Shameless and Blatant Promotion

[Cleave]

Hi All,

Hope this is OK with the mods. :o

Just making sure that everyone knows that there will be some amateur track racing at the ADT Event Center (velodrome) at the Home Depot Center in Carson this coming Sunday, 1/28. There will also be a Bike Swap Meet on the concourse where there should be some good deals and some funky bike stuff.

Admission to the race and bike swap is $5.00 per person and parking is $5.00 (per car). I presume that bitingduck and velodromephoenix will be racing. I will not. I'll be turning lap cards all day or until I get lap card elbow or get dizzy.

Oh, BTW, my club is promoting the event, The Winter Track Classic. Racing starts at 9:00am with Juniors and Masters and should end by 5:00pm with the Senior Men and Women.

And now back to your commercial-free programming... :D

[bitingduck]

yeah, I'll probably race with the old guys in the morning and 1/2/3 in the afternoon.

[jschen]

It's certainly okay with this mod. :) I can't make it, but sounds like fun.

[VanceMac]

The crits are a couple blocks away, right? Two different events?

[bitingduck]

totally different events.

I think some people are doing crits in the morning, track in the afternoon.

[wanderingwheel]

It would be fun to get back on the track, and to have an excuse to finally take the brake off my track bike. Alas, today's ride gave me no warm fuzzies about riding well in a track race tomorrow.

[VelodromePhoeni]

You bet I'll be there -- with bells on!!! and since there's no self- sandbagging allowed, I'll be there, snorting fire, slavering for blood, and taking no prisoners. I, too, will be racing two fields -- old ladies in the morning, cat 3/4 women in the afternoon.

And I think I've managed to blackmail my three kids into coming and watch me race (for the first time ever). tomorrow, I race to the death. i'll either come back with my shield or on it.

And wandering wheel -- come over and say, "hi!" i'll be in the red PAA/merrill Lynch jersey.

the velodrome Phoenix

r

[1265 Lombardi]

Good luck to those of you who are participating in the race! I would love to see one of these but tommorow isnt going to work due to race of my own.

[Cleave]

Good luck to those of you who are participating in the race! I would love to see one of these but tommorow isnt going to work due to race of my own.
Hi,

Not sure which race you're doing, but why not stop by after you're done racing? ;) Right now we have 23 vendors set up for the swap meet and I believe the Polish National Team will be racing in the afternoon. Watched them this afternoon training on their Cervelo P3C track bikes while we doing some setup work.

[zzzwillzzz]

i'll be there, after i race in the rain in the crit. i'll be doing the 4/5s

[VanceMac]

i'll be there, after i race in the rain in the crit. i'll be doing the 4/5s

4/5 crit in the rain... you have health insurance, right? :p

[zzzwillzzz]

no i'll be doing th 30+ 3/4s for the crit. i'm a 3 on the road and trying to get to cat 2. years ago i had more that 3 time the points required to upgrade but didn't as quit racing to focus on school

for the track 4/5s as i seem to only race the track about once a year

[1265 Lombardi]

Bumping up to see how everything went and how everyone fared. Heres a little blurb about my race

I entered cat4 race Ride It Like You Stole It, CBR crit (first race of the season for me)and finished safely with the pack, nothing spectacular. It didnt rain thank god. I must have waited in registration line for at least 45minutes which gave me only fifteen minutes to warm up. The lines were loooong! I guess they did not anticipate so many racers this early in the season.

Prior to this race, I thought I was strong, and thought I would spend more time at the front, but I was surprised by how big the fields were and how strong cat4 field was this early. Training alone has mislead me to this grandeur I guess. I sort of ended up in the back of the pack at the start and had to fight my way up during the race. Few laps before the finish, there was a crash which freaked the guy out next to me to swerve(the crash wasn't close to us,he just heard it) right into my front wheel. Wheels touched but I didnt go down, with my new bike! The new bike performed flawlessly. I am glad the race completed incident free for the most part. After the race, came home did 40 more miles:D My butt is firmly planted on my couch with a boob tube.

Hope every one had a good day! I had a good time.

