Today I went on one of the general recruiting rides for women cyclists. The idea is to have all of the local women's race teams represented and let new riders meet everybody at once. I represented my team the past two weeks. There are four rides total, all on Sundays. The rides are very interesting because you meet all sorts of riders with different backgrounds but all wanting to find out more about racing.
It's difficult to sum up why my team is different than the other teams in a few words. Mostly it's the size and the race focus. Because we have a smaller group of riders we can more closely interact with new riders. We build their skills and get them strong and confident before their first race. The other teams have larger groups but not everybody races. Some of the other teams are more of a club atmosphere. We look for riders who really want to race and are training through the winter with that goal. Our training rides focus on racing skills and building a strong base to anchor training later on in the season. We also have some really strong riders that know the kind of training needed to go fast. Training with fast people is the way to get faster. We have a relaxed fun atmosphere that is less rigid than the sturcted organization of some of the other teams.
So I tried to find out what each person was looking for and tell them about my team during a ride with 40 or so women who I hadn't ridden with before. It's fun but draining. I hope some of them will join my team because I'm excited to mentor new riders and pass on my love of bike racing.
At the half-way point we stopped at the rest rooms and I just happened to see one of my old teammates, Jennie, out riding with one of the local teams. It was great to see her again. I remember when she started cycling! Maybe one of the riders starting today will make it to the top like Jennie.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Saturday Ride around the North End
Saturday I took a relaxed ride around the north end of Lake Washington with my team. It was a beautiful day. The best part of the ride was when one of the riders had some friends cheering for us on the route. We were riding through Kirkland and I saw her on her phone as we were riding. I thought maybe she was going to have somebody meet us but she explained that some friends with kids love to watch her ride by and cheer so she was telling them when we would be riding by. So as we were climbing the hill a few minutes later I saw the family with three kids wildly cheering for us. I high five-ed one of the boys as we rode by. It was so cool. I felt inspired by their energy. It was a perfect day for riding too.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Fender time already!
I showed up for the Saturday ride and it was raining. There is a big cross race today so I only had one teammate to ride with. While we were in the coffee shop before the ride we convinced the Cucina Fresca team to ride with us. So there were 6 of us instead of 2. It was nice to have company in the rain. The bad thing was that I didn't have a fender on my bike yet. I thought I could get through October without putting it on but I was the only one on the ride without one. I felt bad because the person behind you really gets sprayed by the puddles if you don't have a fender with a buddy flap. It rained the whole time but not too hard. I noticed that a lot of the cars had their headlights on though. One of the Cucina Fresca riders said that he could tell I was a track rider because of my smooth pedal stroke. That made my day!
On Wednesday I rode the rollers again. I am getting a little more brave but they are scary since nothing is holding you down. I went 20 minutes with some modest spin-ups. I lifted weights too and was quite sore the next day.
On Wednesday I rode the rollers again. I am getting a little more brave but they are scary since nothing is holding you down. I went 20 minutes with some modest spin-ups. I lifted weights too and was quite sore the next day.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Happieness and Sadness
This week was a tough week. We got the news that my good friend Jen lost her husband in a tragic rock climbing accident. We raced on Wednesday but with heavy hearts. Yesterday Jen came out to the track to watch with her dog. We paid tribute to her husband, Ryan who had helped out at the velodrome and was a fan. On Sunday there will be a service to celebrate his life. Our prayers are with her and I hope that the spirit of the bike racing community will help her heal and make it through.
It was also a time to reflect on the past year and how great a season it was for bike racing. Mark and I had more fun this year than ever before. The racing was great and the camaraderie was even better. We are looking forward to more years of fun at the track.
Wednesday night I got to race my new bike with the guys. It worked great but it really responds fast and I have to get used to how it handles in a pack. I raced a little conservatively just to be safe. I came really close to getting the first sprint in the snowball race. The power of the bike allowed me to keep up a pace I couldn't have with the old bike. I got to watch the old bike race too though since I sold it to Mark's teammate and she raced it the same night. I was happy to see it get immediate use. I hope she gets as much fun out of it as I did.
I raced the new bike again on Friday. I was really tired from the emotional week. I also started French classes this week which were on Tuesday and Thursday. I had to do homework at lunch on Wednesday because I didn't have any other time.
