Masters Misc Race Report Thread
05-29-17, 02:48 PM
#5101
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@F16F22, that's a nice buncha racing. Particularly liked you helping your teammate(s), I figure if I can't win or place, I'm better off contributing to someone who can than getting 34th or whatever. And that goes around.
From the sketchy/fast/crash race selection, you never know how things will play out, you just play the odds. We had a pretty experienced 55 Cat 2 racer take out a bunch of folks in a road race a few weeks ago.
FWIW I got dropped on lap 2 of 4 in my first race this year.
From the sketchy/fast/crash race selection, you never know how things will play out, you just play the odds. We had a pretty experienced 55 Cat 2 racer take out a bunch of folks in a road race a few weeks ago.
FWIW I got dropped on lap 2 of 4 in my first race this year.
05-30-17, 11:34 AM
#5103
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Great pic @Racer Ex. You are looking pretty casual though. Where's the suffer?! Or maybe that's your poker face? "Yeah OTF no big deal I could stay here all night if I felt like it"
05-30-17, 11:43 AM
#5104
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Great pic @Racer Ex. You are looking pretty casual though. Where's the suffer?! Or maybe that's your poker face? "Yeah OTF no big deal I could stay here all night if I felt like it"
05-30-17, 02:38 PM
#5106
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05-30-17, 08:40 PM
#5108
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Pattern-wise I was clearly overdue for a DNF. Lost the front wheel in a corner but stayed up, figured I had hit a patch of sand or something, lost the front again in the next corner and realized the front tire was going flat. Race over. Lesson: there are no invisible patches of sand, if something goes squirrelly with the equipment don't push your luck.
Still, I didn't crash and I did win a prime that exactly paid for my burger and beer, and registration was free since I podiumed last week, so I can't complain. State champs coming up on Sunday.
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Pattern-wise I was clearly overdue for a DNF. Lost the front wheel in a corner but stayed up, figured I had hit a patch of sand or something, lost the front again in the next corner and realized the front tire was going flat. Race over. Lesson: there are no invisible patches of sand, if something goes squirrelly with the equipment don't push your luck.
Still, I didn't crash and I did win a prime that exactly paid for my burger and beer, and registration was free since I podiumed last week, so I can't complain. State champs coming up on Sunday.
05-31-17, 06:44 AM
#5111
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I suppose I could move winning up on the priority list over "not breaking the bike". I'd be ok with breaking the bike if necessary.
Not breaking myself is a livelihood issue though. It has to stay the first priority always.
05-31-17, 09:59 AM
#5115
Idiot Emeritus
Event: Tuesday Night Razzle Dazzle Race Series Omnium
Date: 05/30/17
Venue: Hellyer Park Velodrome
Races: 10 Lap Scratch Race, 20 Lap Point a Lap, 35 Lap Points Race
This was my first ever mass start event at the track.
The planets aligned, the moon wasn't full, and I didn't see any unicorns, so I was finally able to enter a mass start event at the track! Because I had overdone things earlier in the week, and my training stress was close to my allowable threshold, I was only to do one of the two available mass start omnium races at Hellyer this week. I decided on the Tuesday Night Geezer Race, thinking it might be a little more sedate than racing with younger folks.
Wow. Was I wrong!
I set the bike up for mass start/sprints (five spoke front, disc rear, sprinter bars, 50/15 (88 inch) gearing), and set out for Hellyer, arriving early. My preference is to be early, it reduces the chance to compound jitters by being rushed to get everything done.
There were only three women in total in attendance, and nine men, so it was decided we'd ride a combined field and score separately. Looking around at the participants, I knew this was going to be fast. I've ridden men's races in the past, and what the guys consider "moderate" is heartrate through the roof fast for me! And, the women were both fit and strong, and also quite fast. I licked my lips and thought "this will be fun, hang on and enjoy!" I got my number, and rather than pin it on, one of the P/V fellas glued it on my kit for me. We were allowed around thirty minutes to warm up, so I took to the track and did a number of laps at the stayers line, along with a couple of moderate fliers in the sprinters lane. I was feeling quite good!
There is video of the entire omnium on the Hellyer Facebook page.
