bitingduck

There's also an Extended Stay America a couple blocks west of the Hampton.

the place to avoid (other than to drive past and see that it actually exists) is the Dare-U-Inn on main street right under the 91. I suspect they don't have overnight rates or take reservations, anyway.

There's various restaurants and some grocery stores within a mile or two of the velodrome. If you're super cheap and very sneaky you might be able to stay in the Ikea.

Be cautious of staying any substantial distance away from the stubhub center - even from manhattan beach it can take 45 minutes to an hour to get to the track at peak commute times, which are probably longer than most places. I live just north of Pasadena and if I were doing a major event there again I'd just get a room down there for the duration. When I was commuting to Redondo Beach for work (managing a subcontract at a vendor) they let me stay overnight in the area if I wanted to, even though it was less than 35 miles from home.

queerpunk

perfect and then some - i love it. thanks again!

gl98115

Go online and purchase an International License. $130.

usacycling.org

You can also do it through the app.

sarals 

I did my last session at Hellyer prior to Worlds today, the forty first one I've done since last October, not counting the racing I've done there this past season. I've got eleven sessions at VSC behind me, and one LAVRA TT race weekend. I head to Carson this coming Saturday for nine days there. I'm pretty sure you fellas aren't terribly interested in what this 65+ masters woman will be doing, I'm not the caliber racer or athlete you fellas are, but just the same. How many other women my age do you see taking a bike to a velodrome and riding it much less racing it? Anyway, I have an ambitious race schedule - 2K, team pursuit, 500M TT, team sprint, seeding 200 and then match sprints. The whole past year, since last October, has been about this upcoming race. I'm looking forward to the experience, and to meeting new folks, and to racing. It's going to be a lot of fun.

Clythio

See you there! Not that amount of training since I've got back to fix/track only on March, and intend to start this "one year journey" after this event, looking to next year Worlds, when I'll be 60 yrs.
Good luck!
Will reach Carson Thursday afternoon - 12hs flying from Brazil, one needs some rest prior to suffer on the track.

rensho3

If you don't already know Jan Pal.... (I can't spell her last name) who is a 65+ woman who can best many a younger man. She trains relentlessly, and is a delightful person, make sure you make her acquaintance when you are at Carson.

queerpunk

don't be so sure! i enjoy your posts, love your enthusiasm, and am looking forward to hearing how it goes for you.

sarals 

I know who Jan is! I've spoken to her briefly, and I do hope to get to know her better. Her daughter is a sweetheart, I had a wonderful chat with her the last time I was at VSC. Jan is a former Olympian in rowing, and she holds the WR for "our" age group in the 500. She's an amazing person, no question!

sarals 

Thank you! I do my race reports over on the Masters Racing Forum. I'll definitely give a synopsis here!

Thank you again, @queerpunk!

Divebrian

I (or rather my wife) has a few questions for anyone familiar with Carson and/or Worlds. This will be her 1st time to a velodrome or to watch/assist me and she has been driving me crazy with questions. I told her I didn't know the answer to her questions, but that's why I'm going for the experience this year and results next year...so I could find all this out this year and be prepared and focused for next year, but that's not good enough for her. She's killing me!! In your stall, is it just a 4x8 stantioned off piece of concrete or is there a chair/bench? What temperature do they keep the velodrome? On days/times I'm not racing, will her infield pass and my racer credentials allow us into the stands or will we be relegated to the infield only? Around the velodrome, within walking distance, is there a selection of food options or grocery store? I'm sure she has more, but those are the main questions I can remember at this time.

VanceMac

In your stall, is it just a 4x8 stantioned off piece of concrete or is there a chair/bench? There are chairs. But an event this big, I'm not sure they will have enough for everyone.

What temperature do they keep the velodrome? It's very consistent low 70's.

On days/times I'm not racing, will her infield pass and my racer credentials allow us into the stands or will we be relegated to the infield only? This event is free admission. Anyone and everyone can enter the stands.

Around the velodrome, within walking distance, is there a selection of food options or grocery store? Not really walking distance, unless you have decent chunk of time. I'm told food trucks (and beer) will on site. There are couple small strip malls with some food options just a block or so away.

Divebrian

Thanks for the response, but I was under the impression it was not a free event. On the event sign up page, they have a list of add ons with options for infield passes and spectator passes. Infield passes are listed as $25 for the day or $80 for all sessions and spectator passes listed at $10 per day or $40 for all sessions.

carleton

Divebrian, have you been to Nationals? I haven't been to Worlds, but I'd imagine that the infield business is very similar.



I'd bring camping chairs just in case. Each one is $20 well-spent and can be left in the car or left rolled up of not needed...but will probably be more comfortable than a bench. Some days situations may have you waiting around for a long time. There sometimes occurs this odd no man's land of time where it's actually better to stay in the infield for hours than try to make it to the hotel and back in time for your next event.

If you are cautious, bring a cable lock for stuff you fear may walk away (rollers, bike, etc...) when you leave for lunch or something. I've never heard of anyone having anything stolen at Nationals...but I see a cable lock here and there. A lot of our gear looks alike (especially rollers, pumps, "crack pipes"), so labels help avoid confusion.

