Anyone want to hear about my track session today?
No?
Well here it is...
I had a VERY GOOD track session today. There were several firsts.
1) I warmed up in 84 gear inches, 36 laps, in 48/15. NO issues, I was strong at the end, even though my HR was close to VO2max (162 BPM).
2) I rode my first ever standing start full 500.
3) I rode the 500 in 90 inch gearing, 48/14 - first time I've ever ridden that gearing that I can recall.
4) I rode the race wheels - the trispoke (LOVED it) and the disc (LOVED that, too!).
The session went as follows: Barb and I did six laps on our own, then joined the paceline for the 30 lap. The first ten were quite mild. The last five laps were 25 - 26 MPH. We rode the final lap at 27 MPH, with my HR knocking on VO2max, but I tried hard to come around Barb in the sprint (I couldn't). Neither of us got dropped in the sprint, we were both there.
I rested for 15 minutes, then put the race wheels and aerobars on the bike. Gearing was 90 inches. Barb was the holder, I walked out to the 500 meter start spot, got on the bike, and then tried to leave at "One", which threw me off for just a second. Then I was slow getting going, because the resistance that big gearing offered (I know, it's relative) caught me little by surprise. I got up to speed, cognizant NOT to over do it, and settled in. I was OTS through turn one and most of turn two. I settled in to the aerobars, and concentrated on staying on top of the cadence, breathing, and riding the pole line. With 160 meters to go, I was really getting gassed, but I gave it a last push (and I was screaming while doing it) and crossed the line.
The time? Unofficially 44 seconds. It could have been 45 or 46, and that's fine with me! For my first ever 500, that's not too bad, even if it was 46 seconds.
It took everything out of me to do that, too.
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