Race 1, 10 Lap Scratch Race
We lined up at the rail, the RD explained the event, and we rolled off. The pace was low initially, and I found myself at the bottom of the track. I was being quite attentive, looking around a lot, thinking "crit antenna" (without brakes), and aware of all the usual safety stuff - wheel overlaps, lateral moves, etc, as well as track specific stuff - looking right, managing speed with wind and draft, and listening. All of this in the first half lap!
By lap two I found myself at the front, in the sprinters lane. There were three lines of riders, essentially, and the smart move would have been to rotate off to the rail and then slot back on at the rear of the pack. I thought, "you know, this is my first time doing this, so I think I'll animate things a bit", and I launched. Not a whole heartedly committed type of attack, but a steady roll off, in which I looked back a lot to see who was coming. Initially, no one followed (me, a threat? Right). Then, I heard and finally saw a rider bridging across. When he reached me, I rolled off, expecting to get on his wheel, but he was too fast and I was starting to feel the effort. So, I went up to the stayers line and waited for the pack to catch me. When they did, I was getting seriously loaded up and couldn't catch a wheel (where, oh where, is my endurance?). I rode the stayers line for a lap or so, and then caught back on for a bit, but things were going considerably faster than they were earlier. Hanging on was tough. I finished twelve of twelve.
Race 2, 20 Lap Point a Lap
In this race, the rider at the front on each lap receives one point. Track racing has all sorts of horse race style points systems, and this was one of them. Fun!
We started this race not long after the first race ended. There was a recovery period, but to me it was short and I was still feeling the first race in my legs. I decided to maximize learning points in this race, and would work at staying in, riding high on the track and low on the track, and STAYING OFF THE FRONT. My recollection of how the race unfolded is fuzzy (extraordinary high levels of lactate do that), however I do recall that it blew up relatively early, and there were several smaller packs circulating. I found myself working with one of the other women for a few laps. After that, I attached myself to a smaller group and then couldn't hold the pace, sweeping off and leaving the rider behind me with a big gap to close! I was lapped by most, but I lapped one person and actually finished ahead of him.
Race 3, 35 Lap Points Race
Another fairly short recovery period, a gel, and a lot of water, and we rolled to the rail for the last race in the omnium.
This race featured a "bell lap" every five laps, which signaled the following lap as being a sprint for points. Also, anyone who lapped the field would receive 20 additional points. I planned to stay high on the track, and then try to contest the first sprint. I knew there wouldn't be much left of me after that and I would be hanging on for the finish. Hopefully. At least I'd go out guns blazing!
We rolled of from the rail once again, and unlike the first two races, this one went crazy from the start. We were strung out single file at close to 30 MPH by the back straight, and any hopes of me going high and working my way up were totally out the window. As we crossed the line for the first lap I was really feeling the speed, and mercifully things slowed a little. I got gapped a bit but managed to work my way back, and as I did the pack slowed a little more. The group fanned out some, and I decided to try to move up track. I don't know that I did, my next clear recollection is of being on MR's wheel in the sprinters lane and working my butt off to stay there. We hit the line on lap five with the bell ringing and I was clearly fading, the speeds had totally done me in.
I pulled off, deciding to live to fight another day - and to do something about my lack of endurance!
This omnium was a fantastic experience. I totally enjoyed it! It was like a crit, but it wasn't like a crit. It was faster, it was smoother, completely unpredictable, and oh so much fun. I learned quite a lot at this race, and the next time I will be smarter, position much better, and work much harder to stay on wheels and in the game.
Date: 05/30/17
Venue: Hellyer Park Velodrome
Races: 10 Lap Scratch Race, 20 Lap Point a Lap, 35 Lap Points Race
This was my first ever mass start event at the track.
The planets aligned, the moon wasn't full, and I didn't see any unicorns, so I was finally able to enter a mass start event at the track! Because I had overdone things earlier in the week, and my training stress was close to my allowable threshold, I was only to do one of the two available mass start omnium races at Hellyer this week. I decided on the Tuesday Night Geezer Race, thinking it might be a little more sedate than racing with younger folks.
Wow. Was I wrong!
I set the bike up for mass start/sprints (five spoke front, disc rear, sprinter bars, 50/15 (88 inch) gearing), and set out for Hellyer, arriving early. My preference is to be early, it reduces the chance to compound jitters by being rushed to get everything done.
