Race times

When I switched from Cat 3 (Beginner) to Cat 2 (Sport) in mountain biking this year, I was happy that I didn't have to wake up so early for races. Cat 3 races are usually at 9am and 2's are at 2pm. 'Cross races vary in terms of who goes off when. It seems, to me, that some times they put the crappy racers, like me, later in the day, so that the A's get the course when it's loosened up a bit, but isn't yet a mud put. Although, sometimes, the C race is in the early morning, elites are midday and B's are at the end. Anyway, I bring this up because there's an interesting article in the Times today about time of day and athletic performance (regrettably, this column is called "Personal Best").

“Most components (strength, power, speed) of athletic performance are worst in the early hours of the morning,” he [Dr. Greg Atkinson of Liverpool John Moores University] wrote in an e-mail message. “Ratings of perceived exertion during exercise have generally been found to be highest in the early morning.”

With that in mind, I signed up for that Beer Cross race on Saturday morning and it's a 9am start time (for crappy, Brendan-caliber racers). I look forward to doing poorly. While it looks to be a much larger field than what's in Dayville, that Ice Weasel race is too far away.

In all its non-competitive glory, the Eel 4 is set to start at 11am. Everyone should be good and warmed up by then.