I may get to the track again this season, if the stars align right – or the mood strikes me and the kids are on vacation or something, but for all intensive purposes – my season is over. I’m a little sad that I won’t race a few more times, but I had a great season and didn’t really have to push to get out on Wednesdays this year. I’ll take a little margin in my track racing. Let me run down tonights racing and then – I’ll have a few parting comments.
5 Lap – This is always hot and heavy. Tonight was a little more tame as I tried to be smarter than I normally am. I didn’t keep the pace as high as I normally do and as such was there for the final sprint. I found a wheel that I was SURE would find a hole and ride through it. He did…. he just didn’t keep going and drag my big buttocks through it. We came out of turn four – four wide. I was just behind the wall of humanity … and didn’t feel like pressing my luck – wasn’t worth it. 6th… I think.
10 Lap Win-n-Out – There was a LOT of insanity going on in this race. I really don’t remember it all that well until about three laps to go. Shannon Hutchinson Krupat gave me a HUGE pull and brought me back into the game. As we went to pass a couple of faster mustache guys, one of them oddly decided to turn right for no apparent reason and I had to slam on the brakes (see, all this time you thought you couldn’t slow a track bike down?) I yelled “what the hell” and I felt bad cuz Shannon thought I was yelling at her. No… just a guy who has been doing it long enough to know better. Well, then the OTHER FM guy takes off and the guy that jacked me drops on his wheel. We have another sprint for 3rd, 4th and 5th coming. The same guy I almost it a lap before sprints like he is going for a place but then as we hit turn one quits riding hard and slows dramatically. I have to go between the two (not a good idea) but made it… Jim got me on the line, but I was tired.
Points Race – I wont bore you with all the details, but I rode really smart and with 4 laps to go, went on a solo mission to catch a rider about 1/4 lap up. I got the gap, drove hard, caught her … and then with 1/2 lap to go – so did everybody else. It was one of the smoothest, fastest most fun points races I have done in a while. I got 6th… sigh.
So there you have it. In a year where I did nearly zero track specific training (heck, my training in many cases is ANTI track). I didn’t really have a focus – I had 2-3 bad nights. I earned some points. I races the B’s all season and won a bike race. I pissed off a few people, annoyed (in a good way) many, got in some great work outs and most of all – had a LOT of fun. I honestly believe that if I can keep my focus through the winter and come into April 40 pound lighter – I will be a new racer. I have a head full of tactics, know how and tricks – I just need a little less ME and a little more power to pull it all together.
Thanks to everybody at the track for a great season and most of all, thanks to my family for supporting me. I do love this silly sport.