RR: Friday Night Racing 06/04/10
Sunday, 06 June 2010
Friday Night Races @ the velodrome. We were lucky enough to have a W3/4 night and probably 15 or so women came out. Lots of Cat. 2 and 3 roadies and Cat. 3 track women, plus national points champ Julie Nevitt and young Kira riding to mentor our races. Goal was to get some race miles in my legs and get that race feel back.
Race #1: 20 lap scratch
Oh hell, 20 laps? I have not raced that many laps in probably a year. I remember what Annabell told me last weekend--hang on and it would slow down. It did but then someone attacked and I got gapped a bit (still don't have that jump) but was able to get back on the back of the pack. At 10 laps another attack and my legs were shot. I tried to stand up and sprint but had jello legs. I took a lap and got back in and stayed with the pack until 2 to go. Fininshed a lap down but pretty happy with how I rode
Race #2: 30 lap points
30 laps? Ouch. This one went about the same as the scratch. Stick with the pack as long as possible, get popped, reintegrate, repeat. Ended up down 2 laps but again happy with how I rode.
Very short turn around and they are calling us to the rail. We all look at each other, "Didnt we just race???"
Race #3: 15 lap Win & Out
What a huge variance in pace from the start....fast, slow down, speed up. A big yoyo effect. With 6 laps to go, the field slowed down to a crawl (15 mph?) and everyone moved up track leaving the pole wide open. Hello pole lane! I attacked hard and got a gap! Kenny had told me that I needed to start "Riding it like you stole it." Well, that's what I did. I got at least a quarter lap gap and people on the infield and in the stands were yelling to keep it going. I looked back and THERE WAS NO ONE THERE!!! So I rode like hell and stayed away, 5 to go, 4 to go, Argh, I'm getting tired, but the crowd and Hernando on the mic said to keep going, keep pushing. It"s 3 to go and I'm still away! I get to 2 to go and I'm still away but my legs are starting to turn to cement and I'm sure I'm starting to pedal squares. With 1.5 laps to go I'm nearly blown and the pack starts to attack each other and string out and I'm caught, but I am so damned happy with how I rode.
Cooling down after the race on the warm up circle, the ref who was working the turn 3-4 area told me I rode really, really, really well. (Yes, 3 reallys). Not bad for now. 143 days till Worlds.
Race #1: 20 lap scratch
Oh hell, 20 laps? I have not raced that many laps in probably a year. I remember what Annabell told me last weekend--hang on and it would slow down. It did but then someone attacked and I got gapped a bit (still don't have that jump) but was able to get back on the back of the pack. At 10 laps another attack and my legs were shot. I tried to stand up and sprint but had jello legs. I took a lap and got back in and stayed with the pack until 2 to go. Fininshed a lap down but pretty happy with how I rode
Race #2: 30 lap points
30 laps? Ouch. This one went about the same as the scratch. Stick with the pack as long as possible, get popped, reintegrate, repeat. Ended up down 2 laps but again happy with how I rode.
Very short turn around and they are calling us to the rail. We all look at each other, "Didnt we just race???"
Race #3: 15 lap Win & Out
What a huge variance in pace from the start....fast, slow down, speed up. A big yoyo effect. With 6 laps to go, the field slowed down to a crawl (15 mph?) and everyone moved up track leaving the pole wide open. Hello pole lane! I attacked hard and got a gap! Kenny had told me that I needed to start "Riding it like you stole it." Well, that's what I did. I got at least a quarter lap gap and people on the infield and in the stands were yelling to keep it going. I looked back and THERE WAS NO ONE THERE!!! So I rode like hell and stayed away, 5 to go, 4 to go, Argh, I'm getting tired, but the crowd and Hernando on the mic said to keep going, keep pushing. It"s 3 to go and I'm still away! I get to 2 to go and I'm still away but my legs are starting to turn to cement and I'm sure I'm starting to pedal squares. With 1.5 laps to go I'm nearly blown and the pack starts to attack each other and string out and I'm caught, but I am so damned happy with how I rode.
Cooling down after the race on the warm up circle, the ref who was working the turn 3-4 area told me I rode really, really, really well. (Yes, 3 reallys). Not bad for now. 143 days till Worlds.
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