First Race :)

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brades68
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Location: Rockhampton, CQ

First Race :)

Postby brades68 » Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:47 am

Hi all,
The Rockhampton Cycling Club had a "come and try day" at the Kenrick Tucker Velodrome a few weeks ago and a bloke i know encouraged me to have a crack. What a buzz! :D
A few training sessions later, i rolled up for my first race - only a D Grade - until i get the hang of it then step up to C Grade. The night of racing included;
  • Scratch Race
    Lap dash handicap
    2 lap Handicap (i was off 10m)
    Motor paced Scratch race of 12 laps
i have no idea if i placed anywhere in any race, maybe 2nd, 3rd or 4th in the last - throw a blanket over us - but had an absolute ball. Is track racing addictive???
I've also order a Trek TK3 (one of the few brands to make a 60cm so it seems) and it should arrive early next week, hopefully tomorrow so i can use it tomorrow night.

So far i've learnt it's about 60% tactics and 40% brute strength :D
Any tips welcome

Cheers
Mick
n = Specialized Tarmac SL4 (racing!), 89 Specialised (more info to come)
n + 1 = Felt TK3 (track - woohoo)

Ozkaban
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Location: Sydney

First Race :)

Postby Ozkaban » Thu Oct 20, 2011 8:30 pm

Sounds fun. I've never done it myself, but interested to hear how people go starting out.

Cheers,
Dave

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bigfriendlyvegan
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Re: First Race :)

Postby bigfriendlyvegan » Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:46 am

brades68 wrote: Is track racing addictive???
YES!!!

I went to watch an outside track night at my local club and was captivated by it. I signed up for a license and was racing the next week. I haven't missed a Friday night since. I've dragged other people along to try it out and now I get beaten by them. Welcome to the sickness.

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foo on patrol
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Re: First Race :)

Postby foo on patrol » Fri Oct 21, 2011 6:01 am

Hi Brades,

Position, position, position and then power and speed. :mrgreen:

There is no better advice than to get yourself fit and watch the experienced blokes, on how they position themselves.

Don't be in a hurry to go up a grade until you have learnt some of the basic things eg; sitting a wheel knowing when and how to chase
a break away, where to swing up and drop back onto the pack for the least amount of effort and who to sit on when the sprint comes. :wink:

Training on both road and track is critical for best out comes and the best training is racing. Always ride the handicap races flat out to build you strength
up, unless you have picked out an event, that you would like to win and ride smart. :idea:

Most of all.......enjoy it! 8)

Foo
I don't suffer fools easily and so long as you have done your best,you should have no regrets.
Goal 6000km

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brades68
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Location: Rockhampton, CQ

Re: First Race :)

Postby brades68 » Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:40 pm

Here she is :D
Image

Also posted in the Bike Gallery - apologies for the double post

Cheers
Mick
n = Specialized Tarmac SL4 (racing!), 89 Specialised (more info to come)
n + 1 = Felt TK3 (track - woohoo)

toppity
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Joined: Tue Aug 10, 2010 10:08 am
Location: West Gippsland, Victoria

Re: First Race :)

Postby toppity » Sat Oct 22, 2011 8:15 am

very nice. Now for some photos of you going around on it.
I ride several bicycles, but not at once.

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brades68
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Location: Rockhampton, CQ

Re: First Race :)

Postby brades68 » Mon Oct 31, 2011 10:19 am

The handicapper was generous on Friday night, helping me to 2 wins. If i keep that up, i'll be in C Grade before i know it!!

I'm loving this

Cheers
Mick
n = Specialized Tarmac SL4 (racing!), 89 Specialised (more info to come)
n + 1 = Felt TK3 (track - woohoo)

toppity
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Joined: Tue Aug 10, 2010 10:08 am
Location: West Gippsland, Victoria

Re: First Race :)

Postby toppity » Mon Oct 31, 2011 12:11 pm

well done Mick. :D
I ride several bicycles, but not at once.

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brades68
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Location: Rockhampton, CQ

Re: First Race :)

Postby brades68 » Thu Nov 24, 2011 9:49 am

Following the theme of race reports, here begins my little contribution as a noobie to the addictive world of track.

