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Masters Misc Race Report Thread

Old 07-21-17, 11:36 AM
  #5251  
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@Hermes, my speed reading skills suck. I missed the part about the broken bar and just saw the part about the shoulder.

Holy ****

Were these the older Pro bars?

Last edited by Racer Ex; 07-21-17 at 11:47 AM.
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Old 07-21-17, 02:08 PM
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These are the Shimano Pro Missile bars but the older version. The "failure" was at the junction between the stem and the bar. I had carbon paste between the bar and the stem with the proper torque on the stem bolts. I was in the bull horns standing at max power and the joint released such that the bar rotated instantaneously and it felt like I dropped my body weight on the arm that was transferred into my shoulder.

I had used the setup before. Maybe the stem bolts needed more torque?
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Old 07-21-17, 05:23 PM
  #5253  
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Originally Posted by Hermes
These are the Shimano Pro Missile bars but the older version. The "failure" was at the junction between the stem and the bar. I had carbon paste between the bar and the stem with the proper torque on the stem bolts. I was in the bull horns standing at max power and the joint released such that the bar rotated instantaneously and it felt like I dropped my body weight on the arm that was transferred into my shoulder.

I had used the setup before. Maybe the stem bolts needed more torque?
Yikes. And ouch.

Did you pull the bars to pack the bike? Likely need more torque. Most stems are set at 44 inch/lbs of torque, or 5 nm. That's not a lot of torque. FWIW when I was working on aircraft we calibrated our (very high end) torque wrenches one a month and also had a protocol for zeroing them out after every use.

So if you have a non calibrated wrench, who knows where you end up? Go +/- 10-20%. Pretty big range. And you factor in things like old thread lock on the bolts...add in a bunch more deviation. Cycle the set up through hot and cold and...

I've got a Snap On torque wrench that I take in every couple years to have checked. I use clean bolts, wire brushed if need be, if you want to be really OCD grease the threads and interface.

I deburr the stem and face plate edges. If they are anodized or plated I'll hit the contact surfaces with some fine emory to rough them up. What I've found is that you need to make multiple passes at the bolts as things settle. On stout stuff like the Pro gear you can bounce up to 50-55 inch/pounds or more without worry. They build in a lot of "ham handed" into the product.

And my last check or gear is to manually yank the heck out of it. Literally sit on the bike and try to move or break things. Because unless you're mongo you're going to generate less force on things than when you're actually riding it.

That's just a ***** thing to have happen, sorry to read that.
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Old 07-22-17, 08:47 AM
  #5254  
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Thanks Ex for the info. I did not break down the stem to bar connection for shipment. I take the stem off the bike and replace it with another stem to secure the headset and then secure the stem and handlebar to the frame via padding and a tie-wrap.

When I built the bike and Aguascalientes, I put the stem back on the bike and it was good to go.

Also, I had Jim Manton at ERO check my bike and fit for UCI compliance which is another reason for not breaking down the stem to bar joint.

The thing that is annoying is that I had done a lot of starts at VSC and had metrics for 1/4, 1/2 and one lap efforts. I had done a 22.1 first lap and 13.8 1/2 lap. On my first attempt at AC, I did a 14.3 and 22.5 but a 15.9 second lap. I think I was a little tired from the trip and etc.

I thought I could do a 13.4 1/2 lap and 21 opening lap. If I did a 15.9 second or better 2nd lap, I get a 36.9. So I thought with a little bit of magic and luck, I could break 36.96 for the WR.

My goal was to destroy the bike in the start. Mission accomplished but no record and just a sore shoulder to show for it.
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Old 07-29-17, 01:35 PM
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ThNW report...

There are races I have gone into going "there's no way I can't win this, unless I do something completely stupid".

I would include giving someone a 100 yard lead out into a strong headwind not a Mensa move.

I could clog an industrial magnetic crane with this year's collection of steak knives.
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Old 07-30-17, 09:04 AM
  #5256  
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USAC posted the records from Aguascalientes. USA Cycling National Records - USA Cycling

USAC created a new category and gave my wife's 3k pursuit team the 50+ record leaving the 45+ intact. USAC has broad authority to create new opportunity for records as along as it is done in a manner that is fair for all competitors. Since there were 5 year age groups leading up to the 45+, it is a logical extension to add a 50+. Likewise, they would add a 55+, 60+ and 65+ and etc, if women did the team pursuit under qualifying conditions and, if out of the country, with drug testing. There are no team pursuit records for those categories.

