carleton

Congrats on the new baby! Is this your first?

That's a big difference. You'll definitely get some gains.





Congrats!!

Best sentence ever!

Sounds like a fun day of racing!

Bulldogsprinter

Yeah, a fantastic day. Taking a few extra days off the bike did wonders. Had really good legs.

VanceMac

Friday Night Racing: series ended on a bang. The last two omniums were star-studded with out of town guests and local pro crit champs. I managed to race over my head with some well-timed kilo efforts.

Saturday Night Race Series: June saw the racing move to Saturday nights. We had slightly smaller fields, but the racing was just as intense. Managed to finish 3rd overall in the 1/2/3.

Masters State Championships (Carson). In the past, I've always opted for volume at big events, doing every event I could. This year, partly because I didn't spend any time on standing starts or aero bars, I opted out of the time trials (500, 2k, TP).

• Scratch race, 50-59, 30 laps. There were a few half-hearted attempts, but nothing serious. Then with 16 to go, my main competition (wearing National Championship stripes) makes a hard break, but when one other goes with him, he shuts it down. As soon we catch him and he pulls up to drift to back, I found myself at the front with a bit of steam. With 15 to go, it's way too early... but I jump. No one responds. I have a half-lap pretty quickly, but they are chasing just enough that I knew chances of getting a lap were slim. So they hung me out there. I was kicking myself, because I would have had an excellent chance in a field sprint. Almost every time I came around, there was one more lap than I was thinking (hoping). The field had broken up, with 4 in the main chase. Looking at the video, they never really got working together. With about 3 to go, my main threat jumped, but it was too late and never really closed much ground. It was a satisfying win, but it cost me... I was fried, and took a pass on the points race (which was combined with 35-49, so long and fast).
• Match Sprints, day 2. Since I've never focused on sprints, I was actually looking forward to this one the most (which is why I punted on the points race day before). My age category was rather light, but did include a former National Champion, and a guy who beat me in my first ever match sprint. I had not done a single flying 200 in over a year until I did one at Encino a week prior (which was not pretty). So I was stoked to PR with an 11.80. That was well ahead of everyone in my age category, which put me a bit more at ease, but you never know. First match, the legendary former National Champion wanted control, and he took it. With about 1 to go he jumped, but I didn't wait... the race was over about 30 meters later. To be fair, he's not race shape. I'm hoping he gets in shape for Worlds here in 2 years. Second match, finals, the guy who beat me 2 years ago. I take the lead, and basically razor him. He can't hold my wheel, second championship for the weekend. The joke is "I'm a sprinter now." The wife is already tired of it.

Easy to see which one is a former National Sprint champion:

Bulldogsprinter

Congrats!! Nice feeling to peak at the right time? Legs feel great, almost like riding without a chain? A successful razor is beauty to behold.

carleton

Congrats on a great race weekend.

Welcome to the club! The Oreos are on the table next to the squat rack.

taras0000

The Oreos are only for intra-workout. There will be a post workout bucket of KFC served up by Ryan Bailey himself once we peel you off the gym floor.

aaronmcd

Did my first 1/2/3 race yesterday after upgrading to cat 3. Much harder than cat 4/5.

20 lap scratch, raced too aggressive for the new category. Found myself in almost all the break attempts until I blew up with 5 to go, dangled a few laps, then dropped when the sprint was winding up.

66 lap points, sprint every 6 laps (2k). Just tried to stay with the lead group/sprinters, didn't even get any points. Dropped with 24 to go, chased with 1 & 2 others, caught on 16 laps later, happy to not go down a lap.

Elimination was better, boxed someone in each lap til 4 of us left and lost the sprint, but there was someone off the back and I didn't realize it and stupidly pulled myself when I was still in! Got 2 points for 4th place though, which was good enough for 5th in omnium amazingly.

So basically did horribly in my first 1/2/3 race and still got on the podium haha.

queerpunk

One of the people I learned racing wisdom from said two things in particular that really stuck with me:
1: Your two hardest efforts on a race day should be in warmup, and bridging up to the winning break. And,
2: The winning break goes after the hardest chase of the race.

For a short race like a 20l scratch - hell, even for a longer one - it's often tempting to always try to be surfing the breaking wave, especially in your first A race when you realize that you've got the legs to dance. But you see what the result is. Patience, and sniffing out the right move, are both acquired skills.

JimiMimni

Hey guys, first post here!

Last night was the TNR at Boulder Valley Velo. Cat 4 men raced 1500m Scratch, Win-n-Out, Myster-Point-a-Lap, and a last-minute 3750m (15 lap) Scratch.

