Racing Updates

I forgot to update on the Cargas Criterium from last weekend, but it didn't go so well so my subconscious must have purposely made me forget to update. Basically I was doing well the first few laps, started having some pains so backed off a little to ride with someone else. Then I had this huge back pain in my upper left back under my shoulder blade, and every time I took a breath I got this sharp shooting pain, like someone was stabbing me in the back (not that I would know what that feels like literally). I ended up just dropping out for my own safety. I did just come off of a 6 week break from any real training, and a cold/sinus infection a few days prior, so that could have played a part.

Earlier today, however, I was at the velodrome for 3 races; 2k Scratch, 3k Point-a-lap and an unknown distance race. God I hate those unknown distance!

The 2k scratch race went ok, but man the field I was racing with was so shaky! I've never felt so nervous during a race and nearly got wiped out like 3 or 4 occassions by either someone in front of me cutting me off without looking or on one occassion someone to the right of me coming into me. Then on one occassion there were these two riders in front of me and I thought for sure this shady guy was going to take out the other, resulting in me running over them and crashing since I would not have had time to react.

3K Point-a-lap was pretty good though. This time I didn't care for getting any points, I was still kind of shaken up from the first race that I just wanted to survive. The field split up in the last K (3 laps) and I thought the four of us riding together were going to sprint for something like 9 or 10th place. I was the last rider of the four of us coming through the first turn of the last lap. on the back stretch i gunned it and went right by the two in front of me, but the guy in front wanted to sprint it out with me coming out of the last turn, and I gunned it with all I had, beating him by just inches.

The unknown distance race: I had nothing left in me by this race and as much as I tried, I could not keep with the field after 4 laps or so. I ended up getting lapped and pulled myself out of the race.

Then I got some good news. My dad had come into the in field to meet me while I packed up to leave the track and head back to my car. I asked him "What place were we fighting for in that second [3k point-a-lap] race?" He said "oh, I'm pretty sure it was fourth place". I didn't think that was right, because I knew there were at least three off the front, and I could have sworn there was another small field behind them and in front of us. He was pretty hard-nosed (it's a word, look it up!) with his words, saying that there was only a few off the front and we were the next field to cross the line. After a back and forth debate, I went to check with Ben, the guy with the results and he told me I finished the race (points-wise) in 5th place. So my dad might have been right with the 4th place over the finish line, and then after the point were totalled up I only had 1 point, which I did not expect at all, placing me 5th overall.

So, it was a good day for me. I'm feeling a lot better and more confident on the track. I got two weeks before my next track racing, due to 4th of July next weekend and a friend's wedding the following weekend. I'm going to debate upon either upgrading to 4 or staying in 5 for another race during these two weeks.

Unless I don't say anything until then, Happy 4th of July!

Full Day of Racing, Weather Permitting

Tomorrow is a busy day for me, depending on the weather.

In the morning I'm heading to Phoenixville, Rain or Shine, for the Phonenixville Criterium. I plan to be there prior to 7:00 for the race at 8:00. No real plan except to just do what I've done at Penn State. Stay towards the front, if there are any primes, go for the first one to get some points, etc. Just not crash this time obviously. Reason I chose to go rain or shine is because if it rains, the field will decrease probably in number and the speed of the race will be a little slower, which is better for me. My biggest fear is the inexperienced riders that may not have any experience riding or racing in the rain, and will cause crashes. Fingers crossed!

After the race, I may head to T-town for some more track racing. This, however, is dependent on the weather. If it rains, races will automatically be canceled even if it's just a slight rain. Since we never get to know the race events ahead of time, I can't really come up with any plans.

Now I must head to bed, getting a late start for the night already, ugh! I'll post tomorrow night!

Track and Camp

Had my third set of track racing today. Didn't go so well.

Woke up feeling a little sick (my brother got sick last week and must have given it to me or something). It showed in the first race, I was feeling like crap and pulled myself 7 laps into a 9 lap race (3k scratch) because I felt like I was going to throw up.

