Track Race Report Thread

vander
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Track Race Report Thread

Postby vander » Sat Nov 05, 2011 10:02 pm

For those of us like me that love talking about their races over and over again to come and share and lighten the burden on partners and families. My girlfriend is so sick of hearing about bikes :) .

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Re: Track Race Report Thread

Postby foo on patrol » Sun Nov 06, 2011 6:58 am

Tell her to get a life then! :lol:

So where is your report? I can't give you one, I have not raced for........hmmmmm.........28years. :shock: :oops:

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Re: Track Race Report Thread

Postby vander » Sun Nov 06, 2011 12:18 pm

OK I will start with a report from last Friday.

Third week on the track and it was INTENSE. Racing at Lidcombe's very fast track with extreme banking :P in C grade. Started off with a bit of a warm up where my legs felt absolutely terrible, can't say why they just felt pretty bad.

First race was a 12 lap scratch. Pace was on from the very start (possibly too early). 2 went off the front right after the whistle and noone decided that they wanted to chase so after about 1/2 a Lap to a lap I decided to bridge it solo (knowing how strong they were). I bridged about 50m on my own and it was tough work but I did it pretty quick as I didnt want to be out in the wind all by myself for long. We worked well together the 3 of us for about 7 or 8 laps. I felt like the pace was dropping a bit and I felt really good so I decided to do a full turn lap on the front (3 laps to go). However in the last few laps the pace had turned on in the main group and at the end of my lap they had bridged (not sure for how long) and then the guys that I was with decided to counterattack again. So I had to lift the pace again after a long time on the front. This hurt a lot. I managed to jump back on them and now there were four of us (I think) off the front. With a lap to go the pace eased up so with about 3/4 to go I moved up to the front and started to lift the pace. With about 200m to go I really upped it then with about 20m to go one of the really strong guys (B/A grader) on the road came around me, ended up second by half a wheel.

Next race was the handicapped wheel race. I had a deal with my mate (who started 10m ahead of me) that we would take off fast and work together for the 3.whatever laps and try and take it out if not I would take it out hard and he would sit in an do the last lap and a half after I burnt myself up. So I take off hard and after about 3/4s of a lap I swing up. I had about 30m to everyone. So I swing back down and keep pushing it into the wind. Then 3/4 of a lap later they come flying past me and I try and jump on the back but didnt manage and was about 15m off the back (guys 40m behind us had the same deal as me and my mate except actually stuck to it). So there was a group of 4 and me 15m off the back and I had no idea where the A graders were. It stayed this way for pretty much the rest of the race they picked it up in the last 200m for a sprint so did I but I was pretty buggered so not much. Ended up coming 5th I think. My mate came 4th as he jumped on that bunch early and just sat there in their slip stream but couldnt out kick them.

3rd Race was a C grade points race and it was extremely tough. The pace was hard the whole way as the endurance guys wanted to hurt the sprinters a bit. Sprints every 3 laps with a 12 lap race. I just rolled around for the first few did my turn when needed and rolled up. Coming into the points lap I was in a good position (second wheel) and decided I was going to win this one. The guy infront of me was strong and started upping the pace and ended up leading it out for the whole lap. I came around him in the sprint and noone came around me, 1st sprint to me, however it took a bit of energy. Next 2 laps went by really quick pace wasnt extreme but I wasnt resting. Second sprint I wasnt in the best position about 5th wheel. So I didnt want to use to much energy but still want to place ended up rolling over in 3rd but getting it took a lot out of me. A guy that didnt place in the first one got 1st so didnt worry me too much. By now I was really tired and the next sprint was upon me before I knew it. The strong B/A grader got second in both the other 2 sprints so when he went I sat on his wheel but he was too strong for me and he ended up taking the thrid sprint and I was in 3rd again (I think). The last sprint I knew if I got points I should be second so I gave it my all (not much left) and ended up coming over the line in 4th with the B/A grader getting first again. Ended up second in the points race and I'm not sure what the gap was like but think it was a bit.

Last race after not much race was a combined race everyone off scratch however A grade just finished a scratch race. I was last off the fence and there were 19 riders infront of me. I told myself I wasnt going to give up. Slowly passing riders as I went every time I would get on the back on the main group they would up it again and give me another few riders to go around to get back on. It kept happening like this till about the last 200 where they took off. I matched it for about 50-100m then looked back and sat up as everyone else had given up. Ended up 5th again behind only 1 C grader (my mate) and 2A and 1 B grader.

Pretty good night not as good results as last week but the guy who won all the C grade races is up to B next week (it was only his second week on the track). So hopefully I can notch up a few wins next week. Very good night and I LOVE track! Now I'm looking at getting a track bike.

