How do they do it?

**slowpoke** · 3rd June 2008, 10:55

I talked to Jimmy about this at Taupo as it just fuggin' amazes me: Craig Shirriffs and co, how do they rock up and go so blindingly fast with such little time on a bike?

It's like they've got a button somewhere in their psyche with "warp speed' written on it, so one stab and away the go at National Championship winning speed without doing ferk all in the way of club racing or anything. Christ, I spend 3-4 weeks off a bike while I'm at work and it feels like I'm piloting an alien space ship by the time I get back on it again, especially if I get home on a Thursday evening and go straight into a trackday on the weekend.

I've only done a handful of race meetings but once I came home from work after 3 weeks offshore, got home Thursday, prepped my road bike into race mode on the Friday, travelled the Saturday and raced on Sunday and it was just mind bending. It took me all day before I felt remotely comfortable on the bike and of course by then it's all too bloody late.

So, even allowing for these guys doing the practise day before a Nationals event how the hell do they go from zero to hero with what seems like so little time at race pace?

**James Deuce** · 3rd June 2008, 11:30

Gigantic self belief and years of riding at those speeds.

**ManDownUnder** · 3rd June 2008, 11:34

Originally Posted by Jim2

Gigantic self belief and years of riding at those speeds.

...combined with a higher risk threshhold (it's genetic apparently...) and talent.

**James Deuce** · 3rd June 2008, 11:36

Talent doesn't exist. Talent is the outward manifestation of practice and hard work. Physiological attributes are sometimes mistaken for talent, such as Messrs Rossi and Schumacher's superior visual processing capability.

**ManDownUnder** · 3rd June 2008, 12:16

Originally Posted by Jim2

Talent doesn't exist. Talent is the outward manifestation of practice and hard work. Physiological attributes are sometimes mistaken for talent, such as Messrs Rossi and Schumacher's superior visual processing capability.

That's like saying there's no such thing as the sense of taste because it's a complex series of synaptic interacts triggered by blah blah blah.

I agree with what you say, excepting the first 3 words.

**Tony.OK** · 3rd June 2008, 15:02

Not that I'm blindingly fast but I've noticed since I stopped riding on the road I am much better getting on the pace at the track straight away.
If you only ever ride at race pace on a track the distractions from road riding aren't floating around in the back of your mind.
Works for me at my "slight glare in your eyes" pace

**slowpoke** · 3rd June 2008, 16:19

Originally Posted by Tony.OK

Not that I'm blindingly fast but I've noticed since I stopped riding on the road I am much better getting on the pace at the track straight away.
If you only ever ride at race pace on a track the distractions from road riding aren't floating around in the back of your mind.
Works for me at my "slight glare in your eyes" pace

You're too modest Tony, but I know what you mean.
I remember when Loosebruce was starting to get serious about racing that Shaun advised him to forget road riding and track days, and I presume it's for the same reason, so that when you are on the bike you are tuned to only going one speed.
Hmmmm, given that I can only make a few track/race days a year I think I've just got to accept that if I'm going to improve it's not going to happen in a hurry however much I'd like to dream otherwise.

**Kittyhawk** · 3rd June 2008, 16:58

Its a combination of talent and feel. Either you have a natural feel for riding or its something you have to work at and perfect.

Some it takes a few laps to get in the right headspace others are already there at the start line.

I reckon starting anything at a young age develops natural talent and you grow into that as you get older. But someone who has started riding say in mid 20s the feel is foreign and therefore has to be worked at and skills practised more.

Relate this to music. A kid learns piano compared to an adult,. That kid will develop a natural ear and feel because he is open to learning alot more and the absorbtion of knowledge is greater. The adult learning already has interpreted the piano and how it should sound before playing (life experience), will listen to advice given but has more of their own individual preset of how the music should go.

When an adult learns to ride, they already have in their mind an image of a bike going past at speed or maybe an image of how they will get round that corner by thinking steps ahead, where the kid does have an image but not in great detail, so dont know about taking lines properly until told.

**Tony.OK** · 3rd June 2008, 17:02

Originally Posted by slowpoke

Hmmmm, given that I can only make a few track/race days a year I think I've just got to accept that if I'm going to improve it's not going to happen in a hurry however much I'd like to dream otherwise.

Not neccesarily true fella,if you do a track day and come away knowing that you've made improvements to pace/times,you should be able to go back next time with confidence in your abilities and bike.
I know its not supposed to happen at a track day but if you can get someone to time you it really helps with working on different lines/gearing etc.But you need clear laps to really get a good gauge.
Keep on dreaming

**slowpoke** · 3rd June 2008, 18:02

Originally Posted by Tony.OK

Not neccesarily true fella,if you do a track day and come away knowing that you've made improvements to pace/times,you should be able to go back next time with confidence in your abilities and bike.
I know its not supposed to happen at a track day but if you can get someone to time you it really helps with working on different lines/gearing etc.But you need clear laps to really get a good gauge.
Keep on dreaming

Yup, have picked up a manky ol' laptimer that will hopefully give me something to gauge myself against (the bloody thing better work...)
I'm gonna try and make a point of trying to tag along with the fast blokes too so if it looks like I'm stalking you at the track sometime Tony it's nothing sexual ok? The problem remains of too few laps but I've just got to try and maximise what I get out of them.

**steveyb** · 3rd June 2008, 21:56

[QUOTE=Jim2;1590989 Physiological attributes are sometimes mistaken for talent, such as Messrs Rossi and Schumacher's superior visual processing capability.[/QUOTE]

Oh, you mean talent! Sorry, thought I had misunderstood that.

**CHOPPA** · 3rd June 2008, 23:31

Im pretty sure if it was up to craig he would be riding every weekend but i think suzuki prob take back there investment for next nationals.

Yeah he can get on and still smoke everyone but imagine if he was doing heaps of testing training racing etc he would be another step up again.

If i had that sorta talent (and yes i do believe its talent some have it some dont) id go to oz and race there series but it all comes down to $$$ at the end of the day!

**roogazza** · 4th June 2008, 08:59

Originally Posted by slowpoke

I talked to Jimmy about this at Taupo as it just fuggin' amazes me: Craig Shirriffs and co, how do they rock up and go so blindingly fast with such little time on a bike?

cos they're really good on a motorbike, Spud ! G.