Heathpack 

Nice racing @sarals! Way to PR it on your first races of Worlds!!!

sarals 

Coach said "do it". I said okay. Then he hurt his foot. And I had to - for him!

revchuck 

So proud of you, Sara!

Racer Ex 

Totally happy for you. That is quite an accomplishment.

sarals 

Thank you, the both of you!!!

Hermes

Congrats Sara.

Bandera

You done Good Ms. S!

-Bandera

sarals 

Thanks, fellas! And, @Hermes, I OWE you!!

sarals 

Athletes - Sara, BJ, and Jane
Date - October 10, 2017
Venue - VELO Sports Center Velodrome, Carson, CA
Event - UCI Track Masters World Championship; F 60+ Team Pursuit, 2 Kilometers
Placing - 5th of 5

Today saw me ride a Team Pursuit with two friends. We named our team "Forever Young". It was a disappointing ride, mostly because we'd had few opportunities to practice together. However, all was not lost, we did learn a lot, and we mostly enjoyed our attempt.

The women's Team Pursuit is 2 kilometer race. For the women, it is ridden by a team of three riders. On a 250 meter track, it equates to eight laps. The start is a standing start. The riders are numbered one through three, and they start three abreast. Rider one is in the sprinters lane and starts from the start gate. Riders two and three are up track of rider one and are held for their starts. The time is taken for the team when the last rider crosses the finish (pursuit) line at the end of the eighth lap. The goal is to ride as fast as the team can, and to do so, the lead rider will "exchange" and drop to the back, pacelining, so the second rider can take over and keep the pace high, while the other riders stay in the slipstream and recover. The exchanges are usually executed every lap, and done well they're a thing of beauty.

We decided that because we hadn't practiced enough for this event that we'd pace it slow and be safe. We weren't concerned with moving on to the finals, we knew because of our experience level that we probably wouldn't be among the top contenders.

When our race was called, we went through bike check, then sat in the holding pen until it was time to get ready for our start. Our bikes were taken by the officials, and placed appropriately. We mounted our bikes when they were ready for us, and waited for the start clock to count down. For the start, Barb was rider one, in the start gate, I was rider two just up track, and Jane was rider three. We rolled off well, dropped into line smoothly, and did a good job for the first five laps. The exchanges went well, and we stayed fairly tight on each others wheels. On lap six, we suddenly found that we were missing a page from the orchestral score, and the ad libbing didn't go so well. I was third wheel on the backstretch, just having done an exchange off the front, and momentum was carrying me back to Barb's wheel, who was second at the time. Jane dropped the pace, Barb moved up track to slow, and I found myself under Barb with my front wheel overlapping her back wheel. I tried to slow, but couldn't slow enough to avoid her wheel when she moved back on to Jane's wheel, and we had a wheel touch. It came out okay, it wasn't the first wheel touch I've ever had, and I let the bike do what it will, and I stayed up right. I did hit most of the sponges in turns three and four, though. Anyway, things stayed out of sync from there on, and we finished in a ragged fashion with a slow time of 3:25.260. However, we were all safe, we enjoyed ourselves, and we learned a lot.

Next up for me is my best event, the 500 meter time trial. Thursday!

Thanks for reading!

Heathpack 

Yikes, @sarals! Glad you stayed upright. Good luck with the 500!

Allegheny Jet

Congrats on the huge PR Sara!!! Good luck in the 500TT.

Racer Ex 

I predict:

She's going to crush it.

Live streaming tomorrow if you want to watch.

sarals 

nslckevin

(written on Sunday)



Today was the first day of racing at the UCI Master’s World Track Championships. My first race, the Scratch Race is today. In the morning I took a short ride along the coast, then showered packed up and headed to the velodrome. Only one session today, starting at 2pm. I put on my usual mass start racing gear of 52×15, warmed up on my rollers, got my bike inspected and was ready to go. In the mass start races they choose half of the field to start on the rail and half on the blue band. If you start on the blue band you need to provide a holder. One of the many things I didn’t know before hand. Dan Smith helped me out and we started our 20 lap (5km) qualifier. We had 20 starters and 12 of us would go on to the final later in the afternoon/evening. I was VERY nervous. Not so much about the racing part, but of riding a bike that has no brakes while surrounded by 23 other riders on 45 degree banking. I’m kind of rusty on that part of things.


We started off and I was able to slot myself into 3rd wheel and was able to chill and stay out of trouble while one of the Argentinian’s rode tempo on the front. My biggest concern was getting swarmed and having the legs to do well, but being boxed in. As the laps counted down I was weighing on whether or not to make a move yet. I waited one lap too long and at about 6 to go got swarmed pretty badly. There were times when I was surrounded by guys who were closer to me than I like and had to tell myself to relax. Frankly, it was scary for me at times. Not because of poor riding around me, but because my comfort level is not what it could be in close quarters on the track. The last few laps were very fast and I moved up when I could, but at the finish I wasn’t sure if I had made it or not. In the end I finished 11th and made it into the final.