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Re: Track Race Report Thread

Postby foo on patrol » Sun Nov 06, 2011 12:30 pm

You're doing ok mate!

Wait till you ride a 50klm points score race and feel the hurt and watch the facial expressions of the sprinters. :twisted:

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Re: Track Race Report Thread

Postby vander » Sun Nov 06, 2011 1:15 pm

foo on patrol wrote:You're doing ok mate!

Wait till you ride a 50klm points score race and feel the hurt and watch the facial expressions of the sprinters. :twisted:

Foo
I am the sprinters :(

I am very very happy with my progress. I have not been on the bike for long and feel I am really coming along well. I think the first scratch race really hurt me. On the track training on wednessday we did flying 200s and I got 13.44 (beat guys that win B grade races) one of the guys timed my 200s in the points race and said I was not even close to it. Its like I wasnt trying my hardest! I think I need to develop the ability to sprint when I have done some work. When/if I can get that it will help me heaps (on the road aswell).

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Re: Track Race Report Thread

Postby foo on patrol » Sun Nov 06, 2011 4:15 pm

Not knowing how old you are Vander, those times are pretty good. :wink:

What sort of training do you do for your sprinting?

I did like making sprinters in the long races suffer! :twisted: Mainly because they could get over me in the shorter races no matter
what or how fast I could sprint. My fastest time for the 200mtrs was 11.2sec but normally around the 12-13sec bracket. :mrgreen:

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Re: Track Race Report Thread

Postby vander » Sun Nov 06, 2011 4:23 pm

foo on patrol wrote:Not knowing how old you are Vander, those times are pretty good. :wink:

What sort of training do you do for your sprinting?

I did like making sprinters in the long races suffer! :twisted: Mainly because they could get over me in the shorter races no matter
what or how fast I could sprint. My fastest time for the 200mtrs was 11.2sec but normally around the 12-13sec bracket. :mrgreen:

Foo
Im 20. Been cycling for about 3 months now and absolutely loving it. What training do I do for sprinting pretty much nothing. I do 1min max efforts but they are more for lifting VO2. I do occasionally have a sprint at the end of a group ride when I can hold on. I cant wait till I can do one at Dunc gray on a proper track and I can actually use banking (at lidcombe there is no use using the banking not enough). There was a kid there (about 16) that said he got 13flat at unc and couldnt get 14.5 at Lidcombe.

I have always been a sprinter. As a kid U did a lot of athletics and I played a lot of AFL. Which ruined my knees. I also did a lot of surf club sprinting in my time. The track training I am doing now is pretty structured and I think I will get to do a fair bit of sprint training there. Outside of that my main aim is to bring up FTP and get proper fit so I can hang on to the end of races and hopefully sometimes get to the end with something left in the tank. No use having a big sprint in D grade need to get fit enough to hold on to A :D .

Any tips that you want to give me will be appreciated :D .

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Re: Track Race Report Thread

Postby Alex Simmons/RST » Sun Nov 06, 2011 4:36 pm

vander wrote:Any tips that you want to give me will be appreciated :D .
Keep working hard for many years and you will take it to the A graders.

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Re: Track Race Report Thread

Postby foo on patrol » Sun Nov 06, 2011 4:43 pm

Like Alex says, so concentrate on building up your fitness and the sprints will come to you! :)

Race as much as you can as this is the best training you can do. :wink:

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Re: Track Race Report Thread

Postby vander » Sun Nov 06, 2011 5:03 pm

I think I will start putting myself up grades so it is tough when I feel I have the bike skills. To try and improve more. Do this even though I wont win will it help me more then winning in lower grades?

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Re: Track Race Report Thread

Postby Alex Simmons/RST » Sun Nov 06, 2011 5:08 pm

vander wrote:I think I will start putting myself up grades so it is tough when I feel I have the bike skills. To try and improve more. Do this even though I wont win will it help me more then winning in lower grades?
It's a double edged sword. You will get pushed harder providing great stimulus for fitness development, but learning to win track races is a skill/art in itself - it's more than just fitness. It's hard to practice the art of winning when your fitness level is inadequate for your grade.

Usually if you are winning at one grade, you will be able to win the next grade up. I would practice how to win, then move up. Unless you are moved up by the handicapper. Once up, you don't get to go back down so easily.

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Re: Track Race Report Thread

Postby vander » Sun Nov 06, 2011 5:24 pm

Alex Simmons/RST wrote: It's a double edged sword. You will get pushed harder providing great stimulus for fitness development, but learning to win track races is a skill/art in itself - it's more than just fitness. It's hard to practice the art of winning when your fitness level is inadequate for your grade.