Second race, a 4k Points Race (points every 3 laps). No details for this except that I got lapped and didn't get to finish.

Rain hit us hard and for a while, and they cancelled the rest of the races so I didn't get to do the last race, which was a 7 lap Snowball. This race starts off with a free lap, then every race is worth one point more than the previous lap, with the first lap being worth one point. I was trying to get myself ready for this one, and wanted to go in my 49x14, my largest gear, cause I wanted to attack on the very first lap and try to get the first three laps to total up 6 points and then try to finish top 5 in the last lap for more points (7-5-3-2-1 or something like that for top 5).

Had a bad day, so instead of upgrading as I had hoped to, I'm just going to say that I'll be Cat 5 until I'm ready, at which point I will post when I do upgrade. Not sure if I'm racing next weekend, might take two weeks off to train harder.

Tomorrow I leave for the Mid-Atlantic Regional Road Camp that I am assisting the Camp Director as the final puzzle piece to my internship. I'm am excited. I don't know how much, if any riding I will be doing. Ray did say I may get to ride, so I am taking my road bike with me. This will determine if I race next weekend at the track or not. If I'm just driving the follow van all week and not getting any riding done, then most likely no racing next weekend.

Have a good week!

2nd T-Town Racing

Just left the velodrome and now am sitting in a Barnes and Noble waiting to have my hair cut in about 30 minutes. Then off to the beach for a week of vacationing!

So todat started off a little bad for me. I was on the track with my 48x15 (currently my smallest gear) during warmup. I went back to my stuff to put on my 49t chainring that I had just bought on Thursday. I couldn't get it on, the chain was too short for me. I went around looking for ANYONE who may have an extra link or two so I could race with a 49x15. After failing at first, I went back to put on a 48x14 for the day. After putting that on and riding around, I found someone who had some extra links so I grabbed a few to put on my bike. I had about 20 minutes left before my first race of the day, which is enough time............. when you do things right.

I put on the chain and was having some problems, so I called over my team's coach who took my chain and called me an idiot (not really, I called myself an idiot but would have been well deserved if he did) because I put a "loop" in the chain (hard to explain, but the chain could not straighten out). At this point the Cat 5 guys were already lining up with the race to start soon, so I knew I wasn't getting on there for the 3k scratch race. I was able to fix up my chain and everything to ride my 49x15 for the rest of the races.

The next race was a 3k win and out. The sprint laps were 3 and 6, with the finish at 9 laps. I did ok in this race, I tried to go for the wins of the 3rd and 6th lap unsuccessfully, and had a decent finish in a sprint for like 10th place or something.

The final race of the day was an Unknown Distance, just like my last race I did two weeks ago. I was a little nervous because I didn't know if I'd hear the bell this time or not. I actually did hear it this time, and had a decent finish again, no more than 10th place I would think.

I'm getting better. I decided I'm going to stay in Cat 5 for one more week, and just try to get some good results next weekend after my vacation. If I can finish good in all of my races, then I'll be ready for Cat 4. They did the Miss and Out in Cat 4 today, which is one of my favorite races on the track. I wish I did it with them, I could have done well.

Now I must go pack up and head out to my car before going in for my haircut. Then it's off to the beach! And guess what is coming with me? MY ROAD BIKE! I got it back yesterday and cannot wait to ride it. Probably going to do an early morning recovery ride tomorrow.

Several Updates

With my bike expected to be back in my possession in the next day or two (hopefully before I go on vacation on Saturday), I've updated my "2009 Races I Plan to Do" list to the right. There's a lot of races, which I'm glad about. I just need to find a job SOON so I can afford these.

I've been on the track a lot the last few weeks, and I'm heading back for another "Rookies and Masters" series this Saturday before heading to the east coast for some sun and beach. Then I'll be back the following Saturday for another track racing day.

Next week, while on vacation, I'll be pretty restricted to just flat roads with very little stop signs and lights. I'm guessing for getting back onto the road bike after a 4 week break this wouldn't be a bad thing, to just do sprints and standing starts to prepare for the following weekend's racing.