If you can figure out a way for one or both of you tote all of your stuff (including bike, rollers, cooler, etc...) to the infield in one trip, that's ideal. As I recall, getting from the parking lot to the infield is a trek in LA.

If you can, go watch a day before your event so you can observe and learn without any pressure. If your wife plans to make a video of your events, plan those viewing spots, too. Recording from the infield may not work well.

It's a lot like tailgating.

queerpunk

There are plenty of folding chairs on the infield, but it can be nice to have something a little bit more comfortable if your wife is going to be there supporting you for a while.

Your stall is delineated by moveable fencing, and it's on a wood floor that's usually covered in thin protective carpet.

For food: the most immediate options are at Avalon and Albertoni (a few blocks north); there's a strip mall at University and Avalon, but it ain't much; and there's a Walmart a mile south. It's LA, so, "a few blocks" is a mile and it ain't much of a walking town unfortunately.

Best bet, for comfort, is to pick up a bunch of supplies - a cooler with food for the day. Get burritos to go, a gallon or two of water, some sports drink, some fruit, and bring it to the track.

topflightpro

Having the more comfy chair at Nationals this year was fantastic. I would not have wanted to sit around for hours on the benches.

And echoing Carleton's comments, I made a huge mistake going back home between events. I had about 4 hours. My place was 30 min away. By the time I got there, I had about an hour. I tried napping. Just left me groggy. And the travel time left me a bit stressed. That said, I'm not sure staying in the infield would have been better, though at least Worlds are indoors.

carleton

Yeah, that's why I called it a "no man's land" because there is no easy answer.

At 2012 Masters, I had sprint qualfiers early rounds in the AM and later rounds in the evening. Being that it was my last day of events, I had checked out of my hotel that morning. It was too hot to sit around in the infield so I got in the car and went to a cafe, then a restaurant, then shops, then tried to nap in the car in the heat. I was listless. It totally screwed me for the reps that evening. I should have easily won the 5-9 reps but came in with no energy and flat legs. Had I done it over, I would have checked into a hotel nearby and showered and sat, ate, and watched TV in the AC for 4 hrs. That would have been $75 well-spent.

I wonder if Jimmy John's, Uber Eats, or some similar service, serves that area.

rensho3

Folding chairs will be available, but I plan to bring my own chair because it is more comfortable.

Unless they set it up differently from before, you can get three sets of rollers/trainers into a cabin. Get there early to get a spot.

The morning/afternoon spectator passes are free, but the evening sessions cost money. Infield passes are either daily or all week. I didn't see an option for buying the daily infield pass, so even though I will only be competing two days, I bought the weekly pass for my wife. As far as I know, if you have a race number and an infield pass, you can also spectate for free.

Bring your own food and drink. There may be a food truck there (Vance might now this), but there is nothing else in walking distance. I do quite a bit of walking and hiking off season, and it would take too much time to walk to available choices. Queerpunk's suggestions are spot on.

VanceMac

ALL sessions are FREE for spectators.

rensho3

I was at VSC last night and there are a number of picnic tables set out on the upper deck. There is also a booth that appears to be selling smoothies, and, more importantly, one that is selling Goose Island beer. I am thus going to assume that there will be a food truck or something providing food for sale as well. Still, if you are an athlete, bring your own food and liquids just in case.

carleton

Clayton Shepard has been "Provisionally Suspended" by the UCI for doping violations from a test taken at Master's Worlds 2017.

https://www.uci.ch/mm/Document/News/C...EN_English.pdf

This is the guy who was lapped the field TWICE in a short scratch race. He rode upright and passed those other guys like they were standing still...and then won the final sprint.

Poppit

What’s wrong with these people?

queerpunk

People who raced with him throughout the year had reported some really unlikely performances, ability increases, physique improvements, etc. There was a widespread case of the raised eyebrows even before some other rumors about him started to creep around. I'm relieved to see he got dinged, and surprised and disgusted that he was taking GW1516. That's some scary stuff.

ruudlaff

Jeezo that’s the reportedly cancer causing stuff. I had heard of that and I wasn’t even a cyclist when it was in the news. That’s a ridiculous risk to take to win a few races.

carleton

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GW501516

(Emphasis mine.)

NOPE.

As much as I like kicking y'all's collective asses, it's not worth getting rapid cancer.

This case, among many, many others, shows 2 important things:

1) How important sport is to many of us.
2) The great lengths at which we are willing to go via safe, unsafe, sanctioned, unsanctioned, legal, and illegal ways...because of the first point above.

This dude risked his life in order to excel in amateur bicycle races...that paid no money. You can't buy a house with USA Cycling and UCI medals or jerseys. Hell, I have to explain what "track cycling" is to all of my friends and coworkers and most fellow cyclists that I encounter.

Humans are weird.

carleton

I found this log on a weight training forum. If it is to be believed, it's amazing (in good and bad ways): GW1516 Log

He was very encouraging back in 2011. Then his last post of July 2017:

Whelp.