There were only three women in total in attendance, and nine men, so it was decided we'd ride a combined field and score separately. Looking around at the participants, I knew this was going to be fast. I've ridden men's races in the past, and what the guys consider "moderate" is heartrate through the roof fast for me! And, the women were both fit and strong, and also quite fast. I licked my lips and thought "this will be fun, hang on and enjoy!" I got my number, and rather than pin it on, one of the P/V fellas glued it on my kit for me. We were allowed around thirty minutes to warm up, so I took to the track and did a number of laps at the stayers line, along with a couple of moderate fliers in the sprinters lane. I was feeling quite good!
There is video of the entire omnium on the Hellyer Facebook page.
Race 1, 10 Lap Scratch Race
We lined up at the rail, the RD explained the event, and we rolled off. The pace was low initially, and I found myself at the bottom of the track. I was being quite attentive, looking around a lot, thinking "crit antenna" (without brakes), and aware of all the usual safety stuff - wheel overlaps, lateral moves, etc, as well as track specific stuff - looking right, managing speed with wind and draft, and listening. All of this in the first half lap!
By lap two I found myself at the front, in the sprinters lane. There were three lines of riders, essentially, and the smart move would have been to rotate off to the rail and then slot back on at the rear of the pack. I thought, "you know, this is my first time doing this, so I think I'll animate things a bit", and I launched. Not a whole heartedly committed type of attack, but a steady roll off, in which I looked back a lot to see who was coming. Initially, no one followed (me, a threat? Right). Then, I heard and finally saw a rider bridging across. When he reached me, I rolled off, expecting to get on his wheel, but he was too fast and I was starting to feel the effort. So, I went up to the stayers line and waited for the pack to catch me. When they did, I was getting seriously loaded up and couldn't catch a wheel (where, oh where, is my endurance?). I rode the stayers line for a lap or so, and then caught back on for a bit, but things were going considerably faster than they were earlier. Hanging on was tough. I finished twelve of twelve.
Race 2, 20 Lap Point a Lap
In this race, the rider at the front on each lap receives one point. Track racing has all sorts of horse race style points systems, and this was one of them. Fun!
We started this race not long after the first race ended. There was a recovery period, but to me it was short and I was still feeling the first race in my legs. I decided to maximize learning points in this race, and would work at staying in, riding high on the track and low on the track, and STAYING OFF THE FRONT. My recollection of how the race unfolded is fuzzy (extraordinary high levels of lactate do that), however I do recall that it blew up relatively early, and there were several smaller packs circulating. I found myself working with one of the other women for a few laps. After that, I attached myself to a smaller group and then couldn't hold the pace, sweeping off and leaving the rider behind me with a big gap to close! I was lapped by most, but I lapped one person and actually finished ahead of him.
Race 3, 35 Lap Points Race
Another fairly short recovery period, a gel, and a lot of water, and we rolled to the rail for the last race in the omnium.
This race featured a "bell lap" every five laps, which signaled the following lap as being a sprint for points. Also, anyone who lapped the field would receive 20 additional points. I planned to stay high on the track, and then try to contest the first sprint. I knew there wouldn't be much left of me after that and I would be hanging on for the finish. Hopefully. At least I'd go out guns blazing!
We rolled of from the rail once again, and unlike the first two races, this one went crazy from the start. We were strung out single file at close to 30 MPH by the back straight, and any hopes of me going high and working my way up were totally out the window. As we crossed the line for the first lap I was really feeling the speed, and mercifully things slowed a little. I got gapped a bit but managed to work my way back, and as I did the pack slowed a little more. The group fanned out some, and I decided to try to move up track. I don't know that I did, my next clear recollection is of being on MR's wheel in the sprinters lane and working my butt off to stay there. We hit the line on lap five with the bell ringing and I was clearly fading, the speeds had totally done me in.
I pulled off, deciding to live to fight another day - and to do something about my lack of endurance!
This omnium was a fantastic experience. I totally enjoyed it! It was like a crit, but it wasn't like a crit. It was faster, it was smoother, completely unpredictable, and oh so much fun. I learned quite a lot at this race, and the next time I will be smarter, position much better, and work much harder to stay on wheels and in the game.
__________________
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"Can you add a signature line please? The lack of words makes me think you are being held hostage and being told to be quiet"
05-31-17, 10:29 AM
#5116
Idiot Emeritus
My (only) moment of glory from the omnium last night!