The new bike is a great fit but it is very different from the old bike so it uses my muscles differently. So I would have great power for a short period of time. I will ride it a lot on the rollers in the winter to get conditioned for next year.
The first race of the night was a scratch race. I didn't do that great but it was fun to see my friend Jane win it. The next race was a miss-and-out. Annette raced it with me and rode strong on the inside. I stayed right next to her until one of the riders came around me. Then I had to back out quickly and come around on the outside before I got swamped. It worked for that lap but the next lap I was on the back and I let one of the riders get by me and I got boxed. Annette did great and won the race. She was able to give me some valuable insights after the race on how to hold your position.
The last race was a points race and I was able to take the first set of points but then I got really tired and wasn't able to get any of the other sprints. I think everybody raced well and it was a good night to end on. Afterwards they had a celebration and passed out prizes for the season. I think I was about in 6th place for the year - just out of the prizes which went 5 deep. Not bad but just wait...
It was also a time to reflect on the past year and how great a season it was for bike racing. Mark and I had more fun this year than ever before. The racing was great and the camaraderie was even better. We are looking forward to more years of fun at the track.
Wednesday night I got to race my new bike with the guys. It worked great but it really responds fast and I have to get used to how it handles in a pack. I raced a little conservatively just to be safe. I came really close to getting the first sprint in the snowball race. The power of the bike allowed me to keep up a pace I couldn't have with the old bike. I got to watch the old bike race too though since I sold it to Mark's teammate and she raced it the same night. I was happy to see it get immediate use. I hope she gets as much fun out of it as I did.
I raced the new bike again on Friday. I was really tired from the emotional week. I also started French classes this week which were on Tuesday and Thursday. I had to do homework at lunch on Wednesday because I didn't have any other time.
The new bike is a great fit but it is very different from the old bike so it uses my muscles differently. So I would have great power for a short period of time. I will ride it a lot on the rollers in the winter to get conditioned for next year.
The first race of the night was a scratch race. I didn't do that great but it was fun to see my friend Jane win it. The next race was a miss-and-out. Annette raced it with me and rode strong on the inside. I stayed right next to her until one of the riders came around me. Then I had to back out quickly and come around on the outside before I got swamped. It worked for that lap but the next lap I was on the back and I let one of the riders get by me and I got boxed. Annette did great and won the race. She was able to give me some valuable insights after the race on how to hold your position.
The last race was a points race and I was able to take the first set of points but then I got really tired and wasn't able to get any of the other sprints. I think everybody raced well and it was a good night to end on. Afterwards they had a celebration and passed out prizes for the season. I think I was about in 6th place for the year - just out of the prizes which went 5 deep. Not bad but just wait...
Sunday, September 7, 2008
New Bike!
New bike!!!!
Annette sold me her old bike and I rode it on the track today. Boy does it ride nice. It is amazing. I can't wait to race it.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
gearing down
Last night I finally geared down to a 50x15. I have been pushing a bigger gear and I've really liked it so I was reluctant to try a small gear because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to stay with the group. I think I like the smaller gear now though.
Our first race was a win-and-out. These have always been pretty tough for me since the pace goes high and stays there. I finished somewhere near the back and I was thinking the small gear was going to be harder for me.
The next race was a Keirin heat. I drew first position which means I got the motor. It was the first time on the motor for me. I had no problem moving up to it, the only problem was that I felt I was going to run over it. I need to do some motor pacing so I can feel confident getting really close. The motor pulled off with 1-1/2 laps to go. I surged a little and one rider came around but I was able to hold off the next rider to advance to the final heat. There were only 4 of us in the final. I did not get the motor this time and felt that I could just sit on the wheels. The motor pulled off and the two strong riders slowed way down. I knew this was a disadvantage for me because they both have better jumps so I tried to keep rolling down on the inside. They jumped hard and gapped me, but I was able to just barely out-sprint the 4th rider to take third. My best placing in a Keirin.
The last race of the night for me was a points race. After some early "shenanigans" by the women the real race started. There were a lot of primes in the race so it kept the pace up. I got one prime early on but was not close on the others. In the final sprint though I either got 3rd or 4th. I was excited to place well and felt that the smaller gear helped me. Annette watched the race and said she thought it was easier for me to get on top of the gear in the sprint. I think I'll stick with the smaller gear now.