Another note, it is possible for racers to fill in those missing slots with records at velodromes in the US. What is needed is an USAC commissaire, two manual timers, sponges and a certified track. The USAC commissaire can submit the results. Drug testing is not required for national records if done in the US.

UCI does not recognize a 3K women's team pursuit such that there is no opportunity for a WR. So WR do not necessarily track US national records.
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Old 07-30-17, 02:49 PM
  #5257  
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@Hermes, it is interesting and speaks to the community when I can say that I've met and/or know many of the people, men and women, who own national and world records on the track. I've had opportunity to speak with some of the them about those rides, too.

I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't comparing some of those times to the early ones that I've managed. I also did notice some "holes" in the age categories.

I love this sport, and community is one of the biggest reasons that I do. And that I participate at all.
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Old 08-06-17, 04:43 PM
  #5258  
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Aug 2017 Piru 20K ITT, W3/4, 1st of 2, PR by 1 sec, fastest women's time today (of 8)

Well... mega stress at work with the corporate takeover, processing all that new stuff on top on a normal busy schedule. I had a mid-week crisis, missed TT target during a workout but worse yet, I lost my will to TT, lol. Emergency email to coach, maybe I should have taken the summer off, should I even be racing now, I'm fat and have no time to stretch, what should I do? 'Go blow it all out of your brain at the race.' Good advice.


I felt pretty good yesterday on my Openers and again during my warm up. Hot today but not as hot as last month's race but the forecast called for a little more wind, maybe 4 mph headwind going out, 7 mph tailwind coming back.


Then I got there and the place was buzzing with women, there were eight! But I was the only one who pre-reg, so I couldn't look at the start sheet to see who would be racing with me. Just one woman I recognized, who used to always beat me and then I started beating her around a year ago. But last Aug, she beat me by 30ish seconds. So I for sure wanted to tick her off my list.


Warm up went well, I found a nice shady spot and did my thing. Started to feel pretty good about the race, just wanted to put out a little more power than last time, maybe PR it if possible. Ideally win it too.


Got to the start line and my 30 sec woman someone new to me- very serious, very fit-looking, nice TT bike and helmet. Hmm, who are you?!?


Held start, which went well. Caught my 90 second woman about halfway along the outbound leg, but that's not saying much, her skin suit was emblazoned with: "The Grey Mare". I would guess she is 65 years old. Glimpsed my 30-sec woman a few times but started to wonder if she was gonna maybe blow me away??


Outbound leg went well. It was windier than forecast, maybe 5-7 mph heading out. Finally towards the final third of the outbound leg, I could see my 30-sec woman and knew I was gonna catch her easily, maybe by the turn or maybe just after. It worked out to be just after, I decided I didn't want to get tangled up with her at the turn, better to be patient. Haha I got tangled up a little with a recumbent which passed me just before the turn, then had a terrible turn- very wide and slow- and I had to pass him back right after the turn, slowed me down a little.


Faded some on the return leg. Its uphill and the 7-9 mph tailwind made it feel somewhat hot, but gusty enough to be fine in the end. Couldn't muster too much effort for my final push, didn't have much left in my tank. A truck passed me and was heading into the finish pretty slowly, then stopped at the stop sign just after the finish. I had to sit up to cover my brakes just before the finish line, but didn't have to back off the power really.


Wound up with a 1 sec PR over last month's best time, with a couple of watts better power. Not a power PR for the course, I'm sustaining a little less power in the new position, but I'm pretty ok with the effort, considering the week I had leading up to this race. Won the race, ticked that other woman off my list, caught my 30 second woman and had the fastest woman's time of the day. So I'm glad I raced after all.


I made a little chart and realized I've raced the 20K version of this TT 13 times now and have PRed it 8 times. That's a useful exercise when you're floundering a bit on the bike, helps to see that you really are making progress.

Last edited by Heathpack; 08-06-17 at 04:46 PM.
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Old 08-06-17, 04:48 PM
  #5259  
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@Heathpack More sailing, Catalina and buffalo. Seems to be working.
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Old 08-06-17, 09:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Hermes
@Heathpack More sailing, Catalina and buffalo. Seems to be working.
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Old 08-07-17, 07:06 AM
  #5261  
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@Heathpack - Well done
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Old 08-07-17, 07:29 AM
  #5262  
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Nice, @Heathpack! That is cool that you have the opportunity to do the same race/course repeatedly. That really adds something to the TT experience- you can really dial in the learning.
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Old 08-07-17, 07:58 AM
  #5263  
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Steady improvement! @valygrl made a great point. What you've done is become the poster woman for Doing It Right. Congratulations! Now, go do what @Hermes suggested! And don't let up!
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Old 08-07-17, 10:46 AM
  #5264  
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Originally Posted by valygrl
Nice, @Heathpack! That is cool that you have the opportunity to do the same race/course repeatedly. That really adds something to the TT experience- you can really dial in the learning.