Personally: The first scratch felt good. I decided to try a few new things this week. I ditched the 86" and jumped up to a 90", hoping to avoid more mediocrity. No dice. I was going to attack with 3 to go, but was boxed in, and had to chase the winning move. I started cracking with 100m to go, and another cat sneaked past coming out of the turn. 3rd. Again. Endlessly bronze.

The win-n-out followed an identical template. Planned on attacking early, didn't position myself well, reacted to the winner, and missed the first sprint. This was a mild panic, because that emptied my tank for the rest of the night. Same dude that got me to second in the first race also rinsed and repeated. I was toast, and soft pedaled in to DFL.

The Mystery Point-a-lap was a total embarrassment. I ended up following wheels, and generally being worthless. I checked out about 3 laps in.

The last race, a last-minute addition of combined Masters/4s, was a little better. I knew I was running on fumes, but I was curious to see how well I could fake it. We rolled around a bit, and no one wanted to take charge. I found myself on the front, and put in a little dig. I took a lap pull, swung up, and so did everyone else. We rotated through again, and I attacked again, much harder. I pulled the kid who has been winning everything (literally), off the front with me. We traded pulls for a couple of laps, a third rider came up to us, and we sat up. Everything came back together with 4 to go, and my anchor deployed. I spent the last kilo pedaling as hard as I could, and slid further and further back. Yay DFL!

Time to rest up a bit before heading to the Springs for some more racing on Saturday.

carleton

Hi, Jimi and welcome to the forum!

Sounds like you had a tough night of racing!

aaronmcd

"Surfing the breaking wave"
That's exactly what it was like - no real attacks, just generally staying near the front and accelerating into drafts of the first or 3rd guy off the front. My RPE meter is good on the road, but doesn't seem to work on the track bike spinning so fast. There were no huge efforts and I never realized I was in trouble until it was too late.

VanceMac

You know how sometimes super strong Tri guys will come do a criterium and get fried by guys much weaker than them? They train for steady state FTP with almost no variation or surges. Well I tend to think the difference between crits and track is similar. You can get away with being pretty decent at crits with only a couple matches. In omniums, you absolutely must have trained your ability to go red and quickly recover... over and over again. That's the #1 reason I think training for track is such a gold mine to roadies. Sure, they can do intervals on the road -- but most don't.

queerpunk

I also think that the skill of a smooth pedal stroke is (obviously) so important. I think a lot of people don't know how to rest, hold their speed, but be recovering - while spinning 110+rpm. and then on steeper tracks, there's the racecraft and riding-craft of being super efficient.

All that stuff bundles together...
(and helps me explain to myself why i'm good on the track but not on the road)

JimiMimni

Today was the Rocky Mountain State Games in Colorado Springs. This was a my first trip out for track racing. I was expecting a big turn out, because this is a BIG event, and it's the OTC! Man, what a disappointment. I think 20 total people showed up. I figured this was as good an opportunity as any to play with bigger gears (which seems to be the norm out here - relative to what I've read on these forums and in other places). 94.5" was the chosen one on the day. I'd been following Carleton's advice about staying in the 15t as a beginner. I finally felt like I had a real gear on the bike when I jumped up to the 14t. Time to continue experimenting!

I did 4 events: Flying 200m/Match Sprint; 5k Scratch; Kilo TT; 25-lap Points Race.

Didn't hear what my 200m time was. I was under geared, and it felt SLOW. Apparently no one else showed up in Cat 4, so I won that.

The scratch race was weird: all the racers were lumped in to one field. I didn't want to hang around much, so I jumped at my first opportunity, and started a field split. The P12 guys were happy to follow a wheel, and proceeded to turn the screws after I pulled up. I ended up 4th.

Match sprint was also a bit of a laugh. One junior had signed up for cat 4, and Juniors, so he was racing double. I felt a little bad, because he was gear restricted. He drew the inside, and took us to the rail. He stalled out as soon as the banking allowed, and I jumped under him. All the RPMs weren't going to close the gap.

Next up: The Kilo. Oh, Mother of God, the Kilo. I'd never done one before. I'd heard stories, and I've done some painful things racing bikes, but this was special. There was a vicious headwind on the back straight, to boot. Stopped the clock at 1:19.15 after cracking SO HARD the last time down the back straight. There were some more sprint rounds after this, and I fell asleep. You know the effort was good when the body turns off afterward.

