Tour of the Catskills: To Do or Not to Do?
Team EN,
About 8 weeks ago, on a whim, I registered for the Tour of the Catskills. It is a 3-day stage race with a 2.3 mile TT and two 50+ mile rides with significant climbing. I figured 10 weeks of the OS, with a few additional weekend rides, should be sufficient enough to prepare me for the race. The primary thing I needed was to participate in some group rides to hone my group riding skills.
It is now 3 weeks aware from the race. Due to some major life events I have only managed 5 solid rides and 0 group rides in the past 5 weeks. Needless to say I am feeling a bit anxious about this race. The right thing to do os probably walk away for this year. However, I am having a hard time just walking away from it. It sounds like such a cool event.
So I am reaching out to EN to see if there is anything I can do to salvage this race. I know no matter what I do it won't be pretty and will hurt like hell. Should I just stick to the plan and tough it out? Should I just walk away? How bad is it if I fall of the back of the pack close to the start of the race?
BTW, I am 2-weeks into the Marathon Hack for the Niagara Falls Marathon on Oct. Besides improving my swimming, this has become my goal race for the remainder of 2010. Maybe I should skip the ToC and focus on this?
Thanks,
Pete
P.S. Is anyone else racing the ToC this year?
Comments
You don't need optimal fitness to do cool stuff, just the willingness to suffer. I say you do it and get all the noob mistakes out of the way, then return with a vengeance and some fitness in '11 for round 2!
P
P.S. I felt the same way about Battenkill, I didn't have a great race, but I had fun and learned a lot, and I managed to beat a guy in a sprint finish for something like 35th pace
Buttercup!!!!
I think that needs to be on the weekly email as the quote of the week.
Ok, due to some friendly persuasion I have decide to attempt the ToC race. Since I am doing it as cool stuff I am not going to stress to much
.
However, I do have a question for the roadies (Dan, Cary) out there. In a race that provides support vehicles, i.e. wheel replacement, do I need to be prepared to change a flat? If not how do I ensure that I get my wheel back? I would hate to give away my PT just because of a flat
.
Pete, aka Buttercup
You give your replacement wheel(s) to a truck that follows your field a few minutes before the gun goes off for your wave. The driver takes note your number as only a few people give wheels, if they see you stop, they'll stop and offer to give you one of your replacement wheels and if you're lucky, a push too. If you get dropped, all bets are off, the driver stays with the main pack. The driver finishes the race with the pack and riders can retrieve unused equipment from them after the finish.
There will also be neutral support stations, they'll change your tire while you wait or give you a quick fill, but if you stop at one of these the field is most likely gone unless yo've got someone to pull you back to the group.
And I'm definitely not a racer - i've done a few so I've got a touch of experience - Dan is clearly the man here.