For the final, I geared up. I was going to switch to a 53×15, but realized that my 53 tooth cog is on my pursuit bike which was back at the VRBO house. So I looked at a gear chart and went with a 50×14. That’s about 1 inch more gear than the 53×15. I got my bike checked again and this time I was on the rail so I didn’t need a holder. My lack of aggression in the qualifier almost made me miss the final. For this one I knew that I needed to “got big or go home”. I was only going to do well in the race from a break away. I wasn’t going to win, or even get on the podium in a bunch sprint. My best bet was to attack and if I got caught, attack again.


A few laps in I attacked and was in a short lived break. We stayed out about 2-3 laps and were brought back. I recovered for a few laps in the pack and went again. I was joined by fellow Hellyerite Bill Brissman and two Canadian’s, Krzysztof Kurzawinski and Stephane Le Beau. We made good progress. Krzysztof in particular was really strong. Unfortunately Bill came off and as the three of us started closing on the back of the field, Krzysztof gapped Stephane and I and caught the field on his own. Stephane and I made contact about a lap later, but the field was in pieces and it was hard to keep track of where Krzysztof was. BTW, did I mention that this was really hurting? I made my way from group to group and was able to tag onto Larry Nolan as he closed one of the gaps to the front group. From there we only had 4-5 laps to go and I just kept moving up as much as I could. As the wind up for the sprint started I was giving all I had to stay on the wheels up around 6th spot. I didn’t think that the two Canadian’s were ahead of me, but frankly I wasn’t sure. In the end I held them off, but it wasn’t for another 10-15 minutes that I knew i had won.



Seeing as how this race was the first on my schedule this week I spent a lot of time imagining how I’d win this race. I’m big on that sort of thing. In fact I think my Tour de France of my imagination palmares rivals Eddy Merckx. I came here thinking that I could win this race, but also knowing that I could end up last, or possibly not even making the final. There are so many other elements that go into a mass start track race than a TT or hill climb. In fact, doing so poorly in the qualifier probably helped me in the final.


I have to admit that I got a little misty when they played the national anthem.

sarals 

@nslckevin - CONGRATULATIONS!!! That is huge! I know that feel good. Of course you teared up at the national anthem - it was for you!!!!

sarals 

Athlete: Sara
Date: October 12, 2017
Venue: VELO Sports Center Velodrome, Carson, CA
Event: UCI Masters Track World Championships
Race: Women 60+ 500 Meter Time Trial

The 500 meter TT at this World Championships was a race that I've been working towards and anticipating for literally months. My coach and I identified that race some time ago as my probable best event, and we put a lot of time into working me into it. I've only raced the 500 "live" three times in the last year, and each time saw an improvement.

The 500 Meter Time Trial is a 500 meter sprint. It is raced from a standing start, and you go all out, as hard as you can, over the entire 500 meters. The whole race is the start and the following 250 to 300 meters. After that, you've used up your ATP and you're running on "guts, glory and momentum". The final 200 meters is "hanging on for dear life". You're just coasting on the speed you built in the first lap and hoping you got to that speed out of the gate quickly. You hurt like hell when the race is over, and the depth of that pain tells you how hard you really went. I'm a little strange, I like feeling that pain, and I love "punching" that start. It's a sprinters sprint race!

The women's 500 meter time trial was scheduled to start at 4PM today. It was run in 5 year age increments, starting at age 35, with 2 rider heats in each age group. When the 60 year age group was reached, the UCI stopped the five year age increments, because they require six riders minimum per age group, unlike USA Cycling, which require three riders minimum per age group. The 35+ women went first, with the 60+ women last. Barb and I calculated that we'd race around 5:30 PM.

I spent the day preparing. The bike was ready, but I checked it over anyway. I planned to race it in pursuit configuration, with disk wheels front and back and the aerobars. I also planned to ride a relatively small gear, 86 inches, relying on my ability to spin for acceleration and speed. Barb and I went to the velodrome in the morning and did a twenty minute "activation spin" on our trainers. I spent the rest of the day with my feet up, observing the track sprinter mantra "if you can stand, sit, if you can walk, ride". Barb and I went back to the track around 3:30 to get ready for the race. Time got compressed after that. I did a light spin on the trainer, and then put my skinsuit on. I was to start on the backstraight in the fourth heat, riding with Bonnie Woodbury, who was riding from the front straight. I took the bike to bike check, they measured it and impounded it, and then I went back to the trainer for an activation spin, which included some "spin ups". I kept it easy, trying to keep from feeling lactic. Soon enough, the women's 50-59 500 meter heats were getting towards the end, so I donned my helmet and gloves, and walked over to the backstraight waiting area, sat on the bench, and tried hard to get into Zen mode!

