Adventures of the Northwest

Monday Night Track Racing - Aussie style....

Monday Night Track Racing – I got to the track a bit late and only did a warm up for about 30 mins and my legs felt like toast! Jimmy and Dan, our faithful fans, came to watch us. They also brought with them TomP and GaryS as well as SherryJ showed up too! MikeM brought Rebecca so there was quite a crowd. It was a lot of fun to see everyone and I think they all enjoyed the races! We always appreciate them being there supporting us – and all the other riders as well! Thank you!!

We split the 14 women and juniors up into an A and B group. I took the B group and Jane took the A group. The first race was a points race, 5 lap point a lap. I didn’t do so well but I wasn’t trying to push myself too hard either – trying to hold back a bit for Wednesday night – but I came in ‘2nd’ on the last sprint which means nothing other than – I was close to taking a point. :)

The next race was an Australian Pursuit. I wasn’t excited about this because there was no Australian, not even a Kiwi, to pursue but I did ok. They put ALL women on the track at one time – juniors and women. They did the same for the guys when it was their race – all men. The purpose of this race is you start 25 meters away from each other. It is a standing start and you just jet as fast as possible. You are supposed to keep passing people and as soon as someone passes you then you are out of the race. Some people were out within the first 10 to 20 meters, some lasted all the way to the end. I was expecting to get out asap and I was praying as I was getting tired – someone take me out, someone take me out. My legs felt fried and I was having slight breathing difficulty. I really need to figure out what is causing that. It is my asthma kicking in on some high endurance, hard sprint/push type training exercises and/or races. It doesn't happen all the time just here and there. I finally got out after 3 or 4 laps and was like 4th from the last to be out. I didn’t think I would make it in that race for that long! WOOHOOO!

The last race was a 3x2 which is 3 sprints every 2 laps. This one wasn’t bad as I used some strategy. I knew some of the girls I was racing with would be tired after the first few sprints. I led them out a bit fast to try to get them tired. Then I backed off, sucked on a wheel a bit, lost a wheel, sucked on a wheel, went around, lead, lead, sucked on a wheel and so on. The second sprint I could have had it but I wasn’t sure I would be able to hold the pack of 4 girls for that long. I knew I would have the last sprint for sure so I was just holding back a bit. Then the last sprint came and I was the only one taking it – no one was sprinting to catch me. So my strategy worked. :) Everyone said I did really good Monday night. I just hope I didn’t blow myself up for Wednesday night. :) All the women racing on Mondays are doing really well! I am quite pleased they are doing so well and hope they will continue to come out next year. The guys such as Gregg, Pat, Bob, Jean-Phillipe, MikeM and more are doing really well! It will be nice to see them out there next year as well. Rumor has it that Gregg will be joining the Byrne team which will be awesome! :) Jean-Phillipe, MikeM and who knows - Dan, Jimmy or some of the other guys will be joining their team, Native Planet, to be racing next year! :)

Oh, and I played a practical joke on Bob – the Nebraska Cornhusker – on Monday night. Last week he made fun of me about this inside track joke and I decided to get back at him. I put some fake poop on his water bottle. Of course, he knew it was me immediately. He knew it was me or Pat and he said my guilty smile and laugh told it all. LOL!! Well I can’t keep a straight face but it was funny. :)

Other than that - my racing is getting stronger and I am pleased with it. I am also pleased that some other things in my personal life are starting to form quite pleasantly, I think, and will be excited to see where things go from here.

Until Wednesday….. RAPSody is only 6 days away and I am getting anxious about everything going well….

posted by Seattlebiker @ 6:54 AM