Raced last friday night - D Grade - won three events and got smashed on the last when i got bumped to C Grade.
First event was a flying 200m, won by 0.09 sec (15.24). This was my second flying 200, and i tell you what i learnt so much watching the higher grades power around. Top time for the night was 10.bugger all :shock:
Second was a 6 lap Scratch - just scraped in the win
Third was a 1 lap dash handicap - again just scraped in
Finally in C Grade - 12 lap Scratch (changed at last minute from 20 lap points race) with about a dozen riders, wound up on the back coming into last lap (tactics were not applied at all by me!) and missed the jump. They went a bit earlier than D grade , but great learnings taken on board.

Some stats - top speed 49.8km/hr (running 48 x 15 - 86 gear inches i think)
Max HR - 182bpm. Not bad for a 43yro, 98kg lump.

Simulated racing this friday night, a lot of riders and officials in Townsville for the Townsville Cup

Cheers
Mick
n = Specialized Tarmac SL4 (racing!), 89 Specialised (more info to come)
n + 1 = Felt TK3 (track - woohoo)

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foo on patrol
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Re: First Race :)

Postby foo on patrol » Thu Nov 24, 2011 1:13 pm

Good effort there Brades. 8)

By watching the experienced riders on where and how they approach things, it can point you in the right direction. :wink:

Foo
I don't suffer fools easily and so long as you have done your best,you should have no regrets.
Goal 6000km

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brades68
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Location: Rockhampton, CQ

Re: First Race :)

Postby brades68 » Sat Nov 26, 2011 2:56 pm

ok, wasn't so much simulated racing but more of a training session with about 15 of us all up, mixed grades. We practiced turns (1/2 lap and 1/4 lap) off the front up to the Madison Line, then back onto the back (as you'd expect) for 20 laps, an Italian Pursuit - holy crap! i was third wheel, that's tough stuff :shock:, give my mate a crack on my bike for a 10 lapper. We finished with a 'warm' down of 15 laps. Trouble was, i run out of puff in 20 laps, dropping down after about 12 laps at 35-40km, and same with the warm down - how 35km/hr is a warm down :?

i did get a lot out of the session, always good to listen to those who know what they are talking about

what should i focus training on to improve my fitness, i'd love to complete 20 laps at the speeds we where doing? Am i being too keen?

Cheers
Mick
n = Specialized Tarmac SL4 (racing!), 89 Specialised (more info to come)
n + 1 = Felt TK3 (track - woohoo)

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foo on patrol
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Re: First Race :)

Postby foo on patrol » Sat Nov 26, 2011 3:51 pm

Only way you're going to get better and faster is to do the miles on the road of a morning (30/40Ks) and of an afternoon do your speed work on the track.
The track work I used to do would consist of..... 20 lap warm up and sprint, then do laps with mystery sprints thrown in. Generally 20-30 laps like this and some standing starts and flying 200mtr sprints. :idea:

Tuesdays and Thursdays were the hard days on the track and I would chase a motorbike around the velodrome for extra speed work. 8)

Friday mornings ride would be a lot gentler but we still did the 30/40Ks before work. Then race Friday night if racing Sunday or if there was a two day carnival
on, then there would be nothing Friday night.

Just pick out some of the things, that we used to do for a start, until you get a bit more conditioning into your legs. It will take 2/3yrs for things to start happening for you so that it feels like second nature. Enjoy the ride. :mrgreen:

Foo
I don't suffer fools easily and so long as you have done your best,you should have no regrets.
Goal 6000km

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brades68
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Joined: Sun Feb 07, 2010 9:05 pm
Location: Rockhampton, CQ

Re: First Race :)

Postby brades68 » Sun Nov 27, 2011 10:00 am

Thanks Foo, appreciate the advice. I'll be stepping up from the beginners training session to the harder session which can only help.
More time on the bike = happy days :D

Cheers
Mick
n = Specialized Tarmac SL4 (racing!), 89 Specialised (more info to come)
n + 1 = Felt TK3 (track - woohoo)

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