Tuesday, November 6, 2007

My racing age is 40

Took the kids out to Vet's Park in Ann Arbor on Saturday to watch a bit of the cyclocross races. Some of the climbs on the course were pretty impressive -- esp. considering how skinny many of the racers were. Hard to believe those toothpick thighs would get them up the hills, but then they didn't have much weight to push! E didn't get too into the racing, though she did give it a decent look before retreating to the play structure. O, however, was quite intrigued -- esp. once he realized there was a kid course. I told him I'd be delighted to bring him out to race... as soon as he learns to ride on two wheels! Maybe that will lure him into trying a bit harder on leaving the training wheels behind.

Speaking of training wheels, I was wishing for some training wheels when trying my hand at bike polo on Sunday. Seriously, it wasn't that hard to stay upright, but it was tricky to actually engage other players with any semblance of intentionality/skill. I opted to focus most of my efforts on not hurting myself or others and then count on dumb luck to actually get and move the ball. The first game (3 on 3) was fun and my more experienced teammates were good sports while we all flailed about getting warmed up and used to the court. Noodling around with Andy and Dan(?) in between games was also nice, allowing actual opportunities to attempt goals... but then we re-grouped with 5 on each side and that was just a shit load of bikes. I fell back to focus mainly on defense since finding the ball and then getting oneself in any sort of alignment to get it from an opponent when one only has a mallet in the right hand was making my brain tired. Since my mallet handling sucked, I found I was more useful just getting my bike in between the opposing team and our goal. Somewhere in the middle of the third game (still 5 on 5), the switch in my head clicked and I was done -- a bit cold, a bit tired, and all too aware that I was keeping my kids out a bit too late considering E's homework load. After a graceful loss, I made a quick exit with the kids.

Just to round out my fairly bikey weekend, I should also mention the pleasant Bike Ypsi ride on Sunday afternoon. We were an amusing hodge podge of bikes and riders once again, but it was fun to pedal with new friends and, once we were warmed up, the day proved lovely. It is quite the trip to see some bike culture taking root in town.

So, all in all, I had a very social weekend, several outdoorsy adventures, a bit of bike time, a couple of naps, and a good time with my kids. I also learned -- in hunting for info on when cyclocross races started -- that my racing age is 40 (measured by the age you will be on Dec 31, 2008). Of course, it matters not, but it was still a little jarring to see!

5 comments:

biscodo said...

Don't fret, USACycling general rule 1A16 defines 'cross racing age differently than for road and mountain.

Your racing age is 40 only for 'cross races. So if there's a road, mountain, or track race you're interested in, your racing age is still 39. :)

Ypsipearl said...

Yeah, 40 is jarring and it will remain that way, probably until you get to 50. I'm still trying to adjust, but the good thing is--I would NEVER want to really go back.

the injector said...

So, will you bike polo again?
I had a lot of fun on the ride on sunday. Hope to make it back from a work thing (I have to go to a nunnery in Dayton, OH for a staff meeting--fun,fun) in time to hit the rode again this sunday.

You are in the age 25-30 bracket for Bike Ypsi:)

Zoe the Wonder Dog said...

I could certainly be talked into playing on Sunday. Just a note, folks gather rather slowly after 3pm... we probably didn't start until more like 4pm. If you're going to play, definitely let me know.

Staff meetings in nunneries on a Sunday, eh? Wacky job ya got there!

the injector said...

The staff meeting is actually on saturday; we will leave early sunday morning. and the center where i am staying is a marianist community--society of mary folks--not a straight up nunnery; i was mistaken.

I've stayed at this nunnery--the real thing (all the nuns are old, and once I saw one back her loaded with nuns car into a pole in the parking lot) in chicago for work quite a few times.

But, I am hoping to arrive home in time to ride on sunday afternoon at 1:00!