Thursday, August 16, 2007

Thighmaster



62.5Cm Baybeee!

Who's your quad momma?


And I wish I could say its because I was so awesome at the track last night that my quad grew 2.5cm, but really it was because I applied the correct quad measuring procedures as wonderfully illustrated by the orange-undied Beth. I measured in the squeezie zone.

And wow, I really suck at the track. And I am glad I do.



I know my weakness in crits is 1. hesitation and 2. confidence in the pack. But I can overcome that in crits. I ride on the outside at crits, I move up my sticking my nose in the wind or ride in the buffer zone at the back. I use extra energy, but I can roll around on flats at high speed so I get by. And if I hesitate, then there is probably 40 more minutes of racing to make up for it.

But not at the track. The racing is all about NOW. Its not so much that you need to think faster, you need to not think. Thinking takes too long. Reacting even takes too long. You need to ACT on instinct.

Whenever I do these races, its like someone hit fast forward on the Tivo. Even the sounds are faster. Its a total trip for an overanalyzer like me.



So, last night's menu of races was Keirin, Scratch, Miss and Out and Points. I was scared to death of the Keirin. I am just not one for the argy bargy for positioning that happens. Angela describes it as fun in her post today. Eeek, not me. Get the F away from me is my motto.

But I actually liked the Keirin. It was my favorite race of the evening. I loved getting up to speed behind the moto. I wanted it to go faster and faster. Maybe not even sprint, just keep going faster and faster until the last person is left would have been fun. Anyhoo, with a lap a half to go, the moto pulls off and we all sprint. I was near the back both times and both times I was too far back and gapped off from the real action up front. But I was happy that I was able to accelerate off that speed. It felt really good to open up the legs like that. Even though I was totally dropped, I kept sprinting because it felt Guuuud.

In the scratch race I was just a lame wussy wuss. The last time I did this event, I was on the outside, which is a tougher place to ride. So I wanted to try the inside this time. Ack! I am not ready for the inside. An acceleration went and the line of riders on top of me all dove down on me. The first few riders had room, but the ones after that were coming right down on my front wheel. And I totally spazzed. Riders on top have the momentum and so there is not much you can do. But spazzing probably isn't a good option I'm sure.

And before I knew it I was at the back of the group and looking for a way out of the spaz lane. I had to get around some gapped riders and by the time I did, the group was gone. Thats how fast that shit happens. Boom..gone. I tried like mad to get back on, but just like that, the race was over. I needed like, 10 more laps or something.



Then there was the old miss and out. The miss and out is all about positioning. Hahaha. Check. However there was improvement. Last time I was first out, and this time I was third out. Weeee.

Since my miss and out was so short, I was all jazzed about the final event, a points race with the Bs. I knew if nothing else that would be a good workout. But remember how I said things happen fast at the track? Well they happen so fast that I totally missed my race. One minute I was talking to Mary and the next minute I looked up and noticed my group was out racing.

Oopsie.

Now you know why I don't volunteer to do the lap cards.



I am bummed that these races end next Wednesday. I have enjoyed coming out and doing so horribly. Because its sort of forcing me to improve on things that I make do with on the road. I figure, if I can impove on things even just a fraction at the track, it will mean huge dividends on the road. And plus, its been a total hoot.

And you take joy in all of the little improvements that happen when the learning curve is so big. I've been racing road and mtb so long, that measurable improvements are hard to come by. But with something totally new, you can see improvements each race. Of course, you may have to get creative about those improvements. For instance, I am no longer scared of starting on the boards or having someone hold me at the start. I know how to hang my bike on the racky thing without dinging anyone else's bike. I know what gear in inches I am running. I am not afraid to stop and unclip anymore. I also know how to schlep 2 chairs, my gear, water, food and bicycle in one trip.

Who knows that learnings will come next!

20 Comments:

At 2:52 PM, August 16, 2007, Blogger chatterbox said...

yeee haw! 62.5! No wonder you were putting the hurt on me Tuesday night! I hope you continue to enjoy your learning curve at the track. It's all good.

 
At 3:02 PM, August 16, 2007, Blogger PAB(a.k.a.CID) said...

spazzing.

yeah, spazzing should pretty much always be option #last.

but, i suppose that still leaves it as an option...

when do the thursday and friday nights end? I wanna see you race before the end of the year.

 
At 3:05 PM, August 16, 2007, Blogger Itinerant Rick said...

yowza! Now the question is, will Panda revise her comment that she had not seen a quad measurement as large as hers?

I bet Ms. Chatterbox mentally put my name in the place of 'Bob' in that bottom cartoon.