__________________
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"Can you add a signature line please? The lack of words makes me think you are being held hostage and being told to be quiet"
05-31-17, 10:05 PM
#5117
Has a magic bike
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Glad you had a great time, @sarals! Sounds like fun stuff. 
06-01-17, 09:18 AM
#5118
Full Member
Event: Tuesday Night Razzle Dazzle Race Series Omnium
Date: 05/30/17
Venue: Hellyer Park Velodrome
Races: 10 Lap Scratch Race, 20 Lap Point a Lap, 35 Lap Points Race
This was my first ever mass start event at the track.
The planets aligned, the moon wasn't full, and I didn't see any unicorns, so I was finally able to enter a mass start event at the track! Because I had overdone things earlier in the week, and my training stress was close to my allowable threshold, I was only to do one of the two available mass start omnium races at Hellyer this week. I decided on the Tuesday Night Geezer Race, thinking it might be a little more sedate than racing with younger folks.
Wow. Was I wrong!
I set the bike up for mass start/sprints (five spoke front, disc rear, sprinter bars, 50/15 (88 inch) gearing), and set out for Hellyer, arriving early. My preference is to be early, it reduces the chance to compound jitters by being rushed to get everything done.
There were only three women in total in attendance, and nine men, so it was decided we'd ride a combined field and score separately. Looking around at the participants, I knew this was going to be fast. I've ridden men's races in the past, and what the guys consider "moderate" is heartrate through the roof fast for me! And, the women were both fit and strong, and also quite fast. I licked my lips and thought "this will be fun, hang on and enjoy!" I got my number, and rather than pin it on, one of the P/V fellas glued it on my kit for me. We were allowed around thirty minutes to warm up, so I took to the track and did a number of laps at the stayers line, along with a couple of moderate fliers in the sprinters lane. I was feeling quite good!
There is video of the entire omnium on the Hellyer Facebook page.
Race 1, 10 Lap Scratch Race
We lined up at the rail, the RD explained the event, and we rolled off. The pace was low initially, and I found myself at the bottom of the track. I was being quite attentive, looking around a lot, thinking "crit antenna" (without brakes), and aware of all the usual safety stuff - wheel overlaps, lateral moves, etc, as well as track specific stuff - looking right, managing speed with wind and draft, and listening. All of this in the first half lap!
By lap two I found myself at the front, in the sprinters lane. There were three lines of riders, essentially, and the smart move would have been to rotate off to the rail and then slot back on at the rear of the pack. I thought, "you know, this is my first time doing this, so I think I'll animate things a bit", and I launched. Not a whole heartedly committed type of attack, but a steady roll off, in which I looked back a lot to see who was coming. Initially, no one followed (me, a threat? Right). Then, I heard and finally saw a rider bridging across. When he reached me, I rolled off, expecting to get on his wheel, but he was too fast and I was starting to feel the effort. So, I went up to the stayers line and waited for the pack to catch me. When they did, I was getting seriously loaded up and couldn't catch a wheel (where, oh where, is my endurance?). I rode the stayers line for a lap or so, and then caught back on for a bit, but things were going considerably faster than they were earlier. Hanging on was tough. I finished twelve of twelve.
Race 2, 20 Lap Point a Lap
In this race, the rider at the front on each lap receives one point. Track racing has all sorts of horse race style points systems, and this was one of them. Fun!
We started this race not long after the first race ended. There was a recovery period, but to me it was short and I was still feeling the first race in my legs. I decided to maximize learning points in this race, and would work at staying in, riding high on the track and low on the track, and STAYING OFF THE FRONT. My recollection of how the race unfolded is fuzzy (extraordinary high levels of lactate do that), however I do recall that it blew up relatively early, and there were several smaller packs circulating. I found myself working with one of the other women for a few laps. After that, I attached myself to a smaller group and then couldn't hold the pace, sweeping off and leaving the rider behind me with a big gap to close! I was lapped by most, but I lapped one person and actually finished ahead of him.
Race 3, 35 Lap Points Race
Another fairly short recovery period, a gel, and a lot of water, and we rolled to the rail for the last race in the omnium.
This race featured a "bell lap" every five laps, which signaled the following lap as being a sprint for points. Also, anyone who lapped the field would receive 20 additional points. I planned to stay high on the track, and then try to contest the first sprint. I knew there wouldn't be much left of me after that and I would be hanging on for the finish. Hopefully. At least I'd go out guns blazing!
