February... Time for race training?

Well, as we made it through the dead month of January, we are now just that little bit closer to the first race of 2009. In celebration of this fact, I motivated myself to go on a group ride February 1st and got in a 2.5 hour ride... good solid mileage that will be used to set up a base for my fitness building. Later in the day I had a superbowl party at my house, so I easily replaced the calories with chicken wings and cheese dip.

Unfortunately, the first race for me this year isn't until KENT PARK, march 29th. Two Bee Racing and DICE cycling used to offer 3 or four races in late february and march (Prairie Rude Days, Scott County Park, etc.) Yeah, it was cold, but what better way to train for a race than by racing. For various reasons those great pre-season races are no longer available.

Kent Park is a good race, but it is goofy, at best. It is a mass start, but each category starts about 15-20 seconds after the previous. So a 'greyhound' type start. The Cat 3's will sprint to the group of cat 1/2's, the cat 4's and Masters will sprint as well.

You don't really win anything (pie or beer) within your race category, so everyone is basically trying to finish as high as possible overall. If you think about it, the Cat 1/2's, who start first, are actually given a sort of 'handicap' because they can start much slower, having been given a substantial head start on the rest of the field that has to unload an all out sprint for the first mile or two to catch up (if they can). Maybe, I could be so bold as to suggest we all start at the same time? No worries, I like the race either way, as it is the unofficial 'spring opener' in Iowa.

I am still in roller training for one last race March 1st, but hope to get outside from time to time. Right now things are still on track for another great year, but way too early to tell.