by Andrew G » Wed Oct 24, 2007 10:38 pm
[quote="Mo Jaffer"]how fast?
21+ mph?
For speed it depends on the circuit.
I averaged about 21-22mph at Palace I think. Approx 1 hour races in the 3/4s - I'm a lowly 4th and was dropped at some point each week (but later and later as I got used to the pace and racing). I think Stu, Sylv and co who were challenging for honours averaged about 23-24mph.
At Chertsey (4th cat only race and again about 1hr) which is/was wide and flatter I could cruise around in the bunch without breaking sweat at 25mph average.
Never raced at Hillingdon.
The few races I've done (about 12) the form has tended to be bloody hard from the gun for a few laps, then settles down a bit, then picks up towards the end. At Palace I struggled to hang on to the bunch in the initial 10 laps when the pace was very high (bloody hill got me after a few laps at the pace they take it), this meant getting stranded and having to slog it out on my tod. Was probably going as quick as the lead bunch when they settled down but never going to close the gap again, and of course you're doing all the work when your stuck on your own so it's more tiring. The leaders pick the pace up again towards the end but by then I was knackered so they would pull away a bit more again. Only a 1km lap at Palace so a lot of people, myself included, would get lapped before the finish - although I did avoid that once
.
For your first race Mo just give it your best, try as hard as you can, and try and take in as much as you can. You'll learn a lot of useful stuff for your next race.