Motorpacing is completely outside of my experience; and I’m not anxious to try it. Phil Gaimon mentions it in the Glossary of his book, “Pro Cycling on $10 a Day”.

His definition of this training tactic includes the wry comment, “It’s good if you like exhaust fumes.” I do not like exhaust fumes; and prefer to avoid them if at all possible; so I’m glad I don’t have to train by riding behind a motor vehicle

I also don’t want to try riding right behind a motor vehicle because I’m sensitive to noise. A roaring engine anywhere near me is tortuous. I’d want some good-quality earplugs for sure; and often earplugs don’t block enough noise.

The idea of motorpacing is to provide a draft to allow the cyclist to hone race-specific skills. As I said, I do not like exhaust fumes; but last Sunday I wished I had something or someone to give me a draft to ride in. The wind was fairly strong; and I got caught in the rain, too. The temperature was close to 60 degrees, so I hadn’t thought to use warming packs; and my poor hands almost froze!

How about the motor half of this training technique? You can read about that here. It sounds like both cyclist and motorist have a lot to watch out for; so don’t try to daydream during a session!

Keep in mind the legal ramifications of motorpacing. Apparently it’s one thing for pro cyclists during their regular training sessions; and another for impromptu rides. Don’t run afoul of the law!

So I think I’ll forget about riding behind a motor vehicle; and leave it to the pros. After all, I have little enough experience riding with other cyclists; never mind right behind a car!