Track Camp - Day 2

Man, what a fun day.

We didn't start until noon today since there was a beginner session in the morning. Everyone got on the track and we did a 20 minute warm-up. Some of the guys got a little anxious and jacked up the pace which was a little hot for me that early, so Teresa and I did our own little paceline. After the warm-up it was time to talk about sprinting. Match sprinting. My favorite event. We did a drill where two people go out and one is in front and the second one follows. Ride the blue/stayer's line (middle of the track) and then on a pre-determined number that Bilko shouted out, the person in the back jumps and tries to go around the front person. The front person is supposed to be paying attention and react to the jump and not let the other person catch them. I teamed up with Teresa and everyone did it twice, once in each position.

Next was flying 200s and Kenny timed us. We had a chance to do two of them. For the flying 200, you roll out and have about a lap and a half to get up to speed and the clock starts at the 200m line and you just go as fast as you can until the finish line.  My first one I stood up too soon and didn't have that great of a line, but my time was 1.25 seconds faster than I did in January. The second effort was technically much, much better! Stand up later, faster speed going in, sit down easy, stay relaxed through the turn---check, check, check and check. Though the wind had picked up and the time was 0.2 seconds slower, but everyone was slower on their second effort as the wind had picked up and we had a big headwind in the finishing straight.

It then started to rain and we all huddled under the judge's stand and it poured down for about 15 minutes, but then quit and the track dried out and we got back on and did another warm up and then we did the ribbon drill, or follow the leader. We divided up into three groups and you ride single file and everyone follows where the leader goes. And the leader goes all over the track--up, down, slow, fast, everything. I was second wheel right behind Steven (very fast elite guy from Portland) and that drill was really beneficial.

After that it was time for some real match sprints! I was in a 3-up group with Teresa and Brad and the first time Brad was in the front, I was second and Teresa after me. I let Brad get too far ahead and when he jumped, I couldn't close the gap. Teresa was doing her first ever match sprint and she was too far behind me and didn't catch up. The second time I was in front, then Teresa, then Brad. I led them out high on the rail, going pretty slow. I'd planned to jump coming out of turn 2-3 on the last lap, but Brad jumped and Teresa was right on him and I dropped in behind her. I started to come around her early, but thought better of it and got back in her draft, and then tried to come around her out of turn 4 and along the finishing straight and let's just say, I channeled my inner Eric Zabel and did a bike throw at the line and it was too close to call without slo-mo camera. She thinks I pipped her. I think I might have too. Both Kenny and Bilko said it was too close to call with the naked eye. But it was fun!

By then it was nearly 5:00 PM and time to go. What a totally fun day!! Have I mentioned how much I love the track?