The existence of this TT is really of major importance to me. It's 20 min from my house and the vibe is super-chill and low key. It was the first race I ever did, and the promoter makes a point of being very welcoming and non-intimidating. If youre new, he talks to you personally to let you know what to expect. His kids help him run it, his two little girls give out the prizes. Yesterday, he was reminding them to thank each of us individually for coming when they handed out the ribbons.


But its also great in that its consistently available. The 20K is run once-a-month year-round and the 40K is once-a-month Jan-May. So you always know its there to go out and lay down a race effort and you have time to get used to the course. There's really no reason I shouldn't eventually own that course. (Well, one: Nemesis.)


Wanting to support this TT is half the reason I went out to race yesterday, even though I was questioning it earlier in the week. Its the reason I bought a photo last week- we don't usually have a photographer but if one comes, I'll do my part to make it worth his while.


One extraordinary guy I met there who regularly does these races looks completely incongruous- overweight, slow but he's got a nice bike. Eventually become FB friends with him and learn the story. He used to be a regular bike racer like the rest of us, now has paranoid schizophrenia. Sometimes he just wants to leave his house to ride his bike, but there's terrifying voices or hallucinations outside and it might take him 4 hours to shore up enough courage to leave the house. He knows its not real, which helps, but its still terrifying. If he takes his emergency zombie meds, he won't be able to ride. So he tries to get through it without the meds if at all possible. His everyday meds make it all hard enough, with the weight gain and dulled sensorium, but the zombie meds make him, well- a zombie.


But he shows up at this little bike race and everyone says hi and chats and the promoter (who knows all this too) makes sure podium-daughter thanks him for coming. Its a little slice of normalcy, so he makes it when he can.


Anyway, stuff like that is the reason I love this little bike race. It really is meaningful to a lot of people in a variety of ways.
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Old 08-07-17, 11:11 AM
  #5265  
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Piru 20 Km TT, Masters Men 55+

That was weird.

tl;dr 4th out of 4 after getting a restart due to a flat.

I've been racing all season but not as much as past years due to fitness, willingness to drive, and budgetary considerations. My week leading up to this race was good. I finished the Masters Men 50+/60+ race at Manhattan Beach the previous Sunday. Last year I got dropped and pulled. Tuesday, I attacked a few times and was off the front for a couple of laps and I was never so far in the red that I couldn't get back into the field after getting caught. Also tried to help a teammate stay off the front. A few weeks ago I almost set a PR for a mid-week TT after setting a PR in June for that course.

Ended up recruiting four(!) teammates to come to this race. We were the first people at the venue and wasted enough time that I only had a reasonable warm up versus a good warm up. Did all of my warmup on the trainer which in hindsight was a tactical mistake. Still felt good enough to try to set a new PR with a stretch goal of going under 30 minutes.

I was about 3/4 of the way down the start list. Started, got up to 25 MPH, started my internal dialogue of not starting too hard, saw a slight left bend in the road, moved towards the middle of the road, then... BAM! I hit a pothole and my front tire went flat. I was about 0.4 miles from the start. I turned around and rode for a bit but didn't want to ruin the tire or the rim. Walked and started thinking, "Can I fix this and get a restart?" Watched the last starter go by. Rode a little bit more and then walked the rest of the way.

Since I didn't drive, I couldn't get into the truck. The promoter said that if I could fix the tire relatively quickly, he'd give me a restart. I saw Heathpack's husband and asked if he had a spare tube? No, Heathpack uses tubeless. Then he offered me her spare front wheel. That will work. Rode back to the start line and got a restart.

So much for my race face. Also, the wind had picked up, as Heathpack noted, so I had a big headwind for the outbound leg. Took a while for me to clear my head and focus. Figured I need a 14 minute outbound leg to set a PR. Hit the turnaround at over 16 minutes!

The headwind became the biggest tailwind I've ever had on this course. That helped my moral and let me hurt more than my head space would have allowed after such a bad outbound leg. Finished, stopped my computer and saw that my return leg was faster than my outbound leg for the first time ever on this course.