The last race of the night was the Cat 2 men's madison. Mark just got the upgrade to Cat 2 and got to jump right into the premier event, the Madison. He paired up with a guy from the Old Town team and practiced exchanges during warm-up. After the race I asked him how he liked it and he said it was the funnest track race he had ever done.
Our first race was a win-and-out. These have always been pretty tough for me since the pace goes high and stays there. I finished somewhere near the back and I was thinking the small gear was going to be harder for me.
The next race was a Keirin heat. I drew first position which means I got the motor. It was the first time on the motor for me. I had no problem moving up to it, the only problem was that I felt I was going to run over it. I need to do some motor pacing so I can feel confident getting really close. The motor pulled off with 1-1/2 laps to go. I surged a little and one rider came around but I was able to hold off the next rider to advance to the final heat. There were only 4 of us in the final. I did not get the motor this time and felt that I could just sit on the wheels. The motor pulled off and the two strong riders slowed way down. I knew this was a disadvantage for me because they both have better jumps so I tried to keep rolling down on the inside. They jumped hard and gapped me, but I was able to just barely out-sprint the 4th rider to take third. My best placing in a Keirin.
The last race of the night for me was a points race. After some early "shenanigans" by the women the real race started. There were a lot of primes in the race so it kept the pace up. I got one prime early on but was not close on the others. In the final sprint though I either got 3rd or 4th. I was excited to place well and felt that the smaller gear helped me. Annette watched the race and said she thought it was easier for me to get on top of the gear in the sprint. I think I'll stick with the smaller gear now.
The last race of the night was the Cat 2 men's madison. Mark just got the upgrade to Cat 2 and got to jump right into the premier event, the Madison. He paired up with a guy from the Old Town team and practiced exchanges during warm-up. After the race I asked him how he liked it and he said it was the funnest track race he had ever done.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Wednesday Night - Marymoor Velodrome
The cat 4's were fast last night. I raced with the men's 4's again and they were split into two fields. It was sunny, so attendance was fairly good considering it's so close to the end of the season. One of the guys in my group was a cat 2 on the road and won every race without much trouble. The rest of us tried to hang on once he went for it.
The first race was a point-a-lap. I got split off of the main group when the pace increased but so did quite a few others. The next race, the win-and-out, went about the same. In the last race, the points race, I went for an attack 1-lap before the first points. I went intentionally when I saw the fast guy on the front because I was gambling that he wouldn't feel threatened by me and wouldn't chase. As I attacked down the banking I heard someone yell "let it go" but the other guys in the pack weren't going to risk losing points and were right on it. They caught me and I hung on as the pace ramped up for the sprint for points. I really had to dig deep to avoid getting dropped. I felt like I pushed my legs beyond a barrier and was able to get more power out of them. It was great! Now I just need to remember how to do that for the women's race! I hung on until about the last three laps in the race. At that point the group was completely shattered and I was passing lapped riders. One of these days I'm going to stay away for points!
The first race was a point-a-lap. I got split off of the main group when the pace increased but so did quite a few others. The next race, the win-and-out, went about the same. In the last race, the points race, I went for an attack 1-lap before the first points. I went intentionally when I saw the fast guy on the front because I was gambling that he wouldn't feel threatened by me and wouldn't chase. As I attacked down the banking I heard someone yell "let it go" but the other guys in the pack weren't going to risk losing points and were right on it. They caught me and I hung on as the pace ramped up for the sprint for points. I really had to dig deep to avoid getting dropped. I felt like I pushed my legs beyond a barrier and was able to get more power out of them. It was great! Now I just need to remember how to do that for the women's race! I hung on until about the last three laps in the race. At that point the group was completely shattered and I was passing lapped riders. One of these days I'm going to stay away for points!
Monday, September 1, 2008
Blackberry Crit
I wasn't originally going to go to this race. It's the last race of the season and Bremerton sounds like a long way from here. I knew you had to take a ferry to get there so I figured it was too much of a hassle. But then I was talking to other racers and they said it was a great race and you could get there by bike.
