On the last day of CampWILD last week, we did the bike and run portions of our event (don’t call it a race! We called it our WILDday!) criterium style. We rode (and/or ran) on a 1km loop, completing as many laps as possible in the designated time. Today, active.com sent me an email with a guide to criterium racing. Now, I’ve watched many crit’s in my days as a cycling fan (the Nature Valley Gran Prix stage race takes place in my area) and I love them as a spectator. You get to watch the racers maneuver through the pack, listen to the wheels spin and the gears click. Because they pass by so many times, you start to recognize teamwork and strategy as well as individual efforts.
Sometimes, you see spectacular crashes. It’s the crashes that make me completely uninterested in competing in a criterium. I could easily be the novice making a rookie mistake that takes the pro’s out. But, if you are interested in trying it yourself, check out these tips for your first.
We did practice cornering in a great skills lesson with Coach Michael. We especially focused on foot position and looking at where we wanted to come out of the corner. This video offers a little different focus to what we learned at Camp.
Jim at CampWILD 2012 doing his first criterium on the last day of camp! GO WILD!
If you decide to race, let me know. I love to cheer and ring my cowbell! In fact, all of us at TeamWILD will cheer you on!
