Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Friday, August 5, 2011
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Saturday 7/30, last day of racing for me and Derek
Saturday was very low key for me. I woke early but didn't get up until about 8 or so, in time for guess? free breakfast of course, served until 9:30.
The rest of the day I just stayed inside, rested and mentally prepared for a points race later at 6 P.M. the first race of the evening schedule. I was feeling good, rested but apprehensive about what gear to use and how fresh I really would be.
Lunch, more relaxing and then before we knew it, load up and head for the track. I had plenty of time to get my normal extended warm up in. Seems like the only way for me to be ready for every first race is to log lots of K's in before the event and make sure they activate all the right energy systems.
All the races started with a bike check, mostly for weight toward the end of the week. Earlier, bikes were check for dimensions as well. No racing was allowed without a bike weigh in and then you needed to keep it in the holding area until race time or it needed to be checked again.
The points race started with me at the front doing a casual ride near the rail for about 2 laps. I wasn't going to do any effort and no one else wanted to either. 30 lap race, sprints every 6 laps so the pace picked up about lap 26. Certainly not my freshest race, I never really was in it, just holding on as the pace continued to increase. Eventually I was in the second pack out of contention, mercifully the race ended, I got a good last lap in, passing a few riders and ended 9th overall, first rider with no points.
Roll around some, back to our pit tent and then time to re gear, pack and call it a race week for me.
Dan and Derek however still had scratch races to do.
Dan was smart, his dream of a 5-6 man break worked out and he eventually got a lap on the field and came in 5th in a big, competitive field, another medal and enough to get him the BAR(Best All Round Rider) for his age group.
Derek's group was the last race of the night, he stayed in contention until the end but missed the attack with about 2 to go salvaging 5th place overall and another medal for him.
After that, it was all about packing up and going back to the hotel.
We stopped at the local diner/lounge near the hotel, had a few beers and some food and then back to the hotel, not wanting to go to bed, just burning off the excitement of the night and the week.
The rest of the day I just stayed inside, rested and mentally prepared for a points race later at 6 P.M. the first race of the evening schedule. I was feeling good, rested but apprehensive about what gear to use and how fresh I really would be.
Lunch, more relaxing and then before we knew it, load up and head for the track. I had plenty of time to get my normal extended warm up in. Seems like the only way for me to be ready for every first race is to log lots of K's in before the event and make sure they activate all the right energy systems.
All the races started with a bike check, mostly for weight toward the end of the week. Earlier, bikes were check for dimensions as well. No racing was allowed without a bike weigh in and then you needed to keep it in the holding area until race time or it needed to be checked again.
The points race started with me at the front doing a casual ride near the rail for about 2 laps. I wasn't going to do any effort and no one else wanted to either. 30 lap race, sprints every 6 laps so the pace picked up about lap 26. Certainly not my freshest race, I never really was in it, just holding on as the pace continued to increase. Eventually I was in the second pack out of contention, mercifully the race ended, I got a good last lap in, passing a few riders and ended 9th overall, first rider with no points.
Roll around some, back to our pit tent and then time to re gear, pack and call it a race week for me.
Dan and Derek however still had scratch races to do.
Dan was smart, his dream of a 5-6 man break worked out and he eventually got a lap on the field and came in 5th in a big, competitive field, another medal and enough to get him the BAR(Best All Round Rider) for his age group.
Derek's group was the last race of the night, he stayed in contention until the end but missed the attack with about 2 to go salvaging 5th place overall and another medal for him.
After that, it was all about packing up and going back to the hotel.
We stopped at the local diner/lounge near the hotel, had a few beers and some food and then back to the hotel, not wanting to go to bed, just burning off the excitement of the night and the week.
It's all done, where did the week go
Yes, it's Wednesday, no Thursday (I started this yesterday and got logged off in the middle of it so here we go again) already, we got back to MN on Monday afternoon and the first stop was at the bike shop to get some minor problems that came up during race week resolved before this Thursday night.
It is tough as always after vacation to get back into the regular schedule again. Tuesday morning came way too soon and I think I was dreaming all day long Tuesday.
The ride back was interesting. Derek's Pursuit team didn't come together so the two of us got to sleep in and be lazy on Sunday morning while Dan was still in race mode and getting ready for his Pursuit.
A leisurely last free breakfast at the hotel, and then packing and loading up the Caliber.
I started driving the first leg heading back west, or at least that's what I thought. We drove an hour or so and realized we were seeing a different part of PA then what we saw coming to T Town. Derek got out a map and realized I missed an exit and we were still heading west but more south west towards the Appalachians. Time to re adjust routes and get back on track. We really didn't get much out of the way and the bonus is we saw some really great parts of PA that we missed on the ride to the track. We really were in no rush so it was kind of fun.