Ended up 1 min, 1 sec slower than my PR. Ended up being happy that I at least got to race rather than hanging around after flatting so early and happy that I had I good return leg. After getting home and comparing previous races there, it was my fastest return leg ever. Yes it was wind aided, but I'll take whatever moral victories that I can.
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Old 08-07-17, 11:24 AM
  #5266  
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Originally Posted by Heathpack
Anyway, stuff like that is the reason I love this little bike race. It really is meaningful to a lot of people in a variety of ways.
The people, the vibe, and the promoter, Tren Morris (aka Uncle Tren) are what combine to make this a great event. Tren conducts this race regardless of how many people pre-register or show up. Sometimes only half a dozen people show up but Tren never threatens to cancel the race.

Biggest problem for me is the drive. In the morning it's about 1-1/4 hours to get there, but the drive home is almost always bad in L.A. mid-day traffic. Basically ends up being an all-day thing for me. Yesterday, I left my house at 5:40a to meet teammates at teammate's house. Loaded up for our carpool, drove to the race, raced, stopped for lunch, drove back to teammates house. I ended up getting home a 2:20p and it took another 15 minutes to unpack. Not complaining, but time for doing this race is part of why I don't go every month as much as I would like to go every month.
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Old 08-07-17, 11:45 AM
  #5267  
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Pretty cool stories! Those are the kind of race vibes that I just love....and they're rare.

Congrats on a good ride, @Cleave! Hey, you beat the odds and got the restart. I'd have a been a mess emotionally, you held it together and rode well.
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Old 08-07-17, 02:53 PM
  #5268  
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well done @Heathpack. and that's an uplifting story

sorry to hear of the trouble @Hermes. May you have quicksilver wings next time
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Old 08-07-17, 05:08 PM
  #5269  
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I would do that every month too, Heathpack... unless i had Cleave's drive. We have a mid-week TT series on the south side of Denver. I would have to leave work at about 1pm, drive 1:15ish, race 25 minutes, then drive home probably 2:00 in rush hour traffic. I can't bring myself to do it. I wish it was closer!

That's really interesting about the schizophrenic dude. good for him for trying to get something normal-ish going.
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Old 08-09-17, 01:53 PM
  #5270  
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World-Famous El Dorado Park Race Series, Tuesday, Aug 8, 2017

Teammate got into a successful 3-man break about 10 minutes into the 60 minute race. Blocked for the next 20 minutes while a few other people rolled off the front. Dropped a bunch of people from the main pack simultaneously. Ended up with around 10 people in the pack with 4 from the same team -- the other Long Beach team.

The other Long Beach team apparently wanted to keep us together for a field sprint for something like 6th place. I and a couple of other guys tried to attack without much success. Two laps to go and I tried an attack. One of the "other" guys got on my wheel, wouldn't pull through, then decided to pull through halfheartedly until we got caught. I immediately countered and didn't look back until we got the bell. It was just me and I had 100 meters on the rest.

Gutted out the last lap and got some points, I think. I think because they don't post results for a few days. The remnants of the field rolled across the line about 10 seconds behind me.

My teammate finished second.
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Old 08-09-17, 05:31 PM
  #5271  
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Nice racing, @Cleave!

Weekday races. Seems inconceivable to me that anyone makes that happen. Work, traffic- the chances of it actually working out seem so minuscule to me. Then how do you realistically put it on your schedule, without knowing if you could ever actually make it?! Perhaps this is just the nature of my job (no specific work hours, you're done when you're done) and LA traffic. Kind of like you and Piru, I guess.

Anyway, kudos.
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Old 08-09-17, 09:03 PM
  #5272  
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Thanks @Heathpack. Ended up 7th. First points of the entire year. At least my name will show up in the final season standings now.
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Old 08-10-17, 12:52 AM
  #5273  
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@Cleave, smart racing!!! Way to go!!! Nice. Nice!!
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Old 08-10-17, 12:53 AM
  #5274  
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Athlete: Sara
Date: 08/09/17
Venue: Hellyer Park Velodrome
Race: Fast Forward Wheels Wednesday Night Track League Omnium


This was the last mass start event, until Masters Districts in September, that I will contest this season at Hellyer. I wish I had done more! They are super fun, quite a fitness test and workout, and damn the age disparity, I go out and count wins as staying in and on and finishing! I learn something each time I do it, too. As always, the night's racing menu is announced the day of, and tonight's races included a snowball, a scratch, and points races. Ten, ten, and twenty eight laps respectively. Tonight's women's field was small, I think there were eight or ten of us, so the field was a combined cat 1/2/3/4. There was some serious talent and speed in that field, which I was aware of, and it didn't matter to me. I'd stay in and fight it as long as I could.

Coach was in attendance tonight, as were some of the P/V men, Erik S. and Bill B. among them.

