CRCA 2012 SEASON PREVIEW ARTICLES

Part 1: Sub-Teams Part 2: Open Racing Part 3:  Skills Sessions

Skills Sessions to Save Your Season

“It’s not if you’ll crash, but when.”

“There are two kinds of cyclists. Those who have crashed and those who will.”

Scary sound bites, right? What if there existed techniques easily learned and practiced that could decrease you becoming a statistic?

The CRCA says there are such techniques, and starting Feb. 25, the CRCA is offering training in race-prevention techniques for FREE! For the full schedule and details, visit this link. Note, these sessions can count toward marshaling credit if you are a new member in 2012 and selected one of these dates as one of your marshaling dates.

According to Scot Willingham , your VP of rider development, “Instead of depending on luck, racers can have an element of control over their safety.” Dave Jordan, CRCA Coach and manager/coach of Dave Jordan Coaching, says “racers will "learn racing skills, as opposed to just riding the bike. Other featured elements mentioned by CRCA coach, Ann Marie Miller, include smooth riding in a group, cornering safety, track stands, and numerous other techniques "dependent on the conditions of the

day...and how quickly we progress through each skill. If we don't get through everything in one session, we will have many more skills sessions throughout the year where these will be addressed." (for more on our CRCA coaches, check this overview on the CRCA website)

This author (D. Carr) took exactly this kind of skills session. I had fun, bumping shoulders, grabbing each others' handlebars, picking stuff up off the ground, and touching wheels. And as promised, it saved my season. During the Housatonic Cat 4 race, when touching wheels in the pack, I was able to stay up, finish my race, and not end up nursing a broken collar bone.

Ben Noble, a cat. 3 racer in the CRCA A field, describes his experience of a CRCA skills session this way. "I had ridden a bicycle all my life, but was not comfortable riding so close to other people while racing.  Let alone getting bumped, elbowed and the occasional Renshaw head butt (!!!!) which I learned during the session. All the techniques and practice taught me to improve my balance on the bike, reducing my anxieties and letting me concentrate on racing.”

In preparing for your races physically, you wouldn’t leave that to luck. You plan, you train, you shop for the best equipment, you maintain that equipment, you participate in group rides that allow you to practice for racing. Why leave your safety and the safety of club members riding around you to luck? Check out the schedule for these clinics, and and take control of your racing skills.

CRCA 2012 SEASON PREVIEW ARTICLES

Part 1: Sub-Teams Part 2: Open Racing Part 3:  Skills Sessions