[VelodromePhoeni]

The Lightning Velo Winter Classic turned out great. There was a really strong turnout, especially in the women's fields. The Men's fields were almost scary. At least a third of the Men's 35+ Masters were Cat 1/2, and about half the Cat 1/2 field had raced at the World Cup, or were international level competitors. The Women's 3/4 field was mostly Cat 1 roadies, and the Cat 1/2 Women had a lot of World Cup competitors in it, too. In the Men's Matched Sprints, First place was taken by Travis Smith (Canadian National Champion), Second by Gideon Massie (US National team, World Cup Competitor, and I think holding some national titles), Third was a member of the Polish National Team, I think, and Fourth was TC Valentine, from Irvine.

The races were fast and hotly contested in all fields. I was mostly just hanging in there, trying to breathe and just finish the race without getting lapped [too many times], but I managed to do a couple of things right during the day, which felt good. So did taking 2nd place in the Women's 45+ Masters.

I got to meet Cleave, who did an amazing job on the lapcards (a tough, draining assignment), and Biting Duck raced in the afternoon in the Men's Cat 1/2 field. If there were any other Forumites there, they didn't make their presence known.

Well, three weeks of rest, and then it's time for MY race -- the Women Only Race Day on February 17th. I'll start a separate thread about that.

The Velodrome Phoenix

[1265 Lombardi]

What are lap cards? Forgive the ignorant.

[Cleave]

What are lap cards? Forgive the ignorant.
Hi Joshua,

Lap cards are the "cards" (actually a mechanical device in this case) that indicate how many laps remain in the race. When you work the lap cards you also get to ring the bell for bell lap or laps. :rolleyes:

The lap cards aren't too bad except when you have a large field with riders who are getting lapped. Then you have to try to keep track of who's lapped and who is not.

[Cleave]

The Lightning Velo Winter Classic turned out great.

I got to meet Cleave, who did an amazing job on the lapcards (a tough, draining assignment), and Biting Duck raced in the afternoon in the Men's Cat 1/2 field. If there were any other Forumites there, they didn't make their presence known.

I was very happy to meet VelodromePhoenix and to see bitingduck. I had a chance to chat with both for a little bit. Running a race of this magnitude with a couple of logistic handicaps kept me and my club members busy all day. :eek:

I will say that bitingduck did some very impressive races especially considering the level of talent in the Men's Car 1, 2 fields. I was hoping to see a few of you from the forum after my shameless and blatant plug but, oh well. ;)

[Happytime]

I was there, however briefly, before I had to go to work (yeah, on a Sunday!) Thought I mind find some new pedals, but only got some $10 Shebeest jerseys.

I think I saw your race, VP. Tho I was a bit worried about the 12-y-o girl who ate it in the kiddie race. Tough little cookie!

[VelodromePhoeni]

Dear Happy Time:

Thanks for coming out and watching, and for your concern -- Tara is a little banged up, but all in all, okay. I saw her and her mother afterwards. Her left leg was all splinted, and she was on crutches, but apparently it's just a real bad knee sprain -- no broken bones. Her face is a little bruised, but not badly. Little kids heal up fast, so if she takes care, she'll be back on the track in no time. Plus, she was in cheerful spirits and making light of her injuries.

I was talking to someone, and heard "that sound" that I always hate to hear, and hate it even worse when it's little kids. It trips my "mother hen" reflexes every time.

The Velodrome Phoenix

[zzzwillzzz]

well for me it didn't go so well... i started off with the 30+ cat3/4 crit. it was going pretty well except for they put up the 5 to go lap cards after about 20 minutes meaning that our race would be about 30 minutes as they were behind schedule because of all the crashes. there was at least one in every category when i was there. i heard a rumor that there were no crashes in the cat 5, oh the irony! our race was pretty easy for me riding pretty close to the front most of the time and going for a prime but didn't get it. the cornering was even worse than normal as it's the first race of the year with riders not taking a wide enough line through the turns and not enough speed so people try to sneek up the inside of the turn slowing everyone down and making them chage their line. and the riders at the front would swerve all over the road to try to get people off their wheel which was really stupid and nearly caused a number of crashes. on the last lap i was in pretty good position about 12th or so with 2 turns to go on the outside when a crash happened on the inside, i thought i was clear but a bike came flying out in fornt of me and had to hit the brakes ending my race. as i steered clear of the crash i saw the rider who was outside of me in the turn in the bushes, he bunny hopped the curb to avoid the crash and stayed upright, needless to say his race was over too. so i packed up and headed over to the track.

at the track the racing was really good in the 4/5s with about 20 riders. i really sucked though and have no top speed right now as about half of the racers showed me. it was too miserable for me to discribe.