I was skeptical but decided to try it out anyway. It was only about a 30 minute ride from my house to the ferry. When I got there I saw a bunch of other racers already in their kits waiting to load. I saw quite a few of the track racers and we got a chance to chat. The ferry ride was long, about an hour, but it beat driving. It was a beautiful day and we saw about five seals in the water. I rode the ferry with my teammate Brenda who was doing her first bike race with the faster category women. We exited the ferry with about 20-30 racers and rode in a peloton to the race course. It was a fun way to arrive. You could feel everybody watching the group trying to pick out who would be racing next.
We started off the race and I got an OK start, but not great. Then I realized I was right behind Gina. I knew this was a good place because it doesn't take Gina long to attack. Sure enough just as soon as that went through my head, Gina is going up the side, fast, and I am with her. We round the corner and Gina underestimated our speed just a bit and hit the barriers on the far side of the turn. I got a good jolt of adrenalin but she handled it fine and didn't go down. We came around the start with a small gap as I heard the announcer say "and three riders are making a move already". It was fun but didn't last long. We were swallowed up in the pack. I was on the back resting for a while and then came up towards the front again but I must have moved up too fast because all of a sudden the pace jumped and the riders were in a single file. I couldn't keep up the pace and went off the back. It was too bad because we were only 15 minutes into the race. The group came around I got back in the back but was not allowed to go for points since I was lapped. It was frustrating because I felt pretty strong. Next time I just have to hang on during the rough parts. All in all I really liked the course. It was a bit of a roller coaster with ups and downs. The hills were fine because you could get good momentum going into them.
It was my last road race of the season and I wish I had ridden stronger but it was still fun. My teammate Brenda was very excited to survive her first race with the upper category riders!
I have a few more track races left and then will be in off-season mode.
I have a bunch of things to work on during the off-season. I want to be more flexible and have a stronger core muscles. Today I rode rollers which are supposed to smooth out your pedaling. 20 minutes! It was hard because the balance is tricky and it feels like you are going to wipe out.
I am having a four-leaf clover streak. If you want one just ask me. I have a lot now! I just looked down for a second today and saw one.
I was skeptical but decided to try it out anyway. It was only about a 30 minute ride from my house to the ferry. When I got there I saw a bunch of other racers already in their kits waiting to load. I saw quite a few of the track racers and we got a chance to chat. The ferry ride was long, about an hour, but it beat driving. It was a beautiful day and we saw about five seals in the water. I rode the ferry with my teammate Brenda who was doing her first bike race with the faster category women. We exited the ferry with about 20-30 racers and rode in a peloton to the race course. It was a fun way to arrive. You could feel everybody watching the group trying to pick out who would be racing next.
We started off the race and I got an OK start, but not great. Then I realized I was right behind Gina. I knew this was a good place because it doesn't take Gina long to attack. Sure enough just as soon as that went through my head, Gina is going up the side, fast, and I am with her. We round the corner and Gina underestimated our speed just a bit and hit the barriers on the far side of the turn. I got a good jolt of adrenalin but she handled it fine and didn't go down. We came around the start with a small gap as I heard the announcer say "and three riders are making a move already". It was fun but didn't last long. We were swallowed up in the pack. I was on the back resting for a while and then came up towards the front again but I must have moved up too fast because all of a sudden the pace jumped and the riders were in a single file. I couldn't keep up the pace and went off the back. It was too bad because we were only 15 minutes into the race. The group came around I got back in the back but was not allowed to go for points since I was lapped. It was frustrating because I felt pretty strong. Next time I just have to hang on during the rough parts. All in all I really liked the course. It was a bit of a roller coaster with ups and downs. The hills were fine because you could get good momentum going into them.
It was my last road race of the season and I wish I had ridden stronger but it was still fun. My teammate Brenda was very excited to survive her first race with the upper category riders!
I have a few more track races left and then will be in off-season mode.
I have a bunch of things to work on during the off-season. I want to be more flexible and have a stronger core muscles. Today I rode rollers which are supposed to smooth out your pedaling. 20 minutes! It was hard because the balance is tricky and it feels like you are going to wipe out.
I am having a four-leaf clover streak. If you want one just ask me. I have a lot now! I just looked down for a second today and saw one.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
