Originally Posted by
burnthesheep
Created a reliable segment out and then one back for some pursuits. Just to mix it up. I guessed at the gear and did standing starts in it. I know as a schmuck I would only be in the 3km class, but choosing 4km for my segments meant I had a really reliable landmark to start and end at in both directions. I could clip in on a side street, roll from the side to the straight and track stand, then gun it. There's a hair of elevation.
Maybe a new 5min TT bike PR today. Right at 330w. Damn Amazon truck stole a watt or two guessing if they were about to turn in front of me.
So:
Inbound (slower segment): 6:01
Outbound (faster segment): 4:58
Strava says about 2mph of "roll in" to the segment start. Not sure what that's worth time wise. But I think it's fair to say that averaging the out/back to 5:30 is fair. No vehicular blowby help or hurt on any run. That's road kit (helmet, kit, 60/90 wheels). Not a pretty road surface. I'll take it. No idea if that's any good or not.
IMO, asking if a time is good or not may not yield the right answer. Since my wife races the 4K at the track a lot (she uses it for time trial training), I asked her and she said it was slow for a young male. But she does a 5:45 after three other track races in the same day. So let’s throw out her data point. Also, she is used to watching men at races knock out 4:20.
I race the 500 meter and 2k pursuit and not the 4K and I have a different perspective. You were not on the track fixed gear and you did not have to start and finish in the same gear but to be fair there is no perfectly flat road course with only left hand turns. On a 250 meter track professional track, the bike is turning 40% of the time versus on the road one is riding generally in a straight line. On the track there is opportunity to scrub speed and add distance in every turn hence 40% of the time.
So riding the pursuit on a track on a pursuit bike has a high execution factor to increase speed and it is very easy to squander power and takes years to achieve the perfect race.
Having said that, your effort was great. It did not burn the house down but you did it and I would encourage you to go to the track and try different events. If you like the idea of going after perfect execution and since you like time trials and timed events, the track is a great venue and a lot of fun. Riding timed events alone on the track is about as safe a cycling gets. A large part of sport is wanting and trying to do it. Ultimately, your optimized pursuit time will be how you visualize yourself, your training and execution and of course genetics. Good luck.