[OC Roadie]

I heard about all of the carnage at the CBR crit, maybe it's good thing, that I've got to sit out of the first month of racing. My buddy almost lost his eye (literally) in the 40+ 4/5's, and another one got tangled up in your race (30+ 3/4's). I guess you can be happy that you made it through unscathed. How big was the 30+ 3/4 field? I really like racing that category, we'll probably be racing together later this season. I'm suprised about the cat 'n mouse swerve tactics, I don't recall seeing much of that from this category.

[VelodromePhoeni]

Dear zzzwillzzz:

don't get discouraged. It was a spanking all the way around.

However, Biting Duck reassured the rest of us on our team, "This is as bad as it will get for the rest of the year." So, I guess the worst is behind us!! Plus, if we train hard, we can only get better!!

Onward and upward to victory!!

VP

PS come over and say, "Hi," next time!

[bitingduck]

However, Biting Duck reassured the rest of us on our team, "This is as bad as it will get for the rest of the year." So, I guess the worst is behind us!! Plus, if we train hard, we can only get better!!


Only in the 1/2s, since there won't be another stacked field like that until nats (and maybe not even then).

All the locals will get faster all year.

[VelodromePhoeni]

Oh, say it ain't so, Joe!! I was so heartened by your words!! Now, it's only gloom and despair!!

VP

[zzzwillzzz]

oc, our race had it all, too many guys try to race like pros, one team had four guys lined up like a pro team to lead their last rider out with two laps to go and died with a lap and a quarter to go. they should have waited another lap as they weren't strong enough to each pull for two straightaways and keep the pack stretched out. they should have gone with one to go with each rider pulling one straightaway of less to get their sprinter to the final corner in front.

the field was big, i'm guessing 75 riders minimum.

vp, i'm not too worried, just a little disappointed. i know i haven't really done any speed work i've just been riding around an last year i got 2nd in the sprint omnium and was going pretty well but was burnt out by march and didn't race again all year.

[VelodromePhoeni]

will:

have you ever tried Roger's tuesday/thursay intervals classes?

VP

[wanderingwheel]

will:

have you ever tried Roger's tuesday/thursay intervals classes?

VP
Where is Roger holding his classes now? I used to go to them with Paramount when he was in Corona del Mar.

[Cleave]

Where is Roger holding his classes now? I used to go to them with Paramount when he was in Corona del Mar.
Hi,

Roger holds his classes at the ADT Event Center (velodrome) at the Home Depot Center in Carson. It is a very similar workout as compared to what he was doing in Corona Del Mar (and earlier in Santa Ana) except he does it on the track.

Back when the infield wasn't covered by ball courts, Roger had his Lemond spin bikes set up so that people could do spin bike workouts in parallel with those riding on the track. The scene was a little bizarre.

You will need to go to a certification class if you are not a Cat 3 or higher on the track.

[bitingduck]

You will need to go to a certification class if you are not a Cat 3 or higher on the track.

Actually Cat 2 or higher.

All the info, including schedule, fees, racing info, and results are in the link in my sig.

[zzzwillzzz]

will:
have you ever tried Roger's tuesday/thursay intervals classes?
VPit's a good idea but it's too hard to get to carson from north hollywood at that time, i'd end up in jail from commiting some sort of road rage violence and the fact that i could get there faster on my bike.

[Cleave]

Actually Cat 2 or higher.

All the info, including schedule, fees, racing info, and results are in the link in my sig.
Yeah, what bitingduck said. :o