The points race was split between Juniors and Adults. 5 racers for 25 laps. I tried to cover moves from the fast guys, with the intent of emptying the tank out. I didn't get lapped, and finished fried. Mission accomplished.

Snagged a GIANT Gyro on the way home. (Not relevant, but wow was that tasty!)

Guys, why is track racing so fun? Ermahgerd!

Muddlfuc

I had my second night racing last night at the Cycling Victoria Winter series.

I was down in E grade, i knew i would be towards the pointy end but it definite that i'll be up in d grade next month.

The races where an 8 lap heart starter (scratch), Flying Lap (250m), Keirin, a win and out, and 12lap scratch race (was meant to be a points race but they were running out of time).

I thought id stretch my legs at 4 laps to go and i went off the front, just to drag them out a little bit, no one followed, first win of the night.

Flying lap managed to do a 16.538, to take my second win of the night

Time for the keirin, one of my favourite events in training as i have a reasonable long distance sprint, managed to elbow my way in for pole position behind the bike, as the bike took off and i felt people come along side i kicked, and low and behold nothing but daylight. win 3 for the night.

Next race i had made arrangements to work for one of my team mates to give him the win, i was going to lead him out on the first sprint lap. we started towards the back of the pack and had two laps to make up most of the pack, one guy mistook the whistle for the bell lap and sprinted on the first lap, so we had to chase, as we where coming around on the bell lap i had put my wheel a tire width in front of the guy next to me to allow my team mate to come around on the straight, despite my best efforts my name went up on the board. win 4 for the night.

Final event, the 12 lap scratch, i went to pull my second turn with 8 laps to go and stretched the legs, swung up, and there was no behind me, sat up a little bit, waited for them, then stretched them again, with 3 laps to go the legs where starting to tire finally some one came though i sat on his wheel for 2.5 laps and fond my way along side him, just enough to take win 5.

So after a clean sweep looks like I'm moving up to D grade
Im pretty sure i wasted the nights training, it would have been much better to win though tactics not just stupid force.
oh well looks like i will have to learn that with faster group.

Was GREAT fun and I'm definitely hooked on racing

Racer Ex 

Track Nats brief report:


Low expectations going in, I was literally going to cancel going 3 weeks prior but then said "oh, what the hell". Tough year with two crashes and major spine surgery. Figure I was around 90% or a 720 pound gorilla in amongst some 900 pound gorillas. The 55-59 fields were the biggest and most stacked of any.


Points Race: Can't take early flyers if you're 90% and riding in a field where half the guys have stripes and records, and the other half are strong with Cat 4 track skills. Rode myself out of contention in a race that was downright scary fast and full of scary riding. Chased a lot. Got one point . 12th.


Scratch Race: Thanks USA Cycling for changing the schedule and not telling anyone. 6 people missed the race and quite a few people were throwing their bikes over the railing or racing through the tunnel to make the start. I was in the former. Losing this took me out of contention for any BAR chance.


Match Sprints: Dickens wrote this. Qualified 12th with a lousy ride in the 200 that was still a PR. Lost the first round, rode the repachage and won. Raced the eventual winner and lost, rode the repachage and won. Raced the eventual 2nd place guy twice, lost both, then rode the 5-8 race to determine the last place on the podium. Drew second to worst position for the 4 man sprint. Had to go over the top of two riders, lost by 0.01s. So 6th. 2nd match sprint ever so I was actually pretty happy with this. Very early on the learning and fitness curve.


Individual Pursuit: Rode a really good pace, and gave it 100%. Still only 90% of what I was capable of but I walked away knowing I left everything out there. Missed the podium by 0.009s to one of my former pupils. 6th.


500m: Passed to get in some Team Pursuit practice.



Team Pursuit: Really thought we had a great shot at a jersey here. One of our guys had a really bad day though. Very disappointing 4th. Podium and medal though so I'm sure there were several teams that would have been happy with this result.


Team Sprint: Hoped to ride this with my 2010 winning team, but they couldn't make it. At 4PM the day before I was asked if I was interested in riding with the 60+ match sprint and 500m winner and his friend. Let's see, race with two guys I hadn't ridden with without practicing in the fastest team event? Sure, why not.


We took third, 0.3s out of 2nd. Podium and medal. Did I giggle a bit over this? Why yes, yes I did.


Great facility, great volunteers, USA Cycling is what it is. Rode away liking to race my bike and thinking if I concentrated a bit on the sprint stuff, I might not be half bad.

