# First road race



## Doc_D (Mar 16, 2006)

I did my first road race today. I was able to position myself towards the front of the pack (maybe 5 or 6 guys back) by the final lap. The speed towards the end were about 24 MPH. Coming down to to the final turn before the finish they were up about 27 MPH. When the sprint started I had nothing left so quite a few people went by me on the finish.

I ended up finishing right in the middle of the field, which I can't complain about since I expected to get dropped in my first race.

My question is what should I work on? I'm a smaller guy at 140 pounds now and probably 130 pounds in my mid-summer form. I don't make much power. My FTP is 172 watts, my 30 second power is 472 watts.

So I'm not sure if my inability to sprint at the end was more due to working close to my FTP to maintain pace or it was just because my 30 second power needs work.

So should I focus on threshold efforts or shorter 30 seconds - 1 minute intervals? Yeah, I know it all needs work. I'm just trying to figure out where I should focus first.

Thanks!
Doc


----------



## kbiker3111 (Nov 7, 2006)

Both. At 135 lbs, you're never going to win a flat field sprint. Work on your FTP and try to get away before the sprint, if its a flat finish.


----------



## Wookiebiker (Sep 5, 2005)

Your FTP is low (under 3 w/Kg) which means you will likely be more tired near the end of a race than others you are competing against...thus the reason they dropped you down the final stretch...that and your 30 second power is low as well.

Overall...your current power numbers are basically at the untrained level...so I'm guessing either you don't ride much, or you just started.

My suggestion would be to work mostly on FTP because at your weight if you can get that up into the 270 watt range at your weight, you will be quite fast up the climbs. As your FTP increases other areas of your power will increase as well.

On the bright side...even with a low FTP, you were able to stay with the pack, which is good. With some training you should be able to stay with the pack on the flats and pull away in the climbs.

For the average amateur racer FTP is likely the most important factor in being fast. When you get that to an acceptable level then you can start working on your 30 second to 5 minute power.


----------



## Doc_D (Mar 16, 2006)

Wookiebiker said:


> .
> 
> Overall...your current power numbers are basically at the untrained level...so I'm guessing either you don't ride much, or you just started.
> .



No, that's the problems....bad genetics. Not only am I 130 pounds, but im much bigger in my upper body than lower body. I've been riding with dedication for a few years. I have legs the size of a lot of guys arms. I have more dedication and put in more time on the bike and trainer than most people I know. This winter I was on the trainer for at least 12 hours a week. It was not unusual for me to do 3 hour sessions on the trainer. 

During the warmer spring, summer and fall months I ride about 160 - 200 miles a week. I do a few centuries each year. I do a weekly coaching session with the local club as well that includes a mock race or time trial.

I ride with a friend who puts in about half the time and effort that I do and he destroys me. But he's about 170 pounds and has legs twice the size of mine.


----------



## Wookiebiker (Sep 5, 2005)

Doc_D said:


> No, that's the problems....bad genetics. Not only am I 130 pounds, but im much bigger in my upper body than lower body. I've been riding with dedication for a few years. I have legs the size of a lot of guys arms. I have more dedication and put in more time on the bike and trainer than most people I know. This winter I was on the trainer for at least 12 hours a week. It was not unusual for me to do 3 hour sessions on the trainer.
> 
> During the warmer spring, summer and fall months I ride about 160 - 200 miles a week. I do a few centuries each year. I do a weekly coaching session with the local club as well that includes a mock race or time trial.
> 
> I ride with a friend who puts in about half the time and effort that I do and he destroys me. But he's about 170 pounds and has legs twice the size of mine.


I'm doubting genetics would have your FTP that low riding that much unless the vast majority of your time is spent at a recovery pace. 

Sounds like you need to be doing focused intervals, re-test your FTP and base your intervals off of accurate numbers. If you don't have a powermeter it would be worth investing in one to get accurate numbers and zones for interval training.

If you are doing that much time on the trainer and on the road...you are not using your time wisely.

As I said...even at your weight...your FTP is at the untrained level and well under what it should be if you are doing that amount of time on the trainer/road.


----------



## vetboy (Oct 11, 2005)

Wookiebiker said:


> I'm doubting genetics would have your FTP that low riding that much unless the vast majority of your time is spent at a recovery pace.
> 
> Sounds like you need to be doing focused intervals, re-test your FTP and base your intervals off of accurate numbers. If you don't have a powermeter it would be worth investing in one to get accurate numbers and zones for interval training.
> 
> ...