Before long I was on the platform next to the track surface watching Barb mount her bike for her race. I wanted to see her ride, but I needed to stay focused on what I had to do. One of the officials came to me, asked me if my bike was ready, if the pedals were in the right position, and I said "yes". He took the bike, and when Barb finished her effort, the start gate was rolled out and the officials placed my bike in it. I walked up track, waited for the officials to indicate that I could mount the bike, and when they did, I got aboard and got clipped in. The start clock started counting down with a tone from 50 seconds just before the officials allowed me to get aboard. I got settled, gripped the bullhorns, and started my breathe up. At the the 30 second tone, I focused down track towards turn three (starting on the backstraight!) and visualized the line I wanted into the turn. I then gripped the bullhorns once again, focused on my position, and waited for the ten second tone. It came and I stilled myself, counting down. Five, four, three, two - UP, one - BACK...GO!!!

I hit the first pedal stroke hard as I heard the start gate "click", and knew I timed it just right. I hit the second pedal stroke even harder. I was into turn three quickly, off the saddle and driving the bike with all I had. The front wheel was bouncing a bit because I was shoving on the pedals so hard and I had a moment of mild concern that I'd slip onto the Cote d' Zur and hit a sponge. The next thing I knew I was approaching turn one, still of the saddle. I was close to top speed, so I took the saddle and drove through turns one and two. As I approached the pursuit line on the back straight I heard the "one to go" bell. I was aware of the track announcer but I had no idea what he was saying. I heard "go Sara!", too, in a hazy, fleeting way! As I got into turn three for the second second lap I started to feel the lactic. I heard my breathing. The front straight was a blur, but I was aware that I was really moving. Turn one and two were pain racked, I was hanging on for everything I had and urging my legs to keep that bike moving! I hit the pursuit line on the backstraight, and like that, it was over.

44.072. Personal best by almost a half a second. I was SO CLOSE to going sub 44 seconds, and that was my goal! I did hear the announcer say that Bonnie had the "new best time" and I had the "second best time". Bonnie got me by less than a 1/2 second.

When the last heats finished, I was sixth overall. In the 65 to 69 grouping, I believe I was either second or third, I'm not sure of the ages of the women who finished above me.

I was VERY HAPPY with my performance! I did throw it down. My top speed was 32 MPH, I hit 707 watts, held over 500 watts for the effort, my cadence peaked at 128 RPM, and my heart rate was 166 BPM. Not bad for an old lady!!

Thanks for reading, folks!

revchuck 

Way to go, Sara! AWESOME race!

Racer Ex 

Raced to the bathroom yesterday.

I won.

Congrats @nslckevin, huge achievement, wish I had been there mixing it up. Looks like LN dished out his usual dose of whoop ass in the points race.

I admit to getting a bit depressed yesterday, then Sara fixed that. I was more nervous prior to her race than I am ever for my own...you want to be there for your athletes. Then there was 15 minutes of trying to find a feed that was working.

Watching her in the gate she looked totally focused and calm. The ride itself was awesome to watch. It's the usual short shift of women's racing that they threw everyone in the 60+, more than a few of us are irked by that, especially at a world caliber event, that's really for the racers.

Anyway, the grin hasn't quite worn off yet.

Team Broken Foot qualified for the bronze medal round in the Team Sprint. Think we would have been knocking on the door for the gold round if I had more common sense.

revchuck 

@nslckevin - My apologies for having failed to congratulate you for your win! Great race!

Heathpack 

@sarals, congrats! It was great watching the live stream. I was actually live streaming on cellular data while in the car (passenger) on the way up to Tahoe. So now you know I love you- I ate up a bunch of my data plan for you!

Great accomplishment, really happy for you!!!

Bandera

@sarals & @nslckevin,

Great racing, and kudos to both for well written reports that lend a view inside the mind, heart and legs during the events.

-Bandera

Allegheny Jet

Congrats Sara. That's a really, really fast time!!! Your passion and dedication are inspiring. Hopefully you are satisfied with the result but still open for more next go round.

Heathpack 

@nlsckevin, nice race report and congrats on the win!

sarals 

Thanks, you all!! @Heathpack, yes I know you love me (likewise)!! Coach, wow. You know, I know you do, how much I love what you have done for me. I learned so much from you over the years, and like we said last night - when I was laying in the field at the Bariani Road Race some years back I was visualizing racing at the World level on the track. Yep!! My level of gratitude, humility and pure joy over where I am now is hard to describe - much less comprehend. But, Coach - you got me here. Period.

sarals 

And, tonight, I saw more amazement as Barb and Bonnie took bronze in the team sprint. And MEA and Lan took silver, and set a new Worlds Best Time in the process. Yes, I was there to see it all, feel it, and be a part of it. This whole Worlds experience has been unlike anything I've ever done. It has elevated me in so many ways, and to be close to greatness in other athletes, as well as being on the brink of 'pretty good' myself will leave an indelible mark.

Bike + passion = JOY