Racer Ex 

Pics:

TS podium:



Pulling through in the TP



Coming back on:

carleton

Nice. Glad to see that you left with some hardware! Sounds like you got your money's worth of racing

I wish I could have made it, especially being in the next state. But work/life has taken it's toll this season.

Hida Yanra

if NOTHING else, I'm glad to see you found a way to get one of those oh-so-sick Avanti frames.

also, good work - going to events while knowing that you aren't near the top of your fitness and giving it a go anyway is a whole other sort challenge.

queerpunk

we had another 10-Mile Final at our track last night. Two months ago or so, I won the 10-Mile Final and we set the track record with 20:09. This time, there seemed to be a consensus to have the 1/2 field go out and just kill it in a paceline - everybody taking pulls and everybody surviving for as long as they could. The first ten or fifteen laps were absolutely blistering, I think averaging upwards of 52kph.

And, well, that burned off people pretty well and still in the 40-something-laps-to-go range, it had whittled down to three of us. Me and two really accomplished time trialists - one with master's world championships and world records under his belt, and another guy who just podiumed a Pro/1 race from a break. It's all I can do to recover in the lap between my pulls.

Snot starts falling from my face with 20 laps to go and I start to feel a little dead inside. But I hold on.

With 2 to go, the Casper pulls off and Inno takes a look around and guns it. I'm on his wheel. I'm not letting go. Except I do, a little bit, i lose his wheel and fight back on it. Inno is dying, too. We come around turn 4 and he just bobbles, drifts out of the lane and wobbles, and I take the opportunity to just gun it up the inside. I think there's a gap. I think there's a gap. But he's closing it. I'm stomping on the pedals. He's next to me. We're on the home stretch. Bike throw. I hold him off.

I was pretty shakey after that one. I thought we'd smashed the record, but no, only 20:27. Guess having only 3 guys for 2/3rds of the race is somewhat of a handicap.

final lap: https://instagram.com/p/5ybtBsMPmA/

queerpunk

so I went to LA to race the National Championships. I rode the TP, the Scratch, and the Points Race. Scratch and Points have qualifying heats. Last year I qual'ed for the Points race, blew up after 130 of the 160 laps, and was too wrecked to do anything in the scratch race the next day (or even to start the madison, which I had reg'ed for). This year I was determined to qualify for both and finish both. 12 of 21 riders in my scratch heat would qualify for the final. The race was quick but manageable and I made it comfortably across the line in 10th to qualify.

I was chilling midpack in the race, which started out aggressive and got fast. Four riders were off the front for a spell and there was a committed chase. It was hard enough that there were plenty of gaps in the middle and back of the field, but it's hard to get further up when it's single file, and besides, going to far up means you're gonna have to get into the rotation. For a spell I did a little bit of work at the front, and then it was back to the back for me.

We reeled in the four, and then Bobby Lea attacked. Of course. That ignited a furious chase that strung the field out and one by one started dropping riders. Gaps everywhere. The race was only 15km but I remember a hundred times when I used what I was sure was my last bit of energy to close a gap. At some point, I was dead - completely dead, really well and truly at the point where I was going to blow - and, miraculously, right at that moment, so was everybody else. The pack eased, slightly, going uptrack. Later, somebody said, "Usually, in a race like that, there's a lap or two in the middle where it's easy. This time, it was like... just that once on the homestraight." That moment was all I needed to stay connected.

And then the rest of the race happened - and I don't remember it. I was in the hole and concentrating on the wheel in front of me. In the final laps something happened ahead, and I focused on the wheel in front of me, in front of me, in front of me, just hold on. I remember surging by a few riders coming backwards. and I remember coming around the rider in front of me on the homestretch. I was too in the hole to count the number of bodies on the track in front of me, but I was pretty sure I'd gotten a top ten... when I saw the results, I realized I'd gotten 6th place. In a National Championship event... far exceeding what I ever thought I'd be able to do.

I'm a pretty ordinary working dude. It's an honor and a challenge to even be racing with riders of this caliber. To have so many things go my way, through accidents and tenacity and luck and timing - enabling me to get a result like this - is really special.

Also it was cool to meet Vance. Hi!

video of the last few laps:

Dalai

Well done queerpunk!

carleton

Good job, man!

Check the UCI website to see if you get some UCI points.

carleton

I just checked the UCI website, queerpunk, you did get UCI Elite points!

Congrats!

The entire site: https://www.uci.ch/track/results/

queerpunk

sweet!

what do i do with 'em?

can i trade 'em in for airline miles so i can travel to more races?