Heath Sherratt is a husband of ten years, father of two dudes, semi-Pro racer for the Sobe/Cannondale Team, owner of The Hub Bike Shop in Roseville, Calif, 2006 DH National Champion for the expert 30-35 class, and was risen from the dead after a horrific crash in Mammoth, Calif in 2005 (on that stupid step down on the 4X course) that left him in traction with C1, C2 dislocated and T6,7 and 8 crushed.  He's an inch shorter now! For questions or comments regarding this editorial article, contact Heath at norcalhub@yahoo.com.

Turtle Races
 
You know that guy that weaves in and out of traffic at ridiculous speeds only to be caught at the next light?  I love that guy, he always reminds me to slow down to get somewhere faster.  I was that guy for so many years.  Speeding super fast because it "felt" fast and it got my adrenaline pumping.  Going fast feels good. I would weave in and out of traffic trying to get somewhere faster than everyone else but not really getting anywhere faster than the lady cruising down the street at 35mph.  I would be pinned down the street, flowing in and out of traffic, barely squeezing in-between cars and passing everyone on the road, until the next stop light.  Then all the people I passed minutes ago would roll up right next to me within seconds.  I tried driving faster and with more aggressive passes, only to be caught at a light by some one I had passed miles and miles back within a few seconds. What? This can't be! I just couldn't understand it.  I decided I needed to remove myself from the picture and watch how others drove. Once I stepped back and took an objective look at how I was driving it became as clear as crystal.  It's simple really...
   
It's all about maintaining an average speed and a steady flow, like being on cruise control.  In racing it's known as "overall run speed".  I think the secret to being the fastest racer in the world is partly hidden in these three words.  So I started applying this to my driving and found very quickly that I could apply this to my riding and racing as well.  I found that the constant speed on course or a racers average speed is more important than a racers top speed or how fast a racer may appear or feel.  As far as I can tell, if my overall run speed (cruising in the car going 55mph) is faster than the other guys (me driving at speeds up to 80mph but always having to slam on the brakes because of other drivers or curves in the road, etc.), I would win the race every time.  It didn't matter how much faster I got there, just that I got there before the next fastest guy. Simple I know, so simple it's embarrassing, but true.
   
It works like this, if you can learn how to see a race course as a point to point walk and you focus on finding the way down the course that will disrupt your momentum the least, you will be on your way to becoming the fastest racer to ever ride a bike. Not necessarily by riding pinned in the flats or hucking the biggest most impressive jumps, or taking the most aggressive lines, but by learning how to maintain your speed in corners,conserving energy for sprints, tucking instead of pedaling, scrubbing the jump instead of lifting those tires in the air, (where they give you very little traction) these are the secrets to becoming an efficient and faster rider. Think of it like this; water takes the path of least resistance. If you can objectively break down the course and learn it's "flow",  you will almost always find the fastest way down the mountain. (Of course there are always exceptions and there will be times were taking the most aggressive line that everyone else is afraid of will add the winning time to your run but this is more fundamental and practical and you can start using it today.) Now you just need to learn how to ride that route comfortably and efficiently...this will help you to win races.  Learn to put your race run on cruise control.
   
It's the time old tale of the turtle and the hare.  Remember the Hare?  He keeps it pinned the entire time and thinks he's got it all sorted out, so he starts out super fast and, whoops- blows a corner, well now he needs to go twice as fast to make up for that mistake and, whoops- he missed that line, dang it, now he's angry and needs to pick up time,whoops- he just missed that line and oh, he blew that corner and oh crap, now he needs to hurry up to catch that pesky turtle up ahead...sound familiar?  I have had a few race runs like that. Letting my adrenaline dictate my perception of speed, thinking I need to "feel" fast to be fast.  We all think the easy way to get faster is by searching for ways to shave grams off of our bike or by having the right suspension setup or tire pressure or best frame design but we don't remember this simple rule: Slow and steady wins the race.  Slow?  You can't go slow and win a race!   Well I say you have to learn how to go slow... to go fast. Learn how to ride a course slow and steady and you will eventually learn how to win a race. 
   
Try out the Turtle Method on your local trail.  Get yourself a fast lap timing system and go time yourself at full pinned race pace...and then go ride at your comfortable pace and see which is faster.  I bet you'll be surprised.  Remember, that guy that flew by you earlier is sitting next to you at the light right now...he forgot, you can only go so fast before you have to slow down again.


Heath Sherratt
Owner, THE HUB
(916)771-4821
norcalhub.com