A Day at the Track

This weekend was supposed to be the "Great, Late Spring Blizzard of 2009" but it never really materialized. Chuck offered to set up some team time at the Boulder Velodrome so we could spend some quality team time riding in guaranteed warm, dry conditions. Pictures tell most of the story about the size of the track and the angle of the corners, but until you start riding at speed, you don't really get it. Chuck gave us some brief instructions, most important being to communicate clearly and go faster than 15 mph so you don't fall down the banking.

We got out on the track and did laps to get a feel for it and it is a bit different. You are turning, but still mostly going in a straight line around the curves. Scott is processing all of the information as he goes around the track.


Randy has done some racing on the track before so most of it is old hat to him so he was much more comfortable with taking the corners at speed.


Chuck shows us how it is done, taking a lap in the pole lane. As you get to the corners where the track is banked at 45 degrees, you get quite the lean going.


After doing some pace line work, we did a few rounds of 'Italian Pursuits' which is basically a 1k lead out train exercise. In a normal team pursuit, you maintain a pace line for the prescribed race distance. For this drill it was one or two lap pulls and then you peel off. A one lap pull goes by really quickly, especially one you get going.


A number of us had very serious looks on our faces indicating the intensity with which we approached these races. In my case, it was reflecting the fear that had been put in me by a few close encounters of the wrong kind.


There was one effort where I was "chasing" Ryan and botched turn 1 pretty badly. Drifting up the track, I decided to stop pedaling and correct my line . . . except you can't stop pedaling a fixed gear. I did a little hopping, some veering towards the rail (and netting beyond) before correcting and stuffing my heart back into my chest. A good time was had by all and it was much better than spending the morning sitting on the trainer in the basement.

Racing for Sunday got canceled at the last minute as well when it finally decided to start snowing. I pulled the plug on that one prior since it was only 30 degrees out in Golden and the threat of snow existed. I'm glad I got my workout in when I did and didn't have to worry about Mother Nature's fickle ways. It will be nice when this racing season starts for real though.