sarals 

Date: January 28, 2017
Venue: VELO Sports Center Velodrome, Carson, CA
Event: Los Angeles Velodrome Racing Association (LAVRA) Time Trial Series 2018, Race #1
Races: Flying 200M Sprint; 500M Time Trial; Team Sprint; 2K Pursuit
Athlete: Sara

Uh oh, Sara went racing, for the first time in 2018, so that means we're going to start getting her long winded racing reports again!

This was my first race on the track, or anywhere, since UCI Masters Track Worlds in October. I've been respecting my fitness, trying to maintain a good level. I've also been healthy and uninjured, which has been a great help. I have gained weight, not so good, but that will be whittled away.

My legs weren't at their best. I spent two full days walking around at Disney and the NAMM Convention in Anaheim earlier in the week, plus two sessions at VSC on Friday and Saturday. I was hardly fresh, and to top that off, I was doing four hard events in one day, events that would have taken four days at Worlds or Track Nats. No matter, let's see where we are!

Race Day

The track was scheduled to open for warmup at 8:30, with racing to start at 9:00. I arrived at 7:00 to get set up. I decided on a split trainer/track warmup, with some time on the track to check out the bike and to check out my fitness. On the trainer I did a 20 minute warmup, using my track bike. I did three spinups to 160 RPM along with a lot of tempo. My legs felt just okay. I then readied the bike for the track, putting on my five spoke front wheel, FFWD disk, sprint bars. My coach and I decided to stick with what I used for gearing at Worlds rather than gear up. That will come. I took to the track, did five laps, and then one effort. Ready.

Flying 200M Sprint

I was tenth to roll off in this event. This is a three lap event on a 250 meter track, the first two laps being the windup, and the third lap being the effort. I did my windup as I done it at Worlds, staying relatively shallow on the track, not going to the balustrade until the start of the last lap, and then only going up there in turns three and four (to save energy). My entry was decent, and I hit the 200 meter line at speed. My legs felt a little sluggish at the top of the entry, but by the time I got into the sprinters lane I was spun up to cadence and in the effort hard. I stayed in it hard all the way to the line, and rode a respectable 14.807 (I rode a 14.772 at Worlds). Not bad.

500 Meter Time Trial

I reconfigured the bike for pursuits, putting the aerobars on it along with a different saddle and seatpost (different height, different position), staying with the 86 inch gearing. Since Worlds I had lowered the adjustable stem to the full down position in an effort to gain just a little more aerodynamic efficiency. I was curious to see if I could still make "normal" power in the more aero position. I had only twenty minutes between the 200 and getting into the start gate for the 500, which is hardly enough recovery. The 500 is an all out sprint, and you need everything you have to have a chance at a good result. The race staff was using this event as a training race and they were allowing riders plenty of time to get into the gate, get settled on the bike, and giving a little coaching to the many new riders who were present. They were starting the countdown clock at ten seconds to go. When my turn came, I walked up track behind the gate, watched the staff put my pike into the gate (making sure the pedals were in the right position), and then I climbed aboard, clipped in, and started my focus. The clock started at ten, then the tones at five, four, three, two, one - GO. I got a good start, timing the gate right on the money. However, my first three pedal strokes were "soft", I didn't have the punch I wanted or expected. That was the 200 still in my legs! A good time in the 500 is based largely on the first 100 meters, and my start was lagging. I got up to top speed and held a good line, low on the track, through the first lap. Coming out of turn two on the second lap I felt my energy start to go. Into turn three I was suffering. Out of four, I was well into the pain cave and digging for all I was worth. I hit the line and posted a time of 44.898, almost a second slower than my 44.07 at Worlds. I'll take it, though.

Team Sprint

I put the bike back into sprint configuration, sprint bars and different saddle/seatpost for the team sprint. Barb and I decided I'd be rider two, and she'd lead out. We lined up on the pursuit line, side by side. She rode from the gate, I rode from a held.start. At the tone, we hit it, drag racing to turn one. I dropped into the lane behind Barb, right on her wheel, and we got up to speed quickly. Our exchange in the box was just about perfect, and I rode a fast, solid second lap. We posted a really good time. We were both pleased, and we had so much fun!

2 Kilometer Pursuit

A break in the action for lunch, and then the afternoon session started with the team pursuits. The 2K pursuit followed that, so I had a little time to get some food into me and let it settle, plus get a good rollout on the trusty foam roller and some recovery. I was fourteenth in line for the 2K. When my turn came, I once again watched the bike get placed into the gate, made sure it was right, climbed aboard, clipped in and waited. The starter asked if I wanted a vocal count or the clock. "Oh, the clock!" I said. The countdown went from ten seconds, and I got another good start and and rolled off for eight laps of pain! I'm not an enduro, but the 2K is considered a "threshold event" between a sprint and true endurance event. My coach is convinced that I have the ability to ride a good 2K, and over the course of last season, they did get better and better as I learned to start properly and pace. I rode a 3:13 at Worlds, at this LAVRA I rode a 3:23. Not bad for having everything in my legs that I did that day. I rode even splits, got a good start, emptied the tank on the last lap, and left most of what I had out on the track.

LAVRA was better than I expected in a lot of ways. My 200 was good, the team sprint was really good, and the 2K was promising. The 500 is "my event", I have potential for good things in that race, and I was a bit disappointed to see the amount of time I did loose in it, but I know the reasons why. I have specific goals for the season, and I'm off to a good start.

I did wear my new Castelli Body Paint 3.3 speedsuit, and it looked great, fit beautifully, and I flew the P/V colors proudly!

Thanks for reading, and have a GREAT 2018 Season, everyone!