The following week (after vacation) is the Junior Road Development camp that is to be held at my now-alma mater, DeSales University. As an extension to my internship, I will be assisting my supervisor, the camp manager/director, in the operation of the week-long camp. I'm excited and cannot wait (in addition to my excitement for a week-long vacation that I haven't enjoyed in years due to school and family obligations)!!

So there you have it, my updates. Please comment on my blog, I feel like no one's reading my blog posts anymore haha. There is the option to post anonymously so you don't need a gmail account to post!!!

T-Town Bonanza

The Cat 5 races on the schedule for today were:
2 KM Scratch race
3 Km Point-a-Lap race
Unknown Distance race

2 KM (6 laps) Scratch
This race went fine. I found out that I'm in too small of a gear (48x15) when I felt like I was spinning too fast, as confirmed by Kim who showed up to watch the race. Anyways, I was towards the front for most of the race, but at the end when everyone started sprinting, I just couldn't match up to them because of my small gearing. It also just wasn't a good day fitness-wise.

3 KM (9 laps) Point-a-Lap
I remember doing these in the training classes I've done the last two summers, but I think it was in a different format. For today, one point would go to the first rider to past the finish line on each lap, and the final lap would go 3-2-1 points for the top three finishers, respectfully. After our free lap and the bell went off, I gunned it with another rider, and we got a bit of a gap from the field. I was thinking about whether I should pass him on the 3rd and 4th turn to go for the single point, or let him have it and go for the second lap's point. I let him have the first lap and on the back stretch he slowed down a bit so I gunned it passed him just before the 3rd turn, and coming out of the 4th turn I thought I was by myself. Another rider somehow caught up to us whenever and he beat me to the finish line on the second lap. I was so disappointed. After another lap I took myself out of the race when I was felt like I was running on empty and felt I should reserve myself fro the last race. Kim, who is my coach, wanted to yell at me but she said it was taking every fiber in her body not to flip out. I guess I made the wrong choice........

Unknown Distance Race
I don't know how many laps we did, but it was between 10 and 15 laps I think. I stayed with the field for most of the race, and felt pretty good. However, because of my hearing-impairment I could not hear the bell ringing, thus I didn't know when we were on the last lap. Until I realized we were by everyone sprinting like crazy, it was too late for me. In the future, for these kind of races, I'm going to ask the officials to use the gun to signal the last lap, or if they could do some sort of visual method for letting me know the last lap.

So, my first track racing experience didn't go too bad. I just wish I got some more training on the track in the last month or so, but I was too focused on the collegiate cycling (which you can't blame me for).

I can't race next Saturday's races as I'm going to a referee clinic, but I definitely am planning on making June 6th. That gives me two weeks, so I hope starting Monday I can get some serious training in, probably 2 or 3 times a week. Build my leg and fitness up a bit before the next race I can make. Road bike is still at Trek which sucks... I'm actually fixing my MTB just to get out on the road again soon!

Track Racing begins TOMORROW!

The moment is here. I have been waiting a long time for this! I officially make my debut to track racing tomorrow at about 12:00. The Rookies and Masters race series for the 2009 summer season begins in less than 24 hours at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center (formally Lehigh Valley Velodrome in Trexlertown, PA!

I don't feel in my best fitness at the moment (due to my road bike still being in the shop) but I was on the track several times in the last few weeks and am ready regardless of my fitness level. I'm nervous of course, since I do not know what to expect as to the experience and level of the other riders in my field. I'm starting out at Cat 5, but I believe after this weekend, unless I do extremely bad, that I will be upgrading to Cat 4 due to my past experiences on the track.

So, since I do not know the itinerary for tomorrow since I won't see it until I get there, I cannot come up with a game plan. So I'm just going to leave this post as it is. Expect a post-race report tomorrow night or Sunday.

Masters and Rookies series race schedule:
http://www.thevelodrome.com/mastersandrookies.php

Until next time...