 
At 3:11 PM, August 16, 2007, Blogger Ippoc Amic said...

ok-next year it is for the kittys...we'll do some Wed. in 2008...can't wait...

the thing that I found cool about the track is that if up you mess up, you get to try again in a few minutes rather than having to wait a week for the next race...

 
At 3:20 PM, August 16, 2007, Blogger marscat said...

sorta wish we could get our puny quads (sorry linda) down there this sat...

and why you no ping?

 
At 3:33 PM, August 16, 2007, Anonymous Anonymous said...

vb, you summed it up so well and freakin' funny too!

oh yes...fast and that is how fast my heart rate accelerates until it blows up! it was a night of blow ups for me and it felt good to blow up...just hold it in longer than I should...

the first time I blew-up...i wanted to blow up again...so i did and it was a good release

i have that song in my head during the race..."relax, don't do it...when you want to come..." but it wasn't about the nasty thing...you know what i mean

it was sucky to get gapped and fall back as people behind me have to work extra hard to close the gap - sorry all! I blew up too early...

I learned that I blow up easy...too much of that instant gratification

hunny kept telling me to close the gap...shit dude...I blew up what do you expect?

oh, you did great...

 
At 4:16 PM, August 16, 2007, Blogger Velo Bella said...

Godzilla's quad to head ratio is off the chart. I should alert Michiko.

 
At 5:29 PM, August 16, 2007, Blogger PAB(a.k.a.CID) said...

godzilla rocks!

 
At 7:52 PM, August 16, 2007, Blogger Ippoc Amic said...

daisy is losing weight and so are my quads...

 
At 8:50 PM, August 16, 2007, Blogger Allison Krasnow said...

"I am no longer scared of starting on the boards."

I did a Saturday session a few weeks ago and left Holly, Kristin, and Amanda laughing at me as I kept riding around the track, scared to stop and hold the boards, so I kept riding by each of them asking if it was easy. I think I'd call that a spazz move too.

 
At 11:03 PM, August 16, 2007, Blogger Velo Bella said...

Ali - haha

I totally solved that dilemna. I just walk my bike up and take my position.

 
At 11:04 PM, August 16, 2007, Blogger Velo Bella said...

PAB - I think the Thu and Fri sessions run through September. Not sure why the Wed doesnt

 
At 8:39 AM, August 17, 2007, Blogger veloandvino said...

I don't want to measure. I laughed...again when I read your blog today.

 
At 9:44 AM, August 17, 2007, Blogger beth bikes! said...

62.5 centimeters?! what is your secret food?
-beef jerky?
-potted meat?
do share!!!

 
At 10:28 AM, August 17, 2007, Blogger karla said...

Yay! Awesome to see you at the track. I totally agree with you - the learning happens fast, and you get to do it multiple times in one evening! Nice job out there.

And you already know the gear-inches stuff? Wowzers. I didn't have any of that figured out till a few weeks ago. I raced all last year in a cloud of ignorance.

 
At 1:34 PM, August 17, 2007, Blogger Velo Bella said...

beer and blackberry pie

 
At 2:29 PM, August 17, 2007, Blogger dr-nitro said...

62.5! That's like both of Mike's spindly little quads. You must make him feel so inferior. Keep it up.

 
At 8:14 PM, August 17, 2007, Blogger WarrenG said...

Fun reading! I still don't know gear inches...

VB, Wednesday night racing is normally the first weekly racing-beginning in March or early April. When Thursdays in May start attendance on Wednesdays goes down a little. When Fridays start in June the number of riders gets even smaller on Wednesdays.

This year there have been so many new folks out to race, and they tend to do Wednesdays instead of Fridays, that the numbers for Wed and Thurs are staying good. But now Rick has put on so many races along with other things like going to Masters Nat's next weekend that he's about done. And as of yesterday Rick and I have been given the task of preparing a proposal to bid for masters nat's at Hellyer next year-so he's busy.

But someone else could run some Wednesday races if there's interest.

And two months after 'cross and xc-ski season winds down there will be Wednesday racing again!

 
At 8:49 PM, August 18, 2007, Blogger Katie said...

Are you sure we didn't mind meld? I feel the same way about all of it (really). It does pay off on the road .. sprint recover sprint recover... I'm glad the girly flab gets included in the Beth system of measurement. I've got ones to be proud of (quads that is). I am really going to miss Weds. too. Wah!

 
At 3:10 PM, August 19, 2007, Blogger suenago said...

If I measured my quads...it would slide me into a fit of depression

 

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