Racing and training...2 updates for the price of one

Friday night Superdrome Points Series - 35+/Cat 4

On the schedule: Miss-n-out, 4 lap scratch, Points race (30 laps)

Miss-N-Out: I've not had any level of success in this event, other than a few "not last" placings. Got in front on the rollout and waited for Tom E. to come around. Sat on his wheel the entire race. He never pulled up, and I never pulled. Nor did I get pulled. 3rd place in the final sprint. Cool.

4 lap scratch: This was nothing more than a "Mass start flying kilo"...if you start at the back, you're toast. So...got on Tom's wheel again and sat there, spinning like a gerbil...3rd place in the race, 2nd in my category, since uber-stud 12 year old Noah Williams was in the mix as well.

Between races: Tom works for Richardson Bike Mart, and brought out some demo ZIPP wheels. He "forced" me to put a ZIPP Disc on my bike for the points race. I didn't think about, and he didn't mention that I probably ought to switch out the front chainring to compensate for the extra weight of the disc. Oops.

Points race: Just for kicks, and to see if it sticks...I jumped on lap one and very quickly had a 1/3 to 1/2 lap lead on the "main group". I dangle out there for awhile and then David came after me by himself. He catches up and asks if we should work together. "Um...yes please?" By the time he got to me and settled in front, the pack was only 3 lengths back, and I was feeling the disc/wrong gear already. Ugh. I dropped out quickly, knowing I was toast and would be scoring no points.

Overall: 2nd, 3rd, DNF...still good enough for 2nd in the category, due to a bizarre tie-breaker rule. Another guy got 2nd, 4th and 5th in his events, but because I had a 3rd, I won the tie-breaker. Weird.

Overall...happy with the results.

Saturday training ride: only 12 hours from race to RBM training ride.

36 miler with good friend Todd K. He is still getting his form back, so we hammered with the group at 20+ half the ride and then chit-chatted the back half. Exactly what I needed to shake off the "Track legs" from last night.

Lessons from the aging cyclist:

1. Track races are mental and physical...bring your legs and your brain, know the strategy of the race, and go fast, turn left.

2. Sometimes, you back off the intensity and just ride with a buddy :)

Cyclist(s) to pray for:
Sean and Cheryl. Not really cyclists, but I'm sure they have ridden before. This is a pivotal weekend for them in many ways.

DB