I did a ten lap warmup on the track in a light gear, 78 inches, to get the legs going, heartrate up, and to gauge how I felt. How did I feel? Not great. I've had some chronic back pain as of late, I was mentally tired from a long work week, and my legs were a little knackered from a hard workout at this very track the day before. Hey, you run what you brung, right?

I switched to my race wheels and gearing after the warmup. It was a bit windy, so I opted for my trispoke for the front rather than my five spoke, and I used my trusty Zipp 950 disc for the rear. I was riding an 86 inch gear, my go to, for now.

Race One - Snowball


In this race, points are awarded to the rider who crosses the line first on each lap after the initial neutral lap, and the points available increase for each succeeding lap. That makes for a fast race! And it was, right from the whistle. Coach suggested I get off the front on the first lap to try to take a point, and then ride it out from there. I knew that would take an all out effort, it would be a 335 meter sprint, and I'd be baked from it and would need recovery. So? It's nothing if you don't try! My plan was to go from high on the track, use the banking to help me accelerate, and hopefully catch everyone off guard. I was at the rail, third wheel, and I never got to the front. There were three lines of riders, one group of four was in the sprinters lane, a group of three on the stayers line, and me with one or two other riders at the rail. The riders in the sprinters lane went before I could find a hole to dive through, and I chased for a solid lap. I was not far behind those leading four riders, and was actually closing on them at the line, but that big effort did indeed do me in. I rode the stayers line for the rest of the race, trying to keep my tongue from getting tangled in my front wheel.

Race Two - Scratch


I like scratch races, because they are straight forward races, and as close to a crit without brakes as you can get. They are super fun. This one was ten laps, with a random prime thrown in. We rolled from the rail, were whistled live in turn two, and the pace quickened but didn't go crazy. I was at the rear of the pack, hunting around for wheels. I didn't want to be low on the track, even though that's the shortest route around, because I didn't want to get forced to the front and I wanted an out to the right, up track. All I ended up doing by using that strategy was sit on wheels, trying to hang on. I was not being tactically astute, and because I was tired mentally, I wasn't doing a good job catching the nuances of the pack. I rode hard, stayed on for seven of the ten laps, even did a lap at VO2max, but I was terrible when it came to actually racing. I had enough fitness to contest, but I didn't do it. I finished, though.

Race Three - Points

Points races can be tough, because there is a sprint every so many laps. In this one, it was every six. Points are awarded through fourth place for the top four riders in each sprint lap. It was fairly long, 28 laps, but I suspected there would be lulls and because of that opportunities to recover and to stay on, maybe even attack off the front (for a change). Well, things never go to plan, and I ended up in sprinters lane and on the front by the third lap. I tried hard to sweep off, but I got blocked each time. I was feeling it, and off course, when I was suffering the most was when the pack went. I fought to grab a wheel and stay on, but I slipped off the back. I went up track and recovered for a lap or two, and then saw a chance to get back on as the (now splintered) pack came by below me. And I did. However, I got popped off again, but I found the wheel of another rider and we worked together for a good while, exchanging every lap. At one point, I was sufficiently recovered to try to bridge to the second group of riders, who were about 1/3 of a lap ahead of me. I put in a solid three lap effort, dragging the other woman with me, and sure enough - just as I made the catch, that group hit it, and I was OTB again. The effort had taken it's toll, and I had a tough time staying with the girl I'd been working with. At that point in the the race there were only three to go, so I did what I could to get those laps done and finish. And I did.

For the first time in the Series, I finished all three races.

Thinking things over afterwards, I concluded that my tactics and awareness were non existent, I was of a mindset to settle and little else. I had the fitness to contest, at least for a time, and my bike skills on the track have gotten to the point where moving around in a group at speed is second nature. One gear, no fear, brakes are for wimps! I have two more opportunities for mass starts at Hellyer before Worlds. I've entered a points race and scratch race in the Masters Districts. I'm going to use what I've learned to try to make something good happen. I had originally planned to only race sprint events at UCI Worlds, but you know - I'm going to enter the 55+ scratch race there! And I'm going to use what I've learned from the WNTL races in that race.

Thanks for reading!
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Old 08-10-17, 10:58 AM
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Cleave
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@sarals, that's a lot to learn in a very short time. I've got a million miles on the track (OK, maybe 999,999 miles) but very few race miles and my only mass start experience was an eye opener (and more fun than I expected). At least no one yelled at me.

Your coach probably told you this already, but sitting on isn't just hanging at the back being on a wheel. Sometimes you have to move up to save energy. Anyway, learning is part of the fun.
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