Is racing only for the young? Brisbane oldie

Hi

I am 40 years of age and have been cycling for about a year. I have never
raced, but upon hearing the tales of "roid rage" above, it sounds like a
perfect way to deal with a mid life crisis.

Do they have racing for older peoples??

I hope so.

Thanks.

"Money_Shot" wrote in message
...
Hi

I am 40 years of age and have been cycling for about a year. I have never
raced, but upon hearing the tales of "roid rage" above, it sounds like a
perfect way to deal with a mid life crisis.

Do they have racing for older peoples??

I hope so.

Thanks.


I am 38 years old and am enjoying racing very much so, my 63 year old father
came and watched me in a few races and decided he would start racing as
well.

He started off with the Veterans in F grade and won his first race, he won
again the following week and was put up to E grade.
He struggled a bit in E and was dropped a few times as he was on the front
doing too much and they attacked when he was tired, so he was put back to F
grade.

He raced only one race in F grade as he made the old guys suffer as he was
dragging them around at a pace much higher than they wanted to ride at, he
totally smashed them on the last lap and the group was not even in sight
when he finished.
The following week the old guys in F grade refused to start the race if he
was in with them, so now he has to ride E grade and has learned not to do
too much work on the front and can stay with them no problems and even has a
go in the sprints.

I built him a track bike and he also has been track racing on the velodrome,
they only go as low as D grade so he struggles a bit when the pace gets
high, he is more suited to the longer distance events as he has good
endurance but lacks the power for the shorter events.

So if you consider 40 to be old what would you think if you had to race
against Colin Appleyard who is 76 years old and won the Australian masters
criterium championships ( for his age group ) last year, and rides in D
grade in Newcastle and is one of the pace setters in that grade.
I came back to racing after a 15 year break about a year ago and found
myself racing against him, when I got fitter after around a month or so of
racing he was the only rider that would come around me to do a turn into the
headwinds when I was driving the bunch at 36 to 38 km/h.

I am now riding in A grade for veterans and B grade at my club, I will be in
A grade if I get a 2nd or better, at this time I am not trying to get any
places as I want to win the B grade club championships next month and then
go up to A.

On Mar 5, 10:44 pm, "Money_Shot" wrote:
Hi

I am 40 years of age and have been cycling for about a year. I have never
raced, but upon hearing the tales of "roid rage" above, it sounds like a
perfect way to deal with a mid life crisis.

Do they have racing for older peoples??

Yes. There's even a veterans assoc (in rivalry to CA, cycling
australia/UCI masters cycling) if you don't like mixing it in with
people under 35.

In article ,
"Money_Shot" wrote:

Hi

I am 40 years of age and have been cycling for about a year. I have never
raced, but upon hearing the tales of "roid rage" above, it sounds like a
perfect way to deal with a mid life crisis.

Do they have racing for older peoples??

I hope so.

Thanks.

Waratahs Veterans Cycling Club in Sydney has six grades and is for old
folks exclusively:
http://www.waratahvcc.asn.au/

cheers,
Darryl

On Mar 5, 9:44 pm, "Money_Shot" wrote:
Hi

I am 40 years of age and have been cycling for about a year. I have never
raced, but upon hearing the tales of "roid rage" above, it sounds like a
perfect way to deal with a mid life crisis.

Do they have racing for older peoples??

I hope so.

Thanks.

Gday MS - from another Brissie semi-youth (46). Yes, we race. So do
the real old farts - 70 years + - although I know one guy who is near
80 who is thinking about handing in his licence. Where do you live,
and I can give you some tips on where to ride.

Donga

Money_Shot wrote:
Hi

I am 40 years of age and have been cycling for about a year. I have never
raced, but upon hearing the tales of "roid rage" above, it sounds like a
perfect way to deal with a mid life crisis.

Do they have racing for older peoples??

I hope so.

Thanks.


40? Old? Humbug!

Money_Shot Wrote:
Hi
.I did an A-Grade vets race (over 35s) a few weeks ago which was probably
the hardest race I've done in my life. I was wondering where all these
"old" blokes got their speed from


--
531Aussie

Money_Shot Wrote:
Hi

I am 40 years of age and have been cycling for about a year. I have
never
raced, but upon hearing the tales of "roid rage" above, it sounds like
a
perfect way to deal with a mid life crisis.

Do they have racing for older peoples??

I hope so.

Thanks.


What's wrong with a harley or a convertible?

There are probably more masters (35+) racers in Brisbane than under 35
so why not give it a go?

Adam
(39.08)


--
adam85

Money_Shot wrote:
Hi

I am 40 years of age and have been cycling for about a year. I have never
raced, but upon hearing the tales of "roid rage" above, it sounds like a
perfect way to deal with a mid life crisis.

Do they have racing for older peoples??

I hope so.

Thanks.



Very much so. I started racing in Nov 2005 at 41.
Won my first race at C-grade with the WCMCC (WA Masters
club). Got put up to B-grade the following race and
have been there ever since. Not won a B-grade race
but have placed several times.

It's a good way to meet other riders and talk bikes.
It's a good way to motivate you to get out and train.
If you watch any bike racing (eg TdF on telly), it
gives you an extra level of appreciation of the sport.

Note that it's not free (but it's not very expensive
either). You usually need to get a license ($130 in
WA) and play nomination fees for each race (typically
$10). Peanuts compared with the cost of a racing bike.

DeF.

--
e-mail: d.farrow@your finger.murdoch.edu.au
To reply, you'll have to remove your finger.

I've been cycling since I was 4 and only started racing about a year
ago. You get out of bed earlier and train harder if you know there's
races coming up.

A 49yo friend got into cycling about a year and has been through 10
years worth of bikes. He started with a x-mart MTB and then an entry
level roadie followed by full carbon, full ultegra and now a Six-13
full DA. He had is first "proper" race a few weeks ago and was
gobsmacked (I love that word) when he was dropped by "some wrinkley old
ladies". But he loved it so he dropped a grade and won his first race.

Go for it! I race with people half my age and half my weight.


--
::dom::