I agree - that FTP seems way to low - I suspect it is truly much higher - especially if you are hanging in a race.

Joe


----------



## cyclusaddictus (Dec 8, 2011)

How did you come up with that FTP? It's often mis-calculated or mis-interpreted.


----------



## Doc_D (Mar 16, 2006)

I have a cycleops stationary bike with a power tap. I also have a power tap on my road bike. My FTP is my best 60 minute effort this year (I just started using the power taps recently).


----------



## Wookiebiker (Sep 5, 2005)

Doc_D said:


> I have a cycleops stationary bike with a power tap. I also have a power tap on my road bike. My FTP is my best 60 minute effort this year (I just started using the power taps recently).


Unless you were under full on 100% effort at the time...you are underestimating your FTP.

My best ever 1 hour effort (recorded) is 334 watts, but my FTP is actually around 360 watts because the only time I ever approach those effort levels for that long is during 40K ITT's and even then I don't hit an hour (and I don't have a powermeter on my TT bike).

If you want to find your true (or very close to it)...go find a long hill that will take longer than 20 minutes to climb...Go all out for 20 minutes, as hard as you can go without passing out. Then take 95% of that number and you will have a very good idea of your FTP.

My guess...it's closer to 240-260 watts right now...especially if you are not getting dropped from the main field. A 172 watt FTP would get you dropped...quick!

When measuring indoor FTP, some people can hit outside numbers...many find their indoor FTP to be lower. I find mine to be a good 30% lower than what I hit outside on the road.

With all of that said...You still need to increase your FTP...but you need to use correct numbers for training, which means you need to find your "True" FTP and base your training numbers off of that for 2 x 20's.


----------



## mushroomking (Sep 26, 2008)

How long was the race? Terrain?


----------



## Local Hero (Jul 8, 2010)

1st race didn't go so well? 

Just keep racing.


----------



## Doc_D (Mar 16, 2006)

Wookiebiker said:


> Unless you were under full on 100% effort at the time...you are underestimating your FTP.
> ...
> 
> If you want to find your true (or very close to it)...go find a long hill that will take longer than 20 minutes to climb...Go all out for 20 minutes, as hard as you can go without passing out. Then take 95% of that number and you will have a very good idea of your FTP.
> ...


I agree that it's mentally challenging to put out 100% for 60 minutes outdoors or to put out 100% indoors for any length of time. It's possible that I'm underestimating my FTP.

We don't have any hills like that around here (Michigan). But my club does do a short mock time trial every 4 weeks to help members measure their fitness level. I don't remember the exact distance (it's done on a car road racing course), but it ends up being right around 20 minutes. I think our first one of the season is in 2 weeks. Hopefully that will give me a more accurate FTP estimate.

Thanks!
Doc


----------



## Doc_D (Mar 16, 2006)

mushroomking said:


> How long was the race? Terrain?



The race is help on a 1.4 mile car road racing course. It was pretty short because it's intended to be a spring training series and the cat 4/5 race is the shortest. It was 30 minutes plus 2 laps.

The course is generally flat. There are only 2 small hills. The bigger of two is maybe 250 feet long and 7%


----------



## mushroomking (Sep 26, 2008)

Doc_D said:


> The race is help on a 1.4 mile car road racing course. It was pretty short because it's intended to be a spring training series and the cat 4/5 race is the shortest. It was 30 minutes plus 2 laps.
> The course is generally flat. There are only 2 small hills. The bigger of two is maybe 250 feet long and 7%


Man I wish our races were that short. I've ridden 2 Cat 4/5 races so far this year and both were almost 43 miles long(4 laps of a <11mile course) with some sort of hill in the mix.


----------



## quatre24 (Mar 18, 2008)

Try CX; that will send your fitness, skills, and power up alot if you approach it the right if you are more of roadie. Start with a sprint to the hole shot and hold there with slight changes based on course for the length of the race. You are mostly by your self or with a couple other people for the length of the CX race. If you can get through that than can easily do well in a 30 to 40 min cat 4 crit. Also try MTB on some training days as that will help with power, fitness, and skills.


----------



## bytewalls (Feb 14, 2010)

Just ride. Don't give up and enjoy it


----------

