into small groups rather quickly. It is a really fun place to race and as safe as it gets. Don't expect many people to pre-register untill the last day. Even then, turn out could be rather low if it's cold. Last time I raced there was 2018 and it was 30 degrees but I had a great experience. Bike races always have a friendly vibe because these are the rare times we are all with "our people".
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Old 02-02-20, 08:36 AM
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BadGrandma
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Thank you so much for replying. I love the little dips in the course. If I go, I'll keep it safe myself by pulling out if and when I get lapped. Don't want "debris in the road" ( Phil Ligget).
BTW, the fastest are usually nice people, but I can't say the same for the weekend warriors.
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Old 02-04-20, 06:27 PM
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cmh
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I'd say have fun and let us know how it goes. Is this a series where you get to come back weekly and try again or is it a single race?
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Old 02-05-20, 05:01 PM
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BadGrandma
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cmh, this is a single race. And it is fun, all squirrely chicanes and directions on one side of the course, but extra wide built for cars. My goal actually is to ride behind the sea of butts because this is what happens when one starts racing at age 50 and is 68 now. So far, no women have signed up yet.
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