We rolled of from the rail once again, and unlike the first two races, this one went crazy from the start. We were strung out single file at close to 30 MPH by the back straight, and any hopes of me going high and working my way up were totally out the window. As we crossed the line for the first lap I was really feeling the speed, and mercifully things slowed a little. I got gapped a bit but managed to work my way back, and as I did the pack slowed a little more. The group fanned out some, and I decided to try to move up track. I don't know that I did, my next clear recollection is of being on MR's wheel in the sprinters lane and working my butt off to stay there. We hit the line on lap five with the bell ringing and I was clearly fading, the speeds had totally done me in.
I pulled off, deciding to live to fight another day - and to do something about my lack of endurance!
This omnium was a fantastic experience. I totally enjoyed it! It was like a crit, but it wasn't like a crit. It was faster, it was smoother, completely unpredictable, and oh so much fun. I learned quite a lot at this race, and the next time I will be smarter, position much better, and work much harder to stay on wheels and in the game.
Date: 05/30/17
Venue: Hellyer Park Velodrome
Races: 10 Lap Scratch Race, 20 Lap Point a Lap, 35 Lap Points Race
This was my first ever mass start event at the track.
The planets aligned, the moon wasn't full, and I didn't see any unicorns, so I was finally able to enter a mass start event at the track! Because I had overdone things earlier in the week, and my training stress was close to my allowable threshold, I was only to do one of the two available mass start omnium races at Hellyer this week. I decided on the Tuesday Night Geezer Race, thinking it might be a little more sedate than racing with younger folks.
Wow. Was I wrong!
I set the bike up for mass start/sprints (five spoke front, disc rear, sprinter bars, 50/15 (88 inch) gearing), and set out for Hellyer, arriving early. My preference is to be early, it reduces the chance to compound jitters by being rushed to get everything done.
There were only three women in total in attendance, and nine men, so it was decided we'd ride a combined field and score separately. Looking around at the participants, I knew this was going to be fast. I've ridden men's races in the past, and what the guys consider "moderate" is heartrate through the roof fast for me! And, the women were both fit and strong, and also quite fast. I licked my lips and thought "this will be fun, hang on and enjoy!" I got my number, and rather than pin it on, one of the P/V fellas glued it on my kit for me. We were allowed around thirty minutes to warm up, so I took to the track and did a number of laps at the stayers line, along with a couple of moderate fliers in the sprinters lane. I was feeling quite good!
There is video of the entire omnium on the Hellyer Facebook page.
Race 1, 10 Lap Scratch Race
We lined up at the rail, the RD explained the event, and we rolled off. The pace was low initially, and I found myself at the bottom of the track. I was being quite attentive, looking around a lot, thinking "crit antenna" (without brakes), and aware of all the usual safety stuff - wheel overlaps, lateral moves, etc, as well as track specific stuff - looking right, managing speed with wind and draft, and listening. All of this in the first half lap!
By lap two I found myself at the front, in the sprinters lane. There were three lines of riders, essentially, and the smart move would have been to rotate off to the rail and then slot back on at the rear of the pack. I thought, "you know, this is my first time doing this, so I think I'll animate things a bit", and I launched. Not a whole heartedly committed type of attack, but a steady roll off, in which I looked back a lot to see who was coming. Initially, no one followed (me, a threat? Right). Then, I heard and finally saw a rider bridging across. When he reached me, I rolled off, expecting to get on his wheel, but he was too fast and I was starting to feel the effort. So, I went up to the stayers line and waited for the pack to catch me. When they did, I was getting seriously loaded up and couldn't catch a wheel (where, oh where, is my endurance?). I rode the stayers line for a lap or so, and then caught back on for a bit, but things were going considerably faster than they were earlier. Hanging on was tough. I finished twelve of twelve.
Race 2, 20 Lap Point a Lap
In this race, the rider at the front on each lap receives one point. Track racing has all sorts of horse race style points systems, and this was one of them. Fun!
