It was a French sprinter Frédéric Moncassin who said he loved to ride bikes because of the pilotage – basically manoeuvring the bike at high speeds. I’m definitely the same, always competing to go as fast as I can. If I had to do it all over again I’d probably do DH MTB instead of this nerdy road biking.
(side note: I remember watching some DH race years ago, one section had the camera set up on the other side of a treed section. The guys were coming out of there pretty fast…but then came Nicolas Vouilloz. Wow. He was going so fast and so much faster than everyone else that he looked like he was going slow! I can just imagine how amazing that must have felt.)
I’m definitely competitive, not in the sense of being competitive for podiums, but even in the back of a race there can be competition. I really enjoy CX racing because even for us middling folks there can be races within a race. I found motivation in trying to best people I usually finished ahead of and trying to surpass people who were staged ahead of me. I tend to race better when I have targets, I think if I get caught in a no-man’s land I’ll settle into a pace that’s shortchanging myself. I think any of us using TR, whether racing or not, have some sort of competitive edge to us, whether it’s against ourselves in trying to improve or trying to best others in events. Otherwise, we’d just go out and ride and not think about power lol
My outlook has changed a bit going into this year. I race MTB and CX. Last year I raced MTB as Cat 2 and was out there to beat everyone that I could. It worked well, thanks in large part to TR, but now I’ve found myself in a position of a forced upgrade. This morning I spent some time setting up my calendar and submitting to the fact that I’m not going to be at the pointy end of my state series races this year. My mindset right now is to go out and try for PR’s on the same courses I raced last year and see where I fall in the field. With that in mind I figured I’d also change up my training and focus on Lumberjack 100 and BT Epic. These two endurance races are lots of fun for me and I’m placing them on my calendar as my only two “A” races. I can focus on them and plan to set PR’s on both.
I set goals each year for racing…I do what it takes to achieve those goals…
This year was a State and National Championship…both are achievable, being competitive is human nature.
I’ve been training for athletic sports from a young age. I think it’s a little destructive now as being competitive sort of defines me if I let it. And with the career and family it’s not possible to compete at the level I expect to perform at or want to perform at. I end up never really being satisfied of the results. I know that’s ridiculous but, it is what it is. I almost envy those that can ride just to ride. While it’s possible for me I need to always push it. Just learned or DNA or both I guess.
I raced road here in Scotland a few times - did poorly in the crits - always missed the split and ended up ‘on the front of the back’ which is a terrible place to be (and one crash) a few proper road races - either dropped or finished in the bunch. I ‘raced’ nothing.
Entered the track league in Glasgow this winter and was pleased to become competitive in my group (the C’s) No wins but a handful of seconds and top 5;s in races its good to be able to animate the race/respond to attacks. This makes all the difference its good to actually race.
There is not a massive race scene here but what there is; is super competitive. I personally found it really difficult to learn to race or enjoy it.
With 120 odd votes it’s 52% challenging themselves, 44% versus the field and 4% against the course.
Hmm, interesting - I had thought the majority would be more significant and for beating the competition.
Well, I have my running opponents already, I can’t commit to TT season so I’m looking at what else my CC does that could fit (only one race left in Cyclocross autumn/winter season). Not looked for swim comps yet.
I don’t really like face to face combat like short XC. It seems so impolite to beat someone
But I do feel good after if I feel I’ve pushed myself as hard as I can. So that’s what I do, reminding myself that I will feel good if I’ve done my best.
I like the adventure of 12 hour races, where I don’t always know my competitors utill we are standing next to each other on the podium (well that’s the plan).
And TT is obviously the ultimate in race yourself and as such is completely addictive.
So I am probably a competition avoidant competitor.
Beat that!
Think I land somewhere in the middle of beating the field and myself. I do triathlon and there is a guy in my age group that was at a few of my races last year. He beat me at each one by less than a couple minutes. He’s also one of those guys that doesn’t train much, at least according to his Strava, but is always fast. Just makes me want to train more so I can beat him.
It all depends on the type of race. Most of my race experience is in DH where by nature you race the course and nothing else. Still, what drove me was to hit the course faster than the others. I never entered a DH race for the fun of it but always to shred the course and the field. A long long time ago when Dual an 4x was at least mildly popular I raced there as well. Those races were always pure racing, nevermind the course or PR, I would fight for my life for umpteenth place.
In road I’m a novice and just try to survive.
Triathlon is a mixed bag. Long course is just too long to race, I just battle the course and the clock. In middle distance as I’m getting closer to the front I begin racing as well. Not really before the run part, but then it is on. Racing someone who is slightly faster than myself - or who wants it more than I do - can push me enough to go beyond my suffering threshold. I will fight them with all I’ve got.
I 
racing!! (as with most, just wish I was a tad stronger!)
(well that’s the plan).
. And I didn’t follow through on entering local races.