Usually if you are winning at one grade, you will be able to win the next grade up. I would practice how to win, then move up. Unless you are moved up by the handicapper. Once up, you don't get to go back down so easily.
Thanks Alex. I might stay down till they put me up then. I do think I could mix it with B grade but I dont think I would be close to winning just competing.

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Re: Track Race Report Thread

Postby foo on patrol » Sun Nov 06, 2011 6:58 pm

Take as many wins as you can Vander, in what ever grade you're in. :wink:

It's not about moving up a grade and not winning but getting the experience gained from racing and then putting what you have learned
to use, to win races. :idea:

Ride your handicap races hard, for the full distance and if they want to move you out further say, no thanks. Then again, if they won't take
no for an answer, take the wins and placings. :mrgreen:

Patience is a virtue! :)

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Re: Track Race Report Thread

Postby vander » Sun Nov 06, 2011 7:43 pm

I have never been good at being patient will have to work on it.

Thanks.

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Re: Track Race Report Thread

Postby Alex Simmons/RST » Sun Nov 06, 2011 8:01 pm

vander wrote:Im 20. Been cycling for about 3 months now and absolutely loving it.
vander wrote:I have never been good at being patient will have to work on it.
Clearly :)

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Re: Track Race Report Thread

Postby toppity » Mon Nov 07, 2011 1:09 pm

Alex Simmons/RST wrote:
vander wrote:Im 20. Been cycling for about 3 months now and absolutely loving it.
vander wrote:I have never been good at being patient will have to work on it.
Clearly :)
funny stuff Alex.

Good idea for a thread though. I'd like to hear from some experienced track racers for tips and good reading.
I ride several bicycles, but not at once.

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Re: Track Race Report Thread

Postby mikesbytes » Mon Nov 07, 2011 1:58 pm

Good report Vander. What handicap were you on in the Wheel race?
If the R-1 rule is broken, what happens to N+1?

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Re: Track Race Report Thread

Postby vander » Mon Nov 07, 2011 6:34 pm

mikesbytes wrote:Good report Vander. What handicap were you on in the Wheel race?
200m I have won it and got a second last 2 weeks from 230m. I have a feeling this weeks 200m was a lot harder as I got caught in 1.5 laps.

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Re: Track Race Report Thread

Postby scotto » Wed Nov 09, 2011 12:44 pm

i had a 200 handicap in the "losers wheelrace". 8 (i think) laps of pain only to get passed three times in the last 30m. .

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Re: Track Race Report Thread

Postby vander » Wed Nov 09, 2011 3:10 pm

scotto wrote:i had a 200 handicap in the "losers wheelrace". 8 (i think) laps of pain only to get passed three times in the last 30m. .
Its only 4 Lap for the scratchies. But they are long laps.

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Re: Track Race Report Thread

Postby vander » Wed Nov 09, 2011 10:19 pm

Changed my gears down to a 88.2 Inch (49-15) and felt very fast :). Did 2 timed flying 200s one at the start where I had to pull up a little cause I thought someone was going to drop in on me (only briefly) and still got 13.62. Then one at the end of the session and got 14.0something. Felt really good on the smaller gear though sitting in a group was slightly harder.
Also because of exams that was on no dinner and 4 hours sleep. I think I can do a lot better fresh. Cant wait to test it again in a month or so and see what I can get it to. Dropping gears was a good idea I feel really fast :D . Now to get my own bike :D

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Re: Track Race Report Thread

Postby foo on patrol » Thu Nov 10, 2011 9:14 am

Good to hear Vander. Why did it feel harder in the bunch? :?

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Re: Track Race Report Thread

Postby vander » Thu Nov 10, 2011 10:25 am

foo on patrol wrote:Good to hear Vander. Why did it feel harder in the bunch? :?

Foo
Not sure if it was just the pace but it was just a paceline that we slowly kept increasing the speed of. In the end we were doing a pretty good pace and my cadence was a lot higher then I would have it on the road, I just think it will take some getting used to.

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Re: Track Race Report Thread

Postby foo on patrol » Thu Nov 10, 2011 1:34 pm

Ah ok, it could be that you weren't used to spinning at this speed and you had to work a little harder to maintain the pace. Was it day or night?
As this used to have a bearing on what gear I rode. Smaller through the day and bigger at night. :mrgreen:

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Re: Track Race Report Thread

Postby vander » Thu Nov 10, 2011 1:56 pm

foo on patrol wrote:Ah ok, it could be that you weren't used to spinning at this speed and you had to work a little harder to maintain the pace. Was it day or night?
As this used to have a bearing on what gear I rode. Smaller through the day and bigger at night. :mrgreen:

Foo
It was at night. Only ever get to ride track at night. Im not unhappy with the gear will just take a little to get used to but when I do I feel I will be a lot faster.

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