We started this race not long after the first race ended. There was a recovery period, but to me it was short and I was still feeling the first race in my legs. I decided to maximize learning points in this race, and would work at staying in, riding high on the track and low on the track, and STAYING OFF THE FRONT. My recollection of how the race unfolded is fuzzy (extraordinary high levels of lactate do that), however I do recall that it blew up relatively early, and there were several smaller packs circulating. I found myself working with one of the other women for a few laps. After that, I attached myself to a smaller group and then couldn't hold the pace, sweeping off and leaving the rider behind me with a big gap to close! I was lapped by most, but I lapped one person and actually finished ahead of him.
Race 3, 35 Lap Points Race
Another fairly short recovery period, a gel, and a lot of water, and we rolled to the rail for the last race in the omnium.
This race featured a "bell lap" every five laps, which signaled the following lap as being a sprint for points. Also, anyone who lapped the field would receive 20 additional points. I planned to stay high on the track, and then try to contest the first sprint. I knew there wouldn't be much left of me after that and I would be hanging on for the finish. Hopefully. At least I'd go out guns blazing!
We rolled of from the rail once again, and unlike the first two races, this one went crazy from the start. We were strung out single file at close to 30 MPH by the back straight, and any hopes of me going high and working my way up were totally out the window. As we crossed the line for the first lap I was really feeling the speed, and mercifully things slowed a little. I got gapped a bit but managed to work my way back, and as I did the pack slowed a little more. The group fanned out some, and I decided to try to move up track. I don't know that I did, my next clear recollection is of being on MR's wheel in the sprinters lane and working my butt off to stay there. We hit the line on lap five with the bell ringing and I was clearly fading, the speeds had totally done me in.
I pulled off, deciding to live to fight another day - and to do something about my lack of endurance!
This omnium was a fantastic experience. I totally enjoyed it! It was like a crit, but it wasn't like a crit. It was faster, it was smoother, completely unpredictable, and oh so much fun. I learned quite a lot at this race, and the next time I will be smarter, position much better, and work much harder to stay on wheels and in the game.
In a mixed field, it's probably good to sit in and learn the way people ride points races and scratch races. Learn to observe and anticipate peoples surges. Closing gaps in a mixed field when you're out of horsepower is death -- learn to take a quick pull (don't stall it), swing off, and get quickly back into the line using the banking. Learn to "float your legs" while in the draft -- on a track bike you don't save much energy in the draft if you have a bad pedal stroke.
Hang on as long as you can and try to position yourself for the last lap. The point a lap, tempo, or snowball might have been a good place to try an early attack -- if you can surprise the field and get a gap the riders behind will have little incentive to race. If you scoop up 2, or even 1 point, let up and get back in the field and try your best to finish on the lead lap. If you time it right, you can actually attack from the back of the pack on the neutral lap and go flying by everyone as they blow the whistle.
Last edited by tobukog; 06-01-17 at 12:29 PM. Reason: why not
06-01-17, 09:44 AM
#5119
fuggitivo solitario
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Pattern-wise I was clearly overdue for a DNF. Lost the front wheel in a corner but stayed up, figured I had hit a patch of sand or something, lost the front again in the next corner and realized the front tire was going flat. Race over. Lesson: there are no invisible patches of sand, if something goes squirrelly with the equipment don't push your luck.
Still, I didn't crash and I did win a prime that exactly paid for my burger and beer, and registration was free since I podiumed last week, so I can't complain. State champs coming up on Sunday.
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dnf
Pattern-wise I was clearly overdue for a DNF. Lost the front wheel in a corner but stayed up, figured I had hit a patch of sand or something, lost the front again in the next corner and realized the front tire was going flat. Race over. Lesson: there are no invisible patches of sand, if something goes squirrelly with the equipment don't push your luck.
Still, I didn't crash and I did win a prime that exactly paid for my burger and beer, and registration was free since I podiumed last week, so I can't complain. State champs coming up on Sunday.
very nice! intense would be an understatement
06-01-17, 11:24 AM
#5120
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In a mixed field, it's probably good to sit in and learn the way people ride points races and scratch races. Learn to observe and anticipate peoples surges. Closing gaps in a mixed field when you're out horsepower is death -- learn to take a quick pull (don't stall it), swing off, and get quickly back into the line using the banking. Learn to "float your legs" while in the draft -- on a track bike you don't save much energy in the draft if you have a bad pedal stroke.
Problem was a 65 y/o women on a learning curve jumping into a "open" master's field with world caliber talent (several of those guys are hanging and active in 1/2 races), and then turning off the brain. Had fun though, for this event that was fine. But:
All the longer harder efforts to try to climb up the ladder in these races are only going to compromise training for what she is truly exceptional at.
When I've done stuff like NRC and Elite Nats, I went in figuring I've had a good seat that most people don't get. Pretty much rode to
Last edited by Racer Ex; 06-01-17 at 11:47 AM.
06-01-17, 12:47 PM
#5121
Full Member
Her target events are match sprints and the 500. Get things right and she'll podium or better at World's in both. See below about events at Hellyer.
This was actually the plan, to sit in and learn.
Problem was a 65 y/o women on a learning curve jumping into a "open" master's field with world caliber talent (several of those guys are hanging and active in 1/2 races), and then turning off the brain. Had fun though, for this event that was fine. But:
All the longer harder efforts to try to climb up the ladder in these races are only going to compromise training for what she is truly exceptional at.
When I've done stuff like NRC and Elite Nats, I went in figuring I've had a good seat that most people don't get. Pretty much rode to Gloria Gaynor.
This was actually the plan, to sit in and learn.
Problem was a 65 y/o women on a learning curve jumping into a "open" master's field with world caliber talent (several of those guys are hanging and active in 1/2 races), and then turning off the brain. Had fun though, for this event that was fine. But:
All the longer harder efforts to try to climb up the ladder in these races are only going to compromise training for what she is truly exceptional at.
When I've done stuff like NRC and Elite Nats, I went in figuring I've had a good seat that most people don't get. Pretty much rode to Gloria Gaynor.
06-01-17, 02:20 PM
#5122
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She likes to do them and it's another rider showing up for the Geezer races. So we're keeping them on the schedule for now, because they have benefit.
The athletes I coach rely on me to keep a long view on their priorities, emphasis on their. Folks who I've worked with here will pretty much tell you I don't set those. I will provide input, but my role is primarily to facilitate. 5 year track record with Sara, kinda familiar with what works for what. She's set a goal for world's. Big goal. Doable. Within driving distance, at a location that's open for practice and runs regular TT events.
Thought here is that moving away from what's been an constant upward trend of improvement towards that goal to try to get dropped a bit later in the points race at the TNW's isn't a good strategy.
06-01-17, 05:45 PM
#5123
Idiot Emeritus
@Racer Ex, thank you.
I enjoy the process easily as much as I enjoy the war. Ex and I discussed at length the need for mass start events, and why. Upgrade. Upgrade. I'm a 4 on the track, a 3 on the road. It is true that I can't ride certain sessions at Hellyer unless I'm a T3. That's the method to that madness. And, the Geezer Races need women to show up, they need support. I'm happy to do that, even though I know I'll be racing with men. I'm not looking to win anything, I am looking for some fun, experience, and learning points.
Finally, believe me, I appreciate advice and input!
I enjoy the process easily as much as I enjoy the war. Ex and I discussed at length the need for mass start events, and why. Upgrade. Upgrade. I'm a 4 on the track, a 3 on the road. It is true that I can't ride certain sessions at Hellyer unless I'm a T3. That's the method to that madness. And, the Geezer Races need women to show up, they need support. I'm happy to do that, even though I know I'll be racing with men. I'm not looking to win anything, I am looking for some fun, experience, and learning points.
Finally, believe me, I appreciate advice and input!
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06-02-17, 10:20 AM
#5124
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Hey, @Hermes, @sarals, @Racer Ex, and @Cleave and anyone else who is interested: there is still no ordering info up on the SCNCA website for SoCal State Champion jerseys. So I emailed the SCNCA president and got the link today. Apparently the ordering window opened a week ago and only stays open until June 15.
Here's the link, share as appropriate: https://icesportswear.com/scnca/
Here's the link, share as appropriate: https://icesportswear.com/scnca/
06-02-17, 10:52 AM
#5125
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Hey, @Hermes, @sarals, @Racer Ex, and @Cleave and anyone else who is interested: there is still no ordering info up on the SCNCA website for SoCal State Champion jerseys. So I emailed the SCNCA president and got the link today. Apparently the ordering window opened a week ago and only stays open until June 15.
Here's the link, share as appropriate: https://icesportswear.com/scnca/
Here's the link, share as appropriate: https://icesportswear.com/scnca/