Eventually we got back on the planned route and really started west. We thought about driving straight through but by 11 PM, we were shot and stopped in Rockford for a much needed nights sleep, and another free hotel breakfast, waffles again?
We finally made it to town about 3:30 after driving through a major rain storm just as we entered MN, welcome back!
But, I am way ahead of myself. Back to racing at T Town or the last few days of it.
After Friday mornings Sprint finals and Awards I felt kind of lost and dazed. All the hard efforts and training since last November came together, not with a National Champ jersey but I feel good about 3rd over all.
The last week or so before has been stressful, my oldest brother was battling cancer and I needed to make an emergency trip to TX to see him the weekend before I left for Masters. My last training day before going to TX was hot and I was in a particularly foul mood which resulted in me doing some disconnected effort and crashing myself into the main straight at about 30 mph. Not ideal with a big event a week and half away.
I've learned that the track community is quite small and after a few years of racing at Masters events I have met some fellow racers and some of them invited me to lunch at a diner next to our hotel.
Fun time learning about some of the racers who have been around a long time and hear some of the stories, true or not.
My plan was to go back to the hotel, relax some, ride the rollers and work off some of the excitement.
Instead, back to the hotel and laid around watching TV and surfing the net.
Derek and Dan were scheduled for Madisons Friday night plus T Town has some big local races that bring in lots of spectators with racers from all over the world showing up to entertain.
I really wanted to go watch but I really needed to be away from track racing. Hotel bound I was. A rain squall came in early evening and delayed the racing some.
Derek and Dan gave me all the updates on the Friday night scene.
It sounds like all the Madison riders need to come to Blaine for some real Madison training before they get on a track at Masters. There were crashes and chaos from poor exchanges, exchanges done in the wrong positions and just plan missed exchanges. Dan and Derek's partners were not as excited to ride so certainly Derek's placing was severely impacted, getting a 7th place, Dan ended with a 4th place.
Friday night ended with all of us talking about the nights excitement and me eventually going to bed about 11, way later than I planned.
It is tough as always after vacation to get back into the regular schedule again. Tuesday morning came way too soon and I think I was dreaming all day long Tuesday.
The ride back was interesting. Derek's Pursuit team didn't come together so the two of us got to sleep in and be lazy on Sunday morning while Dan was still in race mode and getting ready for his Pursuit.
A leisurely last free breakfast at the hotel, and then packing and loading up the Caliber.
I started driving the first leg heading back west, or at least that's what I thought. We drove an hour or so and realized we were seeing a different part of PA then what we saw coming to T Town. Derek got out a map and realized I missed an exit and we were still heading west but more south west towards the Appalachians. Time to re adjust routes and get back on track. We really didn't get much out of the way and the bonus is we saw some really great parts of PA that we missed on the ride to the track. We really were in no rush so it was kind of fun.
Eventually we got back on the planned route and really started west. We thought about driving straight through but by 11 PM, we were shot and stopped in Rockford for a much needed nights sleep, and another free hotel breakfast, waffles again?
We finally made it to town about 3:30 after driving through a major rain storm just as we entered MN, welcome back!
But, I am way ahead of myself. Back to racing at T Town or the last few days of it.
After Friday mornings Sprint finals and Awards I felt kind of lost and dazed. All the hard efforts and training since last November came together, not with a National Champ jersey but I feel good about 3rd over all.
The last week or so before has been stressful, my oldest brother was battling cancer and I needed to make an emergency trip to TX to see him the weekend before I left for Masters. My last training day before going to TX was hot and I was in a particularly foul mood which resulted in me doing some disconnected effort and crashing myself into the main straight at about 30 mph. Not ideal with a big event a week and half away.
I've learned that the track community is quite small and after a few years of racing at Masters events I have met some fellow racers and some of them invited me to lunch at a diner next to our hotel.
Fun time learning about some of the racers who have been around a long time and hear some of the stories, true or not.
My plan was to go back to the hotel, relax some, ride the rollers and work off some of the excitement.
Instead, back to the hotel and laid around watching TV and surfing the net.
Derek and Dan were scheduled for Madisons Friday night plus T Town has some big local races that bring in lots of spectators with racers from all over the world showing up to entertain.
I really wanted to go watch but I really needed to be away from track racing. Hotel bound I was. A rain squall came in early evening and delayed the racing some.
Derek and Dan gave me all the updates on the Friday night scene.
It sounds like all the Madison riders need to come to Blaine for some real Madison training before they get on a track at Masters. There were crashes and chaos from poor exchanges, exchanges done in the wrong positions and just plan missed exchanges. Dan and Derek's partners were not as excited to ride so certainly Derek's placing was severely impacted, getting a 7th place, Dan ended with a 4th place.
Friday night ended with all of us talking about the nights excitement and me eventually going